Chest infections, and Methotrexate

alanthemanc
alanthemanc Bots Posts: 512
edited 30. Dec 2010, 17:35 in Living with Arthritis archive
I'm sick of them.
The last 10 days I've had a real bad one, verging on Pneumonia.
There's a deffinate link to chest infections and Metho, and I am averageing about 2-3 per year.
Got new antibiotics this morning, and I'm praying they work.
Happy Christmas anyway, Alanthemanc
«1

Comments

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh alan, oh dear. Meth does reduce the immune system and thus leaves one open to these things: I think some are more prone than others to catching stuff. I sincerely hope you feel better soon and please take care. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • alanthemanc
    alanthemanc Bots Posts: 512
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    D.D
    Yeh, I''m sort of getting to the stage now, where I'm not too sure Metho is worth all the aggro.
    The benefits do not equal the minuses at times, and I am sure it's Steroids keeping my body from cracking up anyway.
    Anyone else had chest infections while on this " miracle drug ".
    Metho is not great for everyone, and within 10 years will be put in the dustbin. Merry Christmas D.D. anyway :)) :)) :)) :))
  • Colin1
    Colin1 Member Posts: 1,769
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Methotrexate has been used since the 50s it is quite an old drug and for some it does offer great relief. It doesent seem to do anything for me anymore and i believe its the Prednisolne thats doing the job, I have been on Mtx for years and it has given me no end of problems. Dont quote me but if you have a chest infection and taking your antibiotics i'm sure you need to stop the MTX while your taking them, woth giving your GP a ring
    Take Care
    Colin
    c025.gif
    WHEN GOD GIVES YOU LEMONS MAKE LEMONADE
  • julie47
    julie47 Member Posts: 6,041
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Morning Alanthemanc
    Hope the antibiotics have started to work and the chest today feeling a bit easier.
    take care
    juliepf x
  • scattered
    scattered Member Posts: 326
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    The steroids will also be doing anumber on your immune system, leaving you open to infection, so it probably isn't just the MTXs fault.
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Alan,

    Sorry your having all this I get a lot of chest infections as well but always have and the mtx just hasn't helped in my case.

    They have no standardisation over it have they? One of the gp's I see says stop the mtx while on antibiotics and the other says don't. I agree with scattered though preds don't help either if you have infection.

    Hope you soon feel a lot better and get a bit of a break in between for a while as well. Cris x
  • alanthemanc
    alanthemanc Bots Posts: 512
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Skeizer
    Infection still there, but breathing improved overnight a bit.
    Mmmm good question about stopping Metho for a week while I'm still on antibiotics, tough descision, I'm due to do the injection tonight..... Alanthemanc
  • williamlargs
    williamlargs Member Posts: 143
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello

    I phoned my rheumy yesterday as I have a cold with the chesty cough etc and was told no need to stop the meth unless on antibiotics. From that I would give it a miss tonight.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Without a doubt it's the steroids that prop me, not the humira or meth or sulpha. I have upped the pred to a blissful 17.5 per day, just to get me through Christmas and life is almost approaching good as a result. My name is dreamdaisy and I am a pred head. I now know that if I drop below 7.5 mg per day life is intolerable but hey, why care? I have arthritis and it ain't gonna go away. The aim for 2011 is to get off the pred and seriously wreck the quality of my life as a result. It will, at least, get the doctors off my back. I hope the antibiotics are working alan, I cannot remember all your history but there are other things apart from meth - what else have you tried? DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I am suffering too Alan and have stopped MTX and Humira and have for quite a while now. I am not on antibiotics as not sure if I have an infection. I have stopped the meds because they lower the immune system and will make my symptoms worse. i am just waiting for either the pain to increase to unbearable or the cold/flu to go away.
    Do you have a flu jab each year? I had one last year and did not suffer from a cold at all.This year i had a cold so they would not give it to me.

    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • alanthemanc
    alanthemanc Bots Posts: 512
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    D.D
    Iv'e tried the lot, you name it, I've been on it.
    ALL the Mabs, Humira, loads of drips etc , etc, nothing apart fron Steroids has ever really worked for me. Steroids and painkillers is my diet for the day, every day.
    Never mind, will make a descision on the injection in the morning. ALANTHEMANC
  • RA2010
    RA2010 Member Posts: 21
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi there,
    I'm new to this board and signed up to see if anyone had a similar issue to me (similar to you) - must be a common thing at this time of year with all colds / flus! I had a sore throat last week and went to GP (been on meth for 2 months now, so first one since being on it, and GP had told me when I started it to take sore throats very seriously). He examined me and said it seemed like a common cold, and nothing too serious, but to go back after a few days if it hadn't cleared. By Friday it had gone to chest. I was due meth blood tests, so had those done and then went back to doc. He said he would try to rush the bloods through for same day result because it could be serious if white cells too low.
    Rang me back at the end of the day to ask me to go in urgently. Turned out that from perfect blood results just two weeks before, all white cells, and especially neutrophils were dangerously low! He had rung my rheumy to get advice - have been taken off meth until further notice, and was given really strong antibiotics (which react apparently with hydroxy. that I am on also, so have had to stop that too) and 5mg of folic acid every day (used to be weekly) as they said the meth had caused severe bone marrow suppression. Was told that if the cold got any worse over the weekend I had to take myself straight to A&E!
    Luckily had further bloods done this week and bloods have started to improve although still low (if they had got any worse would have been admitted)!
    So all that after having a 'simple' sore throat! I would see the GP - have you had bloods done? Mine said on Friday that as long as bloods were okay it could be treated as normal cold, and could continue on meth, but said they always need to know.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi alan, I hope you are feeling better/brighter today. Heck mate, you sound like me! You name it, I've tried it and to (sadly) no avail. Well, that's probably not quite true: stuff has/is working, just not as I want. Never mind eh? No-one is born with the guarantee of a lovely life. We will battle on. Are your savings gone now, spent on filling the car?! I hope you have been OK driving in this nasty weather and that your little Corsa (yes?) is dent-free. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • alanthemanc
    alanthemanc Bots Posts: 512
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    D.D.
    Got up this morning....... same as, no improvement as yet. Used about 5 of the 21 antibiotics, so I'm not giving up hope yet, but it don't look good at the mo.
    You must have a crystal ball, how did you know I've been sliding all over the place in Carlos the Corsa, but miracles have it, ..... not hit anyone yet.
    Shedding tears at the petrol pump, boo hoo, never mind, good luck for Christmas D.D. you make me laugh on here. Alanthemanc :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :))
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Carlos? LOVE IT! Is it meant to be a pun on 'car' and 'loss' or am I over-reading? You too make me laugh, alanthemanc, and I hope you start feeling better soon. Take care when shoving the pedal to the metal. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • tillytop
    tillytop Member Posts: 3,460
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello Alan

    Really hope those antibiotics kick in soon!

    And hello and welcome RA2010. Sorry you were so poorly but glad things are improving for you.

    Happy Christmas to you both.

    Love Tilly xxx
  • RA2010
    RA2010 Member Posts: 21
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks Tillytop and merry Christmas to you too! Weird because I still don't feel as though I was that poorly, but I guess it shows the power of meth! Was very happy with it before as it worked pretty quickly and was working so well.

    Oh well on positive side with being off it I can enjoy a few drinks over the festive season without feeling guilty! Has anyone been off meth for a few weeks and how soon can I expect the RA symptoms back? And does it usually work as well when (if) going back on?
  • alanthemanc
    alanthemanc Bots Posts: 512
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    D.D.
    Think your reading too much into the Carlos bit, I named it after Carlos Tevez ( me being from the Blue half ).Carlos has been under pressure the last 2 weeks, ( the car that is), the wheels don't seem to be going where I want them to due to some strange white stuff. Ha Ha Alanthemanc
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi alan, I'm here, tired and dopey: did you do the meth today or hold off? I have been fairly lucky to date and haven't had too much trouble with sore throats etc but I have always been told not to have the meth if bothered by such a thing: I think I've missed maybe three jabs on total over the past couple of years? I do notice a difference when I don't have it - I feel better. I know that meth works well for some, and am reconciled to the fact that I don't belong to that club.

    RA2010, welcome to the forums. One of the 'dangers' of meth is that it lowers one's immune system to such an extent that one can be quite ill and not know it. You know when you are poorly 'cos your immune system fires up and produces symptoms. When it is compromised it doesn't and so you don't necessarily recognise how poorly you might be. I hope you can re-start it again soon - it was doing well for you, yes? I wish you well. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • alanthemanc
    alanthemanc Bots Posts: 512
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    D.D. Antibiotics not worked, probably will have to go to back to the Docs.
    Had a good Christmas day but felt not right, coughing etc.
    Didn't let it spoil it though, it's apain in the bum. Alanthemanc
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh dear alan, I am sorry to hear that. Yup, back to the docs seems like a plan, I hope they can help with summat. Doubtful, tho! You enjoyed Christmas despite the illness? Good! I hope you soon start to feel better. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • alanthemanc
    alanthemanc Bots Posts: 512
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    D.D.
    You know when youv'e visited the doctors, and when you walk out, you think " I bet I'm back here within a week ", thats what I felt like , and thats where I'll be.
    MMM, I wanted a couple of cans of Guiness, on New Years Eve, it's left me in limbo land. Alanthemanc
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Can't say as I do know that feeling alan, I guess I've been lucky in that I haven't been ill very often, nor does meth do much to me. I gather that things are not much better, yes? This infection must be deep-rooted - what did he say? DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • alanthemanc
    alanthemanc Bots Posts: 512
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    D.D.
    When I first went, he took a sample of my saliva, and because of Christmas, I haven't got the results back yet. I might wait until then. Alanthemanc
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    That sounds sensible, it has been a long holiday break I know, but I hope youn get some answers soon. How are you feeling in yourself now? I hope 'better' is the answer! DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben