Post infection

jennand

How long to leave it to restart my Dmards & biologic? I’m at the end of a chest & sinus infection. ABs finished yesterday but I do still have a chesty cough although it’s much better than it was. I haven’t had any meds for 4 weeks ( been poorly for 6 weeks on & off). My Erelzi will be due on Sat by which time I’m hoping to be clear. I don’t feel poorly now. I should have stopped my meds sooner than I did but I’m new to biologics and I really didn’t expect such a whammy.

BettyMac

Hi Jennand

I'm new to biologics too and am bracing myself for something like this so will be watching the responses with interest.

Is it possible to contact your Rheumatology Specialist Nurse to discuss this?

Hope you're back to being fighting fit very soon.

stickywicket

I don't really think there's a pat answer to this. Even before and after surgery I've been told to (a)cut out the meth for about 6 weeks before and 2-3 after (b) cut it out for about 2 weeks either side (c) miss the dose immediately before and after. All by the same surgeon at different times.

I just play it by ear bearing in mind that, as I've been on meth for years, it takes a long time to 'wear off'. Also I tend to go on the principle that, when in doubt, another week off won't make much difference whereas a week on again too soon just might (in the wrong way). I'm sorry this is probably no help at all but it's a very grey area.

jennand

BettyMac wrote:

Hi Jennand

I'm new to biologics too and am bracing myself for something like this so will be watching the responses with interest.

Is it possible to contact your Rheumatology Specialist Nurse to discuss this?

Hope you're back to being fighting fit very soon.

Thanks Betty. I’m probably my own worst enemy. I don’t like to mither the RH nurse. I have an appointment with him in a couple of weeks so I’ll discuss it then.

jennand

Well, things took a turn for the worse. After a bad night of coughing I got up quite breathless today and needed an emergency GP appt. He’s sure it is a prolonged chest infection and I’m now on 2 more lots of ABs & prednisilone because as well as being breathless, I’m just beginning to flare because I’ve not had any RA meds for 4 weeks. Also sent me for urgent chest X-RAY to rule out pneumonia. He did startle me a little when he mentioned pulmonary fibrosis as it could be a side effect of Dmards, although the X-ray is purely precautionary. So I’m back to square one, feeling thoroughly fed up with it now and have painful joints to boot. I am soooo looking forward to sleepless nights with the steroids (NOT) 👀

BettyMac

What rotten bad luck!
I'm not surprised you're fed up!

When will you be told results of X-ray?

jennand

Hello Betty. Normally from my hospital, results take about 10 days but they did say that if there was any serious problem it would be sooner. I’m not particularly worried as if it is just as my GP thinks, an infection, well it is being treated anyway. Thanks for your concern.

frogmorton

Oh dear that sounds like a nasty infection there Jennand

Mind you, you are the 3rd person I have heard of this Autumn who have needed longer than average courses of antibiotics to clear up their chest infections :?

Get well soon and fingers crossed the X-ray shows nothing to worry about ((()))

Toni xx

jennand

Thanks Toni

jennand

Well, I’m finally feeling a bit more normal now. My chest X-ray did show I had pneumonia. I’m not sure if the Erelzi had any impact on it but I have a tendency to suffer with “ chesty” conditions since I had whooping cough a few years ago. I will discuss it with Rh nurse at next appt. The ABs seemed to do the trick although I felt really nauseous for 10 days. I got myself some Metatone tonic and high strength Vit C & now I’m SUPER cautious about hand washing/ crowded places. All in all it’s been 2 months since I last felt like this, so bring it on.

dreamdaisy

Pneumonia? You poor thing, that must have been rotten and I am pleased you are beginning to feel brighter. Shame on your GP for not acting sooner given your history of chest troubles and the med you are taking for the arthritis but at least things are now on the up and I hope they stay on that trajectory. DD

stickywicket

I hope the better times continue. Sometimes we don't realise how bad things have got until we start to emerge from it all. Stay germ-free now

jennand

To be fair to my GP Dreamdaisy, my GP did give me Abs 3 weeks into my illness when I was more concerned with the sinusitis than my chest. He did examine me and at that point said my chest was clear. The sinusitis did clear but my chest got worse but I didn’t go back to him until I had the breathless episode. As I said, I’m my own worst enemy. Note to self, “ don’t leave it as long next time”