How at risk am I?

Lydia93

Hi, I have RA and I’m on methotrexate and I also take simponi. On the risk calculator I’m a level 2 - moderate risk due to being on 2 immunosuppressants. I’ve also received a letter from my rheumatology dept advising to stay at home for 12 weeks, but after speaking to a rheumatology nurse she advised I can still go to work but I must maintain a 2 metre distance at all times. I work in ambulance control and my manager says she can’t facilitate this with the room layout and it’s not a job I can do at home, therefore I’m now off work for 12 weeks.
I’m really struggling with this as I don’t feel very ‘at risk’. I’m 27, I have no other underlying health problems, I’m generally fit and healthy and don’t normally get sick. Especially as I understand it that the drugs suppress my immune system because it’s already overactive so aren’t I just the same as everyone else?
It just seems a bit over the top me having to stay at home when I could be doing a useful job at this time. I am obviously following the advice but just want some confirmation that I am supposedly more ‘at risk’ than my colleagues. Thanks 😊

chrisb

HI Lydia,

Welcome to the Versus Arthritis forum.

I understand your frustration at being told that you need to stay at home when you've been categorised as moderate risk but are feeling fit and healthy. It's to your credit that you'd rather be at work.

My own personal view is that you should probably follow the advice from your rheumatology department as they are the experts.

Hopefully you will get further responses from others on the forums who have more detailed knowledge than I and can comment in the questions you've raised in your post.

You can always call our free Helpline on 0800 5200 520, or email helpline@versusarthritis.org (Mon - Fri 9:00am – 8:00pm) if you feel the need.

Best Wishes

ChrisB (Moderator)

dreamdaisy

You are not the first to ask this question and probably won't be the last.

One of the more complicated areas of being immuno-suppressed is that we are slow to produce symptoms so often can be ill and not know it because we don't feel it: by the time we do we can be very poorly and could have unwittingly infected a few people along the way. This is why we are different to those who are not immuno-suppresed because they know far quicker that they are ill and will respond faster to any meds they need.

Normally us passing something on doesn't carry the risk of killing someone but this time it does. You do have an important job but, due to your meds, you are at a greater risk of contracting corona, not know that you have it (which is happening to non-immuno- suppressed people) and carry on thus infecting others who also have important roles. That is the issue. Your staying away protects your colleagues. Yes, it is frustrating for you (as it is for everyone else who is having to do this) but to bring this disease under some kind of control demands this action. DD

Lydia93

Thank you for your comments, it's really helpful to understand these things a bit more and I wasn't aware of that. Am I right in saying that as well as being a risk to others I'm at greater risk to catching it/suffering more severely due to being immuno-suppressed? I had been told by my rheumatology nurse that due to my age and general good health that I would most likely have mild symptoms which then left me questioning why I had been told I then can't work for 12 weeks.