Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...
Hello, I returned from Europe two weeks ago. We had a great time, and I managed quite well. Since we were on a ship in the Baltic we could get up, tour the port (we usually used the hop on, hop off buses) and would come back so I could rest and relax mid to late afternoon. I had jacked up the prednisone for the trip, so that helped a lot. My doc said to wait until I returned to begin the MTX, so that is what I did.
On Saturday, the 7th I took my first dose of 4 pills. About four hours after taking them, I felt like I was going to cough up a lung! Here I had myself all prepared for nausea, aches and pains and suddenly I had these rattling, painful coughing fits. I got through Sunday and Monday, and was running a temp by Tuesday so off to the doctor I went. I was diagnosed with Bronchitis. The doc (not my Rhuemy, she is about 9 hours away) said that the MTX suppressed the immune system and this was probably in me, and once I took the MTX it just blew up. I ended up back in the ER on Saturday with major pain in my ribs and under my breast bone. I was worried about blood clots, as that is what it felt a bit like, but they said I had just pulled some muscles from all the coughing. I did email my rheumy to let her know what happened and she said to stop the MTX until I am over this stuff and done with the antibiotics and then we will start again.
I haven't even had a cold in 8 years (I am a bit of a germaphobe) and was so careful the entire trip to wash hands and use sanitizer, but apparently couldn't fight it off. I am back at work today, but not sure I will do an entire day.
Funny anecdote: My husband came into the living room the other day, where I have been camped out on the recliner. I was in tears. He asked me why I was crying, was something hurting worse? I told him, "I can't get the top off the cough syrup" (sob, sob) to which he replied, "Look at the bright side, you would not have been able to do that before you got the bronchitis either! I had to laugh, that is one way to look at it!
I was so nervous to take my first dose of MTX, I can guarantee I am going to be nervous to take the second one! But then and again the reaction has to be better than this last one!
So back to reading and learning and being thankful for a Rhuemy that I can email and she responds right away. I think I am big time lucky that way.
Peggy
On Saturday, the 7th I took my first dose of 4 pills. About four hours after taking them, I felt like I was going to cough up a lung! Here I had myself all prepared for nausea, aches and pains and suddenly I had these rattling, painful coughing fits. I got through Sunday and Monday, and was running a temp by Tuesday so off to the doctor I went. I was diagnosed with Bronchitis. The doc (not my Rhuemy, she is about 9 hours away) said that the MTX suppressed the immune system and this was probably in me, and once I took the MTX it just blew up. I ended up back in the ER on Saturday with major pain in my ribs and under my breast bone. I was worried about blood clots, as that is what it felt a bit like, but they said I had just pulled some muscles from all the coughing. I did email my rheumy to let her know what happened and she said to stop the MTX until I am over this stuff and done with the antibiotics and then we will start again.
I haven't even had a cold in 8 years (I am a bit of a germaphobe) and was so careful the entire trip to wash hands and use sanitizer, but apparently couldn't fight it off. I am back at work today, but not sure I will do an entire day.
Funny anecdote: My husband came into the living room the other day, where I have been camped out on the recliner. I was in tears. He asked me why I was crying, was something hurting worse? I told him, "I can't get the top off the cough syrup" (sob, sob) to which he replied, "Look at the bright side, you would not have been able to do that before you got the bronchitis either! I had to laugh, that is one way to look at it!
I was so nervous to take my first dose of MTX, I can guarantee I am going to be nervous to take the second one! But then and again the reaction has to be better than this last one!
So back to reading and learning and being thankful for a Rhuemy that I can email and she responds right away. I think I am big time lucky that way.
Peggy
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My 6mo twin DD's are EBF and just started rice cereal on the first. Everything has been going fine except this morning one of them had a diaper rash (lots of redness around her anus). I read this as one of the signs of an allergy. BUT I did just buy a different brand diaper yesterday (which they have used randomly before w/no issues). Do you think its the cereal or the diaper? Im ready to start...
oh biy ..the e.r. !! not a good way to return home ....and take good care with the bronchitis ..glad you are back safely .
I'm glad you had a good trip!