I went to the rheumatologist today for my first shot of Stelara, which will replace Humira for me.  While I was there, during the general check-up part of things, I mentioned that for a good bit of the three months since my last visit, I had a really wretched cold that just would not let go.  This was my first cold since being diagnosed two years ago - since I retired from teaching school, I just don't get many colds any more.

I brought it up at the appointment only because it just seemed to drag on and on, well past the usual ten days or two weeks that I would have expected, and I assumed that was my because of my compromised immune system.  My husband was exposed to the same wonderful, beloved, snot-dripping grandbabies as I was, and usually he's out for a whiny two weeks while I might have a day or two of a runny nose.  This was nearly four weeks.

The rheumatologist asked if I had discontinued the methotrexate while I was fighting the cold.

I had not, because a) I'm incredibly methodical about taking the meds as prescribed and b) I thought that the deal was that you contacted your rheumatologist while on MTX if you had an infection.  And what I had was a common cold.  The kind of thing that, if you go to your family doctor, they'd maybe give you something for symptoms but pretty much tell you that it needed to run its course, and that it would not respond to antibiotics.  Thus - in my mind at least - not an infection.

She suggested that if I get another cold, I skip one dose of MTX.

Now, I'm a little confused.  Was my definition of 'infection' inaccurate?  I'm curious about others' experience with this sort of thing.  It genuinely never occurred to me that what I was experiencing (and not to be gross, but we're talking clear mucus, coughing, itchy eyes, but mostly just fatigue) came under the category of Things To Call The Rheumatologist About.

(Also, for anyone who needs to know, Stelara shots don't hurt at all.)