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...
You can catalog this under "true confessions."
Well, I've noticed recently that my eyebrows and eyelashes have been thinning out, so I looked up home remedies. I saw some suggestions about putting Vaseline on them at night, so I tried it. (I've had the same jar of Vaseline for years and years.)
I should add, I have been on Enbrel for about four months now.
Well, it must have been a combination of the Vaseline, the Enbrel and some bacteria, but I got a nasty stye on my eye that has been with me all week. I forgot that I really need to be extra careful about bacterial infections, especially since I'm back on a biologic and I've already contracted one bad cold this past month.
I know, a stye is no big deal, no life threatening illness, but still, this was a bit of a shocker for me - to have been afflicted with a new infection so easily. Just hope this serves as a reminder to the rest of you who are on a biologic or other immune suppressing drug. We need to remain ever diligent and not let our guard down when it comes to possibly introducing bacteria into our systems.
Well, I've noticed recently that my eyebrows and eyelashes have been thinning out, so I looked up home remedies. I saw some suggestions about putting Vaseline on them at night, so I tried it. (I've had the same jar of Vaseline for years and years.)
I should add, I have been on Enbrel for about four months now.
Well, it must have been a combination of the Vaseline, the Enbrel and some bacteria, but I got a nasty stye on my eye that has been with me all week. I forgot that I really need to be extra careful about bacterial infections, especially since I'm back on a biologic and I've already contracted one bad cold this past month.
I know, a stye is no big deal, no life threatening illness, but still, this was a bit of a shocker for me - to have been afflicted with a new infection so easily. Just hope this serves as a reminder to the rest of you who are on a biologic or other immune suppressing drug. We need to remain ever diligent and not let our guard down when it comes to possibly introducing bacteria into our systems.
Ick I'm sorry. I've had several styes in the last few months and a couple turned nasty. One almost put me in the hospital on IV antibiotics. Another one had to be drained by the opthalmalogist. Not a pleasant experience. They've all happened since I started Remicade last summer. I've probably had 2 in my life and then had 8 or so in about 3months. As soon as one went away another showed up. Sometimes 2 in the same eye at once. I have been super diligent with keeping the area clean, warm compresses, separate towels for each eye and all that jazz.
People don't think styes are a big deal til you're immunosuppressed and they take over your life for a little while.
Hope it heals up soon.
Take care,
Emerald
I read that what causes them is actually a staphylococcus bacteria that everyone normally has on their eyelids. But, just as in someone with AIDS, if your immune system is suppressed, you can fall victim to a bacteria that wouldn't normally bother you. I also just read that styes can actually cause a severe infection on the face called cellulitis. *A lady at my work just had an awful infection on her hand that she called cellulitis too! She was on Keflex and one other antibiotic.)
Cellulitis is not supposed to be very contagious, but I just read that it is more likely to affect someone with a weakened immune system. I guess the only thing we can do is try to keep the area around our eyes as clean as possible. Hope they leave us both alone, going forward. Thanks for your reply, too.
The one that almost put me in the hospital was similar to cellulitis. (They've been monitoring my swollen feet for cellulitis & ulcers for the last year) For the life of me I can't remember the name now. It was a staph type infection though. But there are two variations, both bad, but one gets in your sinus cavity and the other can go to your brain. Luckily we caught it in the sinus & controlled it with cipro. I've had enough abscessed teeth to pay attention when the swelling gets into my cheekbones. Facial swelling is dangerous. When my body decides to do something it does it all the way ;)
Have a good night.