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...

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ReeDee43 05/03/2012

Hi, all. I know it's been a while since I last wrote. Well, after 2 remicade infusions and switching to "non-generic" arava i ended up with pnuemonia.

I never experienced this type of illness so I dealt with the extreme shortness of breath until I couln't walk anymore. Hubby bought me to the hospiital Sunday and they immediately checked me in. By the next day they ran all sorts of to confirm pnuemonia.

At any rate, they got insurance happy and ran a CT Scan, Bone, etc. The doc showed me the overdamage to my lungs. Scaring the crap out of me and my hubby. He mentioned biopisi and that's when I stop him asked that he consult with my rhuemy. My rhuemy explained that I had an very agressive case of RA and biopisi's etc should be avoided. She also indicated the the NON GENERIC ARAVA was causing the damage to my lungs.

Wth? How could a nongeneric form of a medicine work better the actual med? My rhuemy has completely stepped in and I asked that I quit taking Arava until we find something different. She also placed me back on prednisone and told them that my adrenal glands were going to real upset in a few days.

So now on I'm on pred and antibiotics until we get my reprisitory system under control. I'm supposed to be released tomorrow (friday) and I sure hope so.

Question-Has anyone had this experience and was it due to meds or just a weakend ammune system?
How long was your hospital stay?

Thanks for your support....as I knew I couldn't stay away long.

tinaunger50 05/03/2012

I had pneumonia for months and antibiotics wouldnt help, so they did a ct scan and found alot of scar tissue along with some grey patchy areas as well. so I did have to have a biopsy to find what was going on. in the end, it turned out to be interstitual lung disease...they think from the Ra. I wasent in the hospital for the pneumonia but a couple days from the biopsy. they put me on 40 mgs of prednisone to get a handle on things.( I hope and pray ) then maybe Rheumy can put me on something for the Ra. at first I thought my problems with my lungs was from the mtx that I was on, but they are more apt to believe its from the Ra. its not as rare as I thought. imflamation is our enemy any where in our bodies. well I hope I helped alittle. I really hope everything is okay and you feel better soon !! glad to have you back here ! take care.

deleted_user 05/03/2012

ReeDee,
How scary!
Generics can be chemically the same or similar, but they may have a different bond . . . . that may be the difference in its mechanism of action.
So you were on the Brand Name Arava and not generic?

It is certainly possible that one may be better for you than another . . . that is why they have so many meds, because we (patients) all respond to different treatments.
If you go back through the posts, tinaaunger (and others) have dealt with respiratory aspects of these conditions . . .
Gentle Hugs,
Hope you get to go home tomorrow!

deleted_user 05/04/2012

Whay? Doth my eyes decieve me? You wish to leave the hospital, the bastion of joy and fine dining? Fie on you! Stayeth thee, that thou myest be sliced to thee marrow and the evil exposed! Surely goodness and merci will follow thee all of the days!

lol...sorry, I don't mean to make light of your situation, but somehow, I wanted to point out the universal urge to get out of the hospital and go home.

I truely hope you get better soon Best of luck

deleted_user 05/04/2012

I had pneumonia, thought it was a bad cold, just could not get warm..doc sent me to the hospital in an ambulance...I was there for 4 days ..they put me on prednisone in the i.v. and inhalers, sent me home with oxygen. and prednisone... Had oxygen for about a week. drove me crazy. couldn't keep it on at night , sent it back.. got off the prednisone and I was fine.. 3 months later it was bronchitis.. since then I have been put on an inhaler twice a day I was so short of breath I could hardly walk around..Mine was just the immune system not working properly .

Christine26 05/08/2012

Wow Ree, you have been through the mill sorry to hear this. Hope you are on the mend now my goodness. I have actually had pneumonia twice, once before RA was diagnosed and I was pregnant with my second child. Once with RA and both times it was frightening as I thought I was going to die. I was not hospitalized as it was caught before that point but was out of work for 10 days or so. I also have had Bronchitis twice with RA and laryngitis once. I have been on Arava for several years and now am on the generic compliments of the insurance company.

I am glad you knew to get your Rheumatologist involved before they started biopsies and the sort. Great thinking on your part Ree. I am wishing you all the best and hope you are on the mend soon. Keep us posted and thnks for letting us know.

deleted_user 05/08/2012

So sorry Ree that you're going through all this. I hope you start to feel strong again and can go home. Can you tell me about your ankle surgery? I just found out today that I have a fracture in my ankle, which may be an old injury and I'd like to hear more about how yours was operated on.

aggie83 05/08/2012

Sure hope you're on the mend. Take care.

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