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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Lori57703 02/02/2014

I noticed last night that my ears were hurting so I took some sudafed to help them drain and went to bed. This morning I wake up with a slightly congested cough, stuffy nose and plugged ears. I am not running a fever but I rarely do no matter how sick I am. I feel tired and run down but of course that is nothing new these days.

So my question is, should I go to the doctor today, tomorrow or not at all. I am on MTX 20 mg every week. My fist inclination is to not worry about it since it's most likely viral but then I am immunosuppresed some by the MTX. Then I think that if I go in now I will be done with a Z-Pack by the time my next MTX is due on Friday.

So what do all of you think? Should I go to an urgent care today, see my primary tomorrow or just wait and see what happens? Thanks. ~Lori

deleted_user 02/02/2014

If you can handle it today, just go tomorrow. But I would go, this cold season is rough, better safe than sorry. Hope you feel better soon!

annettearizona 02/02/2014

If nothing worsens I would suggest seeing your dr tomorrow-might have an upper resp infection there?

deleted_user 02/02/2014

As you're in the medical profession, you probably have a bit of a leg up on what you should do compared to the rest of us! But my suggestion is just listen to your body. You know yourself best, and how you've handled "viral" infections in the past. And if your gut instinct is to see a doctor, whether today, tomorrow, or not at all...you'll make the best choice for you! But sOmetimes, you just need some reassurance and have the doc tell you everything is ok and that you've just got a cold.

RA can do funky things...and the further you go into it, the better you'll know how your body reacts. :)

Lori57703 02/02/2014

Thanks ladies. I am in the medical profession but I have never had experience with treating patients with RA so that aspect is totally new to me. My gut says go in today because of my experiences with immunosupressed patients (AIDS, chemo, transplant, ect.) but then I think, "I'm not that immunosupressed." So I thought I would throw it out to people who have more experience with RA. Thanks for the input!~Lori

Lori57703 02/03/2014

Well, I decided to go in this afternoon. The doctor there said good thing I did because I have an ear infection and possibly developing bronchitis. He started me on cephalexin for the next 10 days and says I should be okay to take my MTX on Friday. I will call my ruemy to make sure since the cephalexin is for 10 days.

Glad I went. I was just feeling like maybe I was being paranoid but apparently not. Thanks all! ~ Lori

annettearizona 02/03/2014

Glad to hear you went to the doc and got some meds

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