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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strep throat?

achymom
achymom
have any of you had strep throat? Was recently diagnosed, and had strep throat for the first time last month (pre-diagnosis). Now, it feels like it's coming back, a month after finishing all the antibiotics. I started MTX and plaquinel this week, and have no idea if they are connected. I'll call my doc in the morn, but thought I'd reach out here tonight....?
thinksRAstinks
thinksRAstinks
No- but it has been going around in my area. A lot of adults are getting it and it was always my understanding that it was rare in adults.
disneyfan
disneyfan
its going around here to..plus theres a virus going around here..acts like strep..but its not...hope you find out soon what it is..and get to feeling better.



kim
deleted_user
deleted_user
I've been told that the MTX lowers your immunities, so if you weren't completely over it, it may have come back, or it could be something new. Check with your doc whether or not to continue on the MTX. Mine takes me off any time I have any kind of infection, cold or anything like that going on.....
deleted_user
deleted_user
Hi achymom,
I have not had strep in several years, however when I was in college I went a couple of years where I had it ALL THE TIME! All I have to say is I REALLY hope you feel better because it does not feel good! It's not common in adults but more importantly it definitely hits harder for adults! It turned out that I became a "carrier" of the bug (I worked with little ones and you know them-they are little incubators for germs). It was really hard to get rid of!

Anyway, I would get rid of it with antibiotics and like clockwork it would return a few days after the end of the round. Now that I have discovered these autoimmune problems it seems like I can't get rid of any infection with one round anymore.

I have found that beefing up supplements helps - I just had to start paying attention to when I take the supplements because of all the little "rules" about not taking antibiotics and supplements at the same time or within so many minutes or hours of each other. Whew, sometimes it's like a freakin full time job. But, it is after all health and what keeps us goin, huh?

I just realized your post was a couple of days ago so maybe you are already feeling better! I hope so!
achymom
achymom
thanks all - feeling better, was viral, not strep (hooray!). though doc was extra cautious to make sure I didn't have out of whack numbers due to the drugs.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Just recovered from another bout of strep throat. Autoimmune drugs definitely lower your ability to fight infections. It took me 5 months to recover from shingles, with heavy drugs, and now a year on maintenance. My rhuemie told me to go off my RA drugs, but I did that last year with disastrous results. It is important to eat well, take nutritional supplements to stay healthy. I made the mistake of traveling for the month of May, and got run down. I think I will stay home for a while, and get better, I hope.
depotblue
depotblue
I have strep now achey mom. I am interrupting my dmard, arava, while i try to get over it with antibiotics. did you keep taking your RA meds through it?

Ros