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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stephgas 03/09/2014

i work up this morning, day 5 of whatever sickness this is, and felt worse. that's happened each day - i feel worse than the day before. claritin didn't help, mucinex didn't help. the last three days i've run a fever on and off, and spent most of the night sweating. i kept thinking it would break and it never did.

i finally decided to go to urgent care this morning because my rheumy basically told me it was nothing to worry about and she's not in the local office until wednesday (when i have a follow up with her anyway). the urgent care doc says it's probably not bronchitis and is probably an upper respiratory infection. he said he didn't think it was pneumonia and i think i know far too much about my own lungs...

but anyway, i got a zpak and flonase. he said he's concerned it is starting to build in my sinuses. he also rx'd claritin, prednisone, and an albuterol inhaler... none of which are useful to me, but i appreciate the effort. (i already have all three at home in abundance). and, of course, rest and fluids. because i haven't been doing that for the past four days lol.

sorry, i'm a bit catty and angry at being sick. at least i got some antibiotics and hopefully will start feeling better soon. i also decided to skip my mtx last night.

bluedogs2 03/09/2014

Sorry you're having such a go of it. I hope this thing hanging on breaks soon and you can get some sleep

Be well
Bluedogs2

depotblue 03/09/2014

flonase always works wonders for my pre or in the thick of sinus infections.

hope it helps you.

glad you got some care Steph

Ros

stephgas 03/09/2014

thanks y'all. i used to be on flonase basically year round from ages 18-23. i used to get sinus infections all the time. i was also smoking - i'm always amazed how much i used to put up with when i smoked. bronchitis twice a year (if not more), pneumonia once a year (usually in the summer, thanks for that), upper respiratory and sinus infections in between. plus my asthma was active. now my proventil inhalers expire before i use like any of it.

anyway, robitussin dm seems to be working better today but i sound like absolute shite. hopefully the zpak and flonase stop everything right in its tracks.

Angelpuss 03/10/2014

Poor steph, you must be so fed up with this sinus/respiratory infection
that is bogging you. Good idea to go to urgent care and get antibiotics etc.
Hope you feel better soon.

Hugs

sammyo1 03/10/2014

I had a few of those on Enbrel. BLAH is an adequate description of how I felt. Sinus infection right along with it.
I feel for you.
Take good care & get better soon.
Sammy

annettearizona 03/10/2014

Glad to hear that you did go to the urgent care! No need to wait and suffer till the dr gets around to letting you come in! Hope you feel better soon.Perhaps you can pick up a new craft or hobby while being in bed?

stephgas 03/10/2014

thanks y'all. i think the most aggravating thing for me was my rheumy's 'i can't do anything unless you're running a fever'. my gp would have had me on antibiotics as of day 2 based on my symptoms, fever or not. my rheumy said i should always call her if i feel like i'm getting sick, not my gp. i'm pretty familiar with my respiratory system and what feels 'right' or 'wrong'.

so far the most frustrating thing has been the s l o w progress of this infection. one day of nothing but post nasal drip. one day of post nasal drip with some dry coughing and a tiny bit of wheezing. one day of post nasal drip with a bit more dry coughing and the start of a bit of an on and off fever and more chest pain. i used to go through those three days of the start of a cold within about a day, maybe a day and a half. i used to get sick, get to the dr, get my meds, and be fine within 6 days. tomorrow will be day 6, so unless i go through a miraculous recovery overnight, i'll be calling into work tomorrow.

i did not take my enbrel last wednesday and did not take my mtx on saturday. are most colds/infections like this with active rd? does it take forever for them to progress and whatnot?

depotblue 03/10/2014

eat your pretzels that you adore :)

hope it turns by tonight

Ros

stephgas 03/10/2014

ate some pretzels. and chocolate. not together, but that would have been nice.

concerned that i seem to be coughing more but not bringing anything up. robitussin seems not to be having much of an effect any longer. i'm guessing i'll be calling into internship/work tomorrow darn it.

this crap better move out - i have a dinner reservations on wednesday and sunday for my birthday.

stephgas 03/11/2014

morning. day 7. still very sick. apparently am now having wet, productive coughs that are pretty damn painful. slathered in vicks vaporub, not going to work.

i have my regularly scheduled rheumy appointment tomorrow. i'm anticipating that we'll start the wheels to get humira going but if we have to do blood work, i don't even know what it will say because i'm so sick and full of antibiotics and flonase.

sammyo1 03/11/2014

Since RA hit my infections last a lot longer. Buggers to fight off.
Good luck with your appointment & take good care.
Sammy

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