I am a 67 year male. i was diagnosed with PsA 7 years ago. I started taking Methotrexate 4 years ago and Humira 2 years ago.
Both Methotrexate and Humira had very positive results for me. I recently had to stop both drugs because I contracted bacterial pneumonia twice this year and strep during one of the bouts of pneumonia.Prior to contracting pneumonia twice, I had both pneumonia vaccines. I have been plagued by chronic sinus infections my entire adult life. I also have had 2 severe sinus infections this year. I have taken a total of 4 weeks of Levaquin this year-to overcome the infections.
I take Tumeric and never stopped during all of this.
The desired effect of both drugs is to deliberately lower the bodies immune response. That made me a gateway for serious infections. My rheumatologist has had me restart Methotrexate and after 2 months have passed following my recovery from pneumonia, I will start taking Otezla. She indicates that limited studies shown that the risk for infection with Otezla is lower than with Humira.
You sound very matter of fact about it all, but you must have been through a really tough time. I do hope you have great success with Otezla.
Looks like you feel that turmeric works for you(?) A few of us here have been trying it, I think the jury's out so far. Perhaps you wouldn't mind sharing your experience of how it has helped in the 'Turmeric' discussion in the Complementary remedies section?
So sorry to hear all you've been through with infections! The one thing I'm thinking is because you were prone to sinus infections all your adult life, did your doctor not take that into consideration when putting you on two meds that weaken the immune system? Was your white cell count low? I'm on Enbrel and have never taken mtx. The Enbrel has been hard enough on my immune system, and my rheumatologist threatened to take me off it this summer when my wbc count was low. But then I caught strep and went on penicillin--before I started the penicillin the doctor checked my wbc's and they were comfortably in the normal range--so obviously they had kicked in to fend off the strep! That was in August, they won't be checked until December--I'm crossing my fingers and hoping they stay normal so I can stay on Enbrel!
Just wondering if your doc was watching your wbc's along the way?
I hope Otezla works well for you--keep us informed, please?
Also, I take turmeric, too, and am also interested to know how much you take and how long you've taken it. Sybil and I (and some others) are hoping it is one of those natural so-called remedies that really IS a remedy and not another disappointment!
I hope otezla works for you. I took it last year and it didn’t work. It caused severe nausea. I was really looking forward to having positive results because I hate needles. I didn’t get sick while on mtx and otezla and it was during the cold/flu season - Oct to Jan. Good luck to you.