Working on a college campus is HELL on my immune system. Teaching and interacting with undergraduates brings me into close proximity to all measure of germs and bacteria. I've implemented some simple rules, like insisting my students stay at arm's length, that they pass all their homework to my teaching assistant--who I hope serves as my canary in the coal mine--and using hand sanitizer religiously.
Despite my best efforts I am sick for the second time in four weeks. Perhaps I underestimate the effects of a weekly dose of methotrexate and Enbrel on my ability to stay healthy. I'm not sure if I have the flu or yet another sinus infection, but my fever spiked at 102.2 last night and this is day two of bed rest. I'm grateful for my laptop and internet access.
I've always lived at a frenetic pace, and I'm not used to being more sedate. I don't know when to call it quits--and I usually fail to do so before I'm run down. Sometimes I wonder if I'm simply being lazy when I take it easy (easier). PsA has many lessons to teach me. The most recent is understanding the fine line between humility and humiliation.
Oh Jane I am sorry. Life teaches humility to all of us at one time or another. I had hopped your quietness here on the boards you were happy living your life. Not to dispute it but I had years with lots of colds prior to being on mtx or biologics. That is not much help to you now. I do hope you feel better. I use to take Vitamin c every day and was very careful to use the hand sanitizer prior to touching my face and after I touched everything! PsA teaches us all about limits and those of us who have always done everything and done it fast have the hardest time adjusting. I went through years of thinking I was lazy if anything didn't get done immediately. i have learned to prioritize differently but it constantly challenges me. Big hugs and prayers that you are feeling better soon.
That's really rough. You're taking some good precautions, making it all that much more frustrating. Take good care of yourself when you are not feeling well. I know it's tough to slow down, but it might make things more manageable. Feel better soon.
I am on day 9 of not feeling go. Nine days ago I went to a campus to attend a training session put on by the State. I was apprehensive about going because of the Flu warning every were. I went wearing gloves and was careful not to touch anything. As I was leaving my cell phone rang, withouth thinking I took my glove off to answer the phone and proceeded to leave the building. I touched the door handle. I have been fighting a sinus infection and what seems to be the flu. I have enought aches and pains that I do not know if I have the flu until I throw up. I can now confirm I have the flu. I live in Utah and the past few weeks because of inversions Utah has had the worst air in the nation. I had a appointment with my breathing theropist because my Oxygen has been low at night, about 68. So it looks like they will be adding oxygen to my CPAP. So I do not dare to sleep with out the CPAP but I do not want to throw up with it on. So it has been a restless time. My PC was changing my blood pressure medication about 3 weeks ago. It has not been settled yet. My blood pressure was 178/103 yesterday. I don't know if it was elevated because I am sick or just plain elevated. None the less a sinus infection with high blood pressure is not fun. My CPAP mask hurt to just wear. Being sick on top of everything else is not fun. I hope you feel better soom. I am right there with you.
About a year ago I was dealing with persistent ear infections and sinus infections.. I had not had an ear infection since I was a small child.. But after the MTX and Remicade I had one at least once a month along with the sinus infections.. So my Rheumy put me on daily 24 hr Allegra.. I have not had an ear infection or sinus infection since!!! I don't know if that is helpful to you.. I sure hope it might be..
I hope you don't realy believe your being lazy! This PsA knocks most of us about at the best of times and when you get an infection you do need to take it easy and allow your body to heal until you feel well again. Hope your feeling better soon.
I hope you are now feeling better and you shouldn't feel bad about taking life easier. Everyone should!
This is very interesting to me - I am waiting for approval to start enbrel from my insurance company. I am also a teacher and my biggest concerns is getting sick because it will then put pressure on my colleagues to cover my classes..and we all know schools are germ factories.
My rhemy assures me that enbrel will not make me more susceptible to viral infections only to bacterial infections (like that's any better!)
We do that don’t we…ask if we’re lazy, I got told off (nicely) by my boyfriend recently for that. No you’re not lazy you work hard and have worked hard to stay in work…take your rest and get the most out of it by not being hard on yourself x
Hope you feel better soon
I have it worse...ive got 2 young kids (age 3 & 4) who make me sick ....kidding! Well they contribute to it. And I cant tell them not to come closer than an arm's reach...!!! =) ...Anyways I feel for you guys... my colds linger for weeks and weeks and it's easy for me to catch a cold and I get more fevers than ever before BUT I attribute this to having PsA, as it's an autoimmune arthritis. I also have celiac disease , another autoimmune arthritis. Before going on mtx or any medication for it my colds have always lasted long so I dont blame the drugs. In fact it is the drugs and the condition we have (PsA) that makes us more susceptible to getting sick. Not the drugs alone. I also got an ear infection recently while on mtx, my first in yrs but Im not new to ear infections. I got many pre-medication too...same thing with skin infections..I have a history of serious skin infections that require hosptialization and last resort treatment and yet for all of them I was also pre-medication. So if I get another one - I wont be quick to blame mtx or enbrel (Im going to be taking this next). In fact in the last 2 yrs I havent had another leg infection, and for 1 of the 2 yrs i was on mtx. And nothing. I am hoping I dont get sick more with enbrel. I also dont know how to slow down. But I cant even if I did or if I wanted to. I have to keep active, keep fit for myself and I have 2 kids to look after so where's the time to slow down lol. But I like to be busy and I think it helps me too mentally and it helps to allieviate some of the arthritis symptoms I get like stiffness and fatique. Haggis it's interesting what u wrote: my rhemy said the opposite...that enbrel will make me more susceptible to viral like colds and not to bacterial..he said that is less common. I saw this sight once by enbrel company and it broke down the infections you are likely to get into categories such as very common, common, less common and rare. What my rhemy told me matched this. LOL. I hope he is talking with experience and he didnt just read this. If i just get more colds, i can handle this..i mean i get a lot now with the kids and having the disease and being on mtx. All contribute.