Has anyone had there immune system tested after being on biologics? I have been on different versions, but have never gotten sick with a cold or flu, not that I want one! Just wondering if anyone has had tests done. I laready had immunodeficiency I think it was IgG, and I have Waldenstrom’s macroglobulimia, this causes a IgM protien from the blood cancer.
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Yes! My rheumatologist did a serum electrophoresis and then subsequent IgG levels which showed all as very low. We then did a challenge test to Pneumonia vaccine. They measured all of my antibodies before and after the vaccine. It showed I had absolutely no response to the the pneumonia challenge. I am currently on Methotrexate and Plaquenil for my arthritis. This testing has made my rheumatologist very hesitant to put me on any biologic. He sent me to see an Immunologist, which was exactly no help. I have had no increase in infections. Apparently, life threatening infections are what we are waiting on to do any immunotherapy. I think there is a major relationship with what I am experiencing with my arthritis and this immune problem. I have looked and looked for research on this subject and have found none.
I have read that taking Methotrexate with a biologic is more harmful to the immune system, yet there are many people here who have mentioned they don’t get sick more often being on both.
Steen, maybe you could ask your doctor about weaning off the MTX and switching to a biologic alone. I haven’t had the IgG levels tested so I have no idea what mine are, but so far being on Enbrel 3-1/2 years, even though my white blood cells are on the low end and sometimes dip below the normal range, I don’t get sick as often as most people. I have been fighting a cold this week and I blame my daughter and granddaughter who live with us because they both have a bad head cold!!! Grrrrrrr
Jon_sparky, I worried that by going on a biologic I’d catch every bug around, but it hasn’t happened and I’m around kids a lot with all their various germs. It’s impossible to avoid them. Not saying it will never happen, but as the years go by being on Enbrel I’m more and more confident that it really isn’t harming my immune system anywhere near as much as I feared it would!
Hi Jon,
I’ve had mine tested after, but unfortunately it’s kinda useless without a before…
I’ve got an IgA MGUS, only detected by accident 1.5 years ago (biologics started 4-5 years ago), and my IgG since detection has always been at the very lowest end of normal.
I’ve never considered myself during that time to be more susceptible than usual to infection. My primary concern was that it would dip below normal and they’d take my Humira away from me!!! 
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There’s one fun thing about biologics and getting sick…NOT! When you get sick, you don’t know what to do about taking the biologic! I’ve been fighting off something for over a week with very mild symptoms. Today, it turned into something icky and I almost went home from work early.
I have a 101.1 oral temp and chills, body aches and cough. I don’t want to skip my Enbrel tomorrow, but I don’t want to end up getting more sick and have something serious on my hands! So, I guess I’ll skip my Enbrel and hope my PsA doesn’t flare or get out of control! I had strep throat about 2-1/2 years ago and my doctor put me on plain old penicillin and I missed my shot 2 weeks in a row with no PsA flare up!
I hope y’all are feeling okay and if you have some thoughts about whether or not I should take my Enbrel tomorrow, I’d appreciate your input! Otherwise, have a great New Year’s weekend!
@Grandma_J you just need to get in your time machine and go 1 month into the future and see if you got sicker when you took it… if you didn’t then take it… if you did then don’t! It’s that easy…
That’s such a horrible choice to make! I’m really hope whichever you do will be the best choice!
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That is like me, but mine is a IgM protein, I have pre-biologic levels, it would be interesting to see if the IgG has gone down more. Haven’t really gotten sick for 2 years, but I am very careful to avoid crowds of sick people.
Hey Cynthia! Yes! I forgot about my time machine!
Well, I wimped out and drove myself to the Urgent Care center. Just because I’m on Enbrel and I’ll feel better knowing exactly what’s going on. I’m sure it’s nothing serious because I’m able to walk and breathe…
I asked for a mask to protect myself from all the other germs hanging around this waiting room! 
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and then there is this: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/12/29/flu-season-early/990271001/
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So, the only reason I went to the clinic yesterday evening was because I’m on Enbrel. I figured if it was the flu, they’d put me on Tamiflu or if it was an infection they’d put me on antibiotics. If I weren’t on Enbrel, I wouldn’t have worried one bit about whatever it was…
So, it wasn’t the Type A (which I knew because I think I had that once and I was so sick I couldn’t get out of bed to go to the doctor), it wasn’t any Type B they tested for, and it wasn’t strep–at least the rapid strep test came back normal. For me, it’s odd to have a fever and chills with a cold virus–that’s never happened to me before! But, they said it’s a virus and not the flu, so I don’t know what the heck it is that made me feel so yucky all day…
I’m holding off taking my Enbrel for a few days. I know my WBC count is below normal and I don’t want to take a chance by doing the injection today.
Jon_sparky, I never had my immune system checked before going on biologics, but we check the WBCs often because mine have been consistently low since being on Enbrel. I rarely get sick, though, which is great! I worry too much when I do get sick because of some of the nightmare stories I’ve heard of people dying from colds that turned into pneumonia while on biologics! 
Well, it is good to be cautious, hope you feel better soon!
Am pleased to hear it is probably just a cold… and yes, @Jon_sparky is correct, it is always wise to get things checked out… A cold can make you feel pretty disgusting, and my guess would be that any immune suppressing meds might worsen the symptoms some too.
Rest lots and keep well hydrated (I’m sure they told you that already lol) and if things do take a turn for the worse do head straight back to the clinic… again, just to be on the safe side.
I got some weird bug back in June, was on Mtx and Prednisone at the time, and felt so ill with it I even tossed around the idea of calling an ambulance at one stage… but it was simply a bug, and it did start to ease off after 3 days of mostly sleep… I did get checked out by a GP… just to be on the safe side. Yep… it made me feel unbelievably crappy.
Wishing you a speedy recovery… “bugs” of any description are no fun at any time of the year… but it would be nice to be able to enjoy seeing in the New Year without that!!!
All the best for 2018!!!
Thank you, Jon and Janson! Boy, scary what you had in June, Janson!!!
I’ve found that Ibuprofen isn’t helping, but excedrin is! It takes the edge off, anyway.
Does anybody else have painful-to-the-touch skin when they get sick? I asked someone else who had this bug and they didn’t have that symptom…I wonder if it’s something to do with having psoriasis? Mostly the skin on my thighs and butt hurts off and on.
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Still in bed at 11:30am even after a double latte. Who needs a virus, when we have PsA? The other question why does my cat always wake me up at 4am, I ask him what he wants, he just stares…
Hope everyone has a restful New Year!
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I haven’t been this sick in at least 20 years. Today is day 3 of fever, chills, sweating, coughing up a lung and blowing my nose. I had a cold for about a week and a half before this started…I know what a cold feels like. I’ve laid around and done almost nothing for three days.
I did read online that the rapid flu test done in clinics is very unreliable…I’d bet money this is the flu.
On Friday I started feeling really sick at work at about 10:00 a.m. and almost left at noon but decided to stay until 2:00. Colds don’t do this to me.
Sorry I’m being a complainer but it kind of tics me off I didn’t realize the rapid flu test was so worthless…I would’ve liked some tamiflu!!!
Unfortunately my fever had gone down and I didn’t feel as bad while I was at the clinic so I’m sure the doctor got the wrong impression.
Awww… sorry to hear you are feeling soo miserable!! 
I do hope you pick up soon!!
Hmmm… I’m not surprised to hear the rapid flu test is unreliable… it’s surprising just how many tests can give false negatives/positives… It really is a shame some docs don’t seem to “get” that!!
I’m not sure if tamiflu really does a lot unless taken within 48 hours of onset of symptoms… but, if things do go downhill, or don’t start to improve soon, present yourself back to the clinic… it’s good to rule out the need for antibiotics for anything secondary.
Will keep fingers crossed for a quick recovery for you!! Take of yourself!!!
Now my husband is getting it…and he has COPD so this will not be a good thing for him…
I’m hanging in there until tomorrow unless I feel the need to go to the ER. My breathing is shallow, I’m in a cold sweat and weak…I had pneumonia in one lung for six weeks years ago before I went to the doctor, so I think I can hold out for one more day. 
oh no… I really hope the both of you will feel better soon!
So hope you both feel lots better very very soon. x