Re: MTX and really bad cold

February 5, 2005

wow doesn't sound good i am sorry to say. i have been on mtx injections for

2+ years. i was so afraid of getting sick. i have had 1 minor cold since i

started. so much better for me that arava, enbrel, and remicade. those got me

sick

like what you had. hang in there and keep pushing for answers.

kathy in il

February 5, 2005

wow doesn't sound good i am sorry to say. i have been on mtx injections for

2+ years. i was so afraid of getting sick. i have had 1 minor cold since i

started. so much better for me that arava, enbrel, and remicade. those got me

sick

like what you had. hang in there and keep pushing for answers.

kathy in il

February 5, 2005

I know that after I developed a cough, my dr took me off the mtx and has now

put me on humira. The mtx was the cause of my cough and he told me I can no

longer take it.

P

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumList?u=4096322

February 5, 2005

I know that after I developed a cough, my dr took me off the mtx and has now

put me on humira. The mtx was the cause of my cough and he told me I can no

longer take it.

P

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumList?u=4096322

February 5, 2005

, how long after you discontinued the MTX did it take before your cough

went away?

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

Re: [ ] MTX and really bad cold

>

> I know that after I developed a cough, my dr took me off the mtx and has

> now

> put me on humira. The mtx was the cause of my cough and he told me I can

> no

> longer take it.

>

> P

February 5, 2005

, how long after you discontinued the MTX did it take before your cough

went away?

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

Re: [ ] MTX and really bad cold

>

> I know that after I developed a cough, my dr took me off the mtx and has

> now

> put me on humira. The mtx was the cause of my cough and he told me I can

> no

> longer take it.

>

> P

February 5, 2005

Welcome, Michele! So sorry to hear that you are not feeling well.

Lung problems can be very hard to diagnose, but what you are describing does

sound suspiciously like a reaction to the MTX.

It can be the RA itself, too, or, of course, something else entirely.

Is there any chance that you could see a pulmonologist?

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

[ ] MTX and really bad cold

>

> Hi all,

>

> I just found this group and am so glad!! I need some advice/opinions

> about a situation now and look forward to learning from everyone in

> the future.

> I have been treated for RA for about 7 years I think. I have been on

> Vioxx, Celebrex, Azulphidine (sp?) and Mobic. Last November I

> started having a lot of upset stomach problems (w/diarhea constantly)

> and my rheumatologist took me off of Azulphidine and Mobic. He put

> me on MTX pills. I stated out with 4 pills once a week, then upeed

> it to 6 and then to 8 pills. I felt like I could see it was helping.

>

> In December, around Christmas, I started feeling like I was coming

> down with a cold. I know for sure I felt flu like on Dec. 31st.

> Anyhow, I had forgotten my dr's. instructions about calling right

> away if I felt like I was coming down with a cold. The cold got

> worse until on Jan 10th, I felt

> like I had pneumonia. I called my rheumatologists office and spoke

> to nurse practitioner. She took me off of the MTX and she called in

> an antibiotic to my pharmacy. I took it for the full 5 days. I still

> felt poorly. Coughing spells that had me peeing in my pants or

> having flashes of headache (that is only way I can describe it) and

> eventually throwing up from so much coughing. No sneezing, no

> phlegm. I called back on Jan 17th and the nurse practitioner had me

> come in. She listened to my lungs and said they sounded clear. She

> did give me a prescription for a cough syrup which I had filled

> and said to stay off the MTX until further notice.

>

> A week later, Jan 24th, I called their office again and the nurse

> practitioner left a prescription for me to go and have chest xrays

> done. I did this and they faxed a report to my dr's. office. The

> nurse practitioner called me and said it showed nothing! My lungs

> were clear. It did show a node which was benign. I am not sure what

> that was from. She said it may take up to six weeks for this cough

> to go away!

>

> Anyhow, I had an appt. scheduled with rheumatologist for two days

> later on Wed, Jan 26th. I went in. Since I hadn't been taking the

> MTX, they didn't do the bloodwork which they normally would have. He

> listened to my lungs and said they were clear. Said for me to stay

> off of MTX for 2 more months at which time I would be seeing him

> again.

>

> I left there confused. My coughing was worrying me. Also, the fact

> that at times, my breathing was very labored. My husband insisted I

> call my family dr the next day. So, on Thurs, Jan 27th, I called and

> they saw me right away. I left there with a different prescription

> cough syrup (the first one had a narcotic in it and was knocking me

> out for 18 hours!). He also gave me a pill for a cough suppressent,

> Advair inhalant disk, Serevent pills, and a pill for heartburn which

> he found out I was having when he asked me. He seemed surprised that

> my other dr. would let me leave without treating the cough/breathing

> issues.

>

> Now, today, Feb. 4th, I have called my family dr. and made an appt.

> for Monday morning. I am still coughing. Sometimes at night, I

> can't sleep laying down, but instead either sleep sitting up on the

> couch or with a bunch of pillows propping me up in bed. My sister

> things that I am having asthma problems. She is very familiar with

> this as she has two sons with severe asthma.

>

> Hopefully, I will get proper treatment next week. I am tired of

> being tired all the time, falling asleep in the morning after I have

> gotten up. Thinking of all the personal things I need to be doing at

> home and then thinking of all the business things I need to be doing

> and then, picking the one most important business thing I need to get

> done. Kind of like taking one step forwand and three steps back.

> Thank goodness I work for my husband at a home office or else I would

> have already lost my job!!!

>

> My concerns are:

>

> 1. I am wondering why my rheumatologist treated me for 7 years for

> RA and now continues to keep me off my meds even though he thinks

> there is nothing really wrong with me as far as having a cold/cough.

>

> 2. After reading more about MTX and the immune system, I am

> concerned that my dr. seems unconcerned.

>

> Any insight, opinions, advice or related situations are welcome.

> Thanks to all.

>

> Michele

February 5, 2005