First chest infection on Baricitinib

[bernese1225]

I’d been on Baricitinib for 2 years on 17/12/19 and to the day I’ve luckily had no infections. I woke up on the 17th with chest pain and a hacking cough. I saw a GP the same day and he said my lungs were clear and my Sats were fine. BP was borderline high. That night I went to bed and started to shake with the cold then came out in cold sweats but felt red hot. I had a fever 😞 I managed to somehow get some sleep and my daughter rang in the morning and I couldn’t speak, I’d lost my voice. I can’t wait for hubby to get home tomorrow, it’s pretty scary being alone and feeling so unwell. I saw my GP last night and she gave me antibiotics. Fingers crossed they work fast, I’ve never been off Baricitinib in the 2 years and I’m not sure how my RD is going to react.

I’ve not felt this poorly in a long time but it’s put the cherry on the cake for this year. I watched my daughter go through the trauma and pain of a miscarriage in May, then she had complications and needed a D&C. She is struggling emotionally and I can honestly say I’ve felt all of her pain and it’s killing me inside. I hold it together for her but all I want to do is scream at the universe. Sorry for rambling, I’m just praying 2020 is a better year.

[Amy_Lee]

Dear Berbese, I am very sorry for both of you and your daughter, you need to support each other to move on. During the seminar in the hospital, I came to know that RA likes to attack the lung, hence this must not be taken too easily.

[helixhelix]

Please tell your rheumy team and tell them what antibiotic you have been prescribed just to be on the safe side. You GP sounds quite cavalier! Anyone on a biologic should be treated seriously as they should know that the symptoms of serious infections can show in a different way with us - so for example our temperature may not reflect how ill we are. Well that’s what my alert card says!

[bernese1225 in reply to helixhelix]

Thank you. I don’t have an alert card, I’ll ring Rheumy this morning and let them know.

[sylvi]

Oh my darling it has been a hard year for you and your family. Send your daughter my heartfelt hugs and hope it won't it won't be long before she falls pregnant again. I hope you soon recover from the infection soon. I have had two chest infections this year alone. So hugs from me.xxxx

[bernese1225 in reply to sylvi]

Thank you Sylvi it means a lot xxxx

[wishbone]

Hope you soon improve bernese. Sorry about your daughter. I remember how it affected my wife was when she miscarried our first baby.