Strange Coincidence??

[Millysmum]

Hi all,

I was diagnosed with seto positive RA may 2018, on 22.5 mg methotrexate pills and 200mg hydroxy. All in all, been pottering along quite well. Hate tablet day, but it's soon over with! I don't suffer too bad, feet are the worst, but compared to when I couldn't walk at diagnosis, pretty good.

However in August last year, I severely burnt my hand, it took 12 weeks to heal and will carry a scar for a few years, was close to needing a skin graft...

I remained on all my pills, but all my symptoms disappeared, no sore hands, feet, I could run around, and bounce about, no pain killers, it was amazing. Then, my hand had healed, and my pain came back...

So what are your thoughts on this, my husband said he thought my immune system had a proper job to do fight my burn instead of me... Now I look back I think he may be right.

The same happened briefly when I had an abscess at Xmas...

I did joke with my rhuemy that maybe I should self harm, not sure he was impressed, but he did find it interesting enough to put it on my notes, any one else experience this? X

[Lyndy]

Hello, I think this is true for me... I used to say that if my joints felt better it wouldn’t be long before I came down with something.

During chemo (for Ovarian Cancer) my rd was pretty non existent but I had a flare as my immune system recovered. xx

[Hidden in reply to Lyndy]

chemo would stop your immune system from attacking you. It happened to me when I had chemo for breast cancer.

[crashdoll]

Very interesting. Anecdotally, I’ve heard others say the same as you. On the other hand, I have the opposite. If I’m brewing a bacterial or viral infection, sometimes extra bad joints are one of the first signs.

Such a weird condition and I think we all go through it differently.

[Mmrr]

When I have a cold my joints are much improved, so there might be something in it !

[Lolabridge]

You may be right. My joints have been good for the last few days ... whist I have remained at home resting as I felt I needed to fight of an impending cold.

[AgedCrone]

If your burn scar bothers you try rubbing Vit E oil on it. Use Vit E capsules.....just pierce with a pin & squeeze out the oil.

I had an operation that entailed literally cutting my throat which left a very visible scar.....I was told about the Vit E oil, & even my Surgeon was impressed how it faded.

[Brushwork]

I agree with your husband. When our immune system has a real problem to deal with it concentrates on that, when it is sorted it returns to fight the imaginary alien.

I also think that is why some drugs work so well and others don't. It seems to be about either cutting off the immune system or keeping it busy. Sometimes, it produces anti-bodies to fight the meds and then they don't work for us. Very complicated.

I think self-harming might be a bit dramatic and it would have to be quite severe for it to work... : )

[Shalf in reply to Brushwork]

Produces antibodies to fight the meds.

How interesting, I never gave this a thought.

[Brushwork in reply to Shalf]

That’s why some meds just don’t work and sometimes we have bad reactions. It is interesting

[28maggie11]

I had a sickness bug and had to jump out of bed to the toilet. I was super fast whereas I normally take ages to climb out of bed. No pain.

[Shalf]

This interests me very much as the thought crossed my mind too.

I had a bad fall last year and split my head which got stitched. For a while my symptoms abated and I remember thinking, right immune system, do what you are supposed to do!

Maybe it can unconfuse itself during injury times who knows? Maybe a question for the specialists. Certainly fascinating.

[Millysmum]

Oh I'm glad it's not just me then!!

I will throw a new one into the mix then, my rheumy put my mtx up by one pill to 9 on a Friday.. And on that night only my feet are worse than ever, just throbbing constantly, if I go back to 8 it doesn't happen... Why is that?

Again is my immune system fighting that extra tablet? Cos me no likey....

Well I've decided I'm going to have a tattoo done probably in the summer, so it will be a good experiment on the healing process lol.

Thanks for your replies and suggestions x