confused.com

[auldreekie2]

I do not understand this, according what i heard I am in the category for staying in, as i am on methtotrexate and no immune system, like a lot of us on here.

Now I have appointment at Rheumatology on the 7th April, so i phoned the hospital to see if this is still to go ahead, so i phoned the secretary, left a message, she got back to me, and told me this is still to go ahead.

i told her i was not happy about this coming into the hospital, sitting about in the waiting room, going in a taxis etc.

After all that she told me i can get a phone call appointment, so that is what i am doing.

it does not make sense.

[Dobcross1]

Each hospital must be doing their own thing! My appointment with Rheumatology on 6 April was cancelled - no offer of a phone consultation!!

[helixhelix]

You do have a functioning immune system. If you didn’t you would have died by now from some other infection. Yes MTX does compromise your immune system a bit, and puts you more at risk, but it doesn’t suppress your immune system entirely.

If you are under 70, in reasonable health and with no other co-morbidities like diabetes or lung disease, then you are most likely to recover from this virus even if you did get it. So try not to stress, as stress isn’t good for the immune system either.

[crashdoll in reply to helixhelix]

Wise words, as always, helixhelix .

[auldreekie2 in reply to helixhelix]

see i am healthy, apart from having RA, but when i was in hospital before Christmas, my consultant wanted me home after 5 days in case i picked any infection up, the doctors had to wear the aprons and wash there hands they were not even allowed to bring their lap tops into the room.

[AgedCrone in reply to auldreekie2]

I hope they do that for all patients not just those on methotrexate!

No doubt if you were fit enough to leave hospital your consultant had 10 more patients to jump in your bed!

[RosieA in reply to helixhelix]

Must admit this is an area of some confusion for me. My neutrophil (for 3 months) and recently Lymphocytes , WBC have been on a downward spiral and have been on the main below normal range. Consultant said that under other circumstances she would have me in to change meds! Have read elsewhere that, yes, MTX will supress immune system but usually to within normal range. Is this your understanding? She said letter winging its way, just hope its a generic, lenitent guidance one not the 3 month sentence. Hope that makes some sense.

[helixhelix in reply to RosieA]

Yes, you want to keep blood counts within normal range and for most people MTX doesn’t affect them too much. You are unlucky. Time to start writing your first novel I feel.

[RosieA in reply to helixhelix]

Thank you for this. It has clarified my thinking. I assumed, naively that it needed to be lower than norm to supress RA activity. But have also read that MTX can affect bone marrow.

Hum. Making parallel lists of things to do and distraction activities. Not sure which might win. In the meantime I am trying a reduced dose, under advisment, which they will monitor. Otherwise, very luckily healthy- except for dodgy tooth, which was told to not have treated except in 'emergency' and then lay off MTX for 2 weeks. Ho Hum. Such joy. But you never know might get away with a gentle caution. Here's to a week of avoiding the post! Keep safe and thanks again.

[AgedCrone]

Next Time you see your rheumatology nurse ask her to explain what Mtx does to your immune system .....it does not knock it out completely....it Just calms it down so that your RA symptoms are controlled!

[auldreekie2 in reply to AgedCrone]

i will do AgedCrone, thank you.

[Hidden]

I have a respiratory clinic appointment next week and still going ahead and still going.

I have deemed it important to go and therefore will be careful when out. When I had bloods on Fri the nurse said to me we are still doing as much of the routine stuff as people still have other issues and if we dont keep on top of blood works etc we will have another mountain to climb the other end.

I thought that was a great approach.

You have to make a decision for yourself on what you feel is best phone appointment will be good IF you feel it is wrong to go to the hospital. The one I went to on Fri was so much quiter than normal too.

[MadBunny]

I'm on mtx and a biologic as well. I saw the rheumatologist 2 weeks ago and my bloods are all normal- indicating the meds are keeping my immunity at the normal level as well as keeping the RA under control However, I'm not getting complacent, as NHS advice states that people on biologics are at a higher risk .I am being very cautious at the moment and staying at home- apart from going for bloods this week if possible.

[auldreekie2 in reply to MadBunny]

Hi MadBunny i have the nurse coming in to take my blood every 2 weeks, as i can not manage out, i have not been out for a while. my bloods are high as RA is not under control, it never been under control in 5 years, the mtx is not working as they thought it would.

so on my phone call appointment, they will give me something else or something different.

so we will see what happens.

[Pulfs]

I was due a rheumatology appointment in May, got text saying this will now be a telephone call. Hospital is RBH in Reading.