Immune system

[Vivienham]

This is a very ignorant question! Does RA itself lower/weaken our immune system and we therefore become more susceptible to illness? If so, I assume the drugs, e.g. I'm on Methotrexate, lower immunity further?

[Buckybri]

I think it’s a over active immune system, so it’s attacking joints thinking that there is a infection there where they are perfectly fine .

[Vivienham in reply to Buckybri]

Thank you - that makes sense.

[helixhelix]

It’s not straightforward. Having RA makes our immune system work wrongly, it is still active and in some people very active, but confused. It’s as if it is in attack mode all the time as it attacks you as well as any invading bacteria/virus. But if you have uncontrolled RA being in this state of high alert means you can be more vulnerable.....image an army running round attacking every shadow and you can see it may miss an important target.

So the drugs we take are designed to regulate the wonky bit of our immune systems, and so they do make that bit of it work less well. No-one is quite sure how and why MTX works, but it only has a small compromising effect for most people. If your blood tests remain in normal range (particularly white blood cells and neutrophils) then you are most likely fine on MTX and you still have a functioning immune system.

In the 10 years I’ve been on MTX I haven’t had a single significant infection.

[philfen in reply to helixhelix]

Love your posts, always well balanced an informative

[Gowp77 in reply to philfen]

Me too!

[Vivienham in reply to helixhelix]

Thanks helixhelix. Is a 'functioning immune system' a normal one or reduced by the effects of MTX?

[Hidden in reply to helixhelix]

that is such a great reply I am keeping it as so easy to explain it this way!

[Agoodlife]

I thank NRAS should really clarify how our immune system works and how immunosuppressive meds affect our ability to fight different intruders. There are very clear info pages on the net where you can read about the immune system. That effect of the different RA meds is something that NRAS should help people understand. The explanations given are in my view vey superficial and often misleading.

[Vivienham in reply to Agoodlife]

Thank you. I agree that it would be very helpful if the NRAS clarified this question but perhaps now isn't the right time to ask them.

[Maverick2 in reply to Agoodlife]

The truth is nobody knows how the immune system works. there are multiple redundant pathways. whatever the RA drug you take, the immunosuppression is partial. A complete immune blockade will kill you. Even the field of immunology is struggling to understand the immune system. If you want to understand how drug works, look at its side effects

[Agoodlife in reply to Maverick2]

About the immune system putting it simple.

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

[193639]

Hi Vivienham,

I don’t believe it is the RA its self that lowers the immune system, it is the medication that lowers your immunity to viruses hence why you get the flu jab. Your immune system is over working therefore it must be suppressed so your system isn’t attacking your joints or In other auto immune diseases other parts of the body.

193639

[WomblingFree in reply to 193639]

Hi 193639,

It is the RA itself that lowers immunity. I would explain it but Helixhelix has done this so eloquently, I will only suggest you scroll up and give her post a read.

[Vivienham in reply to WomblingFree]

Thank you for confirming that and I Helixhelix's post is very helpful too.

[Vivienham in reply to 193639]

Thank you and for the explanation about the immune system.

[Brychni]

Not a silly question at all: this was exactly my question before this escalated. Rheumatology nurse said: hydroxy is not immune suppressing but RA (and one of the other 3 conditions I could have) is. I had been dithering about starting my medication. Needless to say I started taking it immediately!

[Vivienham in reply to Brychni]

Thank you. I've been reading that the hydroxy is being used in trials as a possible treatment for the virus so maybe we'll get some protection from it!

[Brychni in reply to Vivienham]

maybe

[Reving]

Hello Vivienham I think the answer is yes but the doses we take are lower than those that are used for chemo. If you have a RA nurse I think they are in the best position to answer. My nurse is phoning me instead of me going in to see her. I think its sensible for us all to take greater care while the Coronavirus is around. Hope that helps.

[LesJames]

Methotrexate does lower the immune system. The higher the dose the more effective it is going to be doing this. For diseases such as RA, Lupus, Sjogren's etc the maximum dose is 25mg

[Vivienham in reply to LesJames]

Thanks - I thought it probably did lower immunity because it's a drug used for chemotherapy. I didn't know though that the maximum dose is 25mg.

[LesJames in reply to Vivienham]

It is higher if you are on Chemo.

[xxspoonerxx82]

Methotrexate lowers you're immune system. I'm meant to be having a blood test this week but my doctors have said I cant go to the surgery for it an have to go to the hospital for it! I phoned my nurse as I dont want to be taking my son to the hospital with me due to hes asthma an shes told me to come off my metoject pen until all this has blown over with covid 19 an to only use my anti inflammatories when needed instead of every day

[Vivienham in reply to xxspoonerxx82]

Thanks for your reply. I assume you haven't had to go to the hospital after all. Definitely better for you and your son.

[xxspoonerxx82 in reply to Vivienham]

I could have gone but I chose not to as I dont want to take my son out and if that means I have to stop my metoject then so be it an the hospital is the last place I want to go or be taking my 9 yr old son x

[Vivienham in reply to xxspoonerxx82]

Very sensible.