Tier 4 methotrexate

Good morning ,I.. hoping someone can give me a little advice, I'm currently on methotrexate the area I live in is in tier 4

I wasnt on the previous shielding list as I was newly diagnosed in april and put on sulfsalazine with a nasty reaction in September, I was then put on methotrexate in October, on a recent visit to my gp with an issue with a vein on my leg I asked if it was due to my medication ?(to a reply your records dont show you are on methotrexate 😱)which have now been updated thankfully,

I am a key worker, work assessments have been circulating, but not one done on me ,(I have questioned as to why )to be told in section 1 there is no mention on my illness and I look perfectly fine 🤬I have emailed the official for the all wales covid 19 workforce risk assessment and have been told I would score a 7 automatically, but how I'm I supposed to follow government guidelines or try to get my employer to do a disk risk assessment on me if I wasnt on the previous shielding list medication has changed , it's so confusing and I feel that people's health conditions medication changes are being over looked,

I'm not feeling sorry for my self I just want to be kept safe and feel I'm having to fight or make people aware because it's just arthrites ,especially as I'm working in an environment were we do have covid -19 ,to be even told on the quite I'm not a well woman ,😤🤯

Thank you x

[helixhelix]

Now there is real experience of people with RA on the different drugs having had Covid-19 there is a much better understanding of the risks.

It seems that taking methotrexate alone makes absolutely no difference to the outcome you would have if you caught Covid, in fact none of the DMARDs do. So hopefully this reassures you a bit. This is the conclusion of one study, there are many others.

“Conclusions We found that glucocorticoid exposure of ≥10 mg/day is associated with a higher odds of hospitalisation and anti-TNF with a decreased odds of hospitalisation in patients with rheumatic disease. Neither exposure to DMARDs nor NSAIDs were associated with increased odds of hospitalisation.”

ard.bmj.com/content/79/7/859

[bubblyalex]

Did you register on the gov website?

[Hidden in reply to bubblyalex]

Hi ,register for what thanks

[bubblyalex in reply to Hidden]

There is a question mark over some treatments not being ones to worry about as helixhelix has said. If you haven’t registered on the gov covid website that could explain why you aren’t getting the letters and not on the list etc. Your gp has to have you on their list for the clinically extremely vulnerable group for it to work. If you search Health Unlocked there will be a lot of info about all of this... here is the link for registration ... you need your nhs number ...

gov.uk/coronavirus-shieldin...

[Hidden in reply to bubblyalex]

Thank you for your reply you have put my mind at ease 😀

[bunnycaramel in reply to bubblyalex]

It’s your GP that put you on the at risk list. I had this problem at the beginning of the first lockdown in March although I am taking a biological and methotrexate along with bronchietasis. I wasn’t put on the list so didn’t receive a text or letter informing me to shield. In May I was informed by GP that I should be shielding. I had shielded fortunately.

It was just as well I retired from nursing on the frontline just beforehand otherwise I would have been expected to work.

[Hidden in reply to bunnycaramel]

Thank you for your reply ,my gp didnt even know I was on MTX only by my last appointment after I had a suspected dvt I mentioned could it be to do with the meds I'm on ?? As it wasnt a dvt just an inflammation of the vein in my leg (still there ) ,

But honestly I'm at the point were il just have to keep my self safe

[camellia47]

I’m not sure if you would be on the shielding list if methotrexate is your main drug. When I was looking to see if I should be shielding I used the NRAS flow chart which was very useful.

I’m on Methotrexate, Remsima and am over 70, which put me in the shielding group.

I then registered with the Government website because I wanted priority for online shopping.

Eventually I received an official letter, followed by a friendly call from my GP nurse.

Finally I got a letter from my hospital Inflammatory Bowel Dept. stating I was to shield because of Crohn’s disease!! (The drugs used are similar to RA)

Since then I’ve had all the official letters giving information and advice.

I really feel sorry for lovely people like you who are still expected to work and face the risks of this horrible virus. Keep safe!