Cold symptoms with suppressants

[smilelines]

Just trying to figure out how my system is different with the immune suppressants. I recently had a cold but it never got really bad but it is also lasting a long-time. I know someone who had a blood infection and her immune system didn't kick in until it was very severe. She was on immune suppressants so she didn't have the expected high temperature to warn her something really bad was happening in her body. I wonder what happens in our body when we get a cold?. Do we get less symptoms because our immune system doesn't work really hard to get rid of the bug?

[BillyJayDuncs]

I know I have found that when I get a cold now it seems to last forever. That's just my anecdotal experience though. I have chosen to skip my methotrexate injections at times when I have a cold and that seems to have helped me (I have continued with my other meds and ran this by my consultant before doing this).

[Angjoplin in reply to BillyJayDuncs]

I stop the methotrexate for a week if I have a cold too. After 20 years I am confident I recognise when my white blood cells are down and I need a little break. However, it is recommended to get a blood test if you stop and re-start methotrexate.

[welsh12]

Yes I am interested in this too and if your system is suppressed how a week or two off meds can help but then the possibility of flares. I haven't really been given much guidance or advice from rheumatology on this. Awful coughing bug going around in the UK long lasting too. Calling it 100 day cough.

[smilelines in reply to welsh12]

I know that leflunimide is one of the drugs used to try to save people who are really sick from covid because it is actually the bodies immune system that kills the person. The immune system goes crazy and attacks the lungs. So, if we have overactive immune systems how do we know if it is a good thing to cut back on suppressants when we are sick? Maybe this is the worst time to cut back because the immune system is revved up and ready to attack. Maybe it is better to have a cold for a longer period that to suffer from a flare in our disease. So confused.