Silly cold

[parkrungirl66]

hiya,

I’ve only recently been diagnosed with RA and had been 3 on methotrexate for 4 weeks. I still take naproxen daily at the moment. I am also on the drug you take with naproxen and folic acid.

About 10 days ago I started with a sniffle and sneezing. This has now developed into a dry annoying cough, worse at night and early morning. Not untypical to how my body reacts to a “virus type of cold”

However, more unusual for me, I’ve woken up with really gunky and red eyes for last few days. They are not sore, just look shocking.

I’ve not got an infection (no green phlegm) and normally I’d just take lemsips, painkillers and push through. But not sure what I can and can not take with other meds I’m on.

It may be my imagination, but it feels this cold is hanging around longer than normal and I feel washed out after doing something.

So I guess my question is, is this everyone else’s experience and do you have any top tips for managing a “common cold” while living with RA.

thanks all

[Amnesiac3637]

There’s not much you can do but ride it out. Most sniffly colds last about seven days and then you get the cough which can go on for a couple of weeks. All thoroughly miserable and not what you need when you’re newly diagnosed and trying to come to terms with RA. As for your eyes, that sounds like a conjunctivitis or blepharitis both of which can be treated by over the counter medications so best to see a pharmacist who can advise you.

If your cough develops into a productive one or your eyes don’t clear within the next few days then contact your GP in case you have developed any sort of infection which may need antibiotics as you are now on an immune suppressant.

Most colds go by themselves -some viruses take longer than others -and make you feel washed out and there’s some particularly nasty ones about. Do the usual that you would always do -Lemsips, Paracetamol, honey and lemon, get fresh air and exercise but keep warm when sitting around.

I’ve had RA for 35 years and colds come and go now and again but I don’t do anything other than the above unless I think I may have developed a chest infection.

Have you tested for Covid? Worth doing.

Hope you feel much better soon.

[AgedCrone]

Be careful if you take Lemsip as it contains Paracetamol…..don’t double up by taking that as well.

[benhemp]

My rheumie has advised foregoing my weekly 20mg methotrexate dose when I notice that I am fighting an infection like a cold, and resume when it is over. MTX makes it harder to shake off the infection.

[Taichigirl]

Hi sorry to hear you have had such a bad cold. Methotrexate takes a few months to work so stay with it - it’s really helped me!

[Rusticgarden]

Fluids regularly and 4 hourly paracetamol

[Leics]

I’ve just had covid again and this time I thought it was just a cold. Lots of sneezing and nose running like a tap. I didn’t think for a minute it was covid as it normally makes me very poorly but this was very short lived only about 5 days. I still have the residual cough almost two weeks after which is most annoying. I took paracetamol and also had lemsip although obviously not together. So try testing it could be covid. I hope you feel better soon.

[Lolabridge]

Do test for Covid as there is so much around at the moment. If you test positive let your Rheumy team know. Hope you recover soon.