Compromised immune system on Pred?

[Roltuba]

Is there any infomation/data on how much our immune system is compromised while on Prednisolone? Thinking about travel plans for the future with the new Corona virus around in some countries - e.g. visiting daughter in Singapore...... no advice for “normal” people to avoid at the moment. Yearning to go!

[SheffieldJane]

Have you looked on the Foreign Office website? I get bulletins about South Korea because that is my route to Australia, I go in September. You can sign up for these advice bulletins.

[Roltuba in reply to SheffieldJane]

Thanks, keeping an eye on everything. They always mention things like asthma sufferers, diabetic etc. Only recently been able to break the “curfew” on interesting travelling that this beastly disease plus glaucoma surgery problems imposed for 4 years, so very fed up.

[Hidden]

Hi Roltuba

I’m doubly Compromised with taking Methotrexate as well as Prednisolone, l’ve also had Chemo where your White Blood Cells are obliterated so l have a bit of a natural tendency to be a bit on the OCD side.

They say this Virus doesn’t live long on hard surfaces & is more to do with face to face close contact.

There is now evidence of Coronavirus in Singapore, Cunard Ships who had rescheduled their Hong Kong Port of Call to Singapore have now cancelled that & are heading to Freemantle, a two week sail without any Ports of Call except for refuelling & taking on of supplies in KL

As a long time Cruiser, l’ve been receiving daily updates from Princess on the steps being taken on Diamond Princess in Yokohama & from Cunard to try & prevent any outbreak on their Ships that are in the Far East at this time.

Personally, l would not fly at this time unless it was absolutely necessary, then I’d be a face mask 😷 & disposable glove lady along with my antiseptic wipes!

Generally, l don’t like being hugged & double kissed due to my compromised immune system, people get huffy & when l was on Chemo, my friends would say ‘Oh, Well l’ll Kiss Your Husband’ so that was him in the spare room!

I think we just have to be sensible at this time, we’ve no idea which way this will impact on us in the UK

There is Information from WHO online & l imagine also from the NHS, l can check these out for you & post them later.

Kind Regards

MrsN

PS I never use anyone else’s Pen, this applies more than ever in the Chemist when signing for a Prescription 🤢 when l worked l had a pot of complimentary pens........

[piglette in reply to Hidden]

There was some medic on TV today saying the face marks really do not make any difference. I try not to go near the pharmacy or medical centre if I can help it at this time if year. It seems the coronavirus is pretty contagious if you are a couple of yards or so from someone with it, particularly if they cough at you!!

[Hidden in reply to piglette]

I was in the Doctors last week, l choose the end seat & faced a 90' Angle from everyone else! Not sure it would have been of any benefit but at least l thought l was doing something!

[piglette in reply to Hidden]

I refused to use that touch screen thing to register you have arrived the other day. The receptionist was really annoyed, they normally sit in an enclosed room behind the desk drinking coffee and eating biscuits. They are never at the desk unless you ring the bell for them.

[Hidden in reply to piglette]

I've tried doing it with my elbow but apart from looking rather odd, so l tend to use my knuckle!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Knuckle and the sanitizer nearby. I did ask how often they cleaned it at the dental hospital and they said twice a day. It was filthy so I said can. I book. In with you there was no problem.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Lift Buttons are my other Pet Hate especially in hospitals! 🤢

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I wait until someone presses them and when they come in ask them to press floor button. We need a selfie but Tom pusher stick.

[tangocharlie in reply to Hidden]

And the old magazines that have been lying around for years, how many people have touched them?

[Hidden in reply to tangocharlie]

Oh yes, another of my Pet Hates! Fomites, as they were called back in the day!

We had to remove & destroy all Magazines in our Waiting Rooms when there was a Serious Outbreak of Flu

We kept newly donated ones from Staff under the desk & if anyone complained despite the Notice explaining why, we gave them a Magazine & asked them to take them home or bin them!

[Pixix in reply to piglette]

I wear touch screen gloves, yes, even in the summer...sign in at doctors, plus sign for prescriptions with them! Then I strip them inside out & leave in car for bugs to die...ready for use the next day. My husband does the same for my benefit! Nothing to do with Coronavirus or PMR...I have immune system problems from other diseases! S x

[Noosat in reply to piglette]

Wear a glove

[piglette in reply to Noosat]

It does not work with gloves

[Hidden in reply to piglette]

Haha I got told off in my surgery recently for not using touch screen in front of loads of patients. How dare you, I thought. I said when you wipe the screen after each patient or provide antiseptic wipes then I'll consider it. I have an auto immune illness and wont be compromised!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

I wonder if there is a pen-thing that could be attached? Even the bank uses them now - can't use your own pen to sign things!

In fact - I'm sure I got a freebie at a meeting last summer for onscreen keyboards on touch screens. Or am I hallucinating ...

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

I do get pen things for my iPad from China!

[Marilyn1959 in reply to Hidden]

I was in hospital AMU following emergency admission on Sunday. Was terrified particularly of picking up hospital pneumonia. Opposite me another patient was coughing and spluttering. Fair enough. But then her family visited and I couldn't believe that her daughter, who was coughing and spluttering even worse than her mother had been allowed in. I did make a complaint. The staff nurse started to say 'If you are worried about coronavirus.....' (the family were of Chinese origin). I interrupted her and said regardless of origin of both person or virus, the visitor should not be visiting! A couple of hours later the patient was moved elsewhere. Don't know if it was coincidence or not? Concerning though.

[Hidden in reply to Marilyn1959]

I was in our local hospital in November and the windows were cracked and there was wind howling around the bay. I was OK but there were people older than me struggling.

I did my usual and went to Twitter where I tweeted about how disgusting the ward was and what was our local MP going to do about it. Next thing the hospital management were in the 6 bed bay offering extra blankets and fixing the windows. Every patient had whatever they wanted.

I was promptly moved to a quiet ward and given a round of applause by the nurses and other staff as I was wheeled out...

Use Twitter, use hashtags # and @ symbols directed at management and MPs....

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

David You are a Star 🌟

Twitter is a Very Powerful Media

#davidcantswim

Hope you’re feeling better now?

Angela

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thank you! I like doing good things. I use Twitter a lot. I have a new account and like to tackle injustice. I don’t expect glory just doing good is enough. Feel free to follow me @davidcantswim

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I was just telling my husband about you 😉 Twitter is a very powerful medium!

#davidcantswim

Yes, l’ll follow you.

Hope you’re doing OK

MrsN

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Our local MP must really dislike me! I’m chasing him for some new trees now. Ha ha

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Pharmacy pens are my idea of a nightmare!

[Roltuba in reply to Hidden]

Thanks, keeping an eye on everything. They always mention things like asthma sufferers, diabetic etc. Only recently been able to break the “curfew” on interesting travelling that this beastly disease plus glaucoma surgery problems imposed for 4 years, so very fed up (as is OH, who has found the In Sickness And In Health bit rather hard!)

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Given the developing evidence of "superspreaders" I think I shall avoid the Far East until the situation becomes clearer!

[Roltuba in reply to PMRpro]

Depressing when it can double the once-a-year contact with daughter. 😢

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Roltuba]

Unless we are ill we only see ours once a year - and we are all in Europe ...

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

Not just the Far East also Brighton and Hove doctors’ surgeries!

[Hidden]

As Promised - all information including WHO is available on this Website

nhs.uk/conditions/wuhan-nov...

[Krezan]

I was told to wear a mask in any crowded places when I was put on predizone 60

[Marilyn1959 in reply to Krezan]

Where are you based?

[Krezan in reply to Marilyn1959]

Kelowna Cananda

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Krezan]

Been there! Liked it

[Pixix]

I worked for a laboratory type pharma company for 20+ years. Do wear a mask, but there are many grades of them & cheap & cheerful off eBay not likely to help! Most folk wear the masks too loose & they don’t cover the eyes. Mask is used to prevent a) virus droplets landing on skin, nose, mouth etc, & b) to prevent people touching their face with contaminated hands. Recent studies show some people touch their faces many times per hour! A lot of spread is from hands touching door handles, baggage trolleys, the trays in the security area..then touching face, this is why people catch bugs on planes...not always the plane, often the airport! Most good airlines have very efficient filters...but some don’t bother changing the filters often enough! Most bugs die within 4 hours, but they are concerned this one could take longer. Personally, I’m no doctor, remember, but I wouldn’t go to China, Singapore or Thailand right now...I’d wait! But Brighton could be as bad! Or London. Or your next door neighbour back from hols. Nobody knows. Yet. If I had to travel I would buy a box of disposable gloves...wipe the trolley handles with antiseptic. Have bags to put old wipes in. Throw the gloves at security. Fresh pair for the security area bins you put stuff in. Throw those gloves after security, take small hand sanitise bottle that can go in hand luggage. Use it regularly. I saw, yesterday, that WHO are starting to issue more advice about washing hands, and less info re masks. Sorry for length, but I live my winters in near isolation & fear! In summer, generally, there are not so many bugs around! On way back from Florida, I was waiting for my husband to come back from the toilet at the airport. A Chinese looking gentleman (not a racist comment, just a visual description!) came fairly close, coughed a lot & spat into one of the rubbish bins...3 times! I couldn’t move, but wanted to run! He probably had asthma!! Good luck. Sorry I don’t know how PMR & Pred affect your immune system, mine was compromised before I was diagnosed in November. Apologies for length! S x

[Hidden in reply to Pixix]

All very relevant points & taking additional precautions for Us at this point is eminently sensible!

Take Care

MrsN

[maria40]

Patient UK today simply mentions those with compromised immune systems and over 65s. That will be many of us, I think.

[Spanky2019]

My rheumatologist pulled several masks and handed them to hubby and me and said do not go into a clinic without wearing mask. He also suggested we stay away from our grandkids schools and activities. His concerns are mostly about avoiding flu. We are in U.S.