Remicade

I recently read that people who take a Vit D3 supplement are something like 50% less likely to catch routine illnesses (colds, flu) than people who don't I can't remember the dosage they tested in the study...I want to say it was something like 5,000 or 10,000mg a week? You could ask your doctor about taking a supplement like this, especially during cold & flu season.

But I really wanted to post to ease your mind a little, because this was a major worry of mine before I started Remicade. I have 2 kids at home, and I teach private music lessons, so other people's kids are in and out of my house all the time. I wondered how I could possibly live my life without catching every single bug that ever came through town.

My precautions are these: people close to me and my students' families all know that I have a chronic condition that I manage with a medication that lowers my immunity. They know that if they are not feeling well, even if it's a "not a big deal" illness like a cold, I would rather avoid being around them until they are well again. Their "not a big deal" illness could be a "big deal illness" in me - especially if treatment ended up being antibiotics. People have been very understanding about this, and my students always cancel their lessons if they are not healthy. (They know that if they come to my house with a cold this week, it might result in me having to cancel everyone's lessons next week, so it just makes sense for the one sick kid to stay home and not expose me.)

The other things I do, ESPECIALLY during cold & flu season, are these:

Whenever possible, I pull my sleeve over my hand before opening a door out in public, or I put on a glove if I have those with me.

I carry a pen in my purse to sign credit card receipts so I don't have to use pens at cash registers (I hate the electronic signature machines though...I should probably start carrying one of those pen/stylus combos!

If I'm at a school sports event, sitting in church, or anywhere I'm out in a crowd in public, if someone near me is coughing, sneezing, or blowing their nose, we get up and move. I used to feel like I would make the person feel bad if I moved away from them, but I'm over that now. If they have the right to take their germy selves out in public, then I have every right to not sit near them.

I wash my hands. A lot. ALWAYS before I eat. ALWAYS when I return home from being out. While I'm out, I do my best to keep my hands away from my face.

With these precautions, I have caught no more illnesses than I would before I was on Remicade. I've been on it a year and I've caught two colds in that time - one last winter, one just last week. I do always get my flu shot, and I've had the pneumonia vaccine. The thing I most dread is catching strep throat because I know antibiotics would likely be involved (and history has taught me that antibiotics are great for throwing me into a bad flare). Catching colds & flu, while not fun, is not a tragedy because I know if I just rest and take care of myself, my body will recover.

Good luck!

I've been on remicade since 2009 and do not take any vitamins. I think the 2nd winter I was on it, I was sick more than my normal but it was a horrible winter for everyone. I work in healthcare with direct patient contact and am frequently caring for patients with MRSA, VRE, c-diff, etc. I've never had any issues. I wash my hands very often and keep hand sanitizer in my car.