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Humira + cold = I'm freaking out

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Posted 1/2/2013 2:21 AM (GMT 0)
I took my fourth dose of Humira on Thursday of last week. It's helped my arthritis ALOT. But now I have a cold/ upper respiratory infection. I have a slight fever, sore throat, head congestion, and ear pressure. Plus general tiredness and a headache. Has anyone else dealt with a URI before while on Humira/Remicade? Did it go away? I see that a "side effect" of Humira is URI's. Does that mean chronic or passing?

I'm afraid of two things = getting a horrible illness and having to quit Humira and getting the arthritis back.

I'm alternating tylenol & advil every four hours. I'm also taking Mucinex (one without pseudephedrine). I'm trying to make myself drink enough and resting in general. Fortunately I can work from home so I don't have to expose myself to too many other people.

I'm calling my GI's office tomorrow. She had said to call her office (as opposed to GP) if I get an illness as she would rather it be treated aggressively. I just want to know what to expect.
Posted 1/2/2013 2:54 AM (GMT 0)
I had thought I was coming down with cold, the next day it was gone. Happened a few times never lasted long. It was only at the beginning . Now I don't seem to have these episodes anymore. Hopefully whatsoever going on with you won't last. Think positive!
Forgot to say I also had the ear pressure thing too. Thought I had an inner ear thing going on. That went away too.
Hope you feel better!!!!!!
Posted 1/2/2013 3:23 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks! This has been around about three days (2 days for real, 1 day feeling like I was coming down with something).
Posted 1/2/2013 3:50 AM (GMT 0)
I notice I get more colds now, but the benefits are worth it.
Posted 1/2/2013 4:10 AM (GMT 0)
Peety - are you able to work out in general? Do you work out when you have these colds?
Posted 1/2/2013 12:42 PM (GMT 0)
Active, I'm knocking on wood right now. I haven't had a cold yet. I work with the public everyday. Touching them. I try to stay away from people sneezing and coughing . This is the time of year when people get sick more. Wash your hands a lot.Dont need those cooty bugs!
Posted 1/2/2013 2:28 PM (GMT 0)
When I first started Remicade, I developed 2 sinus infections 3 months apart. They put me on antibiotics to be on the safe side and it didn't linger longer than if I wasn't on Remicade. But I always worry about that too - about not being able to overcome an illness while on Remi. When I was on 6mp, I would get sick on occasion (once a year), but I got SICK! High fevers, major chest congestion; the works. It never fails though, every January I get sick with something so since I am not on 6mp anymore, I'm hoping that the Remi will be different (now that I've been on it over a year) and I will stay healthy this year! :)
Posted 1/2/2013 3:05 PM (GMT 0)
I am on Cimzia and when I start feeling a cold coming on, I take zinc losenges from the drug store. Walgreens has their own brand and it works great for me. If I can identify a cold coming on and I take zinc immediately, the zinc knocks it right out. If I get very sick with a heavy cold or flu, my GI prescribes an antibiotic, just in case but thanks to the zinc, I havent had to take the antibiotic in a few years.
Posted 1/2/2013 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone done the pen pulled it away and some clear liquid run down? I'm on the phone to let company know.
Posted 1/2/2013 4:13 PM (GMT 0)
Therearemiracles - I was told that was a misfire. They will probably will replace the pen.
Posted 1/2/2013 4:16 PM (GMT 0)
Was it a mis fire on my end or the pen?
Posted 1/2/2013 4:53 PM (GMT 0)
It could be either. Did somebody train you to use the pain? If you followed their directions then it was probably the pen's fault.

I don't think it matters to them if it was "your" fault or the pens fault.
Posted 1/2/2013 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
I sometimes get little that comes out. I think I pinch my skin really hard .
Posted 1/2/2013 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
When I was on Humira I got a lot of colds and the colds dragged out. The one thing that seemed to help me knock them down was an IV infusion of vitamin C. Oral vit C would give me D and a tendency to flare but an IV infusion of around 20-40 grams of vit C over the space of a couple hours seemed to finally knock out the cold. (interestingly, on pred- even at higher doses, I never noticed the sort of tendency to get colds and sore throats that happened with Imuran, Remi and Humira).
Posted 1/2/2013 6:59 PM (GMT 0)
I have gotten a few colds while on remicade (I have the flu and pneumonia shots), my sister who is 'healthy' gets more colds than I do. Mine seem to last a bit longer. I got a cold the second week of Dec and had sore throat, cough and a ton of phlegm etc. I took a bunch of airborne and about a few days later I was getting better. It has taken a few weeks to get rid of all the phelgm (yuck!).

Take care!
Posted 1/2/2013 7:38 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks guys.

Probiotic - I have an explanation for the sore throat. I've heard a doctor say that a short burst of high dose pred (aka what we are normally on) will knock down a sore throat. I guess a sore throat is generally from inflammation so that makes alot of sense.
Posted 1/3/2013 3:25 AM (GMT 0)

ActiveUCer said...
Peety - are you able to work out in general? Do you work out when you have these colds?

I do my workouts in the morning pretty much without fail, unless I am playing golf. I would just need a nap later in the day with the colds, but could function fine.
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