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That is not the case with RA..to control it so it is not so crippling and destroys the hands, feet, cervical spine, etc (DESTROYS!) is taking the medication to prevent the destruction.
The hands & feet joints and spine can never recover after the RA attack.
You are left horribly disfigured, for life.
So the meds suppress the immunal system.
There by all sorts of nasty diseases , bacterias and cancers can geta foothold. Some of the most common, are lung issues, TB is on that list, as well as any bacterial infections in the lungs or liver.
Often, the spleen has to be removed too.
We shall see.
It may well be I can just wear a mask when I am with the birds, or it may be bad and I have to live in a "bubble" situation.
Have to waite and see what the blood tests say.
This disease struck my Gramma, in her mid fifties, and the pain and swelling was excriciating.
By her late 60s, she was damaged so bad that most toes stuck straight up, all fingers horribly curved outward from the hands, elbows and wrists and neck vertebrae looked like oyster shells on the X rays. Then it stops.
No more pain, but you are left unable to so much as open a door knob.
You probably already know this but most of the RA immuno drugs are also used to treat Crohns disease and UC. with Crohns comes RA and many other side effects and the RA drugs suppressed the crohns. So Remicade, Humira, Asacol etc are used to gain remission with crohns. they also treat the arthritis and joint pain that comes with it. Remicade and Humira are biologicals, remicade made from rat proteins and Humira from humans. There are many of us on these drugs and the side effects you mentioned are very rare. none of us live in a bubble or have to wear a mask due to the threat of infection. I know lots of people who have animals, chickens horses dogs etc that cause no harm. You are tested for TB before treatment, and any and all allergies. Some reject or react to the medications but usually in the form of an allergic reaction. Anyway just a little info, dont be to afraid if those drugs can help you out.
All of you, Hallerlake too, have made me feel alot better thanks !!!
I was thinking while on these drugs, my celiac disease and derma-hyper active auto immune reactions would all be taken care of..not meaning I could eat wheat again, just that the immunal system would calm down..that is why docs gave me such a high dosage in the past to "shock the sytem" and get it to STOP.
Then they stop the prednisone cold turkey, which usually throws me into a drug-induced diabetic reaction..sleep for a few weeks and all is once again better.
Oh well, we will worry about it later.
No sense worrying about it at all really.
But thanks everyone for easing the mind !
