Cold/sinus infection + Remicade = hospital AGAIN?

[kate.flx]

I think I have a cold...or maybe sinus infection. Now it's been going on for about a week and my symptoms aren't that bad so I didn't want to bug my doctor just yet to make sure it's not allergies.

Is having a cold bad when you're on Remicade? I'm thinking I should just isolate myself for a few weeks, ya know just not leave my house and take a lot of meds. But I don't know, mom doesn't know either and told me to ask you guys if you had a cold whether or not that's urgent. I don't think so, cause it doesn't feel like it to me. Don't know.

 

[Mountaingem]

I don't consider it urgent for myself. Just watch out for fever, green mucous, or pain in chest when breathing, which might indicate that it's turning into bronchitis. I usually take 1,000mg of Vitamin C and get plenty of rest, and it'll go away on it's own.

Just to be safe, give your doc a call, maybe they'll leave an antibiotic prescription at the pharmacy for you in case your symptoms worsen.

Drink lots of tea and hope you feel lots better soon

 

[Keona]

sorry Kate... I'm not on Remicade so cant help. I hope you feel better soon.
Wendy

 

[kate.flx]

Yeah it is a little green. If it is the same in 2 days still I guess I'll go in and get it checked out thanks

 

[silveyk]

Okay....if you are on Remicade or Humira, you are to take ANY little infection seriously, since those drugs suppress the immune system. You don't have the same number of white blood cells to fight off infection. Therefore, you calmly call up your GI doc or primary care physician and ask them to call into your local pharmacy a "Z-pack" (aka a 5-day script of Azithromycin). They shouldn't need to see you in clinic for this. Everyone who is on Remicade or Humira should have a script of antibiotics ready for the first signs of infection. If you don't, you need to tell your doctor to get with the program.

Dr. S (spouse of a Crohn's sufferer)

 

[kate.flx]

Okay, think I can take it even though I recently had surgery?

 

[Deleted member 81255]

I just woke up with a raging cold this morning and was scheduled for a Remicade Infusion this afternoon. I just loaded up on Vit. C and Tylenol until the infusion and asked my nurse. She took my temp. and BP and said if I didn't spike a fever during my infusion I could proceed. She took it every 20 mins. and while a little low she said it was within normal. I will probably develop either a Sinus Infection or a Chest Infection of some sort but that is not unusual for me even before I started Remicade. I'd say that unless you get a (high) fever you should be OK but anything different than a regular cold for you I would see some sort of medical professional. Good Luck!