Anyone worried about the coronavirus and being on stelara?
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COVID 19
- Thread starter newdiagnosis
- Start date
As I posted on another thread:
There is a possible silver lining on COVID19 cloud for Crohn's patients on immunosuppressive therapy. Namely, the immunosuppressive therapy might serve to dampen the runaway immune response that occurs in the worst COVID19 cases. Most people have a mild respiratory infection, but in the worst COVID19 cases the immune system goes nuts trying to battle the infection and creates a lot of damage in the lungs, sometimes leading to trouble breathig and even death.
China is now turning to an immunosuppressive arthritis drug to fight these severe cases. The drug binds with and innactivates the inflammatory lymphokine IL-6 receptor, similar to the way Stelara inactivates other inflammatory lymphokines IL-12 and IL-23 by binding them directly. This blocking of IL-6 activity keeps the runaway immune response in check allowing the patients to recover.
You can read about this approach here:
https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma-asia/china-turns-roche-arthritis-drug-actemra-against-covid-19-new-treatment-guidelines
So I must stress that there is no data now on using Stelara or any other Crohn's drug to fight raging COVID19 infections, but my hope is that the Stelara I'm on might have some beneficial effects in that direction should I come down with the virus. Until we have more and better data it's a total long-shot wish. But I'll take it at this point.
There is a possible silver lining on COVID19 cloud for Crohn's patients on immunosuppressive therapy. Namely, the immunosuppressive therapy might serve to dampen the runaway immune response that occurs in the worst COVID19 cases. Most people have a mild respiratory infection, but in the worst COVID19 cases the immune system goes nuts trying to battle the infection and creates a lot of damage in the lungs, sometimes leading to trouble breathig and even death.
China is now turning to an immunosuppressive arthritis drug to fight these severe cases. The drug binds with and innactivates the inflammatory lymphokine IL-6 receptor, similar to the way Stelara inactivates other inflammatory lymphokines IL-12 and IL-23 by binding them directly. This blocking of IL-6 activity keeps the runaway immune response in check allowing the patients to recover.
You can read about this approach here:
https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma-asia/china-turns-roche-arthritis-drug-actemra-against-covid-19-new-treatment-guidelines
So I must stress that there is no data now on using Stelara or any other Crohn's drug to fight raging COVID19 infections, but my hope is that the Stelara I'm on might have some beneficial effects in that direction should I come down with the virus. Until we have more and better data it's a total long-shot wish. But I'll take it at this point.
I just was put on Imuran and I’m worried about being on an immunosuppressant while the coronavirus now has cases the town over and I’m in and out of the hospital this month. I know that no one knows much of anything about COVID19 but I actually work at a vaccine company and they are making us come to work because we are working on the vaccine. So I can’t even isolate myself because I need to work to pay for the meds. So backwards. Is anyone else on immunosuppressants during this outbreak?
Hi EmilyRose I'm replying to you from my couch in Athens ,Greece , we have about 200 known cases here .
I'm also on aza 200mg/day and I can't lie worried about the pandemic.
The Greek government has taken early and strict measures to prevent the outbreak.
The Greek ministry of health strongly recommends to the general population to stay at home, avoid unnecessary social contacts and of course very good practice of personal hygiene especially washing hands ,not touching the face.
For the socially vulnerable groups in Greece who are working at the public sector it is planned that they either work from home or back office.
In the private sector things are different as only supermarkets pharmacies dentists doctors offices and health services in general stay open .
If a case presents at your work environment in Greece then they must shut down the place disinfected it and the personnel goes for a 14 days quarantine at home.
Unless there is a case of covid 19 in your work environment I think that you shouldn't worry .
I'm also on aza 200mg/day and I can't lie worried about the pandemic.
The Greek government has taken early and strict measures to prevent the outbreak.
The Greek ministry of health strongly recommends to the general population to stay at home, avoid unnecessary social contacts and of course very good practice of personal hygiene especially washing hands ,not touching the face.
For the socially vulnerable groups in Greece who are working at the public sector it is planned that they either work from home or back office.
In the private sector things are different as only supermarkets pharmacies dentists doctors offices and health services in general stay open .
If a case presents at your work environment in Greece then they must shut down the place disinfected it and the personnel goes for a 14 days quarantine at home.
Unless there is a case of covid 19 in your work environment I think that you shouldn't worry .
Thank you for your input and suggestions. Today I tried to go to my GI follow up from my last hospital stay a week and a half ago for strictures and they kicked me out of the office and made me go get tested for covid. They wouldn’t see me and wouldn’t even tell me if I should stay on the Imuran or not and I have new issues and ulcers in my mouth and other things I needed help with desperately enough to drive an hour at 7 am in a mask and gloves but when he realized I had been having similar symptoms they wouldn’t help me and kicked me out. I ONLY came because I was so desperate about help with the follow up. Now I am waiting on results and am getting sicker by the hour. It is scary.
Sorry to hear this Emily. Is it possible for you to do video/Skype calls to your GI?