I need opinions now!!

[MissArtsyPants]

To start off with, I'm not stupid, and am a medical professional myself (EMT, Phlebotomist, in school prepping for PA program).

Anyways, I am not sure how to gauge my situation right now.

I take Humira 2x month to treat severe Crohn's disease.

Around 1200 today, I felt uncomfortably HOT while doing housework. I dismissed it and attributed it to my activity level. I kept feeling worse, and I began to fluctuate between feeling too hot and too cold. Took my temp at 1600: it was 100.6 nothing bad, but not great either. took it again at 1700: 100.8....101.2 at 1800. took 400mg ibuprofen. 102.1 at 1830. Temp fluctuates between 100.8 and 101.8 now.

No Diaphoresis, or actual convulsions from chills. No bowel pain or cramping. Just really uncomfortably hot and flushed. consistent diarrhea for a few weeks, but that's not uncommon with CD, especially because I am bad about eating my trigger foods.

my lymph nodes have been swollen for months, but aren't painful or consistent (will appear and dissappear). I have to go to a "free clinic" atm because my health insurance sucks and I can't see my regular doc OR GI. The PA at the clinic didn't think much of my nodes.

My immune system is compromised, and idk if I should go to the ER now, or wait it out a while and see what happens. I'm all alone for the next day and a half, so if it spikes over 103 and my mental status alters, I'm SOL in BFE

 

[nogutsnoglory]

If this is persistent and getting higher, you need to be seen. You could have an infection and aren't able to fight it properly because of Humira suppressing your immune system.

 

[Traumanurse]

Miss: That's exactly what I thought. The Humira opens you up to infections easier. Bet you're coming down with something. Stay on top of the fever, but I'm surprised you are taking Ibuprofen. Not recommended usually at all with Crohns. You might want to monitor the temp every couple hours and take maybe Tylenol every 4 hours. By all means, if you get worse, go to the ER.

 

[MissArtsyPants]

Traumanurse: I know it isn't recommended to take ibuprofen (or aspirin, or naproxen), but I don't have any acetaminophen. I don't have any pain in my abdomen, so I'm not as worried about my disease as I am my fever at this time. It slowly went down to 99, and has come down to 98.7 thirteen hours after taking 400mg. I'm taking my temp every half hour, and if it spikes again I'm going to go into the ER. For now, I'm going to wait it out and get in to see my GI asap.

edit: I should mention that if anything medically happens to me as a direct result of being on Humira, I am able to see my GI, but I can't see him under normal circumstances (which sucks).

 

[Hope345]

It does suck. It is so hard to know if you have an infection or a start to a flare.

Either way, you need to watch yourself very carefully. Do you take probiotics?

 

[MissArtsyPants]

It does suck. It is so hard to know if you have an infection or a start to a flare.

Either way, you need to watch yourself very carefully. Do you take probiotics?

yeah. I watch myself carefully daily, but now I'm watching even closer. haha. I'm so scared of ending up with a serious infection, but at the same time I don't want to rush in without anything serious going on. I haven't been straight up accused of being a drug seeking hypochondriac, but it has been implied. Especially before I got my official Crohn's diagnosis, and was in the ER five times within a month for pain.
I don't take a probiotic supplement, but every morning I drink 8oz or so of a drinkable yogurt with my breakfast that has probiotics in it.

 

[Hope345]

It is very common to put IBDer's on antibiotics for an extensive period of time.

Most people believe bacteria play a huge role in a Crohns flare, so antibiotics can help.

There are also other options for pain like THC. Many people use that along with other meds and find it very effective. It comes in many forms and is just as much a medical help as many other drugs. It is a natural anti-inflammatory pain reliever.

The yogurt is good, but while your in a flare, lactose can cause you problems too. Sorry to add in all of these little theories, but I know it helped when we removed lactose while my daughter was in a flare. Now that she is not flaring she takes probiotics and can have lactose. It is a scientific fact that bacteria feed on lactose.(http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lactose-intolerance/DS00530/DSECTION=causes) My theory is starve the bad ones and feed the good ones. You do not have to be lactose intolerant.

It sounds like you are doing a great job of taking care of yourself. I know there is so much information to absorb. No one has all the answers but they are finding out new information all the time.

 

[bobisacrohny]

If you find out Humira is causing something bad you will do others a favor and reporting it: http://drugs.about.com/od/faqsaboutyourdrugs/f/MedWatch_FAQ.htm

Humanity is about caring for others without sin...