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Kind of urgent question - Remi/vertigo

My Butt Hurts

Squeals-a-lot!
Hey guys -
I have a question that I need to know the answer to by Monday.
I have been a bit dizzy all week, on and off throughout the day. Nothing that really bothered me - I don't feel ill or nauseous, just weird - like I'm on a boat, not like I'm spinning. Almost fell over a few times I think, but it could have just my perception that I almost fell over. And it's happened before, so I wasn't really worried about it.
Today I feel REALLY dizzy, like I almost need to go take a nap.
My husband said that his friend has been out of work this with vertigo due to an inner ear infection.

So my question - My 4th Remicade infusion is on Monday, and I believe that I can't get it done if I have an infection. Is this true? It's working so well right now I would hate to delay it. Anybody know if it IS an ear infection, how long do I have to wait until I can reschedule the Remi?
Anything else I should be worried about with the dizziness? It's not a side effect listed for Remi, but it is for Imuran.
Gah - just when you start feeling good, you run into crap...
 
Hey... I dunno, tough call. I have had a Remicade in fusion with a cold though. They just asked if I had any green snot or if it was a bad cold and I said no and they gave it to me. However, both times were around the time that I was just getting over the cold.

You may wanna see your GP... however, in your position I would wait for it to go away or get worse. However I'm not a good patient.

Sorry I can't help more.
 

My Butt Hurts

Squeals-a-lot!
Okay - I guess I kind of answered my own question. Well, not really well - but I have an answer, I just hope they are correct.

I went to the urgent care clinic, cuz I really need to know if I can get my Remi or not. They gave me a sobriety test, haha - that was fun!
They said it isn't a bacterial infection, but possibly a viral infection. There is a little bit of fluid in one ear. My lymphnodes are swollen, but it's nothing I need antibiotics for. They gave me a prescription for Antivert, which they use for vertigo, and said to fill it only if I want to. I think I will tough it out.

She said that I can get my infusion on Monday. That was the most important thing that I wanted answered, so good.
 

My Butt Hurts

Squeals-a-lot!
I was gonna tough it out without the prescription, but I just can't take the dizzy anymore. One of the side effects? "May cause dizziness"! Ha! What a hoot!
 
hahah i love how they gave you a sobriety test!
as if a drunky is gonna come into a walk in clinic and complain that hes dizzy and falling over. hmm thatd be a smart move fo sho
 

My Butt Hurts

Squeals-a-lot!
I know it! Funny thing is - now my head is hurting from being dizzy so long, it kinda feels like a hangover! Haha - first I was fake drunk - now I have a fake hangover!

I took one of the pills, and it made my dizzy go away for 20 minutes or so I think. Or, maybe it was just the time period where it comes and goes anyways - duh. I'm not gonna take it today cuz of my Remi infusion. It says to not combine with antihistamines, and even though my Claritin is non drowsy.
 
Hey MBH.

My roommate has been having the same symptoms you are describing for the past few months. His doctor gave him antibiotics, thinking it was an ear infection. They didn't help and he was actually getting worse.

A few days ago, he was diagnosed with Menieres (sp?) disease. It is basically a condition where fluid builds up in the inner ear, resulting in vertigo, nausea, and headaches. The primary treatment is to cut almost all sodium out of your diet.

If your symptoms don't go away, this might be something to bring up with your doctor. I hope that this isn't the case, as I'm sure the last thing you want to deal with is another chronic disease.

-Greg
 

My Butt Hurts

Squeals-a-lot!
Well - the dizziness is gone, so I guess they were right. A virus that just went away like a cold would.
Thanks Greg for that tip though - in case it comes back.
Grrr - I can't believe I spent 2 hours and $25 at the clinic plus $15 for the prescription for just ONE pill that I took of it - just for a "cold" in my ear. Grrrrr.
(Well - maybe it WAS worth it cuz the sobriety test was so fun - AND it made Kello laugh. Haha!!)
 
I'm kind of late on this one, but DO NOT take your Remicade infusion if you think you have an infection! Just push it back a few days until you are clear. I don't want to scare anyone away from taking Remicade, because it is a great drug, but just be careful. I had a bite of some sort on my ankle, took my infusion and wound up with a Pseudomonas infection. Since my blood work is perfectly normal, the doctors can't rule out the Remicade as the culprit. I have been on Remicade since oct 06 and I go to the bathroom 1 or 2 times a day! ONE time! yes that's correct. So I will take the occassional infection over hundreds of trips to the toilet anytime, but just be careful...
 
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