I started taking Azathioprine about two weeks ago, and have had no side effects from the medication. I think I have Strep Throat. Given that I'm on immunosuppresants, what should I do? Go to emergency tonight (it's 10:30), go to urgent care tomorrow, or wait for Monday and call my Rheumy?
Does your rheumatologist have an on call/after hours number? Often if you call the office the answering machine will give the number at the end if they have one. What are your symptoms? I hope you get some answers and feel better soon!
Strep is serious. Get to your PCP right away. The primary doc can handle this. Don't let another day go by if you can't get a hold of your rheumy.
I've had serious infections in my lungs and had to be put on long-term IV therapy (2-3 weeks). All was brought under control. Even though my pulmonologist handled this, I know that my primary could have done it too.
Just takes stronger antibiotics. Also with immunosuppression it takes a longer time to recover/heal.
You got to hold on.
Hi there. I was also put on several immunosuppressants and started to get sick. Even though I'm new to all of this, I'm learning that I have to be very proactive when it comes to my medications. What my primary thought was thrush in the mouth kept getting worse, like the whole roof of my mouth started dying an falling off. Finally when and sat in his waiting room until he could see me. To his surprise, it was pretty nasty. Long story short, got the condition treated and Im on my way to healing. If it is really bad, I would maybe go to urgent care if you feel you can't wait until Monday. It's your body, and you know what your feeling. Just my experience :-)
you need to be seen asap. Immunosuppressive therapy and any type of infection can be dangerous, if you don't want the expense of an er visit to urgent care you need antibiotics now to keep it from getting worse
Two months to the day of beginning azathioprine, I had a severe GI reaction, followed by acute kidney failure 24 hours later. I was delirious (truly)--thankfully, my husband called the ambulance. A week in the hospital (isolation for the first 4 days) and I finally came back, my kidneys damaged, but getting back to normal. What I learned? Don't wait! Immunosuppressants, so key to our treatment, can cause a body to go downhill quicker than we are used to. Please call one of your docs for their assessment, reminding them of the meds you are on. Best of luck. Thinking of you!
Strep can go into your heart or lungs. If you have no immune system, infections move fast. I was on benlysta for 6 months, off for3 months and I am on cellulitis attack #7. You really don’t want to ignore this.
Okay, I think I may have over reacted slightly. I'm really nervous about getting sick since I started immunosupressants, and this is the first time I have felt physically unwell (except for the normal Lupie stuff). On Saturday, I went to a farm and picked grapes. I was outside among the plants and dirt and sun for about five hours. I had a lot of fun!
But that night I started feeling really, really bad. Since then I have been sleeping a lot, drinking lots of water, and taking anti-histamines and tylenol. I feel much better today. Not as good as I felt Saturday morning, but better than I felt Saturday night.
I guess this experience was just another lesson learned. How sad. I'm sorry that I bothered you all with this.
It sounds like you had fun, but unfortunately being in the sun for several hours probably wasn't a good thing, the sun for some of us is like poison, it can and does for me anyway make me physically ill, and being on immunosuppresants might have made you more sun sensitive than you used to be. I'm glad you're feeling better, just got to be careful.
Idioskosmos said:
Okay, I think I may have over reacted slightly. I'm really nervous about getting sick since I started immunosupressants, and this is the first time I have felt physically unwell (except for the normal Lupie stuff). On Saturday, I went to a farm and picked grapes. I was outside among the plants and dirt and sun for about five hours. I had a lot of fun!
But that night I started feeling really, really bad. Since then I have been sleeping a lot, drinking lots of water, and taking anti-histamines and tylenol. I feel much better today. Not as good as I felt Saturday morning, but better than I felt Saturday night.
I guess this experience was just another lesson learned. How sad. I'm sorry that I bothered you all with this.
Idioskosmos,
Never worry about "bothering" anyone on this forum! Either we have been in your shoes, are in your shoes, will be in your shoes, or worry about being in your shoes.
I don't post that often. I do find a lot of comfort reading all of the postings on this site. It is so helpful to me that all of you are so kind to take the time to post! I learn from you all every day!!!
Did you ever go see a doctor?