might be a silly question | Arthritis Information

Hi guys,

I think I have a silly question brewing but I was always told, no question is silly so here it goes:

I love my little nephew to death he's just so cute as a button and he's 2 months old. He goes for his first immunization today. Now I read in my MTX insert that they give you that you shouldn't be around people who have just had immunizations... is this correct? and does it include my sweet little nephew and if it does how long should I not see him for

Also, I just completed my baseline eye exam that needs to be done before you can take plaquenil. Does anyone else take the combo MTX and Plaquenil and how do you do with it. Gosh I hate taking pills they make me sooooo nervous.

Jackie

Jackie; I took plaquenil years ago in conjection with Sulfersalazine. I did fine with it; but it wasn't effective enough for long.

As for the immunization; check with your RD...or even have your nephew's mother ask his doctor. I'm sure his Ped. would know. That can be a serious treat....so definately check into it. It's probable less than a week you'll need to be careful with him. I doubt you'll have to stay away from him all together; but be extra careful changing his diapers and stuff like that. I'm honestly not sure.

Good Luck!!

And you're right; no question is a dumb one.

my rheumy told me to check with my son's ped. and he basically said it didn't matter that i was on immunosuppressives like MTX. they don't use live shots was his explanation. personally, for me it wouldn't have made any difference in who i spent time with except for if i knew, i could watch for anything weird. well that's what it says on the insert... live shot immunizations. I'm not sure what the difference is, if any, between immunizations and live immunizations?Not 100% sure myself. I do remember when my children were little and they got the Polio vac. they told me to keep them away from anyone with a weakened immune system. I think that was a live one. this is all just so confusing.. it's pointless calling my Rhuemy, he never takes phone calls and his office relays messages and he may call back a few days later, baby gets shots today and I have to babysit him on the weekend... wondering if my GP will knowi think polio and chickenpox are about the only two..but my son's ped...used inactive polio..and he's awating his chickenpox one...
i do know that my best friend was on MTX and when her kids got their chickenpox vaccs. she came down with mild shingles sometime after...whether it was related or not...no one said to her. but then again, she may have also been otherwise exposed to that as well or just could have been the typical case of shingles being latent and activating due to stress.

jackie, i also forgot to mention i took the MTX/plaq mix...plaq did nothing for me..either postive or negative so i had no problems etc with the combo...

Hi Jackie,

I can't help with any info about the immunization, but I do take MTX and plaquenil. Plaquenil was what I was on first. I had a bit of a rash when I first started it so then I went off of it. Then I was on MTX and it seemed to help a lot. Eventually I added plaquenil and the combo did very well for me. I've taken these 2 for over 10 years, but have had also had to add sulfasalazine recently. I hope it works for you as well.

Kelly

I just heard from the nurse at my doctors office (my GP) She said it would ok to see the baby until he starts to receive live vaccinations, which is at about 1 year old, chickenpox and the measles I believe. So Yay!!!!

Jackie

Jackie, I am on mtx and placquenil and relafin. I think it helps but who knows. I am also on prednisone. It is not working well enough or I would be working. Wish I could help you more. I think others have had better luck. Rox

TEACHER MODE!!!!!!!!!

A live vaccine is when they inject you with a live strain of the virus... usually not a ton of it, but it can make you sick...

A non-live vaccine is when they take dead virus cells and inject you.

In both cases your body sees these new cells as invaders and creates antibodies to fight them.. then the next time that virus comes into your body, it is already prepared to fight it. The dead cell vaccines are safer for the person, but can be less effective due to the number of cells that may not be exactly right, being dead and all..

This is the same reason that a person will never have the same cold twice... each time you get a cold, your body creates antibodies... then it can fight off that particular virus again... the next time you get a variation of the virus, you get a cold again, and again you get more antibodies...

so in a way, you WANT to expose your baby to more viruses.... i mean it sux when they are sick, and crabby and crying ( hey that sound like me!) but it would give them more antibodies before they go to school!

Ok Teacher mOde off.. hope this helped!