Shingles | Arthritis Information

 

Well, what triggered my RA was Shingles, as my immune system took a hammering. Did you contract the virus aswell as your father? Shingles is a relapse of chickenpox. Once you have had chickenpox, the virus lives in the nerve endings around the jaw, close to where the jaw joints are. The virus is always there, but most people never have a problem with it again, its only when it reappears that its classed as shingles. So, if you became ill with this virus at the same time as your dad, then its quite possible this triggered it.

I think that what triggers RA isnt so much a particular virus or illness, but how the immune system reacts to it.  

Jenna,
I had shingles about a month and a half before my RA symptoms began, then things went downhill fast.  I was very sick at first, I could barely get out of bed.  My rheumy at the time said that the shingles brought on the RA.

Ellie
I have had shingles off and on
the past couple of years. But when I started being
treated for RA with the methotrexate and remicade,
the shingles came back strong and remained for
several weeks.

It really seems to 'live' on my sciatic nerve. I know
my immune system is a total mess, so I was
wondering how things would go. But so far, it
seems the shingles is somewhat in check Now, if
only the chronic/flu/virus thing would go away!!


My best friend had shingles after her RA dx and she started MTX.  Hers popped up..after her children's chickenpox vaccine.  My rheumy did warn me to be aware of what vaccines Bastian had while I was on MTX to watch for things like that.  The ped. thought I was crazy asking all kinds of questions.  Told me he'd never heard of a parent becoming ill from their child's vaccine. 
hugs, wayney
That maybe true to the ped. but it does happen.  My mother has hepatitas c, which is in remission, but if she should flare up from it again, my rd told me I can not go anywhere near her, it is too risky with my immune system.  I do work at the school with the kindergarteners and the teacher informs me when there is something going through the classroom, flu, colds, etc.  I then stay away from the children till it clears up, when we are mtx, and some of the other meds it brings our immune system down even lower, which in turn makes us more supceptible to illnesses.  Even with enbrel you must be careful of bruising, wounds etc.  I got a small cut, no bigger than an inch and it became so infected within 3 days that I had to stay off my feet for over 2 weeks, and stay off my meds for 3 weeks!!!!
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