Re: Other Med Override Xolair? Questions!

October 13, 2007

Those are good questions, which make me ask more questions:

--Is it possible that your very inflammatory and allergic system saw

Methotrexate as an ALLERGEN and your currently unbound IgE bound to

that and started an allergic cascade? (Remember, not all of our IgE

is bound to Xolair, since we make more all the time.)

--Is it possible that there are some side effects that are not in the

literature for lay people b/c they are very rare but that you may be

exhibiting?

--Is it possible that you were exposed to ANOTHER or an ADDITIONAL

allergen and that that in combination with the Methotrexate

overwhelmed your system? For example, I HATE to go to the doctor's

office when I know something is going around AND the ragweed count is

high, because if I get exposed to the current cold virus during

pollen season or when we've had a lot of rain and the mold count is

up, I will get the cold and immediately get an upper resp infection.

HHHmmmmmmm.

Addy

Group co-owner

--- In , SD Designer <instdesgn1@...>

wrote:

>

> I finally took my first dose of methotrexate on Wed. night for

seronegative rheumatoid arthritis and had a very unpleasant

response. It was like a combination of a very bad allergy attack and

the beginnings of an infection. My nose bled, my head was stopped

up, my nose, tongue, throat were " on fire " , I was dizzy (still am

somewhat), my nose ran clear mucous while I was asleep (all over when

I woke up) and I felt like I was completely dried up. My brain was

absolutely dulled out - couldn't remember how to get to certain

places around town. This sounded a little like some of my reactions

to antihistamines but there was no antihistamine involved in several

weeks.

>

> Is it possible for another drug to override the benefit of

Xolair? This reaction was something I would have had last fall (a

year ago) if I had spent the day doing heavy gardening - dirt,

pollen, mold, vegetation - all major nasty triggers, but, in fact, I

had not been exposed to any of the more severe triggers.

Furthermore, I've been on Xolair since March and noticed this fall

that I'm definitely better off than I was a year ago at this time.

Not free from allergy (still take Advair and Spiriva every day) but

definitely more comfortable with fewer symptoms.

>

> The only difference was the methotrexate which is known to cause

infection in some people. Even my upper lip was partially swollen

and a little sore spot got much more sore. But, I didn't think that

my experience was at all the typical experience w/methotrexate - in

fact, it seemed very allergic. So, I'm wondering if methotrexate

simply removed the benefit of Xolair or if I really did have an

allergic reaction to the other med because I haven't been on Xolair

long enough for complete protection (if that indeed ever happens)?

>

> The rheumy gave me this drug because of my very high test results

re inflammation plus definite arthritic history. She didn't know if

the high inflammation was from asthma (life long allergies) or

arthritis. That's another $64 question - how does one

differentiate? I'm hard to treat because of all my allergies and it

looks like I'm going to have to come up with my own treatment.

>

> Questions, questions, questions!

>

> ---------------------------------

> Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with

FareChase.

>

October 13, 2007

Hi,

I know living with an Auto Immune disease is a dreadful thing but why

would your doctor give you something that could potentially give you

Pulmonary Fibrosis when its apparent you already have a lung condition.

Are you aware its also used along side Chemo drugs for cancer patients

and can have some pretty nasty side affects when used with Penicillin

also.

Personally I would look at something else to take for your Rheumatoid

Arthritis, not even I would take Methotrexate for a thing it's a very

dangerous drug.

Simone

>

> I finally took my first dose of methotrexate on Wed. night for

seronegative rheumatoid arthritis and had a very unpleasant response.

It was like a combination of a very bad allergy attack and the

beginnings of an infection. My nose bled, my head was stopped up, my

nose, tongue, throat were " on fire " , I was dizzy (still am somewhat), my

nose ran clear mucous while I was asleep (all over when I woke up) and I

felt like I was completely dried up. My brain was absolutely dulled out

- couldn't remember how to get to certain places around town. This

sounded a little like some of my reactions to antihistamines but there

was no antihistamine involved in several weeks.

>

> Is it possible for another drug to override the benefit of Xolair?

This reaction was something I would have had last fall (a year ago) if I

had spent the day doing heavy gardening - dirt, pollen, mold, vegetation

- all major nasty triggers, but, in fact, I had not been exposed to any

of the more severe triggers. Furthermore, I've been on Xolair since

March and noticed this fall that I'm definitely better off than I was a

year ago at this time. Not free from allergy (still take Advair and

Spiriva every day) but definitely more comfortable with fewer symptoms.

>

> The only difference was the methotrexate which is known to cause

infection in some people. Even my upper lip was partially swollen and a

little sore spot got much more sore. But, I didn't think that my

experience was at all the typical experience w/methotrexate - in fact,

it seemed very allergic. So, I'm wondering if methotrexate simply

removed the benefit of Xolair or if I really did have an allergic

reaction to the other med because I haven't been on Xolair long enough

for complete protection (if that indeed ever happens)?

>

> The rheumy gave me this drug because of my very high test results re

inflammation plus definite arthritic history. She didn't know if the

high inflammation was from asthma (life long allergies) or arthritis.

That's another $64 question - how does one differentiate? I'm hard to

treat because of all my allergies and it looks like I'm going to have to

come up with my own treatment.

>

> Questions, questions, questions!

>

> ---------------------------------

> Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with

FareChase.

>

October 13, 2007

Hi,

Sorry forgot to add that Methotrexate also blocks Folate which in

studies around the world is extremely beneficial to people with Asthma

and Folate also prevents heart disease.

Simone

> >

> > I finally took my first dose of methotrexate on Wed. night for

> seronegative rheumatoid arthritis and had a very unpleasant

> response. It was like a combination of a very bad allergy attack and

> the beginnings of an infection. My nose bled, my head was stopped

> up, my nose, tongue, throat were " on fire " , I was dizzy (still am

> somewhat), my nose ran clear mucous while I was asleep (all over when

> I woke up) and I felt like I was completely dried up. My brain was

> absolutely dulled out - couldn't remember how to get to certain

> places around town. This sounded a little like some of my reactions

> to antihistamines but there was no antihistamine involved in several

> weeks.

> >

> > Is it possible for another drug to override the benefit of

> Xolair? This reaction was something I would have had last fall (a

> year ago) if I had spent the day doing heavy gardening - dirt,

> pollen, mold, vegetation - all major nasty triggers, but, in fact, I

> had not been exposed to any of the more severe triggers.

> Furthermore, I've been on Xolair since March and noticed this fall

> that I'm definitely better off than I was a year ago at this time.

> Not free from allergy (still take Advair and Spiriva every day) but

> definitely more comfortable with fewer symptoms.

> >

> > The only difference was the methotrexate which is known to cause

> infection in some people. Even my upper lip was partially swollen

> and a little sore spot got much more sore. But, I didn't think that

> my experience was at all the typical experience w/methotrexate - in

> fact, it seemed very allergic. So, I'm wondering if methotrexate

> simply removed the benefit of Xolair or if I really did have an

> allergic reaction to the other med because I haven't been on Xolair

> long enough for complete protection (if that indeed ever happens)?

> >

> > The rheumy gave me this drug because of my very high test results

> re inflammation plus definite arthritic history. She didn't know if

> the high inflammation was from asthma (life long allergies) or

> arthritis. That's another $64 question - how does one

> differentiate? I'm hard to treat because of all my allergies and it

> looks like I'm going to have to come up with my own treatment.

> >

> > Questions, questions, questions!

> >

> > ---------------------------------

> > Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with

> FareChase.

> >

October 13, 2007

Simone, while I agree with you that Methotrexate might not be a good

choice for any one with a pulmonary disease, it may be the last

option to try for someone in instdsign's position who may have

already tried everything else.

All of us on this board are hard to treat patients just based on the

severity of our asthma alone, much less if one adds any other

factor. For example, because I have severe asthma I cannot take beta

blockers for my now severely high blood pressure (thank you,

prednisone), so I have to take another form of HBP medicine. Because

I have to take THAT, there are probably a slough of other meds I

won't be able to take for the NEXT condition I develop.

So, while I think we need to remind each other of drug side effects

and share our personal experiences, we have to remember that most of

us qualify for the sh*!-out-of-luck prize as far as concomintant

illnesses and drug effects are concerned.

Well, enough of that. I've gotta go rinse my sinuses, take my

Calcium/D supplement, eat a banana to get some postassium to counter

the effects of the HCT I take with my Diovan for my HBP, and pick up

my bone-building pills and advair inhaler at the pharmacy. (And y'all

please don't start on the advair warnings. I know about them and I'm

taking it 'cuz it's ragweed season and I don't care.)

Addy

Group co-owner

>

> Hi,

>

> I know living with an Auto Immune disease is a dreadful thing but

why

> would your doctor give you something that could potentially give you

> Pulmonary Fibrosis when its apparent you already have a lung

condition.

>

> Are you aware its also used along side Chemo drugs for cancer

patients

> and can have some pretty nasty side affects when used with

Penicillin

> also.

>

> Personally I would look at something else to take for your

Rheumatoid

> Arthritis, not even I would take Methotrexate for a thing it's a

very

> dangerous drug.

>

> Simone

>

> --- In , SD Designer <instdesgn1@>

wrote:

> >

> > I finally took my first dose of methotrexate on Wed. night for

> seronegative rheumatoid arthritis and had a very unpleasant

response.

> It was like a combination of a very bad allergy attack and the

> beginnings of an infection. My nose bled, my head was stopped up,

my

> nose, tongue, throat were " on fire " , I was dizzy (still am

somewhat), my

> nose ran clear mucous while I was asleep (all over when I woke up)

and I

> felt like I was completely dried up. My brain was absolutely

dulled out

> - couldn't remember how to get to certain places around town. This

> sounded a little like some of my reactions to antihistamines but

there

> was no antihistamine involved in several weeks.

> >

> > Is it possible for another drug to override the benefit of

Xolair?

> This reaction was something I would have had last fall (a year ago)

if I

> had spent the day doing heavy gardening - dirt, pollen, mold,

vegetation

> - all major nasty triggers, but, in fact, I had not been exposed to

any

> of the more severe triggers. Furthermore, I've been on Xolair since

> March and noticed this fall that I'm definitely better off than I

was a

> year ago at this time. Not free from allergy (still take Advair and

> Spiriva every day) but definitely more comfortable with fewer

symptoms.

> >

> > The only difference was the methotrexate which is known to cause

> infection in some people. Even my upper lip was partially swollen

and a

> little sore spot got much more sore. But, I didn't think that my

> experience was at all the typical experience w/methotrexate - in

fact,

> it seemed very allergic. So, I'm wondering if methotrexate simply

> removed the benefit of Xolair or if I really did have an allergic

> reaction to the other med because I haven't been on Xolair long

enough

> for complete protection (if that indeed ever happens)?

> >

> > The rheumy gave me this drug because of my very high test

results re

> inflammation plus definite arthritic history. She didn't know if

the

> high inflammation was from asthma (life long allergies) or

arthritis.

> That's another $64 question - how does one differentiate? I'm

hard to

> treat because of all my allergies and it looks like I'm going to

have to

> come up with my own treatment.

> >

> > Questions, questions, questions!

> >

> > ---------------------------------

> > Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with

> FareChase.

> >

October 15, 2007

Are you still having these symptoms? If so, you definitely need to

let your rheumatologist know immediately. Slowed thinking or

confusion can be a side effect of methotrexate but I'm not aware of

the the other symptoms being side effects. Addy's thought about

whether you were coincidentally having an allergic reaction to

something is a good possibility but again, any unusual symptoms you

have while taking this medication must be reported to your rheumy

immediately.

I can't think of a reason why methotrexate should " override the

benefit of Xolair " as you asked, but this is not a drug combination

that is commonly used and anything is possible even if not imaginable.

I hope you're already feeling better and that you can sort this all

out quickly with your doc. And, especially, that you find great

relief and few true side effects with the methotrexate.

Fran