Re: Allergies, Asthma, Arthritis, Xolair & Plaquenil

[Guest guest]

Ok, first the Plaquenil shouldn't really effect your allergies. It is a T-cell

modulater and if

anything might improve some of your inflammatory symptoms associated with your

allergies or asthma. The raise in IgE is not so unusual while being on Xolair.

How long have

you been on it? While your IgE off Xolair was moderately high (mine was 345

before), it

doesn't necessarily correlate to allergic reactions. Did you have certain

antigens that

promoted your asthma episodes? The reason why I ask is because if you still

needed all

the other meds along with Xolair to keep your asthma somewhat controlled, then

it wasn't

controlled entirely as a result of anti-IgE. So, your flare-up now might be

driven for other

reasons than IgE. Anyway, the arthritis might be playing a role in

exacerbations.

>

> Ok, I'm back at it again with arthritis meds along with my Xolair and

> associated asthma meds - Advair (500/50), Spiriva, Albuterol.

>

> I was diagnosed w/Serro negative rheumatoid arthritis almost a year ago

> and after having a bad experience with methotrexate (which is known to

> cause lung disease although others on this board have gotten along ok

> w/it) I was afraid to take Plaquenil. The stiffness and pain finally

> drove me to start it 4 nights ago at just 50 mgs once in the evening.

> It's normally prescribed at 200 mgs twice a day. I'm nervous because I

> have a long history of unpleasant drug side effects.

>

> While consulting w/my pulmo recently I thought she said something about

> the Plaquenil helping (as in making better) one of my allergic

> complaints so I assume that the anti-inflammatory properties of

> Plaquenil must reduce the allergic inflammation also?

>

> Again, has anyone tried Plaquenil who has severe allergies (My IgE was

> 409 before Xolair and on Xolair over 1200)???? I've been having a

> rather bad time for several weeks - can hear myself wheezing softly

> (actually thought it was the cat purring until I held my breath and

> noticed the cat " stopped " purring!!!) and even my hubby can hear it.

> So, the current treatments are not really enough to keep the allergies

> truly under control right now.

>

> I guess that theoretically the dose is so low on Plaquenil that it

> shouldn't have any effect although I think it is causing nightmarish

> disturbing dreams. I thought I was a bit more irritable too plus there

> was decreasing nausea the first 3 nights. On the other hand, I'm

> hoping I'll be able to work up gradually to the normal dose. It would

> be good to control two different diseases (although several docs have

> told me that arthritis, allergies, and asthma are all related) at the

> same time.

>

> It's doubtful that any influence on Xolair or vice versa is known since

> Xolair is so new and it works on different systems (I assume) and in a

> completely different way.

>

> Plaquenil comments, anyone?

> Thx

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks, . Could you elaborate a bit more about the T cells?

Aren't they mixed up (my vernacular) w/all kinds of autoimmune types

of diseases including allergies/asthma? I'm a bit fuzzy thee.

I've had RAST testing and was diagnosed with (besides asthma and COPD

although I never smoked) allergic bronchopulmonary aspergiliosis. I

was very allergic to molds not to mention pollens, trees, dust, and

all the usual allergens. I've had significant allergic symptoms

since infancy and live in a warm humid moldy climate (big mistake).

Re Terry's comment on his IgE ... I wonder if in some cases at least

for periods of time the body says something like " Hey, I don't see as

much IgE floating around (because a chunk of it is bound) and I've

got to produce more. " ???

In my case it might be a foray into poison ivy - still have rash

after 6 weeks. The scarey part is realizing suddenly whether asleep

or awake that my chest is tight for no apparent reason. A very

conscious effort to relax and breathe and change position helps after

a couple minutes or so.

Since Dec. (been on Xolair since March of 2007 most of the time 375

mgs every 2 weeks - inject at home) I've had far fewer sinus

headaches (yipee - headache specialist didn't know what he was

talking about) and those I do have are much milder and easier to get

rid of.

The asthma definitely improved on Xolair (spirometry shows it) but

still have to stay on the Advair 500/50, Spiriva, and albuterol

although the latter is generally much less frequent. Taking Allegra

as needed too. I refuse steroids .......

--- In , " billybaroo1958 " <cajjz109@...>

wrote:

>

> Ok, first the Plaquenil shouldn't really effect your allergies. It

is a T-cell modulater and if

> anything might improve some of your inflammatory symptoms

associated with your

> allergies or asthma. The raise in IgE is not so unusual while being

on Xolair. How long have

> you been on it? While your IgE off Xolair was moderately high (mine

was 345 before), it

> doesn't necessarily correlate to allergic reactions. Did you have

certain antigens that

> promoted your asthma episodes? The reason why I ask is because if

you still needed all

> the other meds along with Xolair to keep your asthma somewhat

controlled, then it wasn't

> controlled entirely as a result of anti-IgE. So, your flare-up now

might be driven for other

> reasons than IgE. Anyway, the arthritis might be playing a role in

exacerbations.

>

>

> --- In , " instdesgn1 " <instdesgn1@>

wrote:

> >

> > Ok, I'm back at it again with arthritis meds along with my Xolair

and

> > associated asthma meds - Advair (500/50), Spiriva, Albuterol.

> >

> > I was diagnosed w/Serro negative rheumatoid arthritis almost a

year ago

> > and after having a bad experience with methotrexate (which is

known to

> > cause lung disease although others on this board have gotten

along ok

> > w/it) I was afraid to take Plaquenil. The stiffness and pain

finally

> > drove me to start it 4 nights ago at just 50 mgs once in the

evening.

> > It's normally prescribed at 200 mgs twice a day. I'm nervous

because I

> > have a long history of unpleasant drug side effects.

> >

> > While consulting w/my pulmo recently I thought she said something

about

> > the Plaquenil helping (as in making better) one of my allergic

> > complaints so I assume that the anti-inflammatory properties of

> > Plaquenil must reduce the allergic inflammation also?

> >

> > Again, has anyone tried Plaquenil who has severe allergies (My

IgE was

> > 409 before Xolair and on Xolair over 1200)???? I've been

having a

> > rather bad time for several weeks - can hear myself wheezing

softly

> > (actually thought it was the cat purring until I held my breath

and

> > noticed the cat " stopped " purring!!!) and even my hubby can hear

it.

> > So, the current treatments are not really enough to keep the

allergies

> > truly under control right now.

> >

> > I guess that theoretically the dose is so low on Plaquenil that

it

> > shouldn't have any effect although I think it is causing

nightmarish

> > disturbing dreams. I thought I was a bit more irritable too plus

there

> > was decreasing nausea the first 3 nights. On the other hand, I'm

> > hoping I'll be able to work up gradually to the normal dose. It

would

> > be good to control two different diseases (although several docs

have

> > told me that arthritis, allergies, and asthma are all related) at

the

> > same time.

> >

> > It's doubtful that any influence on Xolair or vice versa is known

since

> > Xolair is so new and it works on different systems (I assume) and

in a

> > completely different way.

> >

> > Plaquenil comments, anyone?

> > Thx

> >

>