Re: Bronchitis, Ra and MTX

[Guest guest]

Barb, it could be many things, but two related to MTX come immediately

to mind: 1) MTX suppresses your immune system, so it can make

infections more difficult to fight and 2) MTX has a well-known

association with pneumonitis (a rare but very serious complication,

although the cough is usually described as " dry " ).

Did your physician take a baseline chest x-ray before you started MTX or

did you have a previous one for another reason? Maybe another chest

x-ray to compare to a pre-MTX x-ray would be in order.

What month did you begin the MTX?

Hope you will be feeling better soon,

[ ] Bronchitis, Ra and MTX

> Hi ther

> I do have a question but I'll give you a little of my

history

> first. For the last approx, 8 years I have been getting sinusitis

followed by

> bronchitis. This usually happens about twice a year. As the years go

by

> though these bouts seem to get worse. Unless it's just my age that's

making

> it harder to bounch back. About 2 years ago I had such a hard time

breathing

> the doctor sent me for pulmonary function tests. They came back normal

and he

> seems to think that I've started to suffer from bronchial asthma now

too when

> I get sick like this. Well I had a nasty bout the beginning of July

and

> another one about 1 1/2 weeks ago. Now I've never had these back to

back

> bouts before. I've just taken my last dose of antibiotics Saturday. I

am

> still suffering from these nasty episodes of coughing and still bring

up

> quite a bit of mucus. I don't remember having these coughing bouts and

> congestion lasting quite so long before and I was wondering if the

MTX, which

> I've recently been on, would be a sort of culprit and my taking

forever, it

> seems, for this infection to finally go away. Sorry that this has

turned into

> a novel!!!! thanks in advance for any info. Barb

[Guest guest]

Hi Barb,

Since I have been taking the mtx, I have found that even a small scratch

takes longer to heal. Methotrexate suppresses the immune system and just

throws everything out of whack. I always seemed to have sinus infections

also, which would end up as bronchitis, so my pcp gave me a standing rx. for

sudafed. This keeps my sinuses in order and prevents infections. It seems

to work for me. Whenever I feel a little stuffy, I just take the sudafed

until I get straightened out again. But when I do get an infection, it does

seem to take forever to get over it. Sorry you are having so much trouble

with these infections. I can honestly say that I know how you feel. I hope

you get better soon. Drink lots of fluids also.

Love and Hugs

Stacey in PA