Re: I have Shingles at the moment

[Guest guest]

That is a bummer, . Heal quickly.

Not an MD

On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 7:47 PM, savannahhipchick

<lfriedman5@...> wrote:

> ,

>

> Interesting post. I had shingles last Spring before starting TNFs and now on

> Remicade I have

> it once again. My current case is mild but a bummer.

>

> Thanks,

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Is this because of the immunosuppression of the medication? I know

things like cold sores and things of that nature are brought on when

the immune system is suppressed.

Is is fair to say that if one has a condition that reactivates when

the immune system is taxed, then immunosuppressive drugs would

exacerbate the problem?

Brad

> > ,

> >

> > Interesting post. I had shingles last Spring before starting TNFs

and now on

> > Remicade I have

> > it once again. My current case is mild but a bummer.

> >

> > Thanks,

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Shingles are the grownup's version of Chicken Pox and lie dormant for the

rest of your life, hopefully. From experience, I'm going to say that in

general it has nothing to do with any meds that may act on the immune system

of an adult. It seems that it's sneaky, so you would never know when or

where it will strike. It itches a lot and is rather painful, and has no cure

that I know of. It's been said that if you didn't get the Chicken Pox as a

kid, you won't get Hives either, but that's been proven otherwise.

Dennis in eastexas

On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 11:55 AM, Brad Berg <blueworld_of_fire@...>wrote:

> Is this because of the immunosuppression of the medication? I know

> things like cold sores and things of that nature are brought on when

> the immune system is suppressed.

>

> Is is fair to say that if one has a condition that reactivates when

> the immune system is taxed, then immunosuppressive drugs would

> exacerbate the problem?

>

> Brad

>

>

> > > ,

> > >

> > > Interesting post. I had shingles last Spring before starting TNFs

> and now on

> > > Remicade I have

> > > it once again. My current case is mild but a bummer.

> > >

> > > Thanks,

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

> .

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I just spent 5 days in a major Houston hospital in isolation with Shingles. It

was so severe that they were concerned about it going to my lungs.   I continue

to have anti-viral IV treatment for 2 more weeks. Three doctors were on my

case: my Rheumatologist, an internist, & a specialist for Iinfectious disese. 

The interrnist point blank told me it happened because of Enbrel.  My Rhuemy

acknowledged that we will have to look at other treatment after I am well.  The

infectious disease Dr.would only say that although there can be side effects

from the biologics, she feels that the benefits outweigh the possibilities of

infections.

 

I guess what I am saying is that if any of you suspect you have Shingles, get to

the Dr. ASAP.  Don't think it will just go away.  I got medicine pretty early,

but because of my autoimmune disorder, it was not enough.  Mine developed into

one of the major infections we are warned about.  It was a little more involved

that adult Chicken Pox.

From: Dennis W <betnden@...>

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: I have Shingles at the moment

Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 2:19 PM

Shingles are the grownup's version of Chicken Pox and lie dormant for the

rest of your life, hopefully. From experience, I'm going to say that in

general it has nothing to do with any meds that may act on the immune system

of an adult. It seems that it's sneaky, so you would never know when or

where it will strike. It itches a lot and is rather painful, and has no cure

that I know of. It's been said that if you didn't get the Chicken Pox as a

kid, you won't get Hives either, but that's been proven otherwise.

Dennis in eastexas

On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 11:55 AM, Brad Berg <blueworld_of_ fire (DOT)

com>wrote:

> Is this because of the immunosuppression of the medication? I know

> things like cold sores and things of that nature are brought on when

> the immune system is suppressed.

>

> Is is fair to say that if one has a condition that reactivates when

> the immune system is taxed, then immunosuppressive drugs would

> exacerbate the problem?

>

> Brad

>

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[Guest guest]

Judy, your experience with shingles lets me know just how lucky I was

when I had it. I am so thankful that I went in early and my PCP treated

it so aggressively. I hope that you get well soon and have no lasting

effects from it.

Sue

On Wednesday, November 19, 2008, at 04:37 PM, Judy McGee wrote:

>  

> I guess what I am saying is that if any of you suspect you have

> Shingles, get to the Dr. ASAP.  Don't think it will just go away.  I

> got medicine pretty early, but because of my autoimmune disorder, it

> was not enough.  Mine developed into one of the major infections we

> are warned about.  It was a little more involved that adult Chicken

> Pox.

[Guest guest]

Wow! You sure had a full plate with that outbreak. I'm glad you got over it,

it seems to take years to get back to normal. I'm not trying to make it

sound like it's just a quickie disease like the mumps. A 74 year old

neighbor died as a result of his outbreak of Shingles. I'm just passing on

the information I've learned about it. And you're right, it will not " just

go away " !

Dennis in eastexas

On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 3:37 PM, Judy McGee <judyamcgee@...> wrote:

> I just spent 5 days in a major Houston hospital in isolation with

> Shingles. It was so severe that they were concerned about it going to my

> lungs. I continue to have anti-viral IV treatment for 2 more weeks. Three

> doctors were on my case: my Rheumatologist, an internist, & a specialist for

> Iinfectious disese. The interrnist point blank told me it happened because

> of Enbrel. My Rhuemy acknowledged that we will have to look at other

> treatment after I am well. The infectious disease Dr.would only say that

> although there can be side effects from the biologics, she feels that the

> benefits outweigh the possibilities of infections.

>

> I guess what I am saying is that if any of you suspect you have Shingles,

> get to the Dr. ASAP. Don't think it will just go away. I got medicine

> pretty early, but because of my autoimmune disorder, it was not enough.

> Mine developed into one of the major infections we are warned about. It was

> a little more involved that adult Chicken Pox.

>

>

>

> From: Dennis W <betnden@... <betnden%40gmail.com>>

> Subject: Re: [ ] Re: I have Shingles at the moment

> < %40>

> Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 2:19 PM

>

> Shingles are the grownup's version of Chicken Pox and lie dormant for the

> rest of your life, hopefully. From experience, I'm going to say that in

> general it has nothing to do with any meds that may act on the immune

> system

> of an adult. It seems that it's sneaky, so you would never know when or

> where it will strike. It itches a lot and is rather painful, and has no

> cure

> that I know of. It's been said that if you didn't get the Chicken Pox as a

> kid, you won't get Hives either, but that's been proven otherwise.

>

> Dennis in eastexas

>

> On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 11:55 AM, Brad Berg <blueworld_of_

fire@...>wrote:

>

> > Is this because of the immunosuppression of the medication? I know

> > things like cold sores and things of that nature are brought on when

> > the immune system is suppressed.

> >

> > Is is fair to say that if one has a condition that reactivates when

> > the immune system is taxed, then immunosuppressive drugs would

> > exacerbate the problem?

> >

> > Brad

>

[Guest guest]

Brad,

Yes, it's true that DMARDs, including the biologics, and prednisone do

increase the risk of shingles in RA patients.

/message/123685

/message/123653

Not an MD

On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 11:55 AM, Brad Berg <blueworld_of_fire@...> wrote:

> Is this because of the immunosuppression of the medication? I know

> things like cold sores and things of that nature are brought on when

> the immune system is suppressed.

>

> Is is fair to say that if one has a condition that reactivates when

> the immune system is taxed, then immunosuppressive drugs would

> exacerbate the problem?

>

> Brad

[Guest guest]

, can you find out whether just having RA also increases the risk

of shingles? I had it shortly after my RA symptoms started, before I

was diagnosed with RA. Of course I was on no DMARDs.

Sue

On Wednesday, November 19, 2008, at 08:35 PM, wrote:

>

> Yes, it's true that DMARDs, including the biologics, and prednisone do

> increase the risk of shingles in RA patients.

>

[Guest guest]

i had shingles 2 yrs after being diagnosed with RA. i was on minocycline

then so it was treated with meds and went away within a week. does that

mean if i go on a biologic i have a greater chance of it returning?

monique

[Guest guest]

It's hard to say, . Recurrence is a bit different..

It is possible that you would be more likely to have a recurrence on

any DMARD, including the biologics. Corticosteroids like prednisone

could also play a role.

There just isn't enough data yet.

Not an MD

On Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 2:29 PM, Sauve <moniquesauve@...> wrote:

> i had shingles 2 yrs after being diagnosed with RA. i was on minocycline

> then so it was treated with meds and went away within a week. does that

> mean if i go on a biologic i have a greater chance of it returning?

>

> monique

[Guest guest]

Sue,

In your case, what was the order of events regarding your breast

cancer, its treatment, shingles, and RA? Just curious.

From the authors of one of the studies I posted

( /message/123685):

" It is 'biologically plausible' that having RA may result in an

increased risk of shingles due to the dysregulation of the immune

system in patients with RA, they write. "

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL17375020080121

From an earlier study:

" Among the important findings of this study was that the age- and

sex-adjusted incidence rate of HZ did not appear to differ between RA

and MSK patients. While it might be suspected that RA as an

'immunological disorder' would have a higher rate of HZ, we were

unable to find any data in the medical literature concerning this

hypothesis. The results of the current study, however, support the

conclusion that patients with RA are not at an increased risk to

develop HZ compared with patients with other chronic non-inflammatory

rheumatic disorders. However, the rate in RA patients and those with

MSK (Table 3) is greater than that found in the general population:

3.2–3.3 per 1000 person-years [6, 12] overall and 6.9 (6.6–7.2) for

the 60–69-year-old age group [6]. These data offer support to the

hypothesis that chronic illness, in general, may predispose to HZ [1,

20]. "

http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/45/11/1370

Not an MD

On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 10:21 PM, Sue <marysue@...> wrote:

> , can you find out whether just having RA also increases the risk

> of shingles? I had it shortly after my RA symptoms started, before I

> was diagnosed with RA. Of course I was on no DMARDs.

>

> Sue