ALLERGY SHOTS

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Carolj52@webtv.net - 20 Jul 2004 21:47 GMT

Does anyone know if getting allergy shots,will interfere with R.A.? Make
it worse or not since it's to do with the immune system.Thanks! Carol

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Nann Bell - 20 Jul 2004 23:36 GMT

> Does anyone know if getting allergy shots,will interfere with R.A.? Make
> it worse or not since it's to do with the immune system.Thanks! Carol

I can't say for certain, I have PA rather than RA - or maybe not, they aren't
entirely certain. Anyway, the last series of desensitization shots I had
were after the first big, raging out of control, flare up of my arthritis.
It had already calmed down some before I started the shots and it calmed down
more during the shots and for a year or two afterwards. Don't know if there
actually was any connection between them. But I do figure it's possible that
the shots calmed down my immune system some on the allergy front and that
helped keep it calmer on the RA/PA front. (am I making sense? I'm tired and
my brain is working in strange ways.)

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Carolj52@webtv.net - 21 Jul 2004 05:43 GMT

Thanks for answering,I appreciate it.Is P.A.Psoriatic arthritis? I don't
know for sure if it were the allergy shots or not,but my arthritis got
worse the day after I recieved my first shot,I'm only taking celebrex
and have been for 3 years now,but since I started the shots a few months
ago it doesn't seem to be working as much.I have a few things going on
that I didn't have before and just won't let up.My rheumatologist put me
on Prednisone for the next 3 weeks and she said it would ease the
inflamation (been on it for 4 days and it doesn't seem to be helping
much yet),and then the celebrex would work better. My primary
care Dr.says the allergy shots could make it worse because it's
overworking the immune system,and my rheumatologist says it won't
hurt,that she has alot of patients that have R.A.and do the shots,and
for me to continue them.

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Char - 21 Jul 2004 09:41 GMT

Carol-You have RA and are only taking an anti inflammatories and not a DMARD
(disease modifying anti rheumatic drug)?

That is a pretty dangerous way to treat inflammatory arthritis.

The disease, and quite possibly the damage it causes, is on going, even though
it may not appear to be. I would insist on at least a mild DMARD such as
Azulfadine (sulfasalazine).
Char

"Remember, I'm pulling for ya'. We're all in this together." Red Green

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Harvey R. Stone - 21 Jul 2004 13:46 GMT

> Carol-You have RA and are only taking an anti inflammatories and not a DMARD
> (disease modifying anti rheumatic drug)?
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Azulfadine (sulfasalazine).
> Char

Well said..... Believe me when I say that RA without a DMARD allows what
RA does to a persons body to continue to build until you will be a part of
all the posts you read here will be on going with you. Without a DMARD,,,
your thinking has to go back 30 years when people lived 15 years on average
less than normal people and their final years were in a wheelchair with pain
as their friend.
Vioxx, Celebrex, ect are some of the latest type of medicines to help
with arthritis but the main break down is inflammatory arth. or non-inflam
and you are being treated as though you are non-inflam. I have had RA for
over 25 years and believe me when I say that RA is very much a part of
arthritis that involves your immune system and must receive the medicine
that is for inflam.arth...... Please continue to read and post in this
newsgroup where people have been treated just like you and have the problems
that you have and want to help you to live a good life with what you
have,,,,RA.

Harv

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Nann Bell - 21 Jul 2004 14:03 GMT

> Thanks for answering,I appreciate it.Is P.A.Psoriatic arthritis?

yup, that's it. sometimes we forget not everyone knows our little
abbreviations as well as we do :)

I don't

> know for sure if it were the allergy shots or not,but my arthritis got
> worse the day after I recieved my first shot,

I suspect it was just coincidence, especially as your first shot would have
been very weak. It takes a long time to build up to the desired dosage on
allergy shots.

I'm only taking celebrex

> and have been for 3 years now,but since I started the shots a few months
> ago it doesn't seem to be working as much.I have a few things going on
> that I didn't have before and just won't let up.My rheumatologist put me
> on Prednisone for the next 3 weeks and she said it would ease the
> inflamation (been on it for 4 days and it doesn't seem to be helping
> much yet),and then the celebrex would work better.

Is there a reason your rheumatologist (RD) hasn't put your on someting
stronger for your RA? You probably need to be on some kind of DMARD and if
your RD hasn't discussed this with you, it time to ask. I'm talking drugs
like Plaquenil, methotrexate, arava, enbrel, etc. that actually affect the
course of the underlying disease, rather than just treating hte symptoms of
the disease as Celebrex does. If you have had RA for 3 years, you should be
on something stronger. It doesn't surprise me at all that the disease is
breaking the bounds of the Celebrex.

My primary care Dr.says the allergy shots could make it worse because it's

> overworking the immune system,

That doesn't really go with associated experiences of people here. We often
find that when our immune systems are busy with something else, our arthritis
improves. It means we are often happy to get a mild cold 'cause our joints
feel better for a while!

Also, my PA doesn't seem to get worse when my allergies are bad, unless
there's something that affects both of them (i.e. - spring with all it's
pollen and warm, humid weather can get both ailments acting up!) And once
you reach an effective dose on the shots, your allergy symptoms will improve.
And feeling better on the allergy front usually makes dealing with the
arthritis somewhat easier! Still, do talk to your RD about a DMARD. It's
time for you to be on one.

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myra - 20 Oct 2008 00:44 GMT

>> Thanks for answering,I appreciate it.Is P.A.Psoriatic arthritis?
>
[quoted text clipped - 41 lines]
>arthritis somewhat easier! Still, do talk to your RD about a DMARD. It's
>time for you to be on one.

I was taking allergy shots and developed an inflammatory arthritis that
started in my mouth joints. I couldn't open my mouth for 3 days. Next came
a heated swollen red ankle. I was on crutches for 2 weeks. I had been on
the shots about 4 months when this started. I also had severe itching on my
legs but no rash. I quit the shots but the arthritis spread to many joints.
I was 34 when this started and am now 56. I take celebrex twice a day and
this works. I read in a medical book that a syndrome like mine can develop
when taking the shots but usually goes away. My mother had lupus. I think
the shots triggered my immune to overreact because of my genetic factor.
Myra

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