Hi all,

I am usually a lurker but wanted to post and get your valued opinion!  I
have been treated for RA for about 7 years I think.  I have been on Vioxx,
Celebrex, Azulphidine (sp?) and Mobic.  Last November I started having a lot
of upset stomach problems (w/diarhea constantly) and my rheumatologist took
me off of Azulphidine and Mobic.  He put me on MTX pills.  I stated out with
4 pills once a week, then upeed it to 6 and then to 8 pills.  I felt like I
could see it was helping.

In December, around Christmas, I started feeling like I was coming down with
a cold.  I know for sure I felt flu like on Dec. 31st.  Anyhow, I had
forgotten my dr's. instructions about calling right away if I felt like I
was coming down with a cold.  The cold got worse until on Jan 10th, I felt
like I had pneumonia.  I called my rheumatologists office and spoke to nurse
practitioner.  She took me off of the MTX and she called in an antibiotic to
my pharmacy. I took it for the full 5 days.  I still felt poorly.  Coughing
spells that had me peeing in my pants or having flashes of headache (that is
only way I can describe it) and eventually throwing up from so much
coughing.  No sneezing, no phlegm.  I called back on Jan 17th and the nurse
practitioner had me come in.  She listened to my lungs and said they sounded
clear.  She did give me a prescription for a cough syrup which I had filled
and said to stay off the MTX until further notice.

A week later, Jan 24th, I called their office again and the nurse
practitioner left a prescription for me to go and have chest xrays done.  I
did this and they faxed a report to my dr's. office.  The nurse practitioner
called me and said it showed nothing!  My lungs were clear.  It did show a
node which was benign.  I am not sure what that was from.  She said it may
take up to six weeks for this cough to go away!

Anyhow, I had an appt. scheduled with rheumatologist for two days later on
Wed, Jan 26th.   I went in.  Since I hadn't been taking the MTX, they didn't
do the bloodwork which they normally would have.  He listened to my lungs
and said they were clear.  Said for me to stay off of MTX for 2 more months
at which time I would be seeing him again.

I left there confused.  My coughing was worrying me.  Also, the fact that at
times, my breathing was very labored.  My husband insisted I call my family
dr the next day.  So, on Thurs, Jan 27th, I called and they saw me right
away.  I left there with a different prescription cough syrup (the first one
had a narcotic in it and was knocking me out for 18 hours!).  He also gave
me a pill for a cough suppressent, Advair inhalant disk, Serevent pills, and
a pill for heartburn which he found out I was having when he asked me.  He
seemed surprised that my other dr. would let me leave without treating the
cough/breathing issues.

Now, today, Feb. 4th, I have called my family dr. and made an appt. for
Monday morning.  I am still coughing.  Sometimes at night, I can't sleep
laying down, but instead either sleep sitting up on the couch or with a
bunch of pillows propping me up in bed.  My sister things that I am having
asthma problems.  She is very familiar with this as she has two sons with
severe asthma.

Hopefully, I will get proper treatment next week.  I am tired of being tired
all the time, falling asleep in the morning after I have gotten up.
Thinking of all the personal things I need to be doing at home and then
thinking of all the business things I need to be doing and then, picking the
one most important business thing I need to get done.  Kind of like taking
one step forwand and three steps back.  Thank goodness I work for my husband
at a home office or else I would have already lost my job!!!

My concerns are:

1.  I am wondering why ,my rheumatologist treated me for 7 years for RA and
now continues to keep me off my meds even though he thinks there is nothing
really wrong with me as far as having a cold/cough.

2.  After reading more about MTX and the immune system, I am concerned that
my dr. seems unconcerned.

Any insight, opinions, advice or related situations are welcome.  Thanks to
all.

Michele