Bit of Mumsnet advice please

[twiglett]

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Twiglet - one of the midwives I work with had arthritis and proriasis and is on methotrexate and has never felt better. It is a very low dose in comparison to the doses that are given for treating cancer. It really is more of a concern for people who are immunosuppressed during cancer chemotherapy who need to worry about chickenpox and live vaccinations etc. You DH will have his blood monitored throughout treatment but I really do not think you have any need to worry. He will definately feel the benefit.

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twiglet sorry to barge in on your thread but his is arthritus connected to his psoriasis? I am just asking because my dh has suffered with plaque psoriasis but since having chickenpox last year has developed a really nasty type of psoriasis (sorry I dont know what its called), but it is making him really ill from time to time. If you dont know what I am talking about ignore me, but if you know anything about it please advise us on what to do to prevent or just stop it getting worse.(sorry this is most probably making no sense)

Also must add my sister was immuno supressed after her transplant and we were advised the same things. I dont think the polio vaccine was as much as a worry as being in contact with live chickenpox.

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twiglet I dont know what it1s called but it is still psoriasis but looks really quite different. It is on his calf (of his leg!) but it is not like plaque it is flat and seems more into the skin (do you know what I mean?) It just keeps flaring and I think we need to change his diet or something - do you know what I mean? I feel really silly saying do you know what I mean, but no-one else does!

he has nail probs too, but nothing has been prescribed for it

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My mother has been taking methotrexate for quite a while for temporal arteritis, and I'm afraid she feels awful with it. I know someone who takes it for RA and feels loads better, so I guess it's the luck of the draw. If I were you I would at least consider not giving your baby the polio vaccine for now unless you're going abroad. Chickenpox is a worry, there's no doubt that methotrexate alone is immunosuppressive even at low doses. Has he had chickenpox though? That seems to be a important factor. I wouldn't hesitate to ask his doctor for advice, it's an issue for the whole family really, by the sounds of it.

thanks twiglet I have had a quick scoot through, but cant work out from the pics what type the other type is. I will ask him later what the gp said but he just doesnt seem to care () He definately has plaque on his joints which he uses dovonex (infact I think its dovobet now - different brand I think!) But this other type he has he has to use an antibiotic cream I think the brand name is Fucibet(fucinex or something- I will have a look on friday) - does that ring a bell?! It makes him have a high temp I think it may be that guttae(sp?) type. I will ask him later. Thanks again

twiglet also I must add!, I agree with tanum, when my sister was imuno-suppressed we all had to be really vigilant about this kind of thing - it is a real worry. I really know what it means, unfortunately.

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tanum - I dont know if you can answer this but when my sister had her transplant and started having complications and being more immuno-supressed, they said she had to be careful of chickenpox even though she had it. Why is this?

We have our own theories but we make them up

sorry twiglet for posting so much on here

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Shingles happens when the virus you caught as chickenpox reactivates itself by travelling down the nerves; it doesn't have anything to do with re-exposure to the virus, just immunosuppression, so I wouldn't have thought it would be a problem if he's had chickenpox and gets re-exposed. Unfortunately singles can happen through immunosupression (my mother got it, but not badly).

I don't know for sure about polio, I would see if jimjams can help, she's got lots of up-to-date figures about its prevalence, but if it's short-term it's definitely worth looking into.

Hi fio

Don't worry twiglett, we knew what you meant

lol tiglet dont worry! I feel like that sometimes, my sis was il from birth, then I have an sn child and now dh looks like he is starting to have probs - is there no escape???

ops dropped a 'w', sorry twiglet

tanum, I dont know if I have said this before before but my sister developed 'A' typical TB before she died and the doctor we saw said he had only saw it in cancer patients and aids patients. Is it really that rare in transplant patients or have you no idea?

God I feel like I am on a learning mission tonight

regarding the polio vaccine - that shouldn't be a problem as long as your dh doesn't change dirty nappies. That is where the risk is. I'm sure he won't object to that.
As fro the chickenpox worry he can be tested to see if he is immune.

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Twiglet - I can't give you any advice on the polio issue but just wanted to say that I worked with 200 RA patients on a research project (not drug related) and saw some really good results with MTX. I will keep my fingers crossed for DH. I'd definitely ring the rheumatology dept. to discuss your concerns.

Sorry if I am repeating what was said by someone else, I am immunosurpressed due to the drugs I take for Crohn's disease.

My dd was given a deactivated Polio vaccine (injections instead of oral) as I could not come into contact with it either. It was easy to get through the health visitor, I suggest you ask about it.

Yes I do know a bit about Ankylosing spondilitis and I am very sorry he has it, it's not nice is it?