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Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) - Introduce yourself and meet others

Autoimmune Diseases | Last Active: Sep 24 3:33pm | Replies (878)
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@georgeeliot

Two days ago l asked my rheumatologist whether l should stop taking methotrexate which, because of its impact on the immune system, may increase my vulnerability to covid19. He seemed unwilling to offer a straight answer. He said it was up to me to decide. That isn't helpful. Finally he said that the drug does NOT lower one's immune system. That was certainly news to me, having been warned the exact opposite for 20 years by a variety of physicians. But, he repeated, it is still m y decision. That's a decision I'm not equipped to make.My layperson's logic tells me that, at 79, l am an ideal target for covid19. Can anyone help me with this puzzle?

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John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Apr 30, 2020

@georgeeliot, I'm 77 today 🙂 and also in the high risk category with an autoimmune disease but it's currently in remission so I'm not taking any medications. I'm not sure anyone can answer your question even the doctor (IMHO). I think the real question is which is the worse risk - stop taking the methotrexate and a new risk of what occurs when you do that or continue taking it and the risk of getting an infection from COVID-19. Here are a couple of articles that may provide a little information towards what you are asking.

COVID-19 infection and rheumatoid arthritis: Faraway, so close!: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7102591/

Methotrexate and Coronavirus: Does Methotrexate Make You High-Risk for COVID-19?: https://creakyjoints.org/treatment/methotrexate-immunosuppressing-coronavirus/

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