Immune-suppressing Drugs and Working In A School?

[TOBEY32]

Gee, Arieta, what a great testimony! Thank so much for passing that on!! David

[Pete]

I've had a couple of colds while on mtx. They had the same impact as before I got wegs -- minimal.

Just because we're immunosuppressed doesn't mean we have no immune system at all. We just have to be careful and practice good hygiene -- especially hand washing.

[annekat]

I am around the public, though outside, a couple of days a week and have only gotten one cold in the 4.5 years since dx. I do practice frequent hand-washing, and I always have hand-sanitizer with me, for when I'm in a spot where I can't immediately wash hands. I use that whenever I've handled money, shaken hands with someone, etc. I also try not to touch my nose, eyes, or mouth if I haven't recently washed hands or used hand-sanitizer. My sister is a schoolteacher, and her daughter is in high school, and they seem to get sick a lot more often than I do. They are around a lot of kids and others five days a week, and may not take the same precautions I do.

[Hannah]

I was on methotrexate for a few years while teaching. Now I am on Plaquenil and still teach. I try to wash my hands and use hand sanitizer frequently. At the first hint of a cold, I drink tons of orange juice and take medication. Most of my absences have been from doctor's appointments to manage the Wegener's, not from illness due to a compromised immune system!

Good luck!

[MikeG-2012]

Hope everyone is good.

Was thinking of volunteer tutoring, but with colds, flu - and even now measles - I don't want to get myself into something. I take a very low dose (thank you, Lord) of Immuran (25mg) which I guess does mean I might would have a better immune system than some.

Do you take an immunosuppressant and work in such an environment?

Thanks!

David

Yep, I'm completely suppressed! I work as an A/V professional at a community college, which has a very lively conference center too. So I am around students and the public all the time. I've been OK with doing this for the past three years since diagnosis. I am CAREFUL to wash hands, etc. regularly, but I am not by any means a germaphobic.