Daily life with TNF Blockers
Hello everyone, this is my first time on the forum and my first time getting in contact with people living with HS. In about a month I am supposed to start TNF blockers and I am wondering about daily life while taking this medicine. I read that it blocks the immune system, does that mean that I will be susceptible to every germ around, like the cold for example. Are there this I should stop doing or start doing everyday? Do I have to inject myself (I hate needles...)?
Should I stay away from kids and vulnerable people in general since they get easily sick? Will my situation on TNF blockers be comparable to that of a cancer patient who has his bone marrow removed rendering his immunre system unefficient?
Hi Radium! I actually have quite a bit of experience with this because I have tried 5 different biologic medications now and I was born missing immunoglobulins, which are the things that make antibodies when we get vaccines and also when we are exposed to viruses, bacteria, molds, etc. My 5th biologic, which is treating 3 of my conditions, is actually doing a pretty good job right now. The other 4 weren't getting all 3 diseases and so that's why I had to keep trying. All of my life I have had to be careful about exposing myself to people who were carrying extra germ loads. I have not felt overly vulnerable since adding the biologic meds; I have had far more problems just because of my missing immunoglobulins since birth. I do another injectable in my stomach every two weeks that treats another condition and I'm so glad that it works extremely well and has virtually little or no side effects that I hope I never have to give it up.
As far as injecting yourself goes, if you have the auto-injector pens, you might find those much easier to tolerate, because you hardly have to look at the needles at all. Those were designed to be super friendly. The one I do in my stomach is more like an old-fashioned syringe and one that very few patients get, so my thinking is that it probably won't be the one your doctor prescribes.
So, for me, the bottom line is that you may end up washing your hands a bit more, and not hang out with people who are dripping with germs, but I don't think about the biologic meds making me like a cancer patient. My immunoglobulin problem does, but those meds haven't made me worse. And for your injections, just go for the pens, and you will be fine. Best of luck to you! ~Chelsea (Team Member)
