PSA: I Will Be Immunocompromised For A While

Posted on February 10, 2016 by Andrew Hickey

I am about to start taking an immunosuppressant drug for my psoriatic arthritis. Next week I have to have multiple shots in order to protect me while my immune system is low, then the week after I start taking the drugs.
I will be on these for the foreseeable future, but for the first month, while we’re getting the levels right for my body, I may be extremely unwel as my body adapts. I will *also* be at much greater risk of infection during that period.
For that reason, I won’t be attending Lib Dem conference this year — “con crud” is a thing. When I went two years ago, I came down with pneumonia, and that was when my immune system was, if anything, overactive. I dread to think what would happen if I went with a compromised immune system.
I *may* attend the two events later in March that I’ve been considering — the M.R. James conference in Leeds and Mancunicon in Manchester. Those are both closer to home and don’t require accomodation, so I can see how I’m doing closer to the time.
However, if anyone I know is there and is ill, even with something minor, please don’t come up to me. And if I have plans with anyone over the next six weeks or so, and you become ill, please let me know. Don’t think “Oh, it’s only a minor cold, I won’t let that spoil games night/the gig/the cinema trip/whatever”. I’ll *probably* be OK, and obviously I’m not going to seal myself up hermetically, but I’d rather not take stupid chances.

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10 Responses to PSA: I Will Be Immunocompromised For A While

  1. John says:
    February 10, 2016 at 6:47 pm

    Good luck with the treatment Andrew. God Bless.

  2. weavingsandunpickings says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:05 pm

    Noted. I hope you _can_ make the M.R. James conference, as it would be lovely to see you. But mainly I hope it all goes well, that you don’t get (m)any infection as a side-effect, and that the treatment deals successfully with the psoriatic arthritis.

  3. Zoe O'Connell says:
    February 11, 2016 at 8:11 am

    Yikes! “Get well soon” doesn’t seem quite right – but hope it turns out worth it in the long run!

  4. David Lewis says:
    February 13, 2016 at 10:30 am

    Continue to look after yourself and stay well. I’m looking forward to more beach boys. ;)

  5. Simon Bucher-Jones says:
    February 15, 2016 at 8:57 am

    I hope the short term awfulness is outweighed by the eventual effectiveness of the new treatment. And take longer over things, we’ll wait!

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