Antibiotic resistance

[jiml]

No, I never got colds, my immune system is normally very strong with more white blood cells which is (I believe) why I have psoriasis and never normally get ill.

Plus, I do know that antibiotics don't fight viruses, however our immune system fights viruses.
When you are on an immunosuppressant drug, it suppresses your immunity and ability to fight illness, hence the name.

I'm not so worried that I might find it harder to fight colds etc, I'm worried that if we get antibiotic resistant illnesses here, and I am on Humira, I am more likely to catch it and less likely to fight it.

It may be that in the future it will be too risky to suppress your immune system in a world where the doctors can't do anything for certain illnesses.

I understand your thoughts now but I don't understand exactly how biological drugs work, do they lower your immune system? or do they just target cells. I know it's the white cells that fight infection and our medics are monitoring to make sure our immunity is not compromised, or that's how I view it. I get no more colds now than I got before taking my drugs...and only take antibiotics very rarely. It may well be I'm more at risk, but that's not the way I see it .

It's in interesting subject I shall see what others think

[Turnedlight]

I don't know, I have tried reading up but too many articles get too technical for me! I assume they are aiming to bring immune response within normal levels by using targeted drugs so theoretically you should end up with an immune system that works as well as an average person.

[Caroline]

Biologicals, the xxxxMab's for instance block some receptors on you cells, I think this image would be a nice example.



The MAB e.g. Stelara or Humira is blocking the receptor on the cell thereby blocking the expression of psoriasis.
There are several types of receptors that connect to connectors like IL-17, IL-23, and so on, these connectors are the connectors of psoriasis cells (? Or messengers), and when they enter the cells, this cell goes into psoriasis mode, it starts to replicate to quickly.
Blocking such a receptor prevents the cell to go crazy. As there are very much different receptors as well as there are much types of psoriasis, it is not only one biological that will block all forms of psoriasis.
Side effects of biologicals is that they switch off small parts of your immune system. What this will mean on the long term, we don't know yet and we will see in ten years.


The strange thing about the Systemics like the DMF's is that they don't work along this principle but still work... Though they also have a mild effect on your immune system.
The working of MTX is easy, it works that fiercely on your immune system, that it partly switches off the whole. ( I am no fan of MTX as you perhaps know)

[jiml]

I don't know, I have tried reading up but too many articles get too technical for me! I assume they are aiming to bring immune response within normal levels by using targeted drugs so theoretically you should end up with an immune system that works as well as an average person.

Turnedlight that's the way I see it, If your bloods are right, you should be able to combat disease  the same as everyone else.
Personally I think we are safe and at no more risk than anyone

[Caroline]

I don't know, I have tried reading up but too many articles get too technical for me! I assume they are aiming to bring immune response within normal levels by using targeted drugs so theoretically you should end up with an immune system that works as well as an average person.

Turnedlight that's the way I see it, If your bloods are right, you should be able to combat disease  the same as everyone else.
Personally I think we are safe and at no more risk than anyone

That is not how I see it. There is something wrong with us, and we are in risk of more things. This is pointed to by the co-morbidly of people with psoriasis. We are subseptiple (? Heeeelp) to more diseases than others.

Still don't let it influence your life enjoy, life is too short to worry too much.

[jiml]

I don't know, I have tried reading up but too many articles get too technical for me! I assume they are aiming to bring immune response within normal levels by using targeted drugs so theoretically you should end up with an immune system that works as well as an average person.

Turnedlight that's the way I see it, If your bloods are right, you should be able to combat disease  the same as everyone else.
Personally I think we are safe and at no more risk than anyone

That is not how I see it. There is something wrong with us, and we are in risk of more things. This is pointed to by the co-morbidly of people with psoriasis. We are subseptiple (? Heeeelp) to more diseases than others.

Still don't let it influence your life   enjoy, life is too short to worry too much.  

Caroline I bow to your superior knowledge

[mataribot]

Old school drugs like Cyclosporine and MTX may be used less, but I don't see it to be a huge problem for biological drugs since they are more specific in their target.

[Caroline]

Old school drugs like Cyclosporine and MTX may be used less, but I don't see it to be a huge problem for biological drugs since they are more specific in their target.

Indeed this looks logical. But as they are new, we really don't know the long term effects yet. Lets hope they appear to be minimal..


@Jim My knowledge is derived from World Psoriasisday, the presentation of dr. v.d. Kerkhof and finding an instructive picture. Just paying attention and not falling asleep during the presentation

[jiml]

Old school drugs like Cyclosporine and MTX may be used less, but I don't see it to be a huge problem for biological drugs since they are more specific in their target.

Indeed this looks logical. But as they are new, we really don't know the long term effects yet. Lets hope they appear to be minimal..


@Jim My knowledge is derived from World Psoriasisday, the presentation of dr. v.d. Kerkhof and finding an instructive picture.  Just paying attention and not falling asleep during the presentation

[Turnedlight]

Tell you what, I'll ask my derm about all this and report back