Re: Which Doctor?
Since you are going to want to talk to your rheumy anyway about
stopping Humira while you have this infection, I think it is useful
to remember that your rheumy is also a fully trained and licensed
medical doctor who is perfectly capable of recognizing and treating
ordinary boils and infections, especially given how common these
things are among people with whacky immune systems. If it were me,
I'd see my rheumy first and IF and only IF he feels that I need a
different kind of doctor would I bother finding one. I have had
small infections in my armpit glands from time to time and my
rheumy's view is that it is probably better to let them run their
course than to start and stop Enbrel and MTX every time a minor
infection presents itself. He feels that the trauma to the immune
system from the start/stop/start of the medications if far worse than
having to put up with the annoyance of minor infections. I am
fastidious about keeping the infected area clean and I wipe the area
frequently with alcohol wipes, but I have not stopped the meds. It
sounds like your boil is much worse than the small boils I get
occasionally, so your rheumy may feel very differently than mine has
with my small stuff. Let us know what you decide to do and what your
doctor(s) has to say. Kathy F.]