@A myRAteam Member, well put! I went off my Rinvoq because I had to go on antibiotics, both oral and IV. I did not start taking it again because I believe it is one reason I had such a bad infection in my leg (I was in the hospital for five days on IV antibiotics to treat three different types of infection). My rheumy said it was okay for me to stay off of it, while I still have an open wound on my leg, but as soon as I'm healed, she would like to see me back on it.

Further, she told me to stay in Arizona. She is afraid that if I go back to Chicago now I will contract the virus and end up on a ventilator in the hoispital and she doesn't want tthat. - nor do I! It's just too dangerous for me to go home.

I know my RA is causing irreversible damage to my fingers and toes, I can see it. I know I need to get back on the Rinvoq. My fingers are especially bad.

Always consult with your doctor before stopping meds.

Hi SamH, I basically agree with you except I'm sure that being on meds does make a difference because many of the meds that we are on are immuno suppressants causing us to not be able to "fight off" infective organisms including bacteria and viruses. We all need to be careful all the time about being around anyone who has anything that we could "catch" like a cold etc.

@A myRAteam Member, it did help. Between you and my cousin who is one of the top people for Cook County Health and spending hours on this pandemic and protocols, I have had the best info out there!

Very interesting thank you. I’m in U.K. wishing I had read your posts that people didn’t like.
Spoke to my Rheumatologist recently, must not come off or change meds . Prepare to stay isolated until vaccine is produced 12-18 months. Thought provoking but so is the death option !

@A myRAteam Member, yes I am very fortunate. Once I can get back home it won't be for long. We have decided that with the reports of a second wave of this virus coming with flu season, we want to be back here earlier than usual to asssure we can get back. Neither of us wants to spend the winter in Chicago.

To get back, we have to look not only at Chicago, but also the states in beteween here and Illinois and what's happening there. We don't want to expose ourselves to anything if any of these states are still experiencing big problems. For instance, Gallup, NM, closed all roads into the city for this weekend because more than 30 percenet of its population has COVID -19. No one gets in or ouit. That's where we always stop for gas, so that couold be aproblem since that's the last place for gas for a while..

I am getting a lesson in how to survive here in the heat. Temps have been 16 degress above normal - more than 100 degrees. It is having an effect on my RA. I"m learning a lot.

I hope you are doing well and not going too stir crazy during these trying times.