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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 10/15/2020 9:39 AM (GMT -5)
I’m looking for some opinions/ advice please (maybe just writing this out will help me) I live in BC where positive tests for Covid are under 2% of testing and just about everyone is contact traced. I have been very sick with fatigue for the last three years. I am being treated with inflectra for ulcerative colitis but my GI thinks I have crohns based on a colonoscopy. Recently I had antibiotics for a parasite! I think this caused my fatigue, and since an 18 day course of antibiotics (and my 4th infusion soon after) I think I have more energy. So last night I joined a tap class. I loved it! I had energy for it. It’s something I haven’t been able to do for years. Here’s the thing: I see my husband and my children (with some physical distancing), I work from home, my husband grocery shops, if I go to my office I wear a mask. The dance class had 6 dancers last night but I think there will be 10... some were away. We keep six feet apart except there are some times when we pass each other to make formation changes. It’s an indoor class. I’m really torn about continuing to go to the class. (The teacher wears a mask, the dancers do not). It’s the inflectra infusions that are making me consider not joining this year. What would you do?
Posted 10/15/2020 9:46 AM (GMT -5)
Mye personally, I would not do the dance class. Here's the thing. If you are compromised to begin with (any disease, diabetes, etc..) why would you want to risk getting this virus? If the class was outdoors, I would feel differently. Again, just my thoughts on it. You have to do what is comfortable for you.
Posted 10/15/2020 10:48 AM (GMT -5)
I would not risk it. Wait several months. There is good chance that vaccine will be available.
Posted 10/15/2020 10:51 AM (GMT -5)
Myself, no I would not do the classes. Aren't you on Inflectra, I can't remember. Even with your low number of cases the potential is still there. Didn't you start Inflectra recently? I know we are all tired of having our lives as we once knew them to be interrupted, however, I will not do anything that may be risky for me.
Posted 10/15/2020 11:29 AM (GMT -5)
I've never heard of antibiotics being used for a parasite...but it's definitely possible the med you were given could cause fatigue. How long ago were you on it, and where was the parasite infection?

I would suggest you don't continue the dance class given how you're feeling...is there one offered online?

q
Posted 10/15/2020 11:44 AM (GMT -5)
I've done both dance and yoga classes while on xeljanz until at a particular point the infection rate where I'm living got too high and i freaked out and stopped going. A few weeks later my dance partner tested positive so I'm glad I stopped.
That being said, the evidence so far suggests that neither ibd nor biologics put you at a higher risk of getting a severe case of covid, and in fact several biologics are being used experimentally to prevent the "cytokene storm" in severe cases. Much more relevant to the risk is your age, and whether you have obesity or diabetes or a cardiovascular problem. And more important still is how much do you personally want to avoid getting covid? I've eventually arrived at the conclusion that I will be super careful because I live alone and have a dog to look after and if I became bed ridden it would be hard to get support for us.
Also for what it's worth there was a korean study looking at covid outbreaks in a sports school, and while high intensity classes like zumba were associated with multiple infections, yoga and pilates were not. It appears to be a function of the amount of ventilation and transport of virus on aerosols. More aerosols are released when people are breathing hard.
Posted 10/15/2020 12:07 PM (GMT -5)
A dance class means that people are likely breathing hard so they will spread aerosols further than 6 feet. Since this is indoors all it will take is one person to be infected (even if they are asymptomatic) and all of you will be infected.

Up to you but I wouldn't risk it. Things will hopefully be better in the spring.
Posted 10/15/2020 12:26 PM (GMT -5)
i wouldn't touch it with a 10' pole ;-)

there are lots of options for outdoor exercise -

TT
Posted 10/15/2020 1:19 PM (GMT -5)
Thank you for all your replies!!!

i really appreciate it. Why would I want to risk getting ill when I have been ill for so long needs to also be considered here smile

As for the parasite, i had amoebic colitis. I tested positive for Entamoeba histolytica a few months ago. After treatment I am getting better! I've read case studies of people being misdiagnosed with UC and Crohns who have amoebic colitis. I'm considering this possibility. I've also read that there is patchy inflammation near the small intestine with amoebic colitis (which I have, which is why my GI is questioning my UC diagnosis, but a biopsy near the illium was inconclusive last year). I will continue with the inflectra infusions, and I will have another colonoscopy next year. I hope I have confidence in my diagnosis in the next year or so, but in the meantime, just feeling more alive and able to exercise is very helpful.

ETA: I've been fatigued, in bed, avoiding social events, daily for three years. fatigue is a common symptom of amoebic colitis and killing the infection would make me feel better. At the same time, fatigue is a symptom of inflammation from UC and inflectra infusions can remedy that.

Post Edited (Rosiedays) : 10/15/2020 12:22:40 PM (GMT-6)

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