Do people on immune suppressants get auto-immune diseases?

That is a weird thing and exactly what I wondered when I was diagnosed with mine. The thing is, because the Immunoglobulins are so specialised with what very specific thing they attack, taking immune suppressants are absolutely pointless and would end up killing the person.

I am on immuno suppressents. Like @cazzie said they aren’t targeted. And have a lot of potential risks involved with taking them. It is an odd balancing game.

I haven’t found that balance with my doctors. And they have triggered or at least other immune conditions have surfaced since taking them. But without them I would also probably be dead.

If the docs think the reward or not taking them is worth risks of taking them. They will prescribe them.

It depends on the disease but the typical treatment for a lot of autoimmune disorders is often some sort of immune suppression. For example rheumatoid arthritis is sometimes treated with immunosuppressants.

Corticosteroids such as Prednisone seem to be often used in autoimmune disease, but I think the strategy is to limit these as much as possible due to many serious side-effects. Besides, any immuno-suppressant therapy will increase the risk of infection, especially with unusual pathogens such as fungi that take hold opportunistically. People with AIDS die of infection. You need your immune system.

Immune suppressants will help suppress the effects of autoimmune diseases and are a mainstay of treatment.

@Rarebear all autoimmune diseases? Mainstay of what treatments, still? I would say that you are making a irresponsible blanket statement. Many steroidal treatments are being updated… abandoned even, for more modern approaches. Not only that, MANY autoimmune diseases are never even treated with immune suppressant drugs. I’m surprised that, as a doctor, you would make such a misleading statement.

Okay @cazzie Whatever you say.
@RocketGuy if you want to talk more off Fluther, you know how to reach me.