Below is an instruction that describes a task. Write a response that appropriately completes the request. ### Instruction: Rheumatology- [49][female] Methotrexate and ColdMy mom is a patient of La county hospitals but does/t have a PCP only a specialty clinic doctor that she sees every 3 months so Im hoping to get some advice. She recently got a cold this past weekend, she tested for covid and had a negative result. She has a cough and is taking Acetaminophen from OTC. She is due to take Methotrexate today due to her Lupus treatment for her flare. Her doctor recently increased her dose to 10 pills weekly which I understand to be an immunosuppressant. How does this affect her if she has a cold? Should she skip until she gets better?. ### Response: That's a spectacular question,I wouldn't panic, I don't think it's radically dangerous but this does merit a phone call to the doctor's office. It's important and should be answered by someone who understands her particular history with lupus quite well.I say don't panic because it is not radically uncommon for people to take immunosuppressive drugs when they are in fact sick with an infection, that is the whole basis of taking steroids(the most iconic immunosuppressive drugs) when you have covid, it's looked at like a double-edged sword. So that's good with bad. In theory it could make her cold much more intense and last much longer than it would in a normal person .I don't know how bad her lupus flare is and if that's going to hurt her more withholding the drugs; or how bad her cold is, and if she's really going to fall apart, so I will refrain for making an explicit recommendation.I recommend you get this specialist to give the recommendation, but either way giving it or holding it, she will probably be okay for the meanwhile..