do your symptoms increase when sick with cold/flu?

[KathySkes]

Hi all,

I think I have a cold (came on gradually, congested, low-grade fever 99.1, headache, achiness but not flu-like weakness). This is the first time I have been this sick since I had pretty bad relapse about a year ago. My baseline is to have a little achiness and headache, but right now the achiness and headache are pretty bad. So I can't tell what is from the cold and what is an exacerbation of CFS/ME symptoms. Does anyone else experience this (greater symptoms when "sick on sick")?

Thanks for replies. Just trying to sort this out. Hope everyone is making it through the winter (for those of us in the northern hemisphere).

Kathy

 

[SOC]

Hi all,

I think I have a cold (came on gradually, congested, low-grade fever 99.1, headache, achiness but not flu-like weakness). This is the first time I have been this sick since I had pretty bad relapse about a year ago. My baseline is to have a little achiness and headache, but right now the achiness and headache are pretty bad. So I can't tell what is from the cold and what is an exacerbation of CFS/ME symptoms. Does anyone else experience this (greater symptoms when "sick on sick")?

Thanks for replies. Just trying to sort this out. Hope everyone is making it through the winter (for those of us in the northern hemisphere).

Kathy

Yep. For me it appeared that the cold (or whatever) was another burden on my immune system which was already failing to keep multiple infections under control, so all the infections would flare up and I'd get aches, massive fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, etc, etc.

Now that I've got my infections under better control, I don't seem to flare much with minor infections (or the flu vaccine).

BTW, if you have a fever, it probably isn't a cold. Might be the flu or a reactivation or exacerbation of an existing infection...?

 

[SickOfSickness]

I'm not sure, maybe the flu and ME/fibro symptoms make each other worse.

I think I don't necessarily, but my "energy envelope" shrinks to 1/2 or 1/4 if I'm sick. A healthy person's capacity would shrink too, mine just happens to be small without the flu. I'm good at not overdoing things, but with a shrunk envelope, it's easier to overdo it, just to do the minimum daily tasks. Then have more ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia symptoms because of overdoing it. (I think not everyone has both ME and Fibro but many do.)

 

[KathySkes]

SOC, I was wondering if it is the flu also, except that most people I have heard of who have it have higher fevers. I think a reactivation is also possible. Blech.

 

[SOC]

SOC, I was wondering if it is the flu also, except that most people I have heard of who have it have higher fevers. I think a reactivation is also possible. Blech.

Blech, indeed!

My daughter and I are among those PWME who have low body temp, so for us 99.1 is like a 101.3 degree fever in a healthy person. Do you know if your typical body temp is below normal?

Take care of yourself -- lots of rest and fluids . Best wishes for a quick recovery.

 

[Seven7]

I feel CFS symptoms free when I have a cold. I can even exercise!!!.

 

[justy]

Hi Kathy - sorry oyu are not feeling well. I always feel much worse all round when i have another illness on top of the M.E. I usually end up in bed for a while. I had what i thought was a cold right after christmas (everyone else was just sinusy and sneezing, bunged up and one day of shivers) i had two weeks of hellish painful aches, low grade fevers (like SOC my body temp runs low so anyhting above 98.6 is high for me) i spent most of the time in bed, could bare;ly do anyhting again. I seem to slump right down to my owrse ever level, but then usually get back to my baseline after a while. The time it takes to come back to my normal is shortening as i have improved a bit.

I also had mild pneumonia before christmas and it had the same effect on me. I dont tolerate being ill at all.

Hope you feel better soon,
take care, Justy x

 

[KathySkes]

Inester, that is fascinating. I actually felt a little better than my baseline the day I was "coming down with" the cold/flu. Sorta like your experience, maybe? But last night I felt really miserable, one of those "my whole body hurts" kind of achiness that sent me to bed, so much for feeling a little better. This morning I'm somewhat better, less achiness but still headachy, but that is "normal" for me anyway, so I can't tell what is going on?? I'm still trying to figure all this out, i.e., what is my new normal...

 

[KathySkes]

Hi Kathy - sorry oyu are not feeling well. I always feel much worse all round when i have another illness on top of the M.E. I usually end up in bed for a while. I had what i thought was a cold right after christmas (everyone else was just sinusy and sneezing, bunged up and one day of shivers) i had two weeks of hellish painful aches, low grade fevers (like SOC my body temp runs low so anyhting above 98.6 is high for me) i spent most of the time in bed, could bare;ly do anyhting again. I seem to slump right down to my owrse ever level, but then usually get back to my baseline after a while. The time it takes to come back to my normal is shortening as i have improved a bit.

I also had mild pneumonia before christmas and it had the same effect on me. I dont tolerate being ill at all.

Hope you feel better soon,
take care, Justy x

Thanks, Justy . Sorry to hear you have been ill on top of the ME. I'm glad things are improving a bit for you too.

 

[Jemal]

Flu knocked me out in december and after 4 weeks I am still feeling a lot worse...
So my symptoms definitely get a lot worse with cold/flu.

 

[Insomniac]

My symptoms also get worse with flus and colds.

 

[Clodomir]

Hello,

I haven't got the flu since a long time: I take every year broncovaxum (an homeopathic vaccine). KDM think that it is a very good idea.
What I can say, is that during the winter, it is always a nightmare: foggy nearly all the time, pain everywhere, concentration problems, etc...
So maybe it is the flu, but the bad, cold weather is ( following my experience) also a big problem.
During winter, I always sleep with a nightcap... A red one for the moment: my husband call me big smurf!

Hope you are feeling beter.

Have a good day


Clodomir

 

[Furball]

I've had a cold for weeks now & it really floors me..
My joint pains seem to get more exaggerated & general fatigue. I can't really do too much when I'm like this & it's annoying.