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CFS intermitent Remission (due to Zica) Vs All fatigue Theories out there

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
I had a short remission again, I got Zika virus and it was amazing (except the rash and swollen part) but energy wise I was 100%. I traveled a whole day, came home unpacked, exercised ........ I mean I got done what It would usually taken me months to do. Live was amazing and buuusyyyyyyyy.

What I question why do I get remissions with colds, Viruses and if there is something really broken how come it works from one day to the other then doesn't work anymore????

What is different on Zica vs the reactivations like hh6v to cause the so opposite reactions in my body?

1) I post this to give you hope that whatever we lost is not really gone. Energy and ability to function.
2) Why so many people get this remissions w colds and other viruses, can we be study to give light to the CFS mechanism?
 
Messages
3,263
@Inester7, I seem to remember a large thread on this topic a while ago (which I think you contributed to, but I can't find it right now).

I wonder if @wastwater's idea is close to the truth:
Maybe the immune system gets tied up actually attacking a valid pathogen rather than just making you feel ill
Its winter where I am, and I've had a nasty cold for the last few days. Its been great! I've had more energy and been more active than for ages. If only we could work out how to bottle this and take a good sip every day!

I also like your point about how these things show how reversible our problems are. That's pretty reassuring.
 

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
I think the importance of this needs to be communicated to Ron Davis group and other reaserchers (I don;t have any contact number).

And maybe if they study cytokines before cold/virus and before and other markers they can find a difference. Or affect cells invitro (not sure how can it be done).
 

msf

Senior Member
Messages
3,650
Maybe the immune system gets tied up actually attacking a valid pathogen rather than just making you feel ill

I don´t know for sure, but I don´t think the immune system works like that. It doesn´t have a mind that is suddenly distracted by a new task, and I don´t see why an autoimmune process would be cease whilst an infection is being cleared. I think it is more likely that people feel better because they are suffering from immune exhaustion, as the big Lipkin study showed, and this is somehow reversed by the new infection. I´m not sure why this would make you feel better though, unless two negatives make a positive (i.e. the normal equilibrium is restored). I do think that this phenomenon is more common in those who have been ill for a while though - colds don´t seem to give me many cold symptoms and I seem fairly resistant to getting them, but when I do get them, my ME symptoms worsen.
 

JES

Senior Member
Messages
1,320
I started one thread on this effect here few months ago. For me it doesn't seem to need a specific virus to trigger improvement, first time I actually caught some kind of stomach virus and it improved my CFS/ME symptoms massively, second time was a common cold.

The cold/virus effect basically gives me 100% remission of all CFS/ME symptoms for a day or two. It is indeed remarkable how quickly the symptoms resolve without any kind of permanent damage present. The second most efficient is sleep deprivation, which sometimes can reduce my symptoms around 70%. No supplement or treatment so far have given me anywhere near as good results, sadly.