Never get fevers

[nettle_tea]

I have had almost no fevers since high school, when my health began to decline. I've had pneumonia twice, several bouts of bronchitis, and probably at least one bout of flu, and no fevers. Ok, the second time I had pneumonia, several weeks into the illness, I started to get very mild fevers for about an hour at night - but by this time it was bad enough I had to drop out of school. I've had difficulty getting a proper diagnosis or treatment for many of these infections because of my lack of fever.

What could this mean? Could it be ME related? (I had a gradual onset that got worse a couple of years ago, but its possible my poor health in high school was related to my current illness.)

 

[Mary]

The last time I had a fever was in 2000, when I had a severe case of the flu.

I definitely think lack of fevers is related to ME/CFS - our immune systems are dysfunctional. For many years I would get apparently mild-seeming but very debilitating sinus infections every time I crashed. Only I never ran a fever, never appeared that sick but it would wipe me out.

The herb andrographis has made a big difference for me re these sinus infections - they are much less severe and I recover more quickly now. But I never go to the doctor with them. It would be useless. But of course with pneumonia and bronchitis you do need medical intervention, though andrographis might help your immune system so you don't get as sick.

My ME/CFS was very slow onset over a period of 13 years. The 13-year mark is when I started crashing, or PEM.

I don't know the biological underpinnings of fevers and but they are a necessary part of the immune system and ours just doesn't work right.

 

[PatJ]

I had lots of short term flu-like symptoms for the first few years with ME, but haven't had a flu since 2004 and haven't had a cold since 2007. My body temp wanders around during the day but is always low.

 

[nettle_tea]

My ME/CFS was very slow onset over a period of 13 years. The 13-year mark is when I started crashing, or PEM.

I started having problems with fatigue, my immune system, temperature regulation, and orthostatic intolerance when I was 14. That was also when I was diagnosed with severe depression, had several hospital stays, and many medication changes. So all of my physical problems were either ignored or put down to depression. I know that mental health and medication side effects can do a lot to your body, but I wonder if something physically changed at that time as well.

I had a few healthy years in college, and became very physically active despite the major infections, but once I started working full time and doing grad classes at night, I started crashing. I had a cold pretty much constantly. That's when I started seeking medical help.

I had lots of short term flu-like symptoms for the first few years with ME, but haven't had a flu since 2004 and haven't had a cold since 2007. My body temp wanders around during the day but is always low.

I've heard this from a lot of people! I had near-constant colds from 2014-2016 or so. I have both allergic and non-allergic rhinitis, as well as chronic sinus problems, so honestly it's hard to tell these days when I have a virus. But my best guess is I'm getting infections less often.

I've had a cold for the last month, though - it got to my sinuses last week and now I have the beginnings of bronchitis. My lymph nodes are swollen for the first time in a while. That's why I started thinking about fevers.

 

[Mary]

. I know that mental health and medication side effects can do a lot to your body, but I wonder if something physically changed at that time as well.

Have you been tested for any of the various viruses associated with ME/CFS, e.g., EBV, HHV-6, Coxsackie B, cytomegalovirus, echo viruses? You might have been exposed to one of these or had an active infection which was the trigger.

I've had chronic sinus problems for many years, and like you it has been hard to tell what is allergies and what is an infection, although with an infection it generally wipes me out, though I don't run a fever. The herb andrographis has been extremely helpful in reducing the severity and frequency of getting sick. And I only have to take one tablet a day as a maintenance dose - it's very powerful. It's an immune modulator. When I'm sick I"ll take up to 3 tablets a day, and then every 5 or 6 weeks I'll stop it for a week or so.

 

[nettle_tea]

Have you been tested for any of the various viruses associated with ME/CFS, e.g., EBV, HHV-6, Coxsackie B, cytomegalovirus, echo viruses? You might have been exposed to one of these or had an active infection which was the trigger.

I haven't been tested, but I probably should. I could have easily been exposed in hospitals, summer camps, communal living situations, dorm rooms, etc. I may have even had an undiagnosed active infection at some point - I was too sick to go to school, sometimes for months at a time, during parts of high school, but it was always explained away as depression. I had some frustrating experiences trying to get answers for physical problems during this time. I did get treated for a suspected stomach ulcer at 15, so presumably I had an h. pylori infection.

 

[Mary]

I haven't been tested, but I probably should. I could have easily been exposed in hospitals, summer camps, communal living situations, dorm rooms, etc. I may have even had an undiagnosed active infection at some point - I was too sick to go to school, sometimes for months at a time, during parts of high school, but it was always explained away as depression. I had some frustrating experiences trying to get answers for physical problems during this time. I did get treated for a suspected stomach ulcer at 15, so presumably I had an h. pylori infection.

That's crappy - having everything explained as depression. You could have had EBV-caused mono, it's so common and is prevalent in so many people with ME/CFS and could easily have made you too sick to go to school.

Here's something user Hip put together, a roadmap for testing and treatment: http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...admap-for-me-cfs-testing-and-treatment.31641/ (click on "ME/CFS Roadmap for Testing and Treatment" in the thread.

I think I saw a shortened version the other day but can't remember where. The above is quite comprehensive and can be a bit overwhelming, you might just want to read a bit at a time. It talks about the various pathogens associated with ME/CFS.