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Re-occuring flu symptoms

soxfan

Senior Member
Messages
995
Location
North Carolina
I have had ME/CFS for over six years..I became sick after having a 24 hour flu. My primary symptoms are the daily fatigue/exhausiton, unrefreshing sleep, PEM but it starts immediately after the activity and lasts for 24 hours or more and constant nerve pain/symptoms in my left calf and foot.

Ever since that initial flu six years ago I have never had one again or symptoms of one including sore throat, headache, pain etc...In fact I hardly ever get sick at all.
So I guess I am wondering if anyone else doesn't experience any "flu" symptoms.

I am fortunate enough to have and appointment with Dr. Komaroff in March so I am very excited to finally see a doctor who will understand me! I have never had a doctor who has a clue of what I am talking about..

So anyone out there who Doesn't experience flu symptoms on a regular basis??

Thanks
Kim
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
This has been a popular topic on other groups I have belonged it. We tend to split into the viral/non viral symptoms with a sizable number of people reporting that they never have a cold or a flu - at least they never get the symptoms.

I get flu symptoms as part of my PEM. Also been getting attacks of viral symptoms that can go on for months, then maybe a year with hardly any of these (apart from the ones with PEM).

We used to talk about the Th1/Th2 balance but I don't know if anyone has done an research comparing the two groups to see what the actual differences are.
 

IntuneJune

Senior Member
Messages
562
Location
NorthEastern USA
I frequently feel I have the flu without having the flu. These symptoms were improved with better allergen control. But still there at times.

June
 

*GG*

senior member
Messages
6,389
Location
Concord, NH
I have the same symptoms, except the foot/leg issue(s). The way I recall my illness was that I always felt like I had the flu, until about 1 year ago. I started LDN (and Vitamin D) in Sept of 2009, so I think that might of downregulated my immune system? I had a cold at the beginning of last year. I don't recall catching a cold in the 7 years I was ill before that time, but not certain. I do recall having some "bug" where I didn't have an appetite for a couple of days, which is very odd for me, because I usually have an appetite!

Although I think my sleep has also gotten better, right meds to knock me out, and I am now using a VPAP when I sleep.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
As ukxmrv mentioned... I think it would be due to the Th1/Th2 thing which goes on with CFS/ME.

A normal person body maintains a balance/homostasis in this area but those with CFS/ME often dont and tend to lean to one side of the immune system...one side of it does with certain things while the other side of it deals with other things. We can tend to be over active in the side which deals with colds/flu (but makes you more susceptable to other virus eg EBV, CMV etc). I suggest to research Th1 and Th2 CFS to learn more.

I do think that is an area of research which needs to be followed up more.

After a time (years) you may find this shifts as I believe ones immune system gets weak from being overactive ....
at that point CFS/ME people start to get colds/flu again, some then find themselves constantly getting them.

Not only do we vary with some of us getting lots of colds/flus and others NEVER getting them... we all vary with CFS due to the differences in symptoms and subgroups.
 

soxfan

Senior Member
Messages
995
Location
North Carolina
I did have cytokine testing done and there was something on there about the TH1/TH2..I didn't understand it of course so I will take it with me to Dr. Komaroff in March and see what it actually means.
I had a 24 hour flu as my first symptom but thought that was it because I really didn't feel the fatigue/exhaustion until 3 weeks later. That is when I knew something was wrong and I started getting other symptoms as well.

I have been sick probably 4 times in the past 6+ years and when I do get sick it is over quickly..I am working on getting the LDN up in dose but it is going to be very slow for me...
 

August59

Daughters High School Graduation
Messages
1,617
Location
Upstate SC, USA
I have only had, what I think was the flu one time and it was when I came down with ME/CFS. Never before or since then have I had the flu other than the common "sick fatigue" feeling that I always have. I haven't had a fever since I became ill 5 years ago. I have had what appears to be non-allergic rhinitis (hormone imbalance) which causes a "runny nose" that zyrtec, flonase and asterlin will not stop.

Almost all of my symptoms have been associated with joint pain, neuropathy, autoimmune (lost hearing in right ear and developed narcolepsy) and hypothalmus related (sleep and multiple hormone imbalances).

It is really unusual how ME/CFS seems to target different areas in it's victims. If it is find that XMRV or other viruses is the culprit then I would geuss that the different reservoirs could be part of the reason.