cfs/me symptoms getting worse or cold/flu???

[heapsreal]

This year has been crappy for me as far as cfs go's. Since the start of the march and coming into the aussie winter my family has had this bug. My wife has had more time off work through sickness then i can remember. Myself i find it hard to tell if its cfs or some other infection but the last few months i have had chronic headaches which ease with tramadol which i have been dropping like tic tacs to cope with the headaches and to get through work. I have also had post nasal drip as well. My last lymphocyte test i did a while back showed i had my ebv/cmv under control but i still felt like crap.

SO today i saw my non cfs GP who is cool and understand my cfs situation and helps me out with scripts etc but we leave the off label cfs treatments to my cfs doc who has a better handle on cfs. Anyway i gave him the run down on the last few months and the run down on the rest of the family with this bug. He seems to think its a sinus infection, which makes sense but its hard to know whats going on when u feel like crap most of the time. So he has started me on some antibiotics and given me some repeats. My wife did improve with antibiotics but cant seem to shift it, but my doc has me on some stronger abx. Fingers crossed it dam well works. Im hoping its this simple and alot cheaper then 6 months of valcyte which i might not even need to consider if treating this sinus infection works.

Its really hard to distinguish between a cfs crash/relapse and some other illness. If it wasnt for the rest of my family being sick i wouldnt even considered it and may have left my docs today with prozac, lol, at least i would have been happy feeling like crap with a sinus infection, he he he.

cheers!!!

 

[Tulip]

T'is a virus. It's the virus that never ends, i'm sure of it! - I'm into month 4 of my never ending virus, antibiotics have stopped working.

Hopefully the antibiotics will help you.

 

[Waverunner]

I still think that their is a immune connection between CFS and a viral infection of many kinds. This study came out today, maybe we should try some zinc.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110726092948.htm

Zinc Lozenges May Shorten Common Cold Duration, Finnish Research Suggests

ScienceDaily (July 27, 2011) Depending on the total dosage of zinc and the composition of lozenges, zinc lozenges may shorten the duration of common cold episodes by up to 40%, according to a study published in the Open Respiratory Medicine Journal.

For treating the common cold, zinc lozenges are dissolved slowly in the mouth. Interest in zinc lozenges started in the early 1980s from the serendipitous observation that a cold of a young girl with leukemia rapidly disappeared when she dissolved a therapeutic zinc tablet in her mouth instead of swallowing it. Since then over a dozen studies have been carried out to find out whether zinc lozenges are effective, but the results of those studies have diverged.
Dr. Harri Hemila of the University of Helsinki, Finland, carried out a meta-analysis of all the placebo-controlled trials that have examined the effect of zinc lozenges on natural common cold infections. Of the 13 trial comparisons identified, five used a total daily zinc dose of less than 75 mg and uniformly those five comparisons found no effect of zinc. Three trials used zinc acetate in daily doses of over 75 mg, with the average indicating a 42% reduction in the duration of colds. Five trials used zinc salts other than acetate in daily doses of over 75 mg, with the average indicating a 20% decrease in the duration of colds.
In several studies, zinc lozenges caused adverse effects, such as bad taste, but there is no evidence that zinc lozenges might cause long term harm. Furthermore, in the most recent trial on zinc acetate lozenges, there were no significant differences between the zinc and placebo groups in the occurrence of adverse effects although the daily dose of zinc was 92 mg. Dr. Hemila concluded that "since a large proportion of trial participants have remained without adverse effects, zinc lozenges might be useful for them as a treatment option for the common cold.

 

[gregf]

Hi Heaps,

Sorry to hear your troubles. I also usually do much worse in Winter with secondary infections, most often a horrific cough that lasts for months. I almost fear it.

This year I tried the vitamin D. I was already starting to get a cough when I then started the vit-D. Next day the cough was gone and I have had no cough, sore throat or ear aches this winter.

I must be doing something right, as after 6 years, I have little pain, no crashes, and enough mobility to enjoy life.

 

[Grape Funk]

That zinc study is funny, the only medication/vitamin that makes me sick to my stomach is zinc, anything else i can handle. I've got chronic sinus problems as well.

 

[aprilk1869]

That zinc study is funny, the only medication/vitamin that makes me sick to my stomach is zinc, anything else i can handle.

That might be because of low stomach acid. Is that something you've considered?

 

[heapsreal]

hi guys,

Early days, im on twice a day clarithromycin and today is the first day in awhile i havent woken with a dam headache and instead of that post nasal drip, my nose is actually blocked. So maybe the abx are loosing all the junk up and its trying to run out. I have taken a sudafed today to hopefully help the sinuses as well. I will have to look into the zinc lozenges, its strange but i dont really present as having a cold/flu even thought the rest of the family have, but thats probably my whacky immune system.

cheers!!

 

[Grape Funk]

That might be because of low stomach acid. Is that something you've considered?

No i have not. What would i try to boost the acidity? But i also would have to wonder why Zinc is the only culprit and not some of the stronger biodegradable drugs.

 

[Waverunner]

No i have not. What would i try to boost the acidity? But i also would have to wonder why Zinc is the only culprit and not some of the stronger biodegradable drugs.

Did you use zinc lozenges or capsules/tablets to swallow?

 

[aprilk1869]

No i have not. What would i try to boost the acidity? But i also would have to wonder why Zinc is the only culprit and not some of the stronger biodegradable drugs.

I was doing some research on KPU last night and came across this thread here at PR. (KPU can deplete a number of nutrients including zinc). This was a quote from anne_likes_red:-

I read that the nausea from the zinc is supposed to resolve after a couple of months, I think it's tied in with stomach acid naturally increasing as a result of the protocol kicking in and beginning to support long stagnant enzyme systems/processes. It'll be really interesting to see if this happens with you!!

I'm not sure what the best way to increase stomach acid would be. I think some people take Betaine hcl and others like Apple Cider Vinegar.

Sorry I can't be of much more help.

 

[taniaaust1]

Thou I can usually tell between the ME and when Im coming down with a flu, I cant always tell as some times they feel so so similar.

Greg.. glad to hear you are finding that the D is helping .

 

[Grape Funk]

Wave --- I just took the store bought vitamin capsules.

I have not even heard of KPU until now, i will read about it soon. I have heard about the Apple cider vinegar and sauerkraut, but will add in the betaine hcl. I also have problems of acid reflux in the mornings, and usually spit up tons of mucus with it. I don't know if the mucus is coming from the lungs or stomach, or possibly even post nasal drip. Maybe these will help. thanks.

 

[heapsreal]

3 full days so far on abx, still have the post nasal drip which is dam annoying which give u that persistant cough. But feeling better, not waking up in the morning with a chronic headache and the sales of tramadol have gone down. Im normally a mouth breather and after using a sinus spray to help open up the sinuses, i didnt realise how blocked they were. I think this has probably been going on longer then i think. This year has been a crap year for me cfs wise but i think my sinuses have played a big part in it all. When i get some time im going to inhale some euculyptus vapours and let some of this junk drain out. From what i have read, the congestion favours bacterial infections to replicate madly, so im going to make it uncomfortable for them.

cheers!!!

 

[Waverunner]

Wave ---

I have not even heard of KPU until now, i will read about it soon. I have heard about the Apple cider vinegar and sauerkraut, but will add in the betaine hcl. I also have problems of acid reflux in the mornings, and usually spit up tons of mucus with it. I don't know if the mucus is coming from the lungs or stomach, or possibly even post nasal drip. Maybe these will help. thanks.

Hi Grape Funk,

I have exactly the same problem. I did a test for KPU last week but the results are not in yet. I also tested for zinc and selenium. Hopefully they found something so I have an explanation for my bad immune system. For me it seems I have a chronic cold.

 

[Tulip]

*Note to self* Do not read this thread while eating.

 

[Waverunner]

*Note to self* Do not read this thread while eating.

I thought about editing my post but you would still know what we were talking about

 

[Tulip]

I thought about editing my post but you would still know what we were talking about

LOL it's too late anyway! It's well and truely a mucus thread now.

 

[heapsreal]

cough cough, yes mucus, it better out then in when it comes to sinus infections.

 

[mellster]

Interesting - some of my lab values fit into HPU/KPU (low normal WBC, high LDL, low HDL, normal MCV, low normal alkaline phosphatase). I might ask for a specific test as well at my next visit. I also started taking the required supplements since they were indicated anyways, we shall see.

 

[RustyJ]

Hi Heapsreal. I have symptoms which exactly mirror your own, every winter. Headaches, dizziness, post-nasal drip, increased urinary frequency, generally feeling worse, all winter. These flu/sinus symptoms appear within a day or two of the temperature intially dropping (you know, that day when you feel winter is coming) with a sudden onset which is quite debilitating and lasts for 3-4 days. The symptoms moderate somewhat, but then intensify if the temperature drops below ten degrees. We have a deeper winter this year with many more days below 10 degrees. (Yes, I know many out there are laughing. But 5 degrees for us is close to disaster - our homes are very poorly insulated and our clothing is not suited to cold weather climes in Oz). I can also bounce into that intense stage quite a few times during winter.

I also get sore kidneys. Hot water bottle in bed helps with this (see below).

Over the years I have adoped a few practices to minimise the impact of winter:

• I use a hot water bottle in bed and even tuck it into my dressing gown when I am walking around (can't afford to run a heater).
• I supplement with Vit D (10,000 IU - had to build up slowly). This may be the most critical
• I take cold and flu tabs like lollies. They don't always work for the first lot, but the second lot 4 hours later usually kick in well. The trick is to take some during your sleep time (if you wake up briefly that is), so that when it is time to wake up you don't have the intense symptoms. They are getting pretty cheap. I stopped worrying about whether these tabs were harmful a long time ago. I also find the cold and flu tabs help me get out of bed other times.
• And I pray for warmer times. This works also because eventually it gets warmer. Only, then, I have to put up with the heat. sigh.

These symptoms may mask a common secondary infection eg Mycoplasma