The Why We Don't Catch Colds Thread aka The George/Gerwyn Tag Team

[JAS]

Hi Margaret,

I have the sun thing too...it just makes me feel ill. I just don't think my body can cope with the change of temperature...it doesn't know how to regulate itself and sends it all wrong (very scientific me!).

 

[gu3vara]

Wow, great thread, that thing puzzled me for a while too, I never catch a cold or flu, my girlfriend had swine flu in october and I had nothing depiste kissing her I'm invincible lol

So I guess it means I'm a true CFSers, not that I doubted it

I have a question regarding Fibromyalgia, do they have the same response to colds? I often wonder if Fibro isn't just about the same as ME (with more pain, less fatigue)

Thx

 

[paddygirl]

Until October 8th (want to insert a smile but can't find one) I didn't realize there was any connection between ME and FM. Lucky me, I just picked up the London Independent and spotted the headline. That led to the WPI site and the Q & A, which states that many people with FM are misdiagnosed, and certainly many are testing positive for XMRV. Where I'm from I think the diagnosis depends on which Rheum you see.

2 recent Rheumo told me its the same thing. Will the confusion ever end, I think its a spectrum, with mostly pain some fatigue at one end and the reverse at the other end.

I used to have days of mostly pain, and some of mostly fatigue. Mind you, it's easier to deaden pain than exhaustion. I've now got to about half way along the spectrum and seem to be stuck there. I'm going to London for the Conference, all these questions, maybe some answers? I can't wait x

 

[JT1024]

Rarely if ever have cold or flu. I don't think I've had either since I've been diagnosed. I definitely think there is something to this but not sure what.

Unlike many, I work in healthcare and am exposed to a ton of "stuff". I stopped taking antibiotics for sinus infections a few years ago. I also do not use all the antibacterial stuff out now for everyday use (available at the grocery store and at work in a hospital).
Being fully aware of the overuse of antibiotics and now the anti-bacterial stuff, I don't want to be underexposed to "normal" stuff. It seems insane that people will be over-vigilant and then rely on antibiotics, vaccines, and hand sanitizers to prevent infection.

While I'm not sure of the whole immune picture to CFS, I don't believe hiding from everything or over protecting helps anyone. I'm not dead yet... my immune system is obviously functioning at some level (given my spring allergies!).

Anyways... no.. I don't get colds/flu just garbage commonly associated with CFS/ME/FM!

 

[awol]

I have totally noticed this! So glad you posted

 

[glenp]

Would you know?

Do many of you feel that unless you had the head cold part, or in the chest, or throwing up, that you wouldnt know if you had the flu?

glrn

 

[leela]

Would we know?
Well, I guess since every day with ME/CFS feels like having the flu without snotty, vomity, chesty
stuff--I guess the answer is
No? Yes?
I think we basically always have the flu, there are just some of us who don't anymore get the secondary UR/GI infections that are associated with flu "symptoms."

 

[Cloud]

My first 10 years with this illness could be best described as "the flu that never went away". I had all those symptoms....swollen lymph glands, achy all over, cough, sore throat, etc. But all that changed when the symptoms became neurological. I haven't had those old immune symptoms for 7 years now. Apparently, this pattern is quite common.

Also, I know people with horribly severe MCS, who react to all kinds of benign things. So, I'm not the least bit surprised by PWC having a reaction to a particular person.

 

[Tulip]

I catch everything that flies by and it knocks me down big time!, plus I get chronic staph infections and secondary infections on top of a virus/cold. I have had moderate to severe me/cfs for 18yrs and it's always been like this. This is with mega doses or vitamin c and zinc to!. My immune system is quite weak.

 

[meadowlark]

Very late to the party here. I used to get an extremely bad cold or agonizing cough several times a year. Not since CFS, however. On the other hand, I notice that if there's a monster cold "going around" in the outside world--and if I've had the rare chance to actually enter the outside world--I get truly scary swollen glands (in fact, there are suddenly glands in my neck, shoulders and upper back that I never knew I had). I also get a monster glandular fever to go with it. I've always assumed that it's my ME/CFS response to whatever causes the cold in others. It's actual the part of ME/CFS I dread most, as on top of fibro and so much else, it really wrecks me.

I can't tell you how reassured I am to learn that I'm far from alone in the absence of coughs and colds! (As for the flu ... well, I have no way of telling. I define flu as fever, sweating, and nausea. I live with these on a constant basis.)

 

[Cloud]

Things that will cause a crash or God forbid, a relapse....in order of severity: Over exertion physically, catching infections (flu, etc), emotional stress (especially frustration), most meds that push my system to work harder (ie. cortisol, antidepressants, etc), and wrong foods. All have a delayed onset and peak in severity.

 

[aiden424]

Exercise and any virus cause a major relapse that can last for weeks or months. I catch everything and it takes weeks to months to recover.

Kathy

 

[*GG*]

Things that will cause a crash or God forbid, a relapse....in order of severity: Over exertion physically, catching infections (flu, etc), emotional stress (especially frustration), most meds that push my system to work harder (ie. cortisol, antidepressants, etc), and wrong foods. All have a delayed onset and peak in severity.

Interesting: emotional stress (especially frustration). I had my first crash after getting bad news at work, they would not accommodate me, I thought the Drs letter would seal the deal, but nope, they like to abuse me!

GG

 

[ukxmrv]

"Exercise and any virus cause a major relapse that can last for weeks or months. I catch everything and it takes weeks to months to recover.

Kathy"

=======

Same with me, Kathy. Adding in any infection (like food poisoning etc).

Luckily emotional upsets and frustrations have little effect on me. Exercise is the biggie.

Could be a difference in cortisol production (or lack of it) as I test low? We've had loads of discussions on what this means with regards to XMRV.

XMRV+

 

[snowathlete]

I dont get cold or other infections.
I used to get everything when i was young, then got a little better, but when i caught something it was heavy and took ages to leave. I remember taking time of work feeling really ill, and other people would catch it and come in to work and give me abuse for it saying its just a cold, but to me it felt really bad.

Then i got ME and I had only one cold since, early on which made me feel better (from my ME symptoms) and since then nothing.
My wife is home at the moment, pregnant with a cold and needs to go back to docs for antibiotics cause its going to her chest.
We no longer take precautions, same bed, sit next to each other, she makes food with her hands and i eat it, absolutely no chance that i will catch it. My paretns visited 6 weeks ago and they had a bad virus, i didnt get that either (my wife didnt either but then she was at work when they were here).

Its wierd, its the only good thing about ME. i feel like a Marvel comics super hero....then i remember that my immunity to disease is because i am diseased. Bummer.

If bird flu gets everyone, we might be the only ones who survive...Seriously.

 

[Wonko]

but not for long unfortunately - without societial support structures (eg farming, electricity etc.) we'll go the way of the mice with their version of XMRV ie unable to compete effectively enough simply to take care of basic requirements

so - bird flu killing off everyone apart from pwME - bad thing - even from a 'just deserts' angle - dont you just hate reality lol