Re. Need Help for Immune System

[Guest guest]

Hi Tom,

I don't know if you remember the conversation we had, two or three

years ago, about this very topic? I had also inquired on the

CFSFMExp list about this same problem I was having (catching all the

viruses and flus), and you very kindly replied to my post and said

that you had the same problem. We both assumed there was some sort

of immune dysfunction, but I don't think we ever reached any resolution.

About my own situation, I can tell you that I haven't had the benefit

of lab testing for levels of natural killer cells or anything

else. I'm sure that the doctors I did consult, when I was able to do

this (mostly back in the 90s), all thought I was completely nuts. I

did see my regular GP (who was an internal medicine doc) plus another

(can't remember his exact " subspecialty, " whether allergist or

immunologist or other) and had conversations about allergies, mold,

sick building syndrome, and everything else I could think of that

seemed pertinent. Like I said...I think they all thought I was " just

another woman with it all in her head. " I don't now remember tests I

may have had or their results.

Anyway... What has always struck me is that when I compared myself

with every other person I could think of, vis-a-vis this " always

catching colds " problem, the one possible difference was that I

almost never go anywhere at all, if I can help it. I do work at home

and I've always kept my trips to stores, even for groceries, to an

absolute minimum. So, I could never understand exactly WHERE I was

catching all the colds I suffered with. They literally seemed to

come from out of the blue. They seemed to come to me, rather than me

going out to go " catch " them.

I would surmise that all the viruses might have been carried to me

via FedEx and UPS packages that arrived holding my work. But then,

when my work became almost entirely electronic and the interstate

packaging ceased, I still was catching every cold imaginable. More

than anyone I knew or had heard of. And I was still almost never

actually physically going anywhere myself.

None of it made any sense at all, and it still continued. For years

it continued. I'm having trouble now, trying to remember how many

years this has gone on. A very very long time, in any case.

And then, this past fall, it all stopped. This year I haven't caught

any colds at all, and I haven't yet had any " flu " of any sort. A

year ago at this time, I was having serial " colds " -- with regular

periods of vomiting, thrown in for good measure!

So, what changed for me? A tooth abscessed and nearly made my head

explode (it seemed, anyway). Since this abscess occurred and I had

the oral surgery to have the tooth removed on Oct 11th, I haven't

been sick with a seeming virus, cold, or flu for one day. Ohhh, I

still have other problems that I associate with ME or CFS, but I

haven't caught any colds or the flu.

I'm not sure of the connection between already-existent bacterial

infection in the body and seeming invading viruses. There wouldn't

seem to be any, would there?

For several years I was taking daily antibiotic because I knew there

was a dental problem. I just wasn't sure where, which tooth or

teeth, the problem resided, and the x-rays taken never showed

anything conclusive. I just knew that I felt terribly ill unless I

took antibiotic, so I took amoxicillin or cephalexin every day, for years.

Did the antibiotic subdue my immune system so that I was able to

catch colds more easily? I don't know. Is there some kind of

connection between existent bacterial infection and subsequent

vulnerability to viral infections? I don't know that either. Does

bacterial infection masquerade sometimes as viral infection? I don't know.

All I do know is that, judging by the length of the history with the

tooth itself, the tooth that eventually abscessed may have been

infected for years. It was a tooth that had been " drilled and

filled " more than 30 years ago! I have no idea of when, actually, in

the past 30 years this ensuing problem may have started. The actual

" problem " was two tiny cracks that had joined underneath the original

inlay to form one giant crevasse of infection -- and none of this was

visible on any of the x-rays. It was only seen once old inlay, and

then the tooth itself, was actually removed.

I don't know if you can relate to any of this at all, Tom. And I

apologize for my circuitousness and if there's any confusion. Please

ask me for clarification where it's needed.

Is there possibly some dental problem like this that you may have had

for eons and not been aware that that is where the real problem is

issuing from? I had no idea about this in me until my head pain was

incomparably severe and my face began to swell (up into the eye) with

the expanding infection.

I hope this helps. If any questions, please do ask.

in Champaign IL

Need Help for Immune System

Posted by: " Tomcy6 " tomcy6@...

Mon Jan 14, 2008 2:31 pm (PST)

Hi All,

I am one of the ME/CFSers who catches every virus I get near,

literally. At this time of year, running into a store to grab some

groceries, staying as far away from other people as I can usually

ensures that I will come down with a cold or the flu. It is so bad

that I really can't understand why I haven't been killed by some

infection by now, but I suppose that will change in due time.

In Natural Killer Cell tests I have tested normal count normal

activity, low count normal activity, and normal count low activity at

different times. These differing results don't seem to be related to

how well my immune system functions in the real world. I have shown

other immune system anomalies associated with ME/CFS in other tests.

I take Proboost Thymic Protein A, arabinogalactin, olive leaf

extract, vitamin D, and lots of Ester-C.

I live in Tucson, AZ and have tried to find an immunologist who could

help, but, believe it or not, have not found one who deals with this

problem. Most have told me they just do allergies.

Can anyone suggest something or a doctor who can help get my immune

system working better? Thanks in advance.

Tom