posted
You know, I have to agree with you. Since I've had Lyme I just don't get colds or the flu. My wife and son with be sick as dogs and I don't catch anything.
I work retail and touch money all day, and peoples equipment that they've touched. I wash my hands a lot and use a good amount of hand sanitizer.
But still, you'd think I'd get the sniffles once in a while
Posts: 699 | From confusion | Registered: Jan 2011
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posted
I agree to and dont know why. I would think if our immune systems were so bad we would.
My husband had a horrible chest cough and my daughter had the flu with very high fever. I was taking care of them and never caught a thing? Very strange. Is this the only thing we should be grateful for with lyme?
-------------------- Diagnosed with chronic neuro lyme 12/10 after 30 years of vertigo.2 tick bites in 3 yrs from upstate NY. Was on omincef for nine mths..zith and rifampin stopped.Remission~ All the pain and symptoms are back and I am not treating now with biaxin. Posts: 788 | From New york..queens | Registered: Nov 2010
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Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
It has to do with the Th1 and Th2 immune pathways. Too complicated for me and I've forgotten how it works but Lyme uses a pathway that people who are well don't. Some how it keeps us from getting colds and flu.
Someone will come along who knows to explain it better.
Posts: 5191 | From Lyme Zone | Registered: Jan 2009
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posted
I don't know if I believe or understand this, but this is what was told to me, by a holistic doctor. She said that our bodies can only handle one invader at a time. If our immune system is busy focusing on lyme, then it's difficult to have something else invade your system.
She made the analogy of why chemo works for cancer patients. The chemo is so deadly, our body's focus becomes the chemo, and not proliferation of cancer cells.
Posts: 964 | From san diego | Registered: Oct 2009
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posted
I have been wondering about this myself. So many around me sick for years and it took me a couple years to think....hmmm, i havent had the cold or flu in so long and I used to be the first to get sick. My son/fiance and husband and every single person at my office 30+ people have been so sick this winter. A couple days I thought i was going to get it, just didnt feel quite right, and finally a cold sore did come out but that was it...nothing else happened. Just so strange after being someone that got every flu and would be so sick from them. Would love to really understand why I dont get sick anymore. People seem to think you must have a good immune system but I know mine is bad, just cant explain it to them.
Posts: 15 | From Maryland | Registered: Oct 2010
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posted
I don't ever get colds either. My first reaction to that question is the darn spirochetes are so invincable - I can totally picture them beating the crap out of any other bug trying to take up their space! :/ ?
Beagle
Posts: 348 | From MA | Registered: Dec 2010
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posted
wow...so strange, i was just thinking about how long it's been since i've had a cold. really interesting. Now...sinus issues i get all the time, but no colds.
-------------------- Psalm 119:50 My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life. Posts: 292 | From Heaven | Registered: Jan 2011
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-------------------- "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues , but the parent of all others "....Cicero Posts: 254 | From new jersey | Registered: Jul 2009
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posted
I was told that our immune systems were over-stimulated. This year I've had 2 colds in 2 months. My llmd thinks its could be a good thing...that my immune system is trying to reset itself.
Posts: 677 | From Virginia | Registered: Sep 2002
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bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
I had a sore throat for 1 day 2 weeks ago. Other than that...nothing!
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3134 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
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emla999/Lyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12606
posted
Well here is a Lymie that used to catch a cold about once every 6 weeks throughout the fall/winter/spring months.... it was like clock work. For years I averaged about 4-5 bad colds per year. Now that I am feeling somewhat better I rarely catch a cold. I partially attribute this to my immune system being more robust than it used to be.
My father who is in his mid 60's has never had any health problems and to my knowledge he has never had a cold or the flu in over 30 years. Come to think of it I have never seen him even catch a cold or flu. He seems to be immune to everything. I believe his never contracting colds or flus is due to his seemingly outstanding immune system.
On the other hand, my mother has usually gotten 1 or 2 colds per year and recently she has developed numerous health problems..... breast cancer being one of them.
My 82 year old grandmother is basically the same way as my father. I have only seen her come down with one or two colds in my lifetime. I also believe that the reason that my grandmother is never sick is because of her seemingly good immune system.
Come to think of it, it is a rarity to see any of my paternal aunts and uncles and great aunts and great uncles come down with a cold or the flu. And the vast majority of them lived to a relatively old age and for the most part disease free.
So, in my opinion, never catching colds or flus can also mean that your immune system is functioning properly.
penguingirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 28688
posted
I agree with emla. I always get sick- even with my full-blown lyme symptoms I would get a bad cold with coughing.
When I had some strange symptoms years ago that would wax and wane, I would also get colds at least 5 times a year (each for over 2 weeks). I don't know if I had lyme then but I just never had a good immune system ever in my life.
My CD57 is 16 which is pretty low - I don't think it could've gotten that low in a span of 4 months.
Maybe it was parasites though.
-------------------- Posts: 1204 | From USA | Registered: Oct 2010
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posted
Hi, Is interesting. Told not to get the shots, not good for us works against Lyme. Knock on wood been long time since had cold or flu. When 1 time in 10+ yrs. Did have only 1 became quite ill ended up on antibiotics. Ha won`t give for Lyme but give for bad cold because had green stuff. I know YUK!!! Is interesting must be reason, all my friends it is same for them. Huggggssss,TO ALL IN NEED,Kerry
Posts: 746 | From Clearwater/fl/Pinellas | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
I hadn't had a cold since beginning lyme/babesia treatment. Then got a cold every month, for three months in a row.
I don't know if it's my immune system kicking into gear, or what.
I thought maybe, a cold was my body's way of detoxing.
Posts: 964 | From san diego | Registered: Oct 2009
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tick battler
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 21113
posted
This is interesting because we are seeing the effects on the immune system after lyme is beaten down...we are all getting every cold and virus out there!!!! I have noticed this surge of viruses, particularly with my 4 year old daughter who we think got rid of her lyme about 3 or 4 months ago. She has been sick with colds, coxsackie viruses, etc., ever since!!!
My husband has been in treatment for 3 years and we think we are finally beating his lyme down...and now he is catching every virus as well. He didn't catch anything the first 2 years. Very interesting.
I have heard that sometimes people are sick for awhile after they beat the lyme because their body's immune system is finally recognizing other things. Not sure how this works...hopefully there will be an end in sight! Has anyone else experienced this?
tickbattler
Posts: 1763 | From Malvern, PA | Registered: Jul 2009
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momintexas
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23391
posted
I'm not sure of the answer either, but I got my first cold just a few months ago.
My first one in a looooong time and ever since then, I have been feeling good. (knock on wood).
I also ran a fever for over a week and still don't know why. I never really felt bad when I had it.
I'm hoping it means as others have stated that maybe the immune system is trying to work again.
Posts: 1408 | From Tx | Registered: Nov 2009
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posted
Not true for everyone. I catch everything and a virus can really knock me on my butt for weeks.
Kathy
-------------------- You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have. Posts: 807 | From South Dakota | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
I had a SEVERE sinus infection 2 weeks ago, or was it a cold?...are they the same?
Had that conspicuous nasal-sounding voice, reddened nose and upper lip, but my Lyme has been horrific lately, too.
Am I the oddball here?
-------------------- Urge Congress on EMF Safety, FCC Must Change Exposure Guidelines for Microwave Radiation Exposure: http://tinyurl.com/2cjq54y Halt Universal Broadband, A Public Health Hazard: http://tinyurl.com/3x7xrmq Posts: 495 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2010
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posted
My intuition tells me it's because of an immune system that is somehow "too strong" , the same mecanism that prevents us from getting colds, is the one that starts "auto immune" reactions, as well as allergies.... and most of us suffer from those... so why is it that we suffer from allergies? why is it that our immune system goes crazy if we eat something that normal people can eat? the answer to this question would give us the answer to the first one...
Posts: 723 | From Montreal | Registered: Oct 2010
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posted
I have a low functioning immune system. I have almost no natural killer cells. I've been sick for almost 25 years, maybe that makes a difference??
Kathy
-------------------- You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have. Posts: 807 | From South Dakota | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
I am not sure about this, but this is my (very simple) understanding. What we experience as a cold or flu is actually our immune response to it. The symptoms (sniffles, cough, fever, aches and pains, etc) are our own body reacting to he invader, and not the invader itself. Lyme messes with our immune system so that it stops fighting, and allows the Lyme to take over.
So I think it might be more that we are not having a response to the cold, but probably still have the actual bugs. This is why it is such a good sign when we start catching colds. It means our immune system is finally strong enough to produce an immune response. Please correct me if I am wrong, but this is my very simple understanding of a very complicated process.
Posts: 427 | From Pacific Northwest | Registered: Oct 2010
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I think we just are more careful than most and we get sick less as a result. Not to mention the mountain of supplements most of us take.
To the person who's doctor said "our immune system can only handle one infection at a time" i'd be concerned about going back to that doctor. Almost anyone one this forum will tell you that having multiple simultaneous pathogenic infections is very possible.
Posts: 339 | From Outer Space | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
Searching4truth i believe you are probably correct in your response. Since I stopped catching the typical cold/flu several years ago and I use to catch it anytime anyone else around me got it I know its from Lyme and I also have RA which tells me my immune is not working. I dont start my treatment for lyme until 2/10 - next week yeahhhhhh.
Posts: 15 | From Maryland | Registered: Oct 2010
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posted
Ok, I have not had a cold or virus since My lyme symptoms. I've
been in treatment a little over 6 months, I finally caught my first
cold, like in 2 years . A bad cold, sneezing, coughing....Strange.
Should I be celebrating ???
Posts: 85 | From Long Branch NJ | Registered: Dec 2010
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Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
I think this article helps explain some of this issues. Lyme disease follows the Th1 pathway and tends to get stuck there rather than moving back and forth between Th1 and Th2 as appropriate given the situation.
posted
Interesting information, thanks abx
Posts: 15 | From Maryland | Registered: Oct 2010
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emla999/Lyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12606
posted
Fort what it's worth, don't very young children, the elderly and people with AIDS usually suffer more with the effects of colds and flus??? And isn't this due to their weakened immune systems???
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