Topic: What causes one to have a bad immune system?
penguingirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 28688
posted
I don't know when I got bit, but I do know that I was always sick ever since high school. Every other month I would get tonsillitis or bronchitis and I had pnuemonia several times. No strep though - only when I was a child once or so.
Anyway - I'm just curious to see what caused me to be sick all the time. I always ate healthy and exercised and didn't really drink but would catch everything in sight.
I never had steroid injections but I did have mono in freshman year of college. But the EBV should not be active at this point - it is now 10 years since I graduated college.
Are some people just unlucky and just have a bad immune system no matter what they do?
Because I keep reading that if you get lyme and have a good immune system that your body can fight off the infection better. Does that mean healthy individuals don't need any abx to treat lyme or they still do but it is much easier and quicker to treat?
And yes I have gotten colds since having lyme like symptoms. Boo.
Sorry for so many questions - but I'm just annoyed that my immune has been making my lyme treatment more difficult.
-------------------- Posts: 1204 | From USA | Registered: Oct 2010
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BackinStOlaf
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23725
posted
I don't know because my immune system was great before I got Lyme and it still affected me.
-------------------- First Symptom 9/09 Multiple docs, negative Labcorp test LLMD: 1/10 Positive Igenex/CDC test Treatment 2/10 2/10-8/10 Amox, ceftin, zith, flagyl Currently: Bicillin, Minocycline, still dealing with severe breathing issues
Posts: 1121 | From New York, New York | Registered: Dec 2009
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tricia386
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 29623
posted
I would like to know more about this too. This sounds a lot like me as well!
-------------------- Lyme activated in April 2010 by gardasil vaccine. DX: Lyme,Babs,Myco,Bart 11/10 Treatment Started: 3/28/11 Posts: 1752 | From Albany, NY | Registered: Dec 2010
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posted
Genetics..... there are tests now that can pinpoint the genetic defect or mutation in the mitochondrial cells. MitoDX has the most cutting edge. Does it with blood or even buccal saps/saliva. The problem is the cost. $3000.000. This shows exactly where the issues are. Surprisingly , these genetic physicians are using Mito cocktails that have high CoQ10, Carnitor, or high L-Carnitine, Alpha Lipoic Acid, NAC. Mayo clinic, Los Angeles Children's Hospital etc are using this.
Posts: 871 | From orange county, ca. | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
I had a sick immune system before getting bit. I would react to any bug bite with a raised welt, itched for days, etc.. I suspect I have a mild form compared to others here and it took almost a month before I had any symptoms after the bite. Wish I had info to treat a bite immediately b/c I know exactly when I was bitten.
Posts: 239 | From NC | Registered: Aug 2010
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Hambone
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 29535
posted
I know people who live off of eating garbage, smoke, drink, pop prescription pills, deprive themselves of sleep, party party party....
and then get bit by ticks and NOTHING happens. They still feel just fine and dandy.
( Ticks from SAME area I was bitten )
I don't get it.
Posts: 1142 | From South | Registered: Dec 2010
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posted
Could be that you've had Lyme a lot longer than you think!!
I've never been the same since a bout with mono in high school .. but the Lyme came before that!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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penguingirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 28688
posted
Well I did go to lots of overnight music camps in the woods ever since I was 8 yrs old. And of course I did pet the deer in Nara in Japan (there is a deer park there where you feed them, etc).
oh yeah I get a lot of swelling when getting mosquito bites too! So you would've though if anyone should get a bullseye rash that would be me.. unless it was on my scalp..
Lived in the city for the past 14 years though. Although I stare at the bushes, patches of grass along the streets of Boston trying to see if there are any ticks. and I glare at any landscaping trucks that pass through the ciy. haha.
I'm not going to focus on when I could've been bit though because I will just never know!!
-------------------- Posts: 1204 | From USA | Registered: Oct 2010
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posted
I believe it's precisely because of my born-strong immune system that I have been able to function fairly well until the past couple years. I have had problems for about 20 years, but I used to be able to push myself through them.
I've spent a lot of my life on medications to get through. The only phase I recall being pretty healthy was a couple years in my teens--and I was on tetracycline for acne the whole time.
A series of body events, some related to lyme and some not, I believe, have weakened my system to where I just couldn't beat it back enough anymore. My doc supports this theory. Being weakened by something else just gave the lyme and co. the opening it needed to wreak havoc without guards on duty.
Same thing for mycoplasma which I have tested positive for--have had upper respiratory infections in various styles every month or so for the past 12 months, dating to my most recent tick bite.
-------------------- ------------ It took 20 years to find out I'm not crazy. New bite in 2010 pushed my body over the edge. Positive for lyme, babs, bart, and myco. I am not a doctor and happily offer only my own opinions. Posts: 357 | From The Beach | Registered: Feb 2011
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