getting sick over & over

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gfbaker
gfbaker Member Posts: 173
edited June 2014 in Lymphedema

I keep catching all kinds of germs lately; I've spent most of December ill. This is my first winter with LE and since your lymph system does help move stuff around, does anyone know if having LE can make you more likely to catch stuff? I am so over being sick!

Gayle

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  • kira66715
    kira66715 Member Posts: 4,681
    edited January 2011

    Gayle, I think it's multifactoral, and many women who've had chemo have some long lasting effects on their immunity as well, and the LE definitely sets you up too.

    Personally, I was found to have IgG subset deficiency--a common primary immunodeficiency--and it's easy enough to check to see if any of that is going on--I actually learned about it when this family foundation sent out a mass mailing, and since then, when I've diagnosed it not infrequently.

    Now this is both genetic (my daughter has IgA deficiency--leads to asthma and celiac disease) and acquired.

    http://www.info4pi.org/

    This is the work up:

    http://www.info4pi.org/aboutPI/index.cfm?section=aboutPI&content=algorithm

    The issue is what do you do if diagnosed? It varies--my allergist treats me for it, but there's no one treatment.

    Also, do you work with children or in health care, or have little kids? All are risk factors for catching everything that goes around.

    Kira

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  • Member_of_the_Club
    Member_of_the_Club Member Posts: 3,646
    edited January 2011

    You might also assess your nutrition.  I've been getting sick a lot lately as well and realized that as a runner, and a vegetarian, I wasn't getting enough protein in my diet and I'm hoping that upping it will make a difference.  You might want to see your doctor for some bloodwork and to discuss this.  But I know that I have gone through phases like this and sometimes its just a bad season for germs.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2011

    Hi Gayle...I have always had a pretty strong immune system, rarely get sick so maybe I am blessed.   Hopefully I have not just jinxed myself.  

    I agree with Kira and Member of the Club - chemo certainly does a number on your body and not just in the short term and assessing your nutrition - plus exercise - I really believe in exercise. Walking, yoga, dancing, running - doing something you enjoy that gets your body moving I think is very important.

    Are you getting enough rest as well?  It is such a fine balancing act - eating right, exercising, getting enough rest...and yet I believe some years - no matter what we do are just bad years for cold and flu bugs. 

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  • gfbaker
    gfbaker Member Posts: 173
    edited January 2011

    I guess I'm trying to figure this out since I've been pretty healthy up until now, through many kid colds without catching them. Chemo's been 2 years now so I don't think that is it. I do eat pretty healthy, but I know I need to exercize more. I'm joining the gym tomorrow. And I am also going to start being a little more proactive; neti pot each day and ginger tea. It was just so frustrating to keep getting sick and trying to figure out why. I've been healthy for a week now, lets hope it lasts! I'll see onc in another month, I can always talk then if I get sick more.

    Thanks for all your advice!

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  • kira66715
    kira66715 Member Posts: 4,681
    edited January 2011

    Gayle, I swear by the neti pot and ginger tea.

    Just for information, there was an Institute of Medicine report, in 2006, Cancer Survivorship: Lost in Transistion

    You can read it on the web for free, and there's all sorts of info about chemo effects

    http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2005/From-Cancer-Patient-to-Cancer-Survivor-Lost-in-Transition.aspx

    Kira

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  • Suzybelle
    Suzybelle Member Posts: 920
    edited January 2011

    Hi, Gayle:

    I think that LE would have to affect our immune system...how can it not?  If it's not able to function and filter properly because of LE, I would think it would have to effect my ability to fight off infections.  (I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night.  Tongue out)

    Of course, having said that, I don't have any experience to back it up.  I have been sick non-stop since bc and le but I think alot of that has to do with how hard all of that is on the body...I am hoping that 2011 is going to be my year to be healthy and back to doing what I want to. 

    edited to say that I posted this response, then went to the LE forum and saw a thread titled, "Getting sick over &over" at the top of the active topics and thought, "Oh, me too!!!"  I didn't realize it was the thread I had just posted in.  I am an idiot and everyone needs to disregard all of my posts.  Yell

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  • kira66715
    kira66715 Member Posts: 4,681
    edited January 2011

    Suzy, you have me rolling on the floor--it's exactly something I would do! Me too!!!

    Before I was diagnosed, I was miserable for about 6 months: fevers, night sweats, joint aches, severe vertigo--even saw a rheumatologist and my PCP thought I had West Nile--no, it was bc--there are "paraneoplastic" syndromes where you get sick with the cancer, and the treatment sure beats the heck out of us too.

    Kira

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  • Suzybelle
    Suzybelle Member Posts: 920
    edited January 2011

    Snort!!!!  Thank you, kira.  I can't believe what a dumba$$ I am sometimes.  It's like "Dumb and Dumber" combined in one body. 

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  • gfbaker
    gfbaker Member Posts: 173
    edited January 2011

    Ugh. Sick again. This time a bad cold with an ear infection. I picked up a can of lysol along with the antibiotics. This is just getting silly.

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  • kira66715
    kira66715 Member Posts: 4,681
    edited January 2011

    Gayle, feel better--this will pass.

    Binney shared a recipe for tea she makes when she's down with a cold:

    Put into cheese cloth (nuts to that -- I just throw them into the pot!)
    2/3 teaspoon whole cloves
    1 stick cinnamon
    1-2/3 teaspoons loose tea, or 2 tea bags (decaf, green, whatever)

    Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil, remove from heat; add the tea and spices and let steep for 10 minutes.
    Remove the tea. Add:
    Juice and pulp of 2 oranges
    Juice and pulp of 1 lemon
    1/2 cup honey (or to taste)

    Keep it warm on a back burner on low, and sip it all day. (I keep the cinnamon stick in my cup and munch on that all day too.)

    I know you like ginger tea--me too--but this sounded nice also.

    Kira

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  • gfbaker
    gfbaker Member Posts: 173
    edited January 2011

    That tea sounds tasty, Kira, I will try it. I am also going to see my naturopath on Thursday to discuss what I can do to rebuild my immune system.

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  • kira66715
    kira66715 Member Posts: 4,681
    edited January 2011

    Gayle, I use two supplements: astragalus and beta glucan. I get them from Emerson Ecologics. I started the beta glucan after a patient of my husband's was told my his daughter--and ENT from Stanford--to do it. It's pricey, but for me, I get a discount at Emerson.

    Astragalus has been studied a lot and seems to have no drug interactions and may be anti-cancer.

    Good luck.

    Kira

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