Fibromyalgia Support Group

You're not alone in your pain. Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose and manage. If you're trying to cope with pain throughout your body, sleep problems, general fatigue, or other common fibromyalgia symptoms, you're in the right place. The community is here for you to talk about therapies and share your challenges.

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bluesun 12/07/2009

so is fibro connected to our immune system at all?

this past week i had to help out a friend and take him to his surgery at 3 AM! i dropped him off and went back him to take a 2 hr nap, then i stayed up for them to call (for when i had to pick him up). finally at about noon i left to go pick him up. it's a 40 min drive but it took them so long to get him ready for me and then i had to drop him off back home, by the time i got home it was around 3:30 PM.

by the time i got home i was exhausted and hurt everywhere. i felt a flare comin on.

the next morning i had to take my bf to get an epidural at 5 AM!
needless to say, i could feel that i was over doing it. by the time i got back from that escapade, i was feeling like a bulldozer had run me over several times.

but instead of a full blown fibro flare, i woke up with a sore throat Friday morn, and by Sat, the congestion had set it. Now i'm coughing up green stuff and my voice sounds like i came back from the dead or something.

i'm going to urgent care today, since i have a really bad history of bronchitis and pneumonia, plus i have asthma.

so does anyone here get really sick when a flare sets in? i mean sick like their immune system just quit on them? is there any connection of the 2? or is my getting sick just a coincidence?

deleted_user 12/07/2009

I get very sick when I am under Either Emotional OR Physical Stress...I mean sick Like I am just gonna Shut right down...the Good news {For Me} is that it does not stick around long, a day, maybe 2...will even get a Low fever...like around 100-100.5

deleted_user 12/07/2009

Green stuff sounds like a sinus infection. I've noticed a lot of people with fibro (myself included) have lots of sinus/allergy problems.

I don't think I've ever actually gotten sick from a flare, but I think flares
and catching colds, etc can both come from overdoing it, which coincidentally, also stresses your immune system. I do generally have my "annual illness" most years. Usually ends up in bronchitis, but I usually get it late winter/early spring. Probably allergy related.

deleted_user 12/07/2009

that was the main question I asked my doc. i get sick really easy this time of year and when I do, I am down for 3-7 days. He said that he thinks the severe symptoms that I have during a flare causes my immune system to go into shock and basically not work. I have learned that the signs my body gives me to slow down are very important to watch because if I dont pay attention and rest, I will be sick. Rest is the most important thing in my life. For 3 years docs have been telling me I had Lupus due to these sicknesses and other symptoms. Finally I know what it tis and at least I can try to manage my pain and symptoms. Hang in there and dont overdo it!! Your friends should understand when you just cant be the one to help them this time because you have to take care of YOU! Good luck

JillyT 12/08/2009

When we are run down or overworked it lowers our immune system and allows crap to sneak in and "grab us." It could be a fibro flare or a virus that jumps in. Whenever I get sick my fibro flares as well as my RA; I think my system gets overloaded and everything goes kablooey. So it doesn't really matter what happens first: rundown, sick or flare - they all seem to open the door for the others to jump on board and have a party on jilly lol. I hope that makes sense I'm in the middle of the flu so I'm a bit dopey too! lol

hugs jilly

deleted_user 12/08/2009

Oh ya when the immune sysytem is down I get everything going on from pneumonia, flares, ear infections, yeast, cold sores, itchy, studdering, rashes, sore boobs...u name it ! It's like a whole body bloom ! Mine seems to just give up. I feel like everything I touch and breath gives me something ! My niece's girl double dipped chips and dip..I'm done eating. My niece put her hand in my bag of mozzerella sticks and she can have the rest of them ! Everytime I get into my car from going into a store or going somewhere it's sanatize time ! Oh it seems like I catch everything going around ! Arrrg !

deleted_user 12/08/2009

For me my immune system is very poor and probably why I have fibro. I waiting for more info on XMRV virus and I'm betting that is the cause of my fibro.

Hope you feel better soon

bluesun 12/08/2009

i went to urgent care and the doc looked me over and said it's definitely viral. funny thing is, the last time i was this sick was in the summer of 06.

You see, when i lived back on the mainland (continental US), i was sick 24/7. there was hardly a day where i was ok. i mean, they had me on steroid nasal sprays, steroid inhalers, steroid-you name it! and i still couldn't breath right!

ever since i moved here to Hawaii (2005) i've been sick once, which was back in 06, and NOW. i don't normally catch anything from anybody, all my illnesses in the past were bacterial infections from insane allergies. i have to say, this is about the 2nd or 3rd time in my life i've ever caught a viral infection!

either way, just the fact that i was sick 24/7 back then made me wonder about our immune systems, even if it WAS bacterial. but now, for sure, she said i have a viral cold. ACK!! this sucks!

looks like i'm not the only one here that gets sick a lot.

deleted_user 12/08/2009

Maybe, but you could have picked up any number of bugs at the hospital.

bluesun 12/08/2009

the hospital is probably where i got it. why else would i be sick. but my immune system is usually pretty strong, guess this time, it's down. and since i was already half way into a flare, my body couldn't fight it and now i've caught this virus.

CajunTiger 12/08/2009

I'm not sure, but I think they go hand in hand....I know when I do get sick, my fibro is magnified 10x over....I dread even a cold!

Feel better, blue!! HUGS from down south :)

deleted_user 12/09/2009

maybe get some immunity at the health food store. I usually take a airborne when I go out place where I know there may be sick people..especially the hospital or docs appointment. of course in CA we got that swine flu so, I take it if I'm going to go shopping to more than one store. in the winter I always make sure to take immunity! even in HI, I did and never got sick also!!! hguzzz

deleted_user 12/09/2009

My immune system is shot. Has been since I got sick. I'll catch anybody's cold and it will turn into pneumonia. I have to be very careful.

They are calling this a neuroimmune disease now. They definately think that our immune systems are compromised. We get sick more often and stay sick longer and the illness is more severe.

Hope you feel better soon.

AzSherryberry 12/09/2009

I believe there is a connection since FMS is considered one of the Auto-immune disorders. I have felt like I've had the Flu twice since July and always have a sinus infection and often feel I am at the beginning of a cold virus. I often run fevers which is a listed side effect of Fibro but I'm tired of it. Got to be the only disease that causes 50 possible unrelated symptoms!

We're just screwed lol. Less pain, more energy to us all.

Sherry

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