Fifth Cold/Virus In Five Months

[janiedelite]

Each time, the illness brought on by these viruses lasts for a good two weeks. I started getting sick when we took in our foster daughter, who is a toddler. I practice good handwashing, take vitamins, get as much rest as possible, but my hubby and daughter will have the sniffles for a few days and I'll get swollen tonsils and adenoids, sinus infections, bronchitis, and it takes forever before I feel well again.

Before I had POTS, I got sick maybe once a year. I've had POTS for over 4 years now. I had another bout of viruses like this in 2008, when I was sick after sick for 4-5 months.

Mayo said that my POTS was triggered by getting mono in 2006 (at the age of 32). Could the mono be compromising my immune system still? What else can I do to keep from getting so sick?

[juliegee]

Each time, the illness brought on by these viruses lasts for a good two weeks. I started getting sick when we took in our foster daughter, who is a toddler. I practice good handwashing, take vitamins, get as much rest as possible, but my hubby and daughter will have the sniffles for a few days and I'll get swollen tonsils and adenoids, sinus infections, bronchitis, and it takes forever before I feel well again.

Before I had POTS, I got sick maybe once a year. I've had POTS for over 4 years now. I had another bout of viruses like this in 2008, when I was sick after sick for 4-5 months.

Mayo said that my POTS was triggered by getting mono in 2006 (at the age of 32). Could the mono be compromising my immune system still? What else can I do to keep from getting so sick?

When I taught school, I experienced the same thing. Then, once I had my son, the floodgates opened . My guess is that your foster daughter is bringing germs back home from pre-school/daycare/play dates/ped. appts, etc. and you are being exposed to more than you normally would be. Get your immune system checked out- especially with your history with Epstein-Barr. You need to have your immunoglobulins checked out via a blood test. Your PCP can order it. If there's a problem, most allergists are also immunologists. My immune system is compromised (very low IgG)- others here have the same issue. Check it out.

Getting adequate rest is helpful. Drinking green tea & taking probiotics have also shown to be beneficial.

Feel better-

Julie

[janiedelite]

Thanks Julie, I figured it was just the increased exposure to viruses because of our toddler. In 2008, I did see a rheumatologist who ran a thorough immune workup (with all of the _globulins). I just looked it over and I was normal, but I'll bring it up to my PCP when I see her in a month or two. I remember when I first started working as a nurse in the hospital and experienced illness after illness, and I'm sure that I'm going through similar exposure right now which is made worse by my underlying health issues.

Thanks... green tea is on the way!

[Ashelton80]

Well since you can't control the germs your best bet is to strengthen your own immune system. Here is what works for me

Follow an anti inflammatory diet....no sugar, no processed foods and limit grains to only quinoa etc. So I just mainly eat eggs, meat, veggies, some nuts and nut butters and alternatives to crackers such as Marys Gone Crackers with hummus, larabars are also good

Green tea is good as well as Ginger wheatgrass turmeric these all have major anti inflammatory properties....I take a "powershot" everday it's wheatgrass, lemon, and Ginger juiced from whole foods

Garlic has anti bacterial properties ...some people will swallow whole cloves like a pill ...I haven't tried this one yet but I might start soon!

Pomegranate juice or any of the acai berry is high in antioxidants

I also get adjusted by a chiropractor on a regular basis which helps strengthen the nervous and immune systems

Also get plenty of sleep and drink lots of fluids

Oh and very little dairy

I know this seems like a lot but if you do these things it will help tremendously....I've experienced it firsthand. If I start to get sick I have usually slipped somewhere. Usually it's with soda . I do still treat myself though. It's not super fun sometimes to always be so health conscious, but it's worth it to me.

One more thing if you practice some of this with your toddler it will also keep her from exposing you so much. I have a 3 yr old in preschool 3 days a week and it works like a charm.

Good luck.

[jem15]

It's funny you mention this. I keep getting sick too lately, but dont know why. This past summer whatever virus it is just keeps coming back and I dont have much time in between. My POTS symptoms have also been out of control, and I feel like I've been regressing more than usual. And I already am unable to work/drive. I thought it might be due to my Hodgkin's but the scan and bloodwork came out fine. So not sure what's up, but it's quite frustrating.. I usually dont have it linger for so many months, bout 4 mo now.

[potsgirl]

Caterpilly~

It almost sounds like you might have mono or something like that. Have you been checked?

[janiedelite]

Thanks, guys! I appreciate all your tips.

[MomtoGiuliana]

Same thing happened to me when my daughter was a toddler. She brought home all kinds of things from daycare. I was often the sickest in the house. But now that she is older we are all much healthier!

[janiedelite]

I'm still dealing with a sinus infection that came on after the most recent cold in early September. My PCP put me on a 5-day Z-pack, then 17 days of Bactrim, and she told me if that doesn't help then call an EENT. I just finished the antibiotics yesterday and still have the same sinus pain, headache, sore throat, fatigue, etc. I made an appointment with an EENT for Friday. Oh boy... I get to have a camera shoved up my nose!

I've also been using the Netipot several times a day. I thought it was helping at first, but now I still hurt just as much after I use it.

[juliegee]

I'm still dealing with a sinus infection that came on after the most recent cold in early September. My PCP put me on a 5-day Z-pack, then 17 days of Bactrim, and she told me if that doesn't help then call an EENT. I just finished the antibiotics yesterday and still have the same sinus pain, headache, sore throat, fatigue, etc. I made an appointment with an EENT for Friday. Oh boy... I get to have a camera shoved up my nose!

I've also been using the Netipot several times a day. I thought it was helping at first, but now I still hurt just as much after I use it.

Yuck (camera up the nose!!!) I've been resisting that for years Sorry you're not better I use Wilson's solution via Neti Pot. It's a prescription saline mixed with antibiotics. Very powerful because you are delivering it to the problem area.

One more thought, have you had a CBC done recently? I few months ago I found out I have Leukopenia (in addition to hypogammaglobulinemia ) low white blood cells. This indicates a compromised immune system. Wonder what your white count is???

Feel better & if you succumb to the "camera up the nose test" tell me about it- seriously. It petrifies me & I need to have it done for chronic sinus and ear problems.

Hugs-

Julie

[janiedelite]

Haven't had a CBC done too recently, although I've always been in the normal ranges. I'll let you know how it goes, although now I think I'm coming down with ANOTHER cold!!! I'm wondering if I should postpone the appointment til this is all cleared up.... I'm going to call them today.

[juliegee]

Sorry Tell us what the ENT says when you finally get your appt.

Julie

[handmadebyemy]

I get chronic sinus infections - I actually have one now and I just picked some stuff up at Vitamin Shoppe called "Sambucol" that is giving me some relief. I bet you could get it at CVS or a health food store.

[janiedelite]

Saw the EENT today. She scoped my nose and said she didn't see any inflammation, but that given my symptoms I most likely have some infection trapped in an upper sinus. She sent me to get a CT scan (radiology was in the next office and they got me right in ). She'll call me next week with results. If there's something stuck in the sinuses then it's off to surgery....

She did say that it's a possibility that my neuropathy pain could account for this facial pain, but that it's unlikely since the pain is mostly unilateral (mostly on the left side).

I was telling my husband that it's kind of nice to have a "normal" problem , not one that makes the doc look at me like I'm something they've never seen. And this EENT has had a couple of other POTS patients, although she said they were teens.

We just started a new calendar year for our health insurance and it looks like I might meet the maximum out-of-pocket amount in record time!

[janiedelite]

Well, good news is that the CT showed just a small area of fluid collection and inflammation, a couple narrowed sinus openings, and an anatomical defect that slightly narrows that left side of my nose. No real reason for surgery. But my face pain is keeping me from sleeping still, so she prescribed 10 days of prednisone starting at 40mg. Within an hour of my first dose, my face pain and sore throat went down by about 1/3 and overnight it's gone down by about 1/2. Benefits are that my back back is doing better now too! But I also have the stomach irritation, wired feeling, insomnia, etc. She was saying that if the prednisone didn't help, she'd have to chalked my left facial pain to neuropathy so I'm glad that I'm getting some benefit.

[dsdmom]

thankful, has your dr thought about checking your igg subclass? Or other immune system function? I know someone who had something similar happen and they finally figured it out. She is now on monthly ivig and hasn't been sick in 5 months.

[turtlefairy5]

I myself am currently on antibiotics after my third cold/virus in as many months.

I've been wondering the same thing about the relationship of dysautonomia/POTS to a weak immune system. Is there one?

I'm wondering if this is a known problem with POTS, or if there is some other cause outside of dysautonomia?

thanks,

Amber