[Apollo]

I have noticed that when I get sick all of my small-fiber pain seems to get dramatically worse. Indeed, I will feel nerve pain not only in my usual areas but also temporary nerve pain in unusual areas as well.

For example, my small-fiber burning is usually confined to both palms. However, when I catch something the burning typically spreads to my arms, back, knees, ect. It then slowly clears up as I get better.

Why do you think that this occurs and would extra doses of Vit B-12 help when I get sick?

Thanks!

[Dr. Smith]

Originally Posted by Apollo

Why do you think that this occurs and would extra doses of Vit B-12 help when I get sick?

I can't give you the technical answer - the gurus undoubtedly can. An analogy might be that your endogenous armies are split between battle fronts, so to speak. I get the same thing; some burning but more aches & pains, spasms, and just plain blech.

Vitamins supposedly don't do much once you're already sick. I would think D might be better, but extra B-12, C, D, B-5.... Probably any of the water solubles with no upper limits couldn't hurt. Some kind of potentiator (like an antihistamine) with your doctors approval may help.

Doc

[echoes long ago]

possibly from increased general inflammation that occurs when you have a cold or sinus infection?

[mrsD]

I found that DM in some sinus/cough meds really toned down my PN. What are you taking for this sinus infection? RX antibiotics?
(I believe this was before eliminating potatoes, and I was still have episodes of burning feet at night).

I caught something a few years ago when my cat sneezed on me.
It was awful...mostly a terrible cough. So I took guaifenesin with dextromethorphan for it, and the DM really quieted down my PN which flared up also. Normally I do not get whole body burning when ill. And since I raised up my D, I don't get sick anymore either. This last bronchitis was my last serious thing. (I still get some GI bugs however...the D doesn't seem to block that for me).

[hopeful]

Actually the pain clinic at Hopkins put me on high doses of Dextromethorphan. I tried for a few days. Could not do it. I forget the dosage but I had to go to a special pharmacy to have them made. I was so out of it I couln't have told you if I felt better. Again,very high doses. If they are using it at pain clinics I can see how it would quiet down PM symptoms

[mrsD]

I found that the average doses worked for me. I know for a while really high dose DM was tried for chronic pain. Those high doses really whack your brain tho...that is why DM has a recreational drug abuse situation with young people.

[Dr. Smith]

Originally Posted by mrsD

I caught something a few years ago when my cat sneezed on me.

AFAIK the only disease that can cross the feline/human barrier (except rabies and a few things from bites & scratches) is toxoplasmosis (very dangerous for AIDS patients & pregnant women), which is spread by fecal contact - not a sneeze, but I'm factchecking this with two veterinarians (feline specialists). I should have an answer this evening.

Doc

[mrsD]

All our vets have said over the years that simple viruses/colds can pass from cats to humans and vice versa.

In fact Weez had a depressed white count when she went for her spay, so they cancelled her surgery for two weeks. Said viruses come in on your shoes and hands (even tho we wash our hands when we come back from stores and other people's homes.

Oreo had a terrible upper respiratory virus right after going to Vet #1...at the end of July... this was the visit that found her thyroid nodule. They did blood work--normal. But when we arrived on vacation she sneezed and coughed for two days! endlessly and drooled etc. I think she caught this at the Vet.
(our other cat--still a kitten did not catch it because they are not close and Oreo was upstairs, and Weez downstairs for that time period.

Vet #2 I took her to after vacation, found the tumor in her belly and now I got the biopsy results this morning from Vet #3= mast cell carcinoma. Very disturbing news....the lump was totally missed by Vet #1.

Now we decide if she is to get surgery or not...and just get put to sleep in the near future. A very sad and difficult thing deciding for a 13 yr old cat!

[Dr. Smith]

So far I've only received a response from one vet's spouse:

**** has told me on several occasions (I'm afraid I give my colds to the cats....) that human and cat colds don't transmit across species.

Vets disagree as much as human doctors; that's why I asked two, and there may be the possible vs. likely thing....

Originally Posted by mrsD

In fact Weez had a depressed white count when she went for her spay, so they cancelled her surgery for two weeks. Said viruses come in on your shoes and hands (even tho we wash our hands when we come back from stores and other people's homes.

That's not the same thing at all. Those would be viruses transmitted from cat to cat, albeit indirectly.

Oreo had a terrible upper respiratory virus right after going to Vet #1...at the end of July... this was the visit that found her thyroid nodule. They did blood work--normal. But when we arrived on vacation she sneezed and coughed for two days! endlessly and drooled etc. I think she caught this at the Vet.

Again, cat to cat. It wasn't from a human.

Now we decide if she is to get surgery or not...and just get put to sleep in the near future. A very sad and difficult thing deciding for a 13 yr old cat!

That is a very tough one. We went through something similar with my last therapy dog - 11 yr. old Labbie. They couldn't find a reason for his symptoms with any testing/imagery, so they did an exploratory, and found his liver loaded with hundreds of small tumors. They could have sewn him up and kept him going a while longer with chemo & drugs, but we decided to let him go right then on the table rather than go through what would be inevitable. He'd been happy & healthy up to that point, and unlike any creature I have ever known. Still miss him terribly even though we have another now. He was truly unique as a therapy animal.

I think you probably read my post in the pet forum on making that decision.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post798333-4.html

Doc

[mrsD]

Cats can contract influenza.

http://www.patrickmahaney.com/infect...alth-concerns/

This is not the only article on the subject.
Also they have contracted H5N1 avian flu.

My cat may have given me a bacteria...since Zithromax worked on it. But I had symptoms for 2 weeks from it. There are several bacteria cats can pass to humans.

The question is ---does your cat have it? If Fluffy has any chronic lung congestion, wheezing, eye, nose mucus, and the eye infection causing excretion of pus through tear ducts, he very well may. The Merck Veterinary Manual (pps 760-761) says that 40-45% of chronic, feline upper respiratory diseases are caused by Rhino virus, Herpes virus, Calcivirus, Chlamydia or Mycoplasma. In other words, there are diverse causes of cat-lung problems. All of these diseases are spread by dried cat spores or wet ones, i.e. a cat sneezing on you and having the droplets land on your mucosa. (inner eye will do.) Research this disease at the TOWNSEND LETTER WEBSITE using its search engine. Then you can google MYCOPLASMA on the entire INTERNET as well.

from http://www.masterjules.net/catlung.htm

From what I see on the net it is possible, but not often identified. With the Swine flu hoo haa a small # of cats did contract this virus and died.