Immune system down
 

Well, almost by definition. I have suffered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome since the accident. I firmly believe CFS is an immune system dysfunction, and is often (though not always) triggered by brain trauma. I feel like I always have the flu.

Upper respiratory infections can often outlast a course of antibiotics. My wife had one that lasted maybe 10 years. they discovered this when they did maxillary surgery and found the infection had been eating away at her maxilla and sinus area bones. She had been through many courses of antibiotics. It took the surgeons 45 minutes to remove and cauterize all of the infected tissue.

So, yes, an upper respiratory infection can last a long time.

I am of the belief that flu shots are actually damaging to the immune system. Only live virus vaccines should be used, not dead virus vaccines like most flu shots. The nasal flu vaccine uses a live but weakened flu virus. The Flu shot uses dead viruses.

Have you tried flushing your sinuses with a Neti-Pot? My wife swears by them when she has a resistant cold or such. Use the Neti-Pot with a good saline solution.

When I was younger I had a really debilitating, violent cough for months and they couldn't find anything wrong with me. In the end they stuck a camera into my lungs, found that it had just remained inflamed from a previous infection even though the infection had long been cured. Cleared it up in no time with erythromycin.

I haven't experienced any immune system problems since my head injury, if anything I am healthier in other ways (due to my obsession with living healthier in order to get better I guess).

I dont think it has anything to do with your PCS....there are definetly a lot of bugs going around. ANd if you keep having upper respiratory infections....just like Mark said, it may have never gone away the first time. over Thanksgiving i got a severe case of sinusitis and bronchitis. Took a 5 day course of antibiotics. THen 3 weeks later it came back full force. Saw my doctor again, and reminded her on my last Head CT it showed that i had maxillary sinus disease that was picked up (and i wasnt sick when that scan was taken). So we took a more aggressive antibiotic regimen, along with starting to use the Netti pot. She said my previous infection never cleared and was just waiting to attack again.

Hi tamisue
 

Sorry to hear of your colds and flu that seem to re-occur. Once you get one of these bugs, and don't quite get rid of it, they can come back over and over again. I do have a compromised immune system. I know that happens to me if I catch a bug. Let your doctor know this keeps happening. I really hope you get well, and over this series of virus' that are making you miserable. Where I live is a floating petri dish. I aviod being in the public as much as possible as I catch those things so easily. Be good to yourself. Stay rested. ginnie

Thanks all! I haven't tried the Neti pot yet mostly because I didn't want to have to explain to the paramedics why I was waterboarding myself.:D

I am on a stronger antibiotic this time around so I'm hoping this will clear me up.

Mark-10 years? Yeah, four months and I'm reading to jump the ledge. I can't imagine 10 years.

I just wondered if the fact that my body was working so hard to repair itself in other places that my immune system was compromised.

Thanks for the info everybody!

We had a really bad run of colds and flu in our household a couple of years ago. Someone or other in the house was sick from October until April.

We got a UV toothbrush sanitizer and all started taking Vitamin D3. This has seemed to reduce the rate of passed-around illness and reinfections quite a bit.

Hope you feel better soon!

I agree with you!
Before I had my concussion I got sick about once a year, but now I am sick at least once a month if not more, and this has been going on for three years, next month.
I think that it is because our bodies are working so hard to heal our brains that it does not have the energy or resources to keep the rest of us healthy.
I am frankly more sick of the sicknesses than of the constant migraines and nausea and dizziness combined!
In Christ,
Margarite

I haven't noticed an increase in colds, flu etc. In fact (knock on wood) my son was very sick last week and I didn't catch it.

I dont expose myself too much to people. I always tuck the bottom of my sleeve over my hands when I open a door when in public. (ocd maybe..lol)

I used to work in pediatrics so I was exposed to everything maybe this has helped me in the long run.

I think dealing emotionally with the PCS can leave us open to illness.. It does affect our immune system if we are unhappy or upset which I'm sure we all have high doses of that.

I hope you feel better and have a wonderful holiday.