Has anyone had any issues with their immune systems being out of whack since their injury? Sorry if this is a thread somewhere and I didn't see it.

I'm on about the 4/5th upper resp infection since August. Also had the stomach flu-but not sure I can count that one-came home from daycare.

I get a flu shot every year and am otherwise pretty healthy. I take vitamins, eat a reasonably healthy diet, and get exercise as much as I can.

I've had my butt kicked the last few months. Just can't kick the crud. Wondering if the injury from July had anything to do with it-the body expending so much energy trying to fix the physical injury and brain injury the rest of me has gone to hell in a handbasket.

Thanks for any input!

Tami

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.

If you don't mind me asking, where did you hear that the flu shot hurts your immune system.? That is the last thing I need, as I have a compromised immune system. Several years ago I went on a cruise, came home violenty sick with type A Asian flu. I was down in bed for 6 weeks, and I thought I would die it was so bad. Since then I have been getting my yearly shot. I don't get over infections easily, and that flu scared the be-jeeze out me. I also don't want to hurt my immune system. I am sure trying to do what is in my best intrests. I also live in a high area of tourists! I live on a floating petri dish a small island packed with people from up north who bring their nice colds and flu down here for all of to enjoy. Since it is sunny and warm they want to be outside to "get Well" so they are in all public areas spreading these germs. So I am in a danger zone to catch this stuff. let me know I really am interested about this. ginnie

Hi Ginnie,

I have heard so many mixed reactions when it comes to the flu vaccine. I can only speak from experience. If you go to the CDC website you can learn more about the vaccine.
in pediatrics for six years. I had the flu shot every year because of the high volume of illness. Prior to that I never go the flu shot. Well when I did get it about two weeks later I would get extremely sick. Usually bronchial type illness. I cant say it's the vaccine however to my understanding the flu vaccine is exposing you to the flu so your body makes antibodies so that when you are exposed your body can tell it.... OH HECK NO....

My theory is... the energy it takes for my body to create these antibodies weakens the immune system and then I am introduced to another illness and my reserves are down...so WHAMO!!!

Since I've left Pediatrics I haven't had a flu shot and I've been healthier in the winter time.

Like I said it's a theory but it's one I live by.

I hope you have a healthy winter. We all have enough to deal with. The thought of getting sick scares the heck out of me. I'm not sure how my body will react. GULP...

You did bring up some really valid points. I go today for the shingles vacine. I am terrified of that as some of my neighbors have it. I am going to ask alot of questions before I get this vacine. I am indeed a bit worried about it, as I don't want to "get" the disease from the shot. I don't want to mess up my immune system eithor. As you said we already have enough to worry about. thank you for the information, look out health dept....I have questions....ginnie

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.

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.

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!