endometriosis and colds/flu

[MayM95]

hi, does anyone else feel like having endometriosis makes things like colds and flu worse?? I’m sure I read somewhere that endometriosis can affect the immune system, think it’s linked with leaky gut. I seem to get colds a lot and when I do, they completely wipe me out, and they tend to flare up my endometriosis symptoms 😩 I think I’ve got some kind of bug or the flu at the moment, and the pelvic pain and leg pain is almost unbearable, just wondering if the two are linked at all, as it would help me stop worrying so much! Thank you xx

[RueBlu3]

I'm the same as you! Totally agree, I think it really does effect the immune system. I get colds/ flu-like symptoms and stomach bugs back to back all the time. Flares the pain and fatigue for sure. I feel run down all the time and always seem to have a high temp too. Do you often have a high temperature? Not sure why it happens but maybe it's because endo is an inflammatory condition?

[MayM95 in reply to RueBlu3]

yeah I’m like that as well, I had a bad cold a week or two ago and now it’s come back again but 10 times worse! 😩 I don’t get a high temperature at all really (apart from at the moment with this cold/flu) but I’ve heard from other women that have said they get a high temp too, so maybe it’s an endometriosis thing?!

[Coral07 in reply to RueBlu3]

this is exactly me!!! I’ve spent years trying to convince my doctor and such about the sweating and constantly unwell I’m 25 and a lot of days I don’t have the energy to lift me cup of tea up or even stand on my own two feet for longer than 2 minutes, not even my family belive me because on the outside I look generally well but I’m not🥲 sending lots of love and always here if you need a chat🤍

[Lily1986]

I’m the exact same I seem to be fighting viruses off and feeling fluey a lot. Im very fatigued most days but during these frequent episodes I’m extra extra fatigued to point I can barely keep my eyes open. There definitely must be a connection, either it lowers immune system or it’s our bodies reaction to the inflammation it’s dealing with due to Endometriosis as I too seem to flare up at same time or immediately after. Best wishes to you xxx

[IB15]

yes 100% happens to me! feels like your body is constantly in repair mode and cant cope with another thing so colds/ bugs take you down!! X

[purplevelvet9]

I've just had an aha moment reading these comments, I'm ALWAYS tired no matter how much I rest. Had never thought to link it to endo! Defo can relate to the colds/flu and especially pre-period.

[Escapologygirl in reply to purplevelvet9]

Yes to all of this, no matter how much I sleep or don't sleep I am always exhausted and when I get a cold/flu it takes a few months to completely recover and my already depleted energy is lower than ever. Thank you all for letting me know I'm not alone or crazy

[CryBaby91]

There's theories that endometriosis could be autoimmune related, which would mean it behaves in a similar way to other autoimmune diseases. My bloods showed that I have an autoimmune disease (basically my white blood cells are overactive) but the test doesn't tell you WHICH one you have lol and there's thousands. I have a theory that my endometriosis is immune related, since there's never been any explanation for why that blood result is like that. I do wonder how many of us have had a positive ANA result!

Anyway, a common symptom of many many many autoimmune conditions is "malaise". In simple terms it is cold and flu like symptoms with no actual cold or flu. It usually runs alongside fatigue, which is 100% a symptom of endo. Basically when your body is so exhausted and struggling to cope it kind of goes into repair mode, switching functions so it can prioritise the bits that need attention. This leaves you vulnerable to colds and flu, because your body is too busy fighting off the current problem. So it's a bit of a crap situation, you could be just experiencing malaise. Or your body may actually be picking up infections more because it is too busy fighting the endo to fight the infection off. Does that make sense at all? Basically it could easily be a genuine cold, but it could also be a kind of fake cold because your body is so fatigued (I.e you wouldn't be infectious and pass it on, because it's not a bug that caused it).

Hope that helps but yes you're not mad lol you're just poorly and your body is in overdrive with all the endo, so other things creep up on you easier.

[MayM95 in reply to CryBaby91]

thank you so much for this! Makes total sense really! Plus whenever I have a bad cold or bug, my partner never seems to get it which I always find surprising as we live together, both work from home etc, so if it’s just a “fake cold”, makes sense as to why he never catches anything off me 😅 x

[BloomingMarvellous]

It’s a thing. Recent research is underlining that too. They’ve identified some of the cytokine pathways CD3 specifically affected that are concerned with immune function in very specific ways and others yet not understood. It’s as such not just the actual endo areas but the whole that responds. It’s good to know we are on it when we say it affects us all over.

[Anna_Franziska]

I’m currently coming out of a massive flare up and now seem to have caught a horrible sore throat and cold with a fever. I definitely notice a correlation and I used to always get very run down just before my period (which has eased since having a mirena). X

[MayM95 in reply to Anna_Franziska]

it was the same for me after ovulating (which was extremely painful and lasted about 5 days), I then got this horrible cold/bug afterwards! I’m glad to know the Mirena has been beneficial for you, I had to get it removed because it was giving me so much pain! X

[Anna_Franziska in reply to MayM95]

yes ! Definitely relate to this ! I’m sorry you had pain. I did struggle for a while with it. I hope you feel better now !! Xx

[MrsMarlene]

I've been wondering this recently, I have endo on my bowel and since finding this out have been aware of how tired I am even on my rare good days. I've had a very bad cold/flu which lead to sinusitis just before christmas and am currently recovering after having Covid! It was awful but even worse on my flare up days.

Does anyone take any particular vitamins/remedies for low immunity?

[MayM95 in reply to MrsMarlene]

sorry to hear you’ve been so unwell! I’d actually like to know as well if anyone can recommend vitamins/remedies to better the immune system? X

[CryBaby91 in reply to MrsMarlene]

I take additional vitamin C to boost my immune system and try keep my hair and nails healthy, if you're run down those are the first to be affected usually. I also take vitamin B and D for fatigue plus the strongest strength with probiotics, like 60 billion cultures. xxx

[Chon0619]

I’m in the hospital right now with a collapsed lung which they may think is related to my endometriosis…I think it does affect our immune systems.

[IB15 in reply to Chon0619]

Hope you're okay - wishing you speedy recovery x

[Blueeve]

I get colds often,it takes weeks to go away and returns right back and my leg pains gets worse especially during ovulation. Is there no cure at all?

[MayM95 in reply to Blueeve]

yes my colds always take at least a week or two or three to get rid of and my leg pain has been really bad with this cold, and was very painful during ovulation