Viruses and lack of symptoms

[Esmereld]

Well I was thinking. I suffered the dreaded Norovirus a couple of weeks ago. For those of you that haven’t had it, there’s a lot of it about so I suggest you are careful about close contact with everyone and wash hands regularly. Projectile vomiting is not nice and weight loss is unfortunately short lived. Anyway I noticed that a couple of people mentioned that they’d had it and that their RD symptoms had temporarily disappeared. Mine did too. I even hoped that the trauma had cured me. 🤨 silly me! So I think we should all (those that had the same experience) make a point of it to our consultants. I had a nurse appointment this week and mentioned it to her. She just took it with a pinch of salt. Wouldn’t this experience be good for research?. Maybe I’ll find some contact information for a research society and email them. Would anyone like me to post the details if I can find something?.

[Dobcross1]

Yes, you're so right. I wonder if it backs up the theory about the role of the gut in RA. Definitely should be researched shouldn't it.

[Hidden]

Yes please the exact same thing happened to me... much as I was suffering loved the freedom of movement

[helixhelix]

Playing with the devil tho’. Norovirus in immune-compromised adults can be extremely serious, and even fatal.

Might it not be as simple of having white blood cells occupied in attacking the norovirus, means that they are not causing tissue inflammation?

Or just that pain pathways in one’s body can be weird? I have RA and arthritis and often find if one is playing up then I’m less aware of the other. So if feet are bad from the RA, the knees feel not so bad, etc etc.

[Esmereld in reply to helixhelix]

Yes of course. Good point. I’m no scientist but thought it might be worth a mention. In fact one of our fellow members reported the opposite.

[AgedCrone]

The problem is Norovirus is a term covering many different viruses.

So you’d need to isolate which virus ..by which time it could have evolved.

Damned clever these viruses.

[bpeal1]

Personally I find if I get any sort virus my RA symptoms improve. I think that if my immune system is busy doing what it’s supposed to do it leaves my joints alone. However, my daughter (who has JIA) is the complete opposite. Whenever she gets a virus she has a massive flare. For her getting a virus seems to kick her immune system into overdrive. We are all so different.

[KittyJ]

I’m the opposite in that if I am I’ll then my RA flares. Just shows how it’s different for us all.

[Luna20]

I think, like others, that it may just be the immune system busy coping with the virus rather than attacking our own bodies.

[Pamak]

The same with me but my lung condition got worse

[Ssmart]

Randomly I’ve not had so much as a single “full blown” cold since being diagnosed 2 years ago.. touch wood!

My children have had lots of colds coughs and my hubby’s had a nasty cold over Christmas but all I seem to get is a slight sniffle and a slightly sore throat for half a day before it goes....

I’m sure this won’t continue but I feel my immune system must be hyper alert or in overdrive due to the RA?

Am I alone in this?!

[Yogi-bear123 in reply to Ssmart]

I’m the same... bizarre! I also had what I thought was food poisoning on Boxing Day. I was not only very ill but my nervous system went totally nuts and I had extreme pain. Have only just started recovering ☹️

[Ssmart in reply to Yogi-bear123]

Glad you’re on the mend, weird how our bodies and immune systems work! X

[Newshoe in reply to Ssmart]

That's me too never seem to get ill. Really strange. I hope I am not jinks in it lol

[Ssmart in reply to Newshoe]

That’s how I felt posting too 😂 but glad I’m not alone x