Hi everyone. I am suffering with my first cold in over 5 years. I have noticed my normal seasonal allergies were worse since I was diagnosed with PA and now a cold that won't quit and went into sinus infection and bronchitis. Went to internist and a full round of Antibiotics didn't touch it. Are we more susceptible to colds and allergies now? Is our immune system compromised now? Feeling like I just got health back only to be knocked down again. Taking extra vitamin C, my mom's chicken soup with lots of dill and lemon and this thing is still hanging on. (She's the one who came out here to visit and gave me this cold and at 89 years old she got over it in 6 days!) Go to my oncologist doctor this week and sure hope I don't transmit this to anyone.
Pa and immune system : Hi everyone. I... - Pernicious Anaemi...
Pa and immune system
Hi CH52. Yes, I suffered very badly with multiple infections (chest, sinuses, URTI, UTI, etc.) prior to diagnosis with B12 deficiency...and for some time after treatment started. I was one big germ.
Increased susceptability to infection is a known symptom of B12 deficency (though it's not commonly listed as a main symptom). Apparently, as B12 deficiency progresses, the immune system struggles to produce disease fighting white blood cells, making the body an easier target for viral and bacterial infections. Hence (I suppose) the improvement once sufficent B12 gets into the system - or should I say, all the systems 😀.
So..I've been much better infection wise since being on B12 injections (it was about 12 months before I noticed that I was infection free - but I was severely deficiency and didn’t receive loading doses, so may be quicker for you).
I've just started immunosuppressants so I'm turning into a big bug walking germ again...but that’s another story 😉.
When I get any type of infection, I now have to see a doctor and get a prescription for antibiotics or antivirals, very quickly.
Note you’re seeing an oncologist - if you’re on chemotherapy (or other immune suppressant drugs), this can have an impact on the bodies ability to fight infection, so perhaps a good idea to discuss when you go. But if your infections worsen prior to then, perhaps best to see a doctor sooner.
(Apologies if I've got the oncologist/drugs thing wrong 😉).
Good luck and hope you begin to feel better soon 👍
Thank you for your response. I suffered from all kinds of issues prior to diagnosis: extreme allergic reaction to things that never bothered me before, asthmatic bronchitis from those reactions and a uti that would not quit, . Everything went wrong that could until after hospital with hemoglobin of 4.5, blood transfusions and B12 treatments since last April. Was doing great until allergy season hit and then catching this horrid cold within 2 days of my mother coming to stay with me at my one room log cabin so was close quarters for us both.
I'm feeling like I'm being set back several paces after having a few months of feeling really great. I see an oncologist who also is hematologist so sorry for that confusion. . I am getting paranoid about being around germ infested children and people. I find myself sanitizing everything, even my poor dog!!(just kidding about dog!) I haven't been to so many doctors in my entire 65 years so this is getting overwhelming right now. I'm even paranoid about going to the medical clinic because of all the sick people there! I'm hating that my life is now revolving around medical appointments. I want to do everything I can to stay well and self sufficient as I live in remote area and by myself. I even have extra B12 to self inject if I get stuck up here. Hoping that this is my one and only setback this winter as it's a tough place to be once snows hit and I'm dealing with our heavy snow load up here. Thanks again for your response. Guess I'm just getting cranky about this stuff.
CH52, I know just how you feel 😖😳. And so will anybody here who reads your post 😉.
It’s very frustrating when our bodies begin to misbehave...not to mention disheartening, annoying...and plain inconvenient...all those doctors appointments...a joyful way to maintain a social life. Not.
And getting cranky is about par for the course (irritability and mood swings are known symptoms of B12 deficiency). I do cranky very well indeed!
The main thing is to make sure that you get enough B12 - some people need to inject very frequently to get and keep well (if you feel symptoms returning before your next injection is due, it’s a sure sign that you need more frequent injections). Best idea is to have the injections before symptoms return.
The good news is that it sounds as if you were doing well, so this is perhaps just a little blip.
Good luck with the snow, the remote area (love the sound of a log cabin), the sanitisation...and getting bug free and back on form again.
And good luck to the dog too 😉.
Take care and have a good winter. Post anytime for a chat, especially if you get snowed in and feel a little lonely 🌨🌨☃️. Lots of lovely folks here who will know exactly how you’re feeling and be able to offer support...or just a 'hello' words, if that's what you need.
👍
Thank you. Cranky is not my norm so I honestly thought I'm truly beginning to lose it. I have had major stress for 3 weeks running. Had my propane frig go on blitz and Amerigas sent a driver not a tech and told me I had to wait 3 weeks for next tech spot!!! I was beside myself watching fully stocked freezer that I had been storing stuff in for winter melting on me!!! Finally my old car mechanic told me bring everything to his house and then he called an old retired technician and he fixed it for me!!!! In the middle of it all my mom was dumped on me unannounced by my cousins who thought we should visit for 3 days but my old mom was really ill with this nasty cold so I had to take care of the poor woman! I'm laughing as I write this but it wasn't funny at the time! (My mom lives 600 miles south of me. )Thank you again for responding and listening.
Hi again CH52. Really pleased that you're laughing as you write...but it’s not always so easy at the time, is it 😱.
Can’t imagine what it must feel like to contemplate the loss of a whole winter's worth of food due to an administrative error. Grief, the though of it makes me ravenous 🍽🍽🍽.
Thank goodness for all those retired and still endlessly useful and kind 😇.
Things never happen in onesies so balance and sanity can prevail...always a big dump...followed by another...then another...and before you know it...cranky big time.
Hope your mum's recovered...and you from her too (I mean that kindly).
Take care x
P.s. from what you say below about thick viscous mucus, sounds more like sinus infection rather than allergy. When mine were at their worst, I often had to have two or three courses of antibiotics before they finally cleared up...and then started again 😖
Don’t know if you’ve heard of it but in the UK, GP's and ENT 'bods' now recommend performing sinus washouts two to three times a day if suffering from sinus infections or congestion. Done with something called a Neilmed sinus washout kit...like this:
amazon.co.uk/NeilMed-Origin...
Sounds yucky but it’s quick and painless...just a bit watery...and it’s the thing that has made the most difference to my usually gluey sinuses (nagging sinus pain nearly gone too). So might be worth a try if nothing gets much better anytime soon.
Anyway...it’s late here now so I'm off for some sleep 😴😴💤.
Take care now...and even greater care of the freezer 😉
X
Yes it had turned to sinus infection and bronchial congestion. Thanks for the tip and will check it out! Good night from the US!
some of the symptoms that we associate with being ill - like a runny nose and having a temperature, as well as responses to allergens are actually the immune system fighting the infection so it may be that you had colds before but didn't get runny noses and it was just feeling grotty rather than really having a cold but now your immune system is a lot stronger the reactions get stronger.
I remember in the weeks after I started getting better I had a cold with an horrendously runny nose that I hadn't had for years - took it as a sign that I was actually getting better.
However, doesn't quite sound as if this is what is going on for you, so may be that the treatment regime you are on isn't actually enough for you so your cells are still not quite getting the amount of B12 they need for the immune system to be functioning properly. Some antibioitics can also interfere slightly with how you metabolise B12 - amoxicillin is one.
Hi Gambit62! Thanks for input especially on antibiotics. I was put on azithromyvin 250 mg tablets. It was 2 tablets day one then 1 each day over a 4 day span. This runny nose is not like allergy runny where mucus is thin. This stuff is like thick rubber cement GLUE!!!! It totally chokes and gags you. When I had that bad allergy attack to club moss spores last fall before I was diagnosed and thought that was why I could not breath etc when in fact it was my extreme low B12, that was thin mucus. I see hemotologist this Friday and since blood work is being done this Monday I'll have my new numbers. .
Hello beginner1! Thanks for your response. When I'm at medical center for my blood work I will be sure to check out the nasal wash. I live in upstate New York about 80 miles south of the Canadian border in the Adirondack Park. When I first got loading doses and weekly B12 I too was very healthy and feeling great. Since I was put on every 2 week schedule I started getting some neuro symptoms back and felt I could live with that so didn't really complain about cold hands and feet and numbness and strange annoying stinging in my legs etc. I just ignored it and moved on happy to not be where I was prior to my blood transfusions and B12 treatment. I actually felt great compared to that! Allergies started up worse than normal come fall and then this cold turned sinus infection and I started wondering about how bad my immune system must be. Woke up this morning and it's still there so I will address all this with my doctors this week. The antibiotic I was on doesn't affect b12 injections just absorption through gut so since my issue is absorption and no intrinsic factor that should not be an issue with my lab work.
Just want to add that I am much less stressed this Sunday morning and am thankful for the responses and support from all of you. I guess I needed these chats to talk me down from my anxiety and my cranky pants have been put away for another day . Time to put my big girl panties on and deal with this!
Please go online to the "Immune Deficiency Foundation." Learn a bit more about the immune system. I hope it helps.
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