I just wondered if there could be a link? Any thoughts?
Do you think stress can set off our immune ... - PBC Foundation
Do you think stress can set off our immune systems?
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flowerpower66
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28 Replies
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Yes 100 percent connected. Stress equals inflammation, inflammation is the body's way of healing. PBC along with most autoimmune problems come from inflammation. To much healing equals over active immune systems. Which the body makes more antibodies to help fight. Which came first the, the immune system or the inflammation???
Plus it gets into our fight or flight response which messes with a list of other things including blood pressure, nerves, and blood rushing to our muscles, not the organs to help with healing.
I went from huge stress to very little and feeling very good with the change.
• in reply toranrace
Hello ranrace.
I think it was the immune system that started producing the antibodies that cause attack of the bile ducts (the AMAs) and then slowly as the bile ducts become damaged bile seeps into the liver and inflammation occurs.
Interestingly over the last 3yrs now of taking urso and continuing bloods taken, I often find that when I don't feel quite my normal self the bloods come back quite good and then when I feel on top of the world I sometimes feel disheartened a bit as the bloods then say slightly different.
I know a lot of retired people and many in pretty good health. Thinking how they lived their lives compared to how the generation of what was known as the 'baby boomers' (a 60s child) have so far, I do think that today's living is not as sedentary as it was when my late gran was born for eg. Her life was born to start work when she was 14 (she was born in 1910) and then she was a young woman when WWII broke out and experienced rationing. People talked more due to no tvs., mobile phones, etc and more than likely retired to bed at a more normal time than later generations. Due to lack of transport walking was more frequent and people were far more active. I could go on but I do think an era one is born into does also have something to do with certain things we develop.
I agree ranrace, I have had a fair amount of stress over the years and I would be amazed if my body didn't get damaged in the process.x
Hello. I am not so sure there. I always thought that that was what adrenaline in the system was for regarding stress. But if stress does play some part then I've had plenty of stress and worries over the years. I was left back in 1993 as a widowed mother of 2 young children and had to muddle along single handedly as I had no mother by that time.
I know for me over the years, any upset or grief caused me to have a dry mouth and I found I struggled to eat temporarily. Any situations since still brings the same symptons on. A doctor informed me it is the defence mechanism connected to adrenaline. It's a way of protecting your system.
I think it's perhaps any outside element that caused the immune system to go into over-drive myself. I cannot help wonder whether having Hepatitis vaccinations for a job in a medical setting that I took on several years prior to being diagnosed with PBC. Being informed that I had 'probably had PBC a few years' made me instantly thought of that.
Absolutely I read an article a few months ago ( unfortunately I can't remember where ) linking PBC to stress which got me thinking. Approximately 7 years ago I succumbed to work related stress. After a few months I was admitted to hospital for an operation. I had ignored my health issues as I was "too busy to be sick". After the surgery was the first time my LFT came back as a bit off. It was another 5 years before I was diagnosed with PBC. I definitely believe it was due to my very stressful job that I developed this condition. I retired a few months ago at 55 as I could not continue in that role with PBC and it was the best thing I did, I feel I have some quality of life back. No stress! It makes it easier to deal with the PBC symptoms if you can remove yourself from that kind of environment.
Thank you Tigger, I definitely think it is related to stress.I have a stressful job, unfortunately I have no idea what else I could do as I am having daily headaches/migraines, pains in body, cognitive abilities have gone. I feel like I'm good for nothing. To top it off I have come down with a cold, not just a normal cold that normal people get but feeling very ill with it In my throat,ears,head,aching all over. Sorry for moaning but getting a bit fed up with myself and worried about losing my job.x
Hi flower power66
I know exactly how you feel . I ve had pbc for nearly 9 years now. Had a flu virus in December and still not recovered . Feel awful aches and pains nausea chronic fatigue. I just start feeling better and it will come on again. Been off nearly 5 months and also worried about my job. The doc s now saying it's like ME. I m plodding along but feel like screaming. Your not alone , hopefully we ll feel better soon x
Nightmare isn't it Loopyblue. I've been In bed for two days. I get up but have to go back to bed as absolutely knackered. I am wondering if I've had this years as I have a!ways been the one that's always tired and can't plan anything as I don't know whether I would be well enough. Nice that we can truly say how we are feeling on here as I don't want to burden my family.x is your employer sympathetic or just going through the attendance management as per policy?x
Yes flower power going through the motions in work. I m a nurse so theyhave been ok with me up to now but still worrying. How long have you been off work ? X
Think I've been off 10 weeks now. I work in bank and I love my job but I know I am a liability at the moment. Sad that I used to be the person to go to if nobody else knew the answer. Customers love me as I really do care and always got things sorted out for them. I know that I am not making up how I feel, I know that I am not looking for sympathy. I just want to be normal. X
Yes flower power that's all I say , I just want to be normal. I don t think people understand what we re going theough. I also try not to moan but it gets me so down. Take care and I m sure we ll get there. We can only go back when were ready and not before x
How did you find out that you had PBC? the Gastro I saw last Thursday told me I had positive AMA's but normal LFTs.he is arranging ultra sound. He told me he didn't think the pains/headaches/poor cognitive had anything to do with it!he even told me that he wasn't giving me PBC diagnosis at this point?
I don t agree I get all them symptoms quite a lot . I found out through raised lft s my doctor thought I d gone on the bottle because my husband passed away . Then realised that I did nt drink and sent me to gastro consultant. I had pos AMA . They have done a liver biopsy which was inconclusive? Also had an ultra sound which was negative. My gastro said he was almost certain it was pbc and I have been on urso for nine years. It is slow growing and the gastro is happy it is stable at this time, although my lft s do fluctuate x
Are these reply boxes getting smaller ha ha
Sorry to hear that you lost your husband, I'm not sure that I could have coped with that at all. I hope you have support at home.x I know it might sound strange but in a way I hope to get PBC diagnosis as this would explain symptoms?or am I just being desperate at the moment?xxx(this is only typing one word per line?)
He he yes see what you mean. Yes I m lucky I ve had a lot of support it was a terrible time but I ve now re married and have a little boy of six. Try and keep your chin up I understand you wanting to have a diagnosis it must be so frustrating. This site is brilliant were all in it together and it s good to get it off your chest. Hope your feelin better soon xx
Oh I am glad you've found happiness and have a little boy. Feel free to rant whenever you want to.xxx
Thanks flower power u too . Always here if you need a chat xx 
Hi flowerpower66 we all need a good moan so you go for it. I know how you feel. I had always intended to take early retirement after being off with work related stress and then the PBC made it more difficult to do my job. As I was getting no support from my employer ( because I didn't constantly complain & still produced results ) I was signed off for almost a year through PBC then took ill health retirement. Only when I finished did the stress finally go. Re your cold , every cold I've had in the last two years has gone to my chest and I have taken 6/7 weeks to recover plus a course of antibiotics. I believe this is because my immune system is weak due to PBC. I understand you worrying about your job. Unfortunately employers don't understand PBC and the impact it has on your life. Please try not to despair, you need to pace yourself at work and not overdo it. Get support if you can from occupational health and a trade union if you are a member, as your employer needs to make reasonable adjustments to support you. PBC is a disability under the equalities act. Also seek advice from your doctor re managing fatigue. Keep your chin up, it will get easier. Take care x
Hi Tigger,am I too young at 47 to take ill health retirement? I just can't see a miracle happening and I'm cured of all illness and debilitating symptoms. My employer has made reasonable changes regards my migraines but what can they do to help when I struggle to get out of bed with pains through body,migraines and unable to string a sentence together? This Pbc has just added another complication although Im thinking that maybe the PBC is contributing /causing my symptoms? X
Hi flowerpower it would depend on the terms of your pension scheme. It would be worthwhile investigating if there is an option to retire on health grounds and access your work/private pension. I was granted partial ill health retirement by the trustees as they think I may be able to do some sort of work in future ( it won't happen) but I'm just glad to be out. Even if I hadn't been successful re ill health I would still have taken early retirement at 55. There was just no way I could continue. Your employer probably won't look at ill health retirement as an option until you've been off a bit longer. If you are a member of a trade union seek their help and advice alternatively speak to the Citizens Advice Bureau. X
Thanks Tigger, I guess 10 weeks off sick seems like a life time to me. I do have union representation and my rep has accompanied me to two attendance management meetings (although AMA's not diagnosed at that point). Guess I should be patient. Everything seems to take so long, drs, hospital, tests. X
Thanks Tigger, I've been off work for 10 weeks now due to my migraines and bad cognitive state. The AMA result which i was told about last week was found as a result of blood tests to decifer what was going on with regards to daily headaches/migraines. I am under attendance management and work has acknowledged my migraines as a disability. Just seems that there is now another spanner in the works!. Thanks for your kind words.xxx
Hi there yes I definately feel stress very much related to PBC as when I was diagnosed I had been through a horrendous year with a very traumatic event in my family, a relationship break up and had just bought a house only to be told that I may loose my job as was only temporary at the time. I took two really bad bouts of tonsilitis as I was so run down and I feel in hindsight as a result of all this it triggered my immune system to go into overdrive. Also however, like Peridot, I do question also whether the Hepatitis B vaccines that I had to have to cover me for working in a hospital 3yrs before I started taking the symptoms PBC led to the disease or that I may already have had PBC in my system but was never symptomatic of it and thus having all these antibodies (in the vacccines) triggered my immune system to go into overdrive. Guess I will never know but most definately feel through 13yrs of living with PBC that stress is not good, avoid it at all costs! I now work part-time (18.75hrs week) and very much listen to my body and try not to get too worried or anxious about things. Hope you find that useful bye for now take care. x
Thank you Littlemo, sounds like you have had a terrible time. I hope life is better now for you. I only do 19 hrs a week and can't even manage that at the moment. I do feel vulnerable as society doesn't seem to care about people who are weak and I don't want to give in. There could be something about the vaccinations causing the immune system to go into overdrive. I have always been a sickly sort. Nothing serious but always getting colds/tonsillitis that would make me Ill. Colleagues, family would get colds etc and recover quickly but me, well, I would just get everything going so you never know, maybe my immune system has been set off so often that it has got confused and turned on my own body? Ive got Hashimotos and b12 autoimmune diseases as well. I hope you are stable and you take care also.x
Definitely! My symptoms developed within weeks of being suddenly widowed at the age of 49yrs!
Oh my goodness, so young to be widowed. How on earth do you get over something so sad? I hope you are in good health despite condition.x
PBCRobertPartner
Stress hasn't been linked statistically to causing PBC but I, personally, feel that inappropriate stress could be a trigger.
What we have learned is that the better one handles their daily stress, the less their symptoms take over on a daily basis. We have been running self-management sessions all over the UK looking at this very feature.
Stress, in itself, is an important driver. We need certain stress-induced chemicals to optimise our performance in certain situations. However, if stress becomes too much or our reaction inappropriate, then that stress can very much have a negative impact upon PBC.
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