[imyy4you67]

Hello everyone,
It has been a while since I have been on this site. I have had one infection after the next lately. I got my flu shot in October and November came around and boom.... I get hit with some bronchial type cold which lasted a good 10 days and 2 courses of antibiotics. I was ok for like 2 weeks then I get it again but not as bad and did not take antibiotics for this. Then I was ok until Thanksgiving when I was hit with Laryngitis, cough , fever, the whole 9 yards. Took antibiotics again. I was also out of work for 3 days because I had no voice. This lasted for about 2 weeks. Then right after christmas I get it again. Cough, cold, nasal and head congestion. I cant stop blowing my nose. I am at the tail end of it now. It seems like everyone I come in contact with that is sick, I get whatever it is. Why?? I have never been like this with all these infections. My question is: Does Plaquenil lower your resistance to infections or does the Lupus itself do that? I have been on Plaquenil now for a little over 6 months. I am also very run down. I have a very sick grandfather that I take care of and right now he is in the hospital and I have been running back and forth to see him. I dont know what to do . I am on plenty of vitamins. I have had a chest x-ray through the course of all this and it was fine. Does all this mean my disease is getting worse??? The plaquenil still has not really helped my muscle pain in my legs and lately I have had night sweats. I am so tired of being sick. Thanks for listening!!

Kim:worried:

 

[keebler]

(((Kim)))

I am sorry that you are feeling so bad right now.

It does sound like you have a lot on your plate right now, and you said yourself that you are run down.

I got run down this last fall too. I ended up with mouth sores, and a terrible sinus infection. I thought I was doing pretty good at the time. Then lupus smacked me a good one and let me know that I wasn't taking care of myself good enough.

I don't think plaquenil lowers your resistance but then I could be wrong. I always thought it was lupus that did that.

When I have been out and in crowds, I always make sure I wash my hands. I try not to touch my face until after I wash. (when you tell yourself not to touch your face, then you get that itch that drives you nuts until you scratch it.) I also carry around a small bottle of hand sanitizer.

I know it is hard for you right now with your grandfather in the hospital. Do you have a family member or a close friend that could help you out?

Maybe you should put in a call to your rhumey, to see if he could help you out.

Take care and hang in there.
:rose:
Lyn

 

[jacquip]

Hey Kim,

I'm feeling exactly the same. I am so sick of waking up with some sort of pain - hands, knees, head and neck....... I was diagnosed in Aug 07 with SLE. I first became 'ill' some time in May 07 and had vairous rashes, pain, fatique, etc...eventually seen by Rhuemy July 29th, bloods, biopsy and chest xray done. Week later confirmation of SLE .... Since then I have not woken up and felt 'well' - this morning I work up and thought 'oh my head's not hurting'.... but it is now - it's been 3 weeks of constant headaches- I've had eyes checked - fine - teeth checked - fine - so who know's what's causing it........ I know that my illness is no where near as bad as some, but I really do hate not feeling well. The thing is as well is when you look well and then tell people that you don't feel well they don't think it's that bad because of how you look - that frustrates me..........Ok enough now. Take it easy.

 

[Maia]

Healthy people, when run down and stressed, will get sick more often too. Add on top of that lupus, and you're even more likely to get sick more often. Lupus is associated with other disorders that can make us more prone to infection, such as IgA deficiency (which I have but did not know it until later in life). This time of year also makes us more likely to catch bugs. About the least likely culprit for your recent string of infections is the use of Plaquenil.

I've been in your shoes... it's awful. I was absolutely terrified I was getting worse/lupus was getting worse. But a few years later and it's not happening to me at the same frequency anymore and it *is* better than it was. So it can get better!

Take care... I hope things improve for you soon. Don't be afraid to go back to your rheumy and let him know about these new symptoms, and consider additional treatment that may help too.

 

[Jirel]

I've had a huge downturn lately and yet I quit working so you would THINK things would be better. But I'm under a lot of stres because of the lack of income. If just that amount of stress can make me feel worse, then how much more can what you are under affect your health. More than likely once things get back on a more even keel, you will find yourself gradually feeling better.

 

[onetay]

Kim,
You are not alone in this feeling. I do not believe it is the plaqs that is making you so prone to infections. Lupus is an immune problem so I would have to say that is it. It may not be all the problem as this is the time of year that everything is going around and so easy to be around someone sick and get it. What has your doctor said about all of this? If you have not talk the him/her then I would make that my next step. You are running yourself down with the illness, your grandfather being in the hospital, and work. I would say that you need extra rest whenever possible. Let me know how things are going.
Tammy

 

[imyy4you67]

Thanks to everyone for replying to my post. To answer some of your questions about whether I have seen my Rheumy yet. No I have not told him about any of this but Iplan on calling him tomorrow because I dont seem to be getting better. Yes the stress does not help matters. My mom is here now to take care of my grandfather while I am recovering from this. She lives 3 hours away from him so she is going to stay with after his hospital discharge (it should be this week) until I am well enough to take over. I have really been trying to take care of me recently with all of these infections. My chest started hurting me today as a matter of fact and it is worse when taking a deep breath. I think I may have to take a few days off of work and go see my DR and get whatever medicine I need to feel better. I also feel worse around the holidays because of all the stress of family and making sure the house it tidy. I cooked for christmas and when everyone left I just wanted to pass out. I dont think I fully recovered from that.

I will keep you all posted on what the Rheumy says. Thanks again.

Kim

 

[Clare.T]

Hello Kim

It's good that your Mom is giving you a break to recover but I think this might be a wake up call for you to take things easier and adapt to life with a chronic illness. The demands of a job, a family and a household are very heavy even on well women. Something has to go ! After all, your cracking up isn't going to help anything. What's holidays for the rest of the family often turns into a gruelling ordeal for the person doing the catering and housework.

It would be a good idea to have a check up and consider if you are adequately medicated and treated for all your conditions. I think it is time anyway after your last appointment The muscle pain might well not be lupus. Is the fibro being treated ?
We often need twice as long and twice as strong antibiotics to get over infections. I have noticed that if I get a viral infection it's often followed by a bacterial one taking advantage of the weakening from the first, an opportunistic infection I think it's called.

I have also observed when dealing with sick friends and relatives that I will do more than is really necessary just so I feel I have done my absolute best. I suffer more from expecting too much of myself than the sick person is being helped. It can be very painful realising and admitting there are limits to what we can do especially long term.

Take good care of yourself and good luck

Hugs
Clare