Getting Virus suspends Fibro Symptoms

[Scribe52]

Hi, This is my first post. I am wondering if anyone else has had an experience similar to mine when being infected with a variety of ordinary viruses.

When I get a virus, such as a head cold, the flu (H1N1), or, most recently, 12 days of an upper respiratory infection with fever, body aches, skin sensitivity and days of hacking cough, my fibro symptoms seem to fade or vanish completely, especially the fibro pain, IBS, RLS.

Since all of these viruses also cause fatigue, sometimes a great deal, I can't tell if this fibro symptom also fades.

Also, though I ordinarily never have had a useful response to Acetaminophen as an analgesic, when I have a fever, it works well in reducing fever, reducing body aches and skin sensitivity.

In short, it seems that when I get an acute viral infection, my immune system goes into overdrive to combat it and my fibro symptoms subside. The moment the virus is defeated and I am recovering, then the fibro symptoms return.

This has now happened about 7 times over the past three and half years and has become too much of a pattern for me to ignore. Anyone have any ideas? Many thanks.

 

[Who Me?]

@Scribe52 welcome. If you could please edit your post by adding paragraphs I'd appreciate. I and others cannot read huge blocks of texts. The edit tab it right below your post. I think towards the left. Thanks.

 

[Cort]

Hi, This is my first post. I am wondering if anyone else has had an experience similar to mine when being infected with a variety of ordinary viruses.

When I get a virus, such as a head cold, the flu (H1N1), or, most recently, 12 days of an upper respiratory infection with fever, body aches, skin sensitivity and days of hacking cough, my fibro symptoms seem to fade or vanish completely, especially the fibro pain, IBS, RLS.

Since all of these viruses also cause fatigue, sometimes a great deal, I can't tell if this fibro symptom also fades.

Also, though I ordinarily never have had a useful response to Acetaminophen as an analgesic, when I have a fever, it works well in reducing fever, reducing body aches and skin sensitivity.

In short, it seems that when I get an acute viral infection, my immune system goes into overdrive to combat it and my fibro symptoms subside. The moment the virus is defeated and I am recovering, then the fibro symptoms return.

This has now happened about 7 times over the past three and half years and has become too much of a pattern for me to ignore. Anyone have any ideas? Many thanks.

That's really interesting!

So the pain goes away and even the IBS and restless leg syndrome? That's really, really interesting.

Have you read the blog on immune depletion? Recent research suggests that both FM and ME/CFS are, at least after their initial stages, immune depletion disorders. Maybe that virus is, as you say, triggering an immune response. Maybe that increased immune response gets after some other pathogen you have? Or maybe it just gets things back to normal - rebalances your system. Whatever it is is your story suggests to me that inflammation is not a big deal for you.....

http://simmaronresearch.com/2016/03...and-fibromyalgia-immune-exhaustion-disorders/

Or could it be that acetaminophen for some reason is working? Why it would be more effective in combination with an enhanced immune response I have no idea - mainly because I don't known anything about acetaminophen.

 

[Scribe52]

That's really interesting!

So the pain goes away and even the IBS and restless leg syndrome? That's really, really interesting.

Have you read the blog on immune depletion? Recent research suggests that both FM and ME/CFS are, at least after their initial stages, immune depletion disorders. Maybe that virus is, as you say, triggering an immune response. Maybe that increased immune response gets after some other pathogen you have? Or maybe it just gets things back to normal - rebalances your system. Whatever it is is your story suggests to me that inflammation is not a big deal for you.....

http://simmaronresearch.com/2016/03...and-fibromyalgia-immune-exhaustion-disorders/

Or could it be that acetaminophen for some reason is working? Why it would be more effective in combination with an enhanced immune response I have no idea - mainly because I don't known anything about acetaminophen.

No I do not have any inflammatory markers through years of testing. No positive responses to Sedimentation rate, C Reactive Protein, Arthritis factors etc.

I have had two strange results which my Rheumatologist feels are not relevant; 1) Ragged Red fibres from a muscle biopsy perhaps indicating mitochondrial problems, and 2) elevated Anti-nuclear antibodies though with no specific link to Lupus of other disease.

I very often feel as if I have accelerated lactic acidosis during physical activity, even after years of proper training, but all medical people I have seen simply discount it as either nothing important or as arthritis pain.

 

[Who Me?]

@Cort. Paragraph breaks please. The first one is good.

 

[markyr13]

Hi, This is my first post. I am wondering if anyone else has had an experience similar to mine when being infected with a variety of ordinary viruses.

When I get a virus, such as a head cold, the flu (H1N1), or, most recently, 12 days of an upper respiratory infection with fever, body aches, skin sensitivity and days of hacking cough, my fibro symptoms seem to fade or vanish completely, especially the fibro pain, IBS, RLS.

Since all of these viruses also cause fatigue, sometimes a great deal, I can't tell if this fibro symptom also fades.

Also, though I ordinarily never have had a useful response to Acetaminophen as an analgesic, when I have a fever, it works well in reducing fever, reducing body aches and skin sensitivity.

In short, it seems that when I get an acute viral infection, my immune system goes into overdrive to combat it and my fibro symptoms subside. The moment the virus is defeated and I am recovering, then the fibro symptoms return.

This has now happened about 7 times over the past three and half years and has become too much of a pattern for me to ignore. Anyone have any ideas? Many thanks.

 

[Seven]

I am the same I get CFS remission when I get a cold Only lasts a day, 2 tops (or when I get my period).

 

[lisaadele]

Here too... it has been a long while since I've experienced a cold virus but I remember how amazed I was at how 'normal' sick I felt. It was so great experiencing normal stuffy nose and normal tired instead of CFS.

However my sense is that now when I get exposed to viruses it heightens my regular CFS symptoms.... so I don't get a runny nose or sore throat but I get more fatigue and fluey.

 

[Cort]

No I do not have any inflammatory markers through years of testing. No positive responses to Sedimentation rate, C Reactive Protein, Arthritis factors etc.

I have had two strange results which my Rheumatologist feels are not relevant; 1) Ragged Red fibres from a muscle biopsy perhaps indicating mitochondrial problems, and 2) elevated Anti-nuclear antibodies though with no specific link to Lupus of other disease.

I very often feel as if I have accelerated lactic acidosis during physical activity, even after years of proper training, but all medical people I have seen simply discount it as either nothing important or as arthritis pain.

You've fallen in between the cracks like so many of us....

Dr. Montoya has said that the standard inflammatory markers are missing a lot. It'll be interesting to see what shows up over the next couple of years.

 

[Scribe52]

Thank you, everyone, for your comments and suggestions. As has been mentioned in other posts, it is possible that there are different varieties or strains of Fibro, either affecting different body systems or affecting them in different ways.

I also have symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, though it is not severe, some difficulty with erratic blood pressure, occasional orthostatic hypotension and temperature sensitivity, and reactive hypoglycemia without a very strict diet.

My initial diagnosis occurred after a long period (about 2 years) of very stressful bipolar symptoms rather than a viral or bacterial infection. It was originally labeled as a severe physical response to depression, even though I was sure it was not depression. After a life time of experiencing and treating depression and mania, as well as conventional illness I knew the difference.

My worst initial symptom was paralysing fatigue, chronic pain did not set in for about 3 years. CFS was ruled out early on since there has never been a lingering fever or infection, nor any tests showing a viral load or response of any kind.

Something happened during that long bipolar episode. My body has never been the same since.

Thanks again.

 

[Tammy7]

I have heard others from various support groups that have mentioned the same thing............their CFS/Fibro symptoms feeling better when they get a cold/flu virus. I always felt better overall whenever I got a cold. Strange.