Common Cold

Everyday living
1

Evening all

I have been suffering from a cold which is clearing up slowly. I am just into my second week of sick leave and, although the cold is clearing up, my MS is giving me a battering.

I usually walk with a stick and can get around short distances rather well, but since this cold I can barely stand - after a couple of minutes my legs are collapsing under me. Exercise is impossible and I am housebound since this has happened.

It has panicked me, worrying that this is a permanent worsening of the condition. It is the first cold I have had since my diagnosis three years ago. I phoned my MS nurse and she says that it is normal and could take up to three weeks to recover from.

Although this is slightly comforting, it does seem like a long way back to being how I was before the cold, and I am wondering whether such a vast improvement is possible.

What are other people’s experiences of a common cold.

Thanks

Bernie

2

Hi Bernie Although ms symptoms differ from person to person, your nurse describes the impact of a cold pretty well… This is just what I am going through at the moment. This has been the regular path of recovery over my 11 years of ms & colds. It is hard but it is very likely that over time things will improve. Try to keep positive and I hope you will see improvements over the next few weeks. Neil

3

Thank you Neil, that is good to know. Bernie

4

Yes anything like a cold will exacerbate your condition. Try and eat as healthy as you can during the attack. I actually take 1 garlic tablet every day, and so far it seems to help with delaying onset of colds.

Its best to just rest and it will get better.

5

Yes, any virus will always go to my legs. They turn to jelly and although I don’t get as bad as you I always need at least one day’s bed rest when I have a cold because I can’t even stand in the shower. Hope you feel better soon

Tracey x

6

Thank you all, I feel more positive now.

7

Hi Bernie Thanks for this post. I like you am concerned too with this cold. Hope you feel better soon X

8

Have to say I get the flu jab every year now and since then I don’t really get bad colds and if I get one it seems to pass within a day or two. Didn’t think flu jab and colds could be connected but my neurologist said that’s one of the reasons he recommends it. I definitely pick up less bugs now. The other thing I do (which seems to help for me) at the first hint of a cold on its way is to start taking paracetamol and do that for a day or two. It seems to stop the cold getting very bad. Still feel ms worse but not for as long.

9

Could you have got a cold becaue your immune system is run down and the leg problems are also due to the immune sytem being on the blink?

10

Well, a fortnight or so on and the cold has almost gone. I went out for the first time in today and couldn’t even stand up. Sat on the floor for half an hour because I didn’t have the energy to get to the chair. This is so worrying. I have had a drop-foot for three years, but I would settle for just that now.

11

Hope ur feeling better soon xx