Does it take longer to shift a cold/bug when you have MS

Everyday living
1

Hi all I’ve been ill since Christmas Eve with a cold, cough and generaly feeling rubbish I’ve had a few days off work but got to go back tomorrow still not feeling good I never been to the docotors with just a cold but fed up with feeling ill does it take longer to recover when you got MS?

Been taking the usual over the counter meds…

Anyone recommend anything else I can take.

Thanks and Happy New Year Sue.xxxx

2

Hi Sue,

Whilst I don’t think MS actually lengthens the time to recover from infections, it’s well known that colds etc. tend to exacerbate MS symptoms, so you’re probably just more aware of it for longer, if that makes sense.

I’ve had one since Boxing Day, too. In fact I was ill before Christmas, but somehow miraculously OK on Christmas Day itself (Divine intervention?)

So now I’m not sure if I’ve had two colds almost back-to-back, or one that never quite got better.

I see no point going to the doctor’s yet, as assuming it is just a cold, there’s nothing she’ll be able to do. I suppose if it hangs around another week, I’ll be questioning whether it is still a cold, or something secondary has set in. But for the moment, I don’t suspect anything sinister, as I think it’s improving a little every day. Just not as fast as I’d like.

I didn’t get up 'til nearly 10.00 today, and am already thinking of heading back to bed. I’ve washed my hair, done a bit of washing up, posted to a couple of forums, made a toasted sandwich for lunch, and done a very small section of a jigsaw puzzle, which it turns out I must have done wrong, as the remaining pieces won’t fit.

Now completely exhausted, after these trivial endeavours, and needing to go back to bed. :frowning:

Tina

x

3

Hi there,

As Tina says, our MS is often exaserbated with run of the mill normal infections, also I’ve been led to believe, that as our immune system isn’t good at modulaing itself, in that it attacks good things like our myelin, but also doesn’t attack enough, the nasty things that it should, like bugs and infections, also our systems are already weakened with the constant fight and energy push that we have to do day to day to manage life with a chronic illness. So therefore we can often be less efficient at fighting a bug or infection when it comes our way and it therefore often gets a firmer hold of us.

I’ve had an infection for the past 2 months, started in my throat, then my chest and now I’m apparently “suffering from a most infection drip” and my throat is therefore still sore and I’m still coughing productivley, I’ve had 2 doses of antibiotics and now on a steroid nasel spray.

Groan

Jools

X

4

Thanks Tina and Jools looks like I’ll just have to wait it out I don’t often suffer from colds but this bug has hit a few of my friends and they’ve had trouble to shake it without having MS to cope with so looks likes its just going to take time.

I’m away next weekend so I’m hope its gone by then or maybe the drink will kill the germs off if not.

Thanks again for your reply’s.

Sue x

5

Hi

I have had my present cold for 6 weeks and the b*gger will not go despite taking all the cold remidies possible. Doesn’t help that people continue to come to work with all dreaded bugs.

I hope it shifts quickly.

Neil

6

Hey Sue - if you’re still not well then you shouldn’t go back. I work for the NHS and just had training today about how easy it is to spread bugs I.e make more people ill. If you’re not well then don’t go back get yourself better first. Sorry to nag and hope you get better soon Hugs min xx