Any link between IBS and lowered immune system?
#33940 - 12/28/03 08:32 AM
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Leah
Reged: 06/18/03
Posts: 151
Loc: Denver, CO.
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Happy Holidays everyone. I got to thinking this morning that it seems like ever since I "got" IBS last November, I am sick all the time! I am not kidding! As a matter of fact, I have spent the last week in bed with a cold and I still have it! I am sick all the time with things like colds, the flu, and other viruses. I am a teacher and I do have allergies and asthma, but I have taught for 8 years and haven't had these problems in the first 6 years of teaching. I have had a ton of illnesses in the last two years. I am out of ideas. I use hand sanitizer every few minutes at work. I clean the kid's desks, my desk, the phone, computers, door handles, writing utensils and the pencil sharpener with clorox daily. I also have a HEPA filter in my classroom. I know some teachers are sick all the time, but I seem to be much worse since developing IBS. Any thoughts on this?
Leah
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Hi Leah, This is a real puzzler. Before I read that you are constantly sanitizing your hands, I thought that was the problem -- but you say you're nice and clean. I never get anything -- colds, flu, whatever -- I'm just lucky I guess. But I'm CONSTANTLY washing my hands. If I shake someone's hand -- friend, stranger, it doesn't matter -- I don't touch anything until I'm near a bathroom, where I discretely make my excuses and go wash my hands. I always wear gloves and never touch anything in public. Fanatic, maybe, but I never catch anything.
SOOO . . . at least in my case, the IBS apparently didn't lower my immune system. If that's normal, then I guess I just ain't normal. No surprise there! 
Bev.
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Interesting. Maybe I am not washing my hands enough. I know it sound a bit obsessive, but I am willing to try ANYTHING at this point. I am just so frustrated and am soooooo tired of being sick and so are my friends and family. I wil increase my hand washing and see if this helps. Thanks.
Leah
p.s. Do you take any herbs or anything else that you think helps?
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Herbs?
#33966 - 12/28/03 09:31 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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The only thing I take is fennel peppermint tea. However, I do take vitamins. I take a Centrum Silver multivitamin daily and 1,200mg. calcium + vitamin D every day -- and have been ever since I've been menopausal (my old doctor drummed its importance into me and did a good job of it). I don't know if that helps, but if you haven't been taking vitamin supplements, you might give it some thought.
Bev.
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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You sound JUST LIKE ME!
Go to an immunologist and an ENT right away (ENT=ears nose and throat doc). I wish I had done that...and I'm planning on doing this as soon as I can!
With IBS some of us don't get the right nutrients...or we have other things accompanying it. Take a multi-vitamin, get lots of sleep and fluids, make sure you get enough fat and insoluble fiber. Have you been tested for everything--Celiac, Crohn's, etc? Turns out I have an ulcer with my IBS.....and I'm anemic...and we're not done figuring out hat else is wrong!
Please don't wait. Get bloodwork done. Find a good doc! Take echinacea/goldenseal. Use a saline nasal spray, gargle, eat raw garlic (one or two cloves a day if you can tolerate it...cut it up into small pieces and swallow it like a pill if you can't stand the taste), there's tons you can do for the viruses......
If you think something is underlying your getting sick all the time (the average person gets 2 colds a year according to Dr. Weil and The Prescription for Nutritional Healing), make your doc listen and do some searching.
I hope you feel better soon! (Sorry if I came on strong.....I'm also a teacher/tutor...and I've been getting sick a lot too! And it wasn't my job!)
If you need a hug or some answers...I'm here!
*hugs*
Ruchie
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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HERBS
#33975 - 12/28/03 09:55 AM
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Take lots of vitamin C! Take 2,000 milligrams 3 times a day. If this gives you diarrhea, lower the amount to 1,500 mg and then to 1,000mg until your BM's normalize. Take Echinacea and goldenseal.....take it internally for two weeks and then stop it for two weeks and continue on for 2 off for 2. You also might want to try Garden of Life Seasonal Relief Natural Immune Support. It has Echinacea and Goldenseal in it. You can order it on-line at GardenOfLifeUSA.com or find it a health food store.
Garlic is a natural antibiotic. If you can, eat 2 raw garlic cloves daily. If you can't stand the taste (it's quite potent!) I suggest cutting it up into small pieces and swallowing it like a pill. (That's what I do!)
Cayenne pepper and horseraddish are good for opening up the nasal passages. I eat fish with the horseraddish and cayenne I put in my soup.
Eat lots of homemade chicken soup...the bones in the soup are VERY IMPORTANT! The gelatin and cartlidge are VERY good for colds and flus!
Take probiotics! This will also help boost your immunity!
If I remember anything else...I'll post it for ya!
Feel better soon! 
*hugs*
Ruchie
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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Re: Leah...
#34035 - 12/28/03 03:33 PM
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Leah
Reged: 06/18/03
Posts: 151
Loc: Denver, CO.
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Ruchie, thanks for the advice. I have been tested for everything under the sun and they cannot find anything wrong. I mean I have allergies, asthma, heart problems, uterine problems and IBS, but none of these seem to be causing the sickies. I am sick almost always and I'm tired of it all! I do know that my allergies, bad periods and heart problems can cause lowered immune system issues. I have been to an ENT and have chronic sinusitus. I have had three surgeries and have tried everything. I think maybe I am lacking some stuff in my diet, but I am not sure what. I will try the garlic too. Have you ever tried the garlic pills? Do they work the same as raw garlic? Well, thanks for listening to my sad story. I am so frustrated and tired of feeling like crap all of the time. I don;t think being around children all of the time helps. 
Leah
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i may be wrong about this, but it may be linked to auto immune syndrome. I think I heard and/or read it somewhere.
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I would add that practicing yoga, meditation, or using hypnotherapy will actually strengthen your immune system. So will plain old exercise and getting enough sleep.
There is no known direct link between IBS and any immune system problem - IBS is NOT an auto-immune disorder as celiac is, and as inflammatory bowel diseases may be (they're still researching this). But, any illness that puts you in pain, upsets your bowel function, and causes stress will certainly lower your immune system as a result. So if your IBS is flaring, or just plain chronically bothering you, you're likely to have a lowered immune system as a result of the toll the IBS is taking on your physical and mental health.
Do what you can to help raise your immune system and this should help balance things out. 
- H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Thanks everyone for the advice. I agree Heather that I need a better excercise routine. I started back with Pilates and did one class. Then of course I gor sick again and had to miss class yesterday. Arg! I need to do it though. I will do my best to hang in there and get myself up and running! Thanks a bunch for all of your advice and support!
Leah
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