Is it dangerous to get sick (cold, flu, etc.) again?

Hello Karma Cat.
I got GBS in Jan 07 and it hit me lightley. I was as you worryed when I got a bad cold. I called my Neuroligist and she said treat it like any cold I have had.I do get nervous but she assured me I will be ok. I got my GBS from a flu shot and this body will never get another flu shot. I am sure you will get others feelings about colds. ( Steve)

Suzanne don’t forget about tentus shots–there’s more written on that and if memory serves it’s pretty definative.

About your immune system post GBS and recently post GBS I’d be cautious but I wouldn’t stop my life. I was very healthy and rarely sick before coming down with GBS last year. Afterwards I got 3 serious ear infections (hadn’t had one of those in 3 decades). The first time it scared me sensless as it was maybe a month after I got out of the hospital. I ran a high fever, 103. My GP gave me antibiotic pills and a shot. I hadn’t had a shot of antibiotics in decades. I think it was somewhat precautionary but then I take for granted that my immune system can do it’s job. God only knows what kind of shape it’s really in.

I seem to not get sick with any more frequency than before and I ride public transportation and work in an office with a number of folks who think coming to work ill is heroic. I typically avoid them but they do spread their germs far and wide so I doubt I can escape them all. I’d like to give them a lecture, I don’t, but I usually make some kind of comment about it.

This is just my two cents. You might want to ask your doctor if you’re really concerned. I checked out all kinds of things out with my neuorolgist during the first 3 or so months of my recovery.

Nate had a pretty bad cold about 6 weeks after being diagnosed with GBS.
He was in a convalescent hospital by then and having trouble breathing already frightened him, me and his nurse.
They gave him antibiotics, lots of cough syrup/expectorant and it took him about 2 weeks to get better but he was ok.
He also had a kidney infection about 5 mos after. It was Strep infection which can get pretty serious.
They gave him Streptomycin and he was ok within a week. He has Bladder Dysfunction, causing him to not be able to tell when he needs to empty.
It causes kidney backup.
The hospital started giving him Cranberry juice every day and I still do now.
It helps acidify the urine, cutting down on bacteria.
The illnesses he had did not seem to hinder his recovery or bring back any symptoms of GBS.
Trying to resume normal routines as much as can be will not only help you but your family as well. I know its sometimes hard but it will make things easier.
Trudy, natesmom

suzanne,

your immune system has not changed due to gbs. it is neither under nor overactive. there is an error in a small part of it [genetic he says with very little proof]. if you get a cold, the likelyhood is that your residuals will act up & you will feel miserable besides the miserableness of the cold. i can see no reason to treat your daughter any different than before you had gbs. of course what you do is up to you & your hubby.

gene

That’s interesting Gene, can I ask why in your opinion you say genetic?

niki,

from years of reading posts on this & others boards, it seems like 2 things show up that, to me, defy coincidence. first [the non-genetic one] is that a number of us w gbs have other immune system problems. Second [the genetic one] is that a fair number of us have other family members with immune system problems including gbs. I reach both my conclusions from discussions on gbs boards. Also I have a nephew who had an immune system problem that affected his kidneys & a first cousin who died of als. Our family history includes a comment that way back when, locals passed on info never to marry into our family cuz we had ‘nerve disease’.

gene

Katspot-you mentioned a tetnus shot? are we not suppose to be getting this kind of shot now? I got one about 7 years ago when I was getting a well woman check up? If not, kinda glad I did not know at the time, my mind tends to make things worse sometimes.

Karen

Karen there were some posts on this forum about tetnus and I’m sure if you google it you’ll get some hits. The only hits I can find on the forum are other’s opinions but I know I a read medical article on it a while back — in short my understanding is that tetnus shots are out of the question for anyone who’s had GBS.

I have gotten great results taking Aribinogalactan (sp) for immune boost. It is the main ingredient in Airborne and you can buy it just as aribinogalactan at healthfood stores or online. I took it religiously after I started recovery because I was (still am) afraid of getting sick. Once i stopped taking it, WHAM! I got sick soon after and it hit me hard.

My sons pediatrician advised us to get his DTP booster and I am freaking out about it. I feel so strongly about vaccinations now that I am wondering if there is a way to get out of it. Any thoughts on this?

It was just this year when Igot my flu /phemonia shot that they are now saying with proof that you can get GBS from the flu shot when I get sick I just get extra rest and relaxation but my walking is affected when sick and pain level.
So just get 3x more rest and you will be fine when you get a cold or flu.

I am proof you can get GBS from the flu shot. I was blessed as mine was caught in the early stages. I will never again take a flu shot. Steve

I have had many tetinus shots since GBS, [B]BUT I did not know what I do[/B] now. I probably wont do it again, just because of the VERY SLIGHT risk.

I personally wont get shots anymore and most definitely NOT THE FLU SHOT (The flu mist is worse as it has the live virus), just in case … . However I am not toooooo (notice i said toooooo 😉 ) much of an alarmist, and honestly, one can get GBS from eating slightly undercooked chicken, in fact more instances of that than from shots. My choice is that my children get most of their shots, I try to weigh up the pro’s and con’s. Last year, when My daughter was 14 they wanted to give her a menengitis shot as a ‘precaution’ – but it was in the news showing a number of teenagers getting gbs from that shot. I decided against that one then, but may change my mind if she moves into a dorm at varisty where the incidents are apparently higher.

As far as colds and flu, I dont get as many colds or flu as my husband, and most of the time he is hit worse than I am.

Suzanne,
There is so much that circulates through the schools and the kids are bound to bring it home. My family is really good at keeping their distance and washing their hands alot so I don’t catch the crud. I have to say though I ponder this so much because I had GBS 11 years ago and it followed the flu from Thanksgiving and then Christmas. But this time it was from Campylibactor from chicken I ate at Noodles and Co. I noticed I wasnt really sick ever in those 10 years and now again I never really get sick (as in the flu). (thank God because I cant handle even the slightest cold without it triggering all the gbs trauma). The thoughts I ponder are…does my system harbor all this and then explode in the form of GBS? I want to meet with a immunologist to understand more of what goes on in there and what can I do better. It would be great if we could see inside our bodies to know whats going on and how to change it.