If somebody was having issues with a weakened immune system, and also dealing with a chronically higher baseline level of inflammation, are there any known ways to strengthen the immune system while reducing or at least not increasing baseline inflammation? Is that even possible or is some level of inflammation unavoidable?
Would it depend on the specific inflammatory factors that are already causing the higher baseline response?
I know there’s some research about running reducing inflammation, but it also triggers some inflammation? Is the acute inflammation triggered by running tied to longer term reductions in inflammation?
Don’t go to your regular GP, but ask to be transferred to a specialist. Tell your GP exactly for how long you have had the issue and what exactly you tried to emphasize that it’s nothing that goes away on its own.
That’s why I said “Talk to a good doctor”, not “Mention it to some overworked underpaid GP who gets paid for 5 minutes per patient”.
He does legit seem to be trying. I’ve already been sent to 2 specialists. Respiratory/pulmonology therapist gave me a long acting inhaler to use with my albuterol and told me I was probably just dealing with a lot of inflammation.Then referred me to an allergist because I asked.
Allergist found the positive ANA, but said she didn’t think it was anything actually related to my immune system. She gave me a sample of a different long acting inhaler and said to get a pneumonia vaccine and come back in 6 weeks to re-test my antibodies to different strains of staph. If they seemed like they don’t respond then she would consider something like a rheumatologist.
Again no real answers. Nobody can tell me why my chest x-ray and cat scan are clear, and my breathing tests don’t indicate I meet criteria for COPD or asthma, but for some reason, (aside from to he azithromycin) an albuterol inhaler has been one of the only other things that has been somewhat helpful with my energy levels and brain fog. They just gave me long acting inhalers to use instead because they assumed they should accomplish the same thing that Albuterol does, but make it so I don’t need the short acting inhaler.
I get that that’s what they should do, but they don’t seem to be doing anything, and they have their own set of risks and side effects (including increasing your risk for upper respiratory infections). Plus every time I see a new doctor, they never actually bother to try and listen to what I’m telling them. Or even what I’ve already tried and know doesn’t work. They think I’m just being a difficult patient.
Like I get my symptoms are vague and don’t really line up with an obvious diagnosis, but that’s also why I’m there to see them. At least with the GP it’s to the point where he no longer thinks I’m just being difficult/crazy because whatever is going on isn’t easy to just solve and be done with, and even my platelet count seems to indicate whatever this is, isn’t going away, it seems to be getting worse.
He actually listened to me about the azithromycin, even though he really fought me on prescribing it for the other 4 sinus infections I saw him for, and he referred me to a rheumatologist after the allergist wouldn’t. I’m supposed to see the rheumatologist next week, but I would be shocked if they didn’t just write me off like everybody else has when they first see me as a new patient.
The GP also gave me a referral to an ENT to see if I can at least figure out why I’m having constant sinus infections after every cold, but I can’t even get in to see them until April 2026.
Meanwhile when I get these symptoms flare ups, all I can do is try to treat the symptoms, and always try to avoid getting sick.
Inevitably I get a cold again, feel like shit, fall behind at work and every other aspect of life and responsibility that I have. Then I have to try to explain all this to my boss and other people, who don’t really seem to believe me when I tell them that I don’t understand why it keeps happening anymore than they do, and neither does any doctor I’ve been able to see so far.
What used to be something that would happen to me a few times a year (a normal cold) and then run it’s course after a few days, has turned into a never ending cycle. It’s very frustrating to try and do everything I know you’re supposed to do to get better, but then never get better.
If you’re sick, you think ok I’ll just take it easy for a few days, rest and take care of myself then I’ll be back to normal. But the back to normal never happens. Usually it just turns into a sinus infection. Then I get even worse until I finally get antibiotics.
Then, once the sinus infection is gone, I’ll finally be a little better for a week or two, try to have a normal life again and avoid getting sick, fail, and the cycle repeats itself.