Constantly Catching the Common Cold

Wibby
Wibby Member Posts: 27
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I've been out of treatment for nine months. I never got a cold or other annoying bug once during chemo. I am currently enduring my fifth cold since September. Where, oh where did my immune system go? Has anyone else had this experience? I've been taking all the proper precautions I took during chemo. - hand-washing being the best. How long will it take my immune system to get back to normal?
Thanks for any advice!
Libby

Comments

  • mmontero38
    mmontero38 Member Posts: 1,510
    #2
    Could take anywhere up to 1
    Could take anywhere up to 1 year my oncologist said. We've also had a really long and cold winter Libby and that may also be the problem. Much more sick people around then in other years. Maybe a multi-vitamin might help if you aren't taken one already. Spring is in the air, and we should be thawing out soon (I hope). Hugs, Lili
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    #3
    Sorry to say Libby, I don't
    Sorry to say Libby, I don't get the small stuff only the big stuff. Not even during chemo when my counts were down. Still didn't get anything. And I work in a hospital. Maybe think about your diet. Zinc is needed for your immune and I'm sure few of us actually get the RDI of it. I used to take a few cloves of raw garlic when I thought I was coming down with something (raw,chopped, do not chew). I will also take astragalus (chinese herb) at times. I have not found any info indicating it's hormonal.

    As Lil mentioned, maybe a multi vitamin might be useful if you're not already taking one.

    love
    jan
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #4
    Libby, next month will be 3
    Libby, next month will be 3 yrs since my diagnosis and I had constant cold from october till february. And my nose is running on and off still and my throat is also sore on and off.

    It took a very long time for my wbc to rise after chemo and still wavers between 3.5 and 4.0 which is the bottom of normal. But I can't help but think my immune system has been weakened. Before my treatment I NEVER got sick. I work with kids and still managed to avoid germs. So I have to wonder.....even though docs will tell you that chemo does not permanently hinder your ability to fend off sickness.
  • Wibby
    Wibby Member Posts: 27
    #5
    mmontero38 said:

    Could take anywhere up to 1
    Could take anywhere up to 1 year my oncologist said. We've also had a really long and cold winter Libby and that may also be the problem. Much more sick people around then in other years. Maybe a multi-vitamin might help if you aren't taken one already. Spring is in the air, and we should be thawing out soon (I hope). Hugs, Lili

    Thank Lili
    Thank you Lili for your advice - it has been a long winter and I teach in a high school that we call a germ factory. But I never used to get so many colds. Spring is raising my spirits even though the thermometer said it was 27 degrees out this morning. Perhaps this is the last cold I'll get.
    Gratefully,
    Libby
  • Wibby
    Wibby Member Posts: 27
    #6
    phoenixrising said:

    Sorry to say Libby, I don't
    Sorry to say Libby, I don't get the small stuff only the big stuff. Not even during chemo when my counts were down. Still didn't get anything. And I work in a hospital. Maybe think about your diet. Zinc is needed for your immune and I'm sure few of us actually get the RDI of it. I used to take a few cloves of raw garlic when I thought I was coming down with something (raw,chopped, do not chew). I will also take astragalus (chinese herb) at times. I have not found any info indicating it's hormonal.

    As Lil mentioned, maybe a multi vitamin might be useful if you're not already taking one.

    love
    jan

    Sorry about complaining
    Sorry about complaining about the small stuff - it's just beginning to wear me down. My diet is actually very good since chemo as I want to get healthy again. I eat 5-7 fruits and veggies a day, whole grains, very few sweets, etc. I also take a multi-vitamin, pro-biotics, calcium and vitamin D. I haven't tried zinc or raw garlic yet. I've never heard of astragalus - where do you get it?
    Thanks for all your advice and caring.
    Love,
    Libby
  • Wibby
    Wibby Member Posts: 27
    #7
    Eil4186 said:

    Libby, next month will be 3
    Libby, next month will be 3 yrs since my diagnosis and I had constant cold from october till february. And my nose is running on and off still and my throat is also sore on and off.

    It took a very long time for my wbc to rise after chemo and still wavers between 3.5 and 4.0 which is the bottom of normal. But I can't help but think my immune system has been weakened. Before my treatment I NEVER got sick. I work with kids and still managed to avoid germs. So I have to wonder.....even though docs will tell you that chemo does not permanently hinder your ability to fend off sickness.

    Thank you, Eil
    Thank you, Eil! I think misery loves company. I don't know what my wbc count is, but I have an appt. with my onc. in April and will find out then. Each time I've started to feel better this year, I come down with another cold. I guess if I can endure chemo, I can endure one more cold. But it is getting old. I also work with kids - I teach in a high school. I taught a reduced load during chemo and never once got sick. Figures!
    Thank you for your reply,
    Libby
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    #8
    Wibby said:

    Sorry about complaining
    Sorry about complaining about the small stuff - it's just beginning to wear me down. My diet is actually very good since chemo as I want to get healthy again. I eat 5-7 fruits and veggies a day, whole grains, very few sweets, etc. I also take a multi-vitamin, pro-biotics, calcium and vitamin D. I haven't tried zinc or raw garlic yet. I've never heard of astragalus - where do you get it?
    Thanks for all your advice and caring.
    Love,
    Libby

    Oh Libby, please don't
    Oh Libby, please don't apologize. I didn't mean that we shouldn't complain. Sometimes I'm not very good with words. I can certainly imagine how tiresome and frustrating it would be to get one cold after another. Esp with your diet/supplements which sounds pretty darn healthy to me. So please forgive me, my intent was not to criticize. I get astragalus at the health food store. I don't usually use it more than 1 day. Just a couple if I feel something that I think might be the start of a cold or flu. Good luck to you.
    love
    jan
  • CR1954
    CR1954 Member Posts: 1,390 Member
    #9
    Hi Libby...
    My husband, bless his dopey heart, came down with a cold just after I started chemo. I tried everything to keep from getting it, including running around behind him with a can of Lysol in my hand! I am also a fanatical hand washer. However, I DID get it. And while he recovered in two weeks, I had it for almost three months! I even lost my voice completely for seven weeks. He may have enjoyed that part, but I surely didn't!

    Since finishing treatment in February, I have since had a stomach virus, but so far, no more colds, thank goodness! And I am sooo hoping I can dodge that bullet!! I want a strong immune system!

    CR
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #10
    Wibby said:

    Thank you, Eil
    Thank you, Eil! I think misery loves company. I don't know what my wbc count is, but I have an appt. with my onc. in April and will find out then. Each time I've started to feel better this year, I come down with another cold. I guess if I can endure chemo, I can endure one more cold. But it is getting old. I also work with kids - I teach in a high school. I taught a reduced load during chemo and never once got sick. Figures!
    Thank you for your reply,
    Libby

    I teach too! I teach art
    I teach too! I teach art grades 3-5. My first 4 treatments were the end of a school year and the summer but I did work during my last 4 treatments and I like you, never got sick. Now, I am always coming down with something. But if you were to ask your doc I bet they would say that our colds do not have to do with the treatment that we had. I guess we could never know for sure......but I know for a fact that I was much better at fending off things before chemo.

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