# Is There Anything I Can Do About My Crap Immune System? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 25, 2023, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170 "2023-04-25T14:37:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/21 "2023-04-26T01:28:51Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Or a severe chronic condition that does the same. Asthma could qualify for that, if it required chronic routine use of oral steroids to keep under control. So far _knock on wood_ the only time I have asthma is following respiratory illness. Unfortunately that’s happening a lot lately. I come down with cold/flu, I start to feel better, I am hit with uncontrollable coughing for days or even weeks, and sometimes hives. The inhalers seem to help resolve the asthma more quickly (days, not weeks) but the hives usually require steroids. > [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > My first 15 years in medicine were years of chronic viral type illnesses, until I finally got exposed to enough of the common pathogens to shrug most of them off. That’s terrible. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/22 "2023-04-26T01:31:56Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > So far _knock on wood_ the only time I have asthma is following respiratory illness. Unfortunately that’s happening a lot lately. I come down with cold/flu, I start to feel better, I am hit with uncontrollable coughing for days or even weeks, and sometimes hives. The inhalers seem to help resolve the asthma more quickly (days, not weeks) but the hives usually require steroids. You might want to ask about whether a leukotriene inhibitor (like singular or accolate) might help you at such times. I’ve had patients do well on that type of drug rather than steroids, even if only used for exacerbations such as yours. But your allergist is your best guide there. > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > That’s terrible. It sure was. I got all the seasonal and other vaccinations, washed hands until they bled, etc. But none of that helps much when kids (and adults) cough in your face and barf in your lap and worse. I still don’t know how I avoided covid for over 2.5 years, with so many of my patients having it. I didn’t get it until my wife came down with it first. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/23 "2023-04-26T01:33:50Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > You might want to ask about whether a leukotriene inhibitor (like singular or accolate) might help you at such times. I’ve had patients do well on that type of drug rather than steroids, even if only used for exacerbations such as yours. But your allergist is your best guide there. I’ll definitely talk to him about it the next time I see him. Thanks. Sounds like the root of this really could be the asthma. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/24 "2023-04-26T01:35:26Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Sounds like the root of this really could be the asthma. My money’s on the triggering cause being your kid in daycare, with your asthma being the wild card that makes it last. Sorry to say, but daycare and germs go hand in hand, even worse than cruise ships or orgies. (based on professional info, not personal experience. Mostly) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/25 "2023-04-26T02:22:28Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Honest ignorant question here: do you really see many adult onset immunodeficiencies that present as somewhat more prolonged common viral infections, same as the rest of the household gets just lasting longer? The OP said > [@](#): > > I’ve always been kind of a sickly person ever since I was a little kid So, “adult onset” may not describe the situation accurately. At any rate, as you likely know, primary immunodeficiency disorders [often _do_ present in adults](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S221321981630397X), and while I did not suggest it was likely in the OP’s case, I mentioned that a consultation with the appropriate specialist might be useful to rule out such a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/26 "2023-04-26T02:29:24Z")
Don’t know anything about your body type, so this might not be a factor, but research is being done on inflammatory effects of chronic insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, obesity and their overall effects on the immune system, allergies, among other things. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/27 "2023-04-26T02:36:19Z")
Oh, I’m definitely fat. I’m sure that’s a factor. I don’t want to digress too far from the subject of the OP, but given the current research on the low likelihood of successfully losing weight over the long term, combined with research showing that people who restrict their food intake in an attempt to lose weight generally end up fatter than if they had never tried at all, I am really on the fence about how to approach that issue. But even if it had no impact on my weight per se it seems very worthwhile to me to pursue healthier behaviors. Daily exercise and homecooked meals at a minimum. Kind of hard to do when you can’t breathe! ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/28 "2023-04-26T02:58:26Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > …combined with research showing that people who restrict their food intake in an attempt to lose weight generally end up fatter than if they had never tried at all… I do not claim any expertise but from what I have read it is more about what you eat than how much. Of course, it is all inter-related and this is not the thread for this discussion. /hijack ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/29 "2023-04-26T03:03:25Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Also wanted to mention I tend to break out in hives when I get sick, too. Do you have any chronic infections such as herpes? Have you had chickenpox? ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/30 "2023-04-26T03:03:52Z")
Well it might actually be perhaps the single most important factor with regard to immune system health, that’s kind of my point. It is true that the statistics with regard to fat loss are not good, but . . . Don’t be a statistic! ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/31 "2023-04-26T03:12:55Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Oh, I’m definitely fat. I’m sure that’s a factor. I am SOOOOOOO not a doctor, but for maybe five to seven years, until last year, I had a slightly similar issue with asthma-like symptoms: occasional wheezy coughing when I was stressed or really tired, that sounded to me a lot like what asthma sufferers have. Meds didn’t help. At the time (most recently Jan '22) I was also about 55 pounds over what I consider the best weight for my body type and activity preferences. I am now about 15 pounds over that weight, but the remarkable thing is that as soon as I started mild undereating instead of overeating and concentrated on healthier foods, the asthma-like symptoms disappeared almost IMMEDIATELY. Like, I doubt I had even lost the first five pounds when I noticed that hey, no more wheezing! And I haven’t had another wheezy-cough episode since, except once or twice over the intervening months when I’ve deliberately gone AWOL on my health improvement plans and stuffed myself with rich foods (which I do not regret in the slightest, btw). Curious about this, my ignorant non-doctor ass went looking for advice from Dr. Google, who spouted a bunch of confusing yabberyabber about something called “GERD asthma” (that’s gastroesophageal reflex disease, sez Dr. Google). Liiiiike, you can have acid reflux without noticeable heartburn pain or acidity? And the acid reflux can make your lung airways more sensitive to irritants and/or your nerve reflex tries to close off the stomach and it constricts your airways or something, did I mention I’m not a doctor?? So, my intensely medically ignorant ass MAY be a clinical instance of serendipitously fixing GERD asthma episodes by decreasing bodyfat (or just by changing eating habits, since as I said the wheezing disappearance was much quicker than the actual bodyfat loss). But, in case you didn’t know, I’m not a doctor, and even if I were, there’s nothing that says that my experiences would be in any way relevant to anybody else’s. (And BTW I am 1000% in agreement with you about the pitfalls and unreliability of actual-use weight-loss practices, and the hazards and counterproductivity of very, very much of diet culture and the diet industry. Fat acceptance and body positivity about all body types are DESPERATELY, fundamentally necessary to improve public health and fitness. The more we scold and shame people, including ourselves, about our size or condition, the worse our health will get.) ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/32 "2023-04-26T03:19:26Z")
Actually I really _didn’t_ know. The cite you gave seems to be abbreviated but I’ve found another. > **[Immunodeficiency in adults a practical guide for the allergist](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4479546/)** > > Knowing the clinical warning signs of immunodeficiency (ID) in adulthood is crucial for early detection of the over 200 forms of primary ID known to date. Many of these congenital diseases with a genetic background already manifest in childhood.... Apparently the one that presents in adulthood most frequently is common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) and confirmed that common viral illnesses lasting longer is not the presentation. The intro is on point for this op! > [@](#): > > In an era where food supplements, vitamin preparations, and a wide range of complementary medical therapy forms are being promoted with the argument that they strengthen and stimulate the immune system — and given that the response to this promotion suggests that there are large numbers of people who apparently believe their immune systems to be weak or who feel unsure or generally fragile — it is essential for the experienced specialist physician with an interest in immunology to establish clarity in individual cases and respond to patients need for advice and reassurance with targeted and cost-effective diagnostics. … 😀 Anecdotally I’m of mixed mind about > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > time to recover between illnesses? Not immune system directly. If anything there may be some extra protection! But indirectly from airway inflammation and the effects of fatigue and stress? Maybe? FWIW there are many asthma action plan options to consider. [Newish guidelines](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41533-023-00330-1) are big on the option of combined inhaled corticosteroid-fometerol with onset of symptoms or as maintenance with ramp up during symptoms. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/33 "2023-04-26T03:39:21Z")
Big doses of vitamin C, probiotics and exercise. The exercise part will be the hardest because it’s the thing your body is least capable of doing when weak. But it’s the ultimate immune-system booster, IMHO, of course, YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/34 "2023-04-26T09:38:31Z")
Right before covid hit, my brother was seeing a lot of doctors to diagnose why he couldn’t shake the common cold. He’d been sick for months after catching a cold. And he was diagnosed as being deficient in one particular type of white cell or something. So immune deficiency CAN manifest in addition as an inability to recover from colds. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/35 "2023-04-26T14:49:47Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Big doses of vitamin C There is no good evidence that this megadosing helps anything. And big doses _may_ be involved in causing kidney stones, as vitamin C does get metabolized to oxalate, which gets excreted thru the kidney and is a component of stones. And yes, I’m aware of Linus Pauling’s obsession with vitamin C as a cure-all. I met the man decades ago. Respect for his Nobel prizes for his work on protein folding and peace efforts, but he went waaaay off into the woods with his ascorbic acid hypotheses. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/36 "2023-04-26T15:42:59Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > My first 15 years in medicine were years of chronic viral type illnesses, until I finally got exposed to enough of the common pathogens to shrug most of them off. That’s how it worked for my mother (a pre-k special ed / head start teacher) as well. The first 5-10 years of her career involved September-November crud every year that we’d all get. But eventually we all got exposed to all the diseases and didn’t actually get sick in the fall anymore. Which was actually super cool when I went to college and didn’t get sick like most everyone else did. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/37 "2023-04-26T15:45:38Z")
The thought of another five or ten years of this makes me feel profoundly depressed. I’m going to urgent care right now for steroids. I’ve been up since 2am doing a piss poor job of breathing, even with Tylenol. I’ll deal with the allergist later. Right now this is threatening my ability to be present for my son’s autism evaluation Friday - which has been in the works for months - and I am trying not to panic. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/38 "2023-04-26T15:48:56Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I’m going to urgent care right now for steroids. Sounds like an excellent idea. Breathing effectively is a very high priority! I hope you feel better soon. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/39 "2023-04-26T16:52:32Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > The thought of another five or ten years of this makes me feel profoundly depressed. > > I’m going to urgent care right now for steroids. It won’t be that long. Preschool is the big cesspool brought home phase. And next Fall/Winter is highly likely going to be less of the pathogen parade that this one has been, with this one not yet having stopped despite allegedly being Spring. I don’t typically dis posters’ docs, but your current allergist has not done an adequate job with your care plan. There is even a reasonable likelihood that even when you seem well you have some unresolved airway inflammation that contributes to impaired defenses and hyperreactivity. > [@puzzlegal](#): > > as being deficient in one particular type of white cell or something. So immune deficiency CAN Seriously I asked with admitted ignorance of adult presentations. That said a report of a brother had some “or something” does not contribute to the reduction of my ignorance. Kids get viral and autoimmune induced neutropenia fairly regularly and occasionally respectively. The former is the virus causing it not the other way around. The latter usually typically has mouth ulcers along with minor infections. Both spontaneously resolve. There are also bigger broader cell line deficiencies with bigger issues. I understand adults can have neutropenias secondary to other scary causes. If there is some specific adult neutropenia that causes a variety of prolonged common viral infections I would love to learn what it is and how common it is. Unfortunately my brother had something or the other is not very useful. Sorry if that comes off snarky. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170/40 "2023-04-26T16:59:48Z")
My brother has a specific immune deficiency which has been diagnosed, and was found when looking for “why does he take so long to recover from colds” and is believed by his doctors to be the answer to that question. I can look up the specifics, probably. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-i-can-do-about-my-crap-immune-system/983170.md?page=3)