question about the immune system

lupus is an auto-immune disease where the immune system attacks itself. Does that mean the stronger ones immune system is the stronger the auto-immune process is?

if so do anti-oxidants have a negative affect on people with lupus and other auto-immune dysfunctions?

the reason i ask this is about 6 months ago i was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency and started taking shots of growth hormone. I had long suspected what was affecting my body was some sort of auto-immune process(not necessarily lupus) . Well ever since i've started taking the shots of growth hormone i have noticed that my symptoms that i have long believed to be auto-immune have really started to speed up and intensify . Now...i read about GH and one of the things it does according to the medicines literature is "enhance the immune system".

is it possible i am just making my immune system stronger to attack itself?

thanks for reading

thanks for the response

that's what i'm wondering. Yes while there is no way to measure the strength of anyones immune system...i'm wondering if a stronger immune system makes for a stronger AI response.

my AI symptoms started long before my gh treatments but since the treatments they have really sped up so in that sense yeah it's been a trigger


this may be a silly question...do AI patients try to avoid taking anti-oxidants or vitamins or mineral supplements that claim to boost the immune system?

That's a question I entrusted to my rheumatologist. A close friend is a doctor of naturopathic medicine and she was urging me to take lots of supplements but before I would agree I talked to my rheumy about them. Other than the fact that they had no FDA approval, one of her main concerns was that whatever was in them (and all the ingredients are not always listed in some supplements) might interfere with the meds I'm taking. She told me NOT to take anything that claims to boost the immune system. Many of the meds we take, such as prednione, cellcept, and others, suppress the immune system.

So you're right. We want our immune system to be suppressed so that it won't attack our body.

Alex,

I do everything I can think of to avoid getting sick. I get a flu shot every year, which is recommended by our rheumies, I avoid sick people, I wash my hands constantly...after bathroom, after cleaning the house, before, during, and after cooking, and especially after being in a grocery store. I also avoid using public restrooms as much as possible. After taking all that care, I have a cold right now, and it feels more like the flu as far as how low my energy level is right now. At this point, getting lots of rest and drinking plenty of water is the best thing I can do for myself.

From reading & moderating here for over 3 years now, I can authoritatively say.... some of us become ill easily, some do not! For me, I tend not to be around small children, and don't hang around ill adults if I can help it...don't get a flu shot...and I haven't been ill since being dx w/Lupus in 2000. However, others seem to get everything that passes by - many of us have children still in grade school, or live with people who bring illnesses home. Most of us have been warned by our doctors to be as prudently cautious as possible - since we usually take immunosuppressants, it just makes sense. Cheers,

Spinningmawmaw, yes you do! Good for you for taking control of your health.

Hey Mawmaw . . . I finally had to side-step my primary care doctor and get a rheumy on my own. When the rheumy asked me who referred me, I told him "The Lupus Foundation". He was proud . . . and accepted me as a patient!! HA! My primary care doc was irritated . . . but I finally started getting proper care. Taaaaa daaaaa!!!! There is a link in my signature to find your local Lupus Chapter. Once you do that, they can give you a list of Rheumies in your area who are knowledgeable about lupus. I would get a referral from them. Better yet . . . attend your nearest Lupus Foundation Support Group meeting and ask the other members who they use. That's how I found a great doc. Blessings!

Alex,

For me, colds last longer than most peoples do. Bruises will stick around for a couple of months, but cuts heal just fine. It all depends on the person, how suppressed their immune system is, and how well they take care of themselves when they do get sick or an get injury.

HI Alexb,

 

I'm one of those people on immune suppressants that NEVER gets sick.  It seems as though the meds have actually made my immune system work perfectly.  I still have my issues with lupus, etc, but when it comes to getting sick, infections, etc, I just don't get them!  In this sense, I'm actually the healthiest person in my family.  Hubby is sick with colds and crap all the time, same with my nephew, sister, etc.  I feel like Wonderwoman!!  It's great! 

 

Lupus and immune suppressants will lower our white blood cell count.  Which puts us at a greater risk of getting sick or getting an infection.  So we just have to be careful and proactive in prevention.

 

There are a lot of things that will boost our immune system, which we don't want to happen.  One major thing is Chiropractic adjustments.  If you ever wonder if that is an effective treatment, I can tell you that whenever I get a neck or back adjustment, my lupus flares up something fierce.  Chiropractic is a VERY effective treatment, and not something anyone with lupus should be receiving.  My uncle is a chiropractor, and he won't adjust me!!! 

 

I have two small children, 1 and 6 and they pick up colds wherever we go. I was on Imuran for about three months and it didn't seem to help much so it was stopped. When my kids get sick and my DH gets it too, I seem to be the least affected. Even though I'm the one covered in sick baby goo all day, I get the mildest symptoms. I guess that's one perk of an overactive immune sys. The one caution I must stress about immunosuppressents is if you have young children, make sure teir doctor knows you are immune suppressed. Special caution will have to be taken with some of the children's vaccines. I ended up on a course of anti-virals because the baby got a live chicken pox vaccine. Also, my pediatrician will always put us directly into an exam room so as to not expose me to everything in the waiting room. I may not be on immune suppressents anymore, but I still take that extra precaution because you never know how our crazy immune systems will react to certain bacteria or viruses.

I read somewhere that the parvovirus can actually be an AI trigger. I used to work as vet tech and ran an animal shelter in FL, I was exposed to parvo more times then I could ever count. Not sure if that's what triggered my AI into activity or not. My real problems began after my first born and then really increased at a scary pace after my second child was born.

I used to love wine with dinner or socializing with friends, but I find that I just can't drink anymore because some of my meds give me such dry mouth that I just can't stand the dehydrating effect. One glass and I'm drinking gallons of water the rest of the night. On Imuran I was told to limit alcohol to one drink a month because of the strain the drug puts on the liver. I had to have my liver enzymes checked on a regular basis, so I would probably say alcohol is out.

By the way, Welcome Alex!!!! This site is a great support and comfort.