For the last two years, I've had one infection (usually cold or flu, but also stomach bugs) after another. I'd say I've averaged about eight a year. I mentioned it to one of my GPs (I belong to a large practice here in the UK), but he didn't seem particularly interested. I think if I were a doctor and a patient came to me telling me they kept getting viral infections, I'd be inclined to investigate, but I suppose they're ever mindful of hitting financial targets nowadays, so perhaps they're trying to keep the number of referrals down.

I hope not, because the public health implications of that idea are serious, but I can't think of another explanation (apart from the supposition that I exaggerate my symptoms and am worrying unnecessarily; I sometimes get the feeling I get dismissed as neurotic, even when I have demonstrable organic illnesses).

Anyone had similar physical ailments - and overcome them? If so, how can I strengthen my immune system to avoid this happening? It's affecting my quality of life. Thanks in advance for your help.

Hi Great, have you ever been tested for auto immune diseases like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. I am thinking you definitely have a compromised immune system but there has to be something that is causing it (yes I know you know that that's why you are here). You need a new doctor that listens well, and no even with socialized medicine doctors don't have to worry about hitting financial anything. A good doctor is a good doctor and I guess one just has to be found for you. I have one I absolutely love, who treats my questions in a very intelligent way, maybe because I am in healthcare and she kows I know what I am talking about.

Tell us your medical history and perhaps we can put two and two together without diagnosing (as we can't do) on AMHD for obvious reasons.

Looking forward to hearing from you again.

Tick

Hello Tickle (Why? Do you like tickles/to tickle - or, in medical terms, have you got one that just won't go away?! ), I already have an autoimmune disease. (I'm not boasting, it's a pain in the neck, quite literally, really - I had a thryoid goitre in my late 20s which was surgically removed. My specialist at the time put me on 100mcg of thyroxine, which I've stayed on since, until recently, when I asked to see a specialist at my local hospital, because I read the thinking on long-term management of post-surgery symptoms has changed. They used to think you had to take thyroxine for ever, to prevent a re-emergence of goitre on the other side, and to supplement 'reduced production of thryoid hormone' by the body, but medical opinion on this has changed; they now think the rest of the thyroid gland may be able to produce enough hormone without supplementation to keep you euthryoid. So, the specialist reduced the daily dose of thyroxine to 75mg. I feel fine, and am going to see how I go - if I can come off it entirely at some point, that will be marvellous.

My father has asthma and diabetes, and asthma is on both sides of my family, both his and Mum's, so I think it's quite likely I may have late onset asthma (never had it as a child, but if I get a cold now, it goes straight to my chest and I get quite wheezy; I also find I am more 'allergic' to spring nowadays than I used to be!). It's very mild though, but could be a contributing factor, I suppose. I also find that I tend to panic under stress, and stress is known to lower immunity, so...

There we are, that's the whole story, in a nutshell; hope you haven't strained your eyesight reading all this - but you did ask! Thank you very much for your concern and your help. With all good wishes, Gratitude.

I see I don't need to tell you that yes, you really do have a severely compromised immune system. Diabetes is hereditary; have you been tested for it?

One of those doctors you go to should really initiate a referral to a nutritionist/dietician to enable you to access the proper foods to boost your immune system. A good diet can actually help you. I don't know about going off the thryoid meds, as far as I know, once you are on them you just don't go off, ever. Thyroid pays a pretty important roll in everything that goes on in your body. Could be your thyroid meds are the key to your immune deficiency problem; could be a thryoid specialist is in order. Just a few suggestions, Great.

No, moniker 'tickle' doesn't have ay significance to anything. Just something I picked up along the way. One member shortened it to 'tick' and it sort of stuck.

Tick

I know, Tickle, that has been received medical theory about thyroid medication - until recently. Here you go, this is my source for something I've long suspected myself: that my body doesn't need 'supplementing' (or force feeding, depending on how you view it!) with thyroxine, since the remaining part of the thyroid (in my case, the whole right lobe, and 1/4 of the remaining left) eventually becomes able to compensate for the missing 3/4 lobe. I had the op in 1987 and medical opinion has OF COURSE moved on since then - nowadays, they would try to reduce the goitre and associated hyperactivity with drugs first, instead of leaping in with surgery (extreme medical intervention like this is now seen as a LAST resort, not a FIRST one, as it was then).
This is the relevant extract:

'Nodular goitre

This is treated either with surgery or with radioactive iodine. Unlike someone with Graves' disease, you're unlikely to develop hypothyroidism.
IT USED TO BE FASHIONABLE AFTER SURGERY TO PRESCRIBE THYROXINE TO PREVENT REGROWTH OF THE GOITRE, WHICH IS COMMON OVER A PERIOD OF SOME 20 YHEARS, BUT THIS IS NOT REALLY USEFUL UNLESS YOU'VE DEVELOPED HYPOTHYROIDISM.' [Emphasis mine]

I'm not hypothyroid, but euthyroid; however, I have low TSH (thryoid stimulating hormone) levels, which I think are because I am taking thyroxine every day and my body has got used to being 'lazy' and not producing TSH for itself, simply BECAUSE of the supplementation. Incidentally, I asked in the past about being referred to a dietician to improve my health and another of my GPs told me it just isn't available on the NHS. I don't think the rest of the world realises how much we are struggling in the UK in the health service at the moment. It's a mess in terms of accessing services: successive govts have put the NHS and frontline workers under so much pressure, given them so many targets to reach and insisted they work within so many different models and frameworks (including an American one, so we now have a 'private public' health service, which simply works against its founding principles) that it simply causes confusion in the system and frustration in healthcare professionals. Sorry to go on, but I used to work for a magazine for senior execs in the NHS... Anyway, nice idea, but unless you can pay for private healthcare over here (and I can't), you have to make do with what the NHS CAN provide.
Thanks for your help with all this - the advice is very much appreciated. How would the thyroid meds be compromising my immune system? Incidentally, what is your health background? Are you yourself a healthcare or allied professional? I'm just about to train to be a renal healthcare assistant, to work in private clinics over here, so I'm interested! All good wishes, and once again, thank you. God bless Canada!

Are you seeing an endocrinologist?

No. I had to ask my GP for a referral, but it was my own idea that I might be overmedicated, i.e. taking thyroid hormone replacement when I no longer need it. The risk of a repetition of producing a goitre lessens with the years anyway - and I had mine removed over 20 years ago. Thanks for your concern.

No. I had to ask my GP for a referral, but it was my own idea that I might be overmedicated, i.e. taking thyroid hormone replacement when I no longer need it. The risk of a repetition of producing a goitre lessens with the years anyway - and I had mine removed over 20 years ago. Thanks for your concern.

You need to seek out the medical advice of an endocrinologist regarding your thyroid medication. My sister had the same problem and her thyroid and her Endo at Rutgers University Hospital advised her that the meds were for a lifetime.

I understand your concern, I do as I am an RN and I know plenty of MDs who over-medicate. I am all for you being your own advocate when it comes to your health.

I don't understand what you mean when you say this is about financial targets as viruses typically clear up on their own and need no medical intervention. If you have been given antibiotics for viruses, or if you have not completely taken the prescribed amount of antibiotics, your body could have developed a resistance to certain medications making it harder to rid yourself of certain infections.

Hi J_9. You've understood the context about financial targets. I got a reply to my concerns about being overmedicated with thyroid hormone from someone in Canada. She suggested I should get a referral to a dietician, as eating properly would support the function of my thyroid gland. I am aware of this (I've read a lot of info related to thyroid function over the years, in an attempt to attain optimal health, given my condition) and asked my GP to do just that. He DID try, but later came back to me to tell me that IT WASN'T AVAILABLE ON THE NHS. As an NHS professional, you surely can't be saying that the policies of successive govts and cut backs HAVEN'T impacted on the way you are enabled (or otherwise) to provide services, are you? All good wishes, and thanks for taking an interest.

I read the answers you got from Tickle. I'm not from the UK, but rather from the US, so I don't know how your cutbacks have affected you as a patient.

I agree with Tick's diet, but I also stress that you need to be seen by an endocrinologist as the thyroid gland is an endocrine gland and an endocrinologist is much more knowledgeable than a GP in these areas.

Never, EVER take yourself off medication without the express permission and direction of your medical professional.

As I stated, it is best to be your own health advocate, but by that I mean arm yourself with knowledge and take it to the best medical professional possible and discuss all areas of treatment, whether it be diet, exercise, medication, etc.

I'm seeing this many days late, and just want to add something that is probably not applicable to you, but I want to mention it anyway. I have a tendency to long drawn out dry hacking bronchial coughs after the slightest cold, although haven't had any in the last few years, not being around many people these days to catch a cold.
But many years ago I had a cough for about 10 months, could not walk up a flight of stairs, had all sorts of tests and took serious antibiotics, and it wouldn't stop. Turns out it was an infected TOOTH! It was cracked below the gumline, and my dentist didn't find it despite soreness around the gum. A Periodontist saw it right away, removed it, and I was suddenly free of the cough.