Last Updated on February 17, 2023 by Lori Geurin
Wondering how the immune system can change when you have a chronic illness? Find out some interesting things people with Lyme disease have discovered.
Post Update
It’s been two full years since I published this post and I’m bringing it to the top of the blog feed because it’s received so much interaction. Not only have you posted your thought-provoking questions and comments here on the topic, but you continue sending me emails about your personal experiences with this strange phenomenon many of us have had. Thank you!
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Does everyone with Lyme or other tick-borne diseases stop catching colds and flu? No, apparently not. But it’s clearly something that happens to a lot of us so I want to keep the conversation going.
We have much to learn about Lyme bacteria and how it impacts our health. Through sharing our experiences, we can learn from each other and support one another in what we’re going through. Because – as you know – Lyme disease isn’t like other diseases.
Please view this post as a sort of forum for the topic and feel free to share updates to any previous comments you may have made. Also, add new comments.
Lyme Disease Ebook
As always, please remember that everyone is entitled to their own experience and opinions. We are all individuals with various life experiences, and respecting other viewpoints is essential.
(Reporter Linda Simmons from KY3 News interviewed me about my experience with Lyme disease. You can watch the interview here.)
If you’re wondering, does Lyme disease compromise the immune system? keep reading…
Possible Theories About Lyme Disease And Immunity
That said, in the two years since writing this post, after reading your replies, talking to my doctors, and my personal experience (I still haven’t had the flu or a cold, just a day or two of sneezing, which I attributed to allergies) I have two general theories about why this phenomenon is happening:
- Immune system issues caused by the Lyme bacteria
- Borrelia needs to keep your body temperature low to survive and thrive. As many of you have mentioned, Lyme hates warmer temperatures.
Keep in mind that knowledge is ever-changing, so I may alter my views in the future if something changes. I haven’t conducted scientific experiments or anything earth-shattering like that. This is simply more of a hunch strung together with some facts and a whole lot of experience from some intelligent Lymies and Lyme-literate MDs. So there you go, friends.
I would love to know your thoughts below! I love learning along with you!
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Original Post – Lyme Disease And The Immune System
(The original text of this March 2017 post is written below in its entirety, with a few minor tweaks here and there.)
So, as I write this, I’m living in a house full of sick people.
Completely surrounded by influenza.
And contagious germs.
Caring for all of my ailing family members.
And I’m thankful for one thing Lyme disease might be good for….preventing me from catching colds and, in this case, the flu that otherwise “healthy” people get.
Seriously.
Ever since I’ve had Lyme, I can be surrounded by a highly contagious illness, but over and over, rarely, if ever, get “sick.”
If you have Lyme, you know this is a small consolation considering everything else we deal with, but each little thing helps, right?
I mean, we may end up going to the doctor, emergency room, or hospital for several other Lyme-related health problems, but if I can bypass the colds, flu, and other assorted viruses out there….I’ll take it.
For now, anyway.
Interestingly, a friend who has Lyme told me her doctor was encouraged when she started catching colds and viruses her children would catch at preschool. He said this was a good sign.
But why, I want to know?
Does it mean her immune system is beginning to work like it’s supposed to again?
Why Do (Some) People With Lyme Disease Not Catch Colds And Flu?
I’ve researched this strange phenomenon online and found many fellow “Lymies” with the same experience. But I’ve had difficulty finding any concrete explanation for why this happens.
So if you know, can you please share with me? 🙂
Our doctors tell us that our immune systems are messed up, so I’m guessing this has a lot to do with it.
But is it because our immune system is so weak and worn down from fighting Lyme and co-infections?
Or perhaps our immunity is in overdrive and simply wipes out every invader that comes close. But if that were true, would we even have Lyme in the first place?
Or, here’s another thought. Because many of us have felt like we’ve had the flu every day since we were infected with Lyme disease, maybe we can’t recognize a “little” cold? (I’m not implying a cold is little, just using it as an example.)
So many questions. Please help!
As a side note, I’ve read on some message boards that people with MS and a few other autoimmune conditions experience this same crazy phenomenon.
More Information About Lyme & Ticks
Several years ago, I was bitten by ticks and started having debilitating symptoms. None of the doctors could figure out what was wrong with me I was desperate for answers. I spent many hours researching on my own, working to figure out what was causing all of my health problems.
Thankfully, I was eventually tested for Lyme and co-infections and diagnosed with Lyme, tularemia, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF). Yet, so many people are still searching and wondering why they’re suffering from many of the same symptoms.
Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, autoimmune conditions, or chronic fatigue syndrome – as I was initially.
But, like me, you wonder, what is causing all of this? Why am I in pain and exhausted all the time?
Related: Symptoms And 3 Stages Of Lyme Disease You Need To Know About
I created a Lyme resource to help answer your questions. The guide provides you with:
- more details about Lyme and other tick-borne diseases
- valuable information on diagnosis and testing
- where to find financial help for Lyme patients
- prevention tips
- instructions for how to properly remove a tick
- and more…
all based on research. Simply click here to get the Lyme Disease Ebook.
It’s FREE, or you can pay what you’d like.
Check out these 8 Communication Skills To Improve Your Relationships.
PLEASE PIN FOR LATER
Summary – Lyme Disease, Colds, And Flu
Untreated Lyme disease presents debilitating symptoms that mimic other diseases, making it hard to identify and treat. Some of the symptoms are shared by many Lyme patients. Many (but definitely not all) have reported that they don’t get colds or the flu like they used to before contracting Lyme.
This post is intended to get people talking about their symptoms and experiences and explore what could be causing this phenomenon.
If you have Lyme or know someone who does, do you still catch colds and other illnesses or not? Have you read or heard a good explanation for why this happens?
Please share your thoughts below in the comment section. I’d love to hear your take on this! Hoping we can learn more together. X, Lori
For more on Lyme disease and chronic illness:
- Changing DNA To Eliminate Lyme Disease: Could It Be The Answer?
- 16 Facts You Need To Know About Lyme Disease
- Celebrities With Lyme Disease
- The Ultimate Gift Guide For People With Chronic Illness
- Justin Bieber’s Lyme Disease Battle Exposes Ugly Truth
- Coronavirus Information For People With Lyme
- How To Sleep Better With Lyme Disease
- 21 Strategies To Fight Lyme Disease Naturally
- Is Chronic Lyme Disease Real? Part 1
realfoodrebel.com/lyme-disease-and-parasites-love-sugar
O and people dont understand this ,they never really tell you that lyme is caused by? what? a bacterial infection JUST what is an infection? ITS PARASITES bacteria, infections, cancer, fungus, virus’ IT IS ALL JUST PARASITES !
I have just now after YEARS of not knowing what i had figured out i have lyme. I do not get sick with colds/flu either. I read that if we have parasites in our bodies that these parasites grab and surround any other parasites that try to invade our bodies(colds, virus’ hep etc..) and if we kill them they will of course immediately let go of the other ones they have been holding them we get very ill. I fully believe that. Have you heard of Helminthic therapy? wiki that is very interesting. It is where a person actually infects them self with parasites for them to cure their other diseases in their bodies! i was in shock unbelievable but its true ! take care !
“https://helminthictherapywiki.org/wiki/in.
Your helpful post is coming into its own again now! I haven’t had a cold or flu in years (Lyme symptoms for 30+ years but only diagnosed about 5 years ago). I never normally worry when I’m around people who are sick because I seem to be unable to catch anything. I always assumed that my immune system is so shot through that it’s not fighting, and therefore I’m not getting the cold symptoms, which are normally just side effects of an immune system that’s fighting, rather than caused by the infection itself. But that begs the question of whether you are just carrying round these bugs and somehow being harmed invisibly by them. Or, as you say, it could be the opposite – our immune systems are seeing anything other than Lyme as easy prey. The problem is, the risk of Covid-19 could be very different for us depending on which theory is correct. Are we more vulnerable or less vulnerable than others to this?
I’m so happy to hear you find this helpful, Dona! You shared so many great insights here! I just watched an excellent webinar by Dr. Rawls a few days ago. It was all about the immune system, Lyme and COVID-19. He did a great job explaining specifics of how our immune systems work, what happens when Lyme invades our bodies and how the COVID-19 virus acts differently than Lyme bacteria. He mentioned that Lyme works hard to hide out and not be caught, flying under the radar and why this is the reason it’s so hard to diagnose. He also said, that (in one sense) with Lyme our immune system is in overdrive working hard to find what’s causing all the problems in our bodies. This can cause autoimmune reactions, allergies to foods and drugs. But he also said that people with chronic Lyme have dysfunctional immune systems that aren’t working quite up to par. So, as we know, it’s complex.
Dr. Rawls said COVID-19 attacks head-on because its goal is to spread to as many people as possible (through coughing, germs shared via physical contact, etc.) Here’s a link to a recent YouTube video he did about the immune system and Corona. https://youtu.be/PU2wF3uYjR4
I wish I knew how to answer your question about our vulnerability to COVID-19. do I understand your concern. At this point, I’m focused on loading up on healthy food, taking some proven immune-boosting supplements, getting sunshine, dealing with stress, deep breathing exercises, walking and practicing gratitude and mindfulness. (I would love to know what everyone else is doing to stay healthy. Feel free to continue sharing in this comment thread.) Thanks again for your sharing, Dona! Hope to see you back here soon! X, Lori
Just had this discussion yesterday. Indeed has been my case, along w/ ‘normal’ body temp 97.7, whic is the exact # most in the conversation also have. Thank you for having noticed this so long ago!
This is so interesting! Just curious if this has always been your normal body temp or of it’s lower since Lyme? Mine was low for several years when I was the most debilitated but now that I’m doing better my body temp is also higher. Curious if anyone else in this thread has noticed that as well? It makes sense that with improved health would come a more normal body temperature. Loving this discussion…thanks for sharing, Susan-Marie!
That comment was mine just now. What I meant to say is that my doctor replied to my question about not getting colds by saying that our immune system is not just one thing! I am low outside the reference range for cd57 only.
Hi. I was just diagnosed by an excellent Lyme literate doctor after six years of symptoms and much searching and frustration. I’m in a bit of a panic because two weeks into treatment he is closing his clinic and moving. When he diagnosed me immunodeficient I did comment that I haven’t had so much as a stiffel all winter. I’m in the school system and exposed to everything! He responded that none of his Lyme patients get colds. When I asked why, he said that our immune systems are just one thing! My immune deficiency shows up on the cd57 marker. But it also makes sense to me that I am too compromised to mount a defense against the viruses coming at me this winter. Lori I am grateful I stumbled on your website. This is really hard and really isolating isn’t it?
Hey there, Rita, Welcome and thank you for sharing your experience with this. I’m so sorry to hear that your LLMD is closing his clinic and moving. You may already know this, but just in case… here’s a link that might help you find a qualified provider near you: https://www.ilads.org/patient-care/provider-search/
Your doctor’s comments are so interesting. Our immune system is definitely complex, isn’t it?! If you don’t mind me asking, did you have your cd57 tested through IGeneX? Just curious.
Yes, it is hard and can be isolating, especially if you don’t know anyone else who is going through it and you’re not able to get out due to the illness. But hang in there, because you can get better! It’s definitely a very gradual healing process. Thankfully, I’ve found that the Lyme community online is awesome – supportive and full of actionable resources. There are some wonderful groups on Facebook. If you haven’t yet, you might check those out.
I’m here if you’d like to chat more. Feel free to email me at healthylife@lorigeurin.com X, Lori
I don’t believe it. When you are first dx. with Lyme and coinfections a person’s EBV & CMV usually elevate. How many people were dx. with mono instead of further testing for Borrelia? A virus is very different than a bacterial infection. Some hang out in WBC & eventually destroy them. If you are already immune compromised your chances are greater for not being able to fight off infections. This is an example why you should read articles with discretion.
Hello Lynn and welcome to the discussion. Can you please specify whose comment you’re responding to so I can get a better take on what you’re referring to? Thanks.
This was an interesting read – both the article and comments. I have had fibromyalgia for 5 years and in that time have not had a cold despite being surrounded by infected people. Previously I used to catch one every change of season. Like others I have a day where I feel dreadful with aching and tiredness (similar to a flare and so could just be the result of having done too much) also a bit blocked up and with a scratchy throat – then the next day it is gone, whereas my family will continue to the usual running nose, cough etc. I too would like to know why.
Hello there, Karen! Thank you for the kind words….I think this discussion is interesting too. You’re the first person I’ve heard from with fibromyalgia (but not Lyme) who has experienced this, but I’m only 6 years into this, so relatively new.
Many of us in the Lyme community have been diagnosed with fibro or have chronic pain so that’s an interesting parallel, but Lyme is misdiagnosed as many other chronic illnesses. Thank you for sharing your experience here. I hope you see improvements in your health soon! X
Hah As a long term Lymie, I always joke to my friends that the Lyme beats up everything else and maintains a perfect environment for it to thrive. My LLMD said something very similar but in a more technical way LOL I used to get sick all the time, I have not had one cold or flu in 10 years and thats how long Ive had Lyme. Lyme isnt really making us sick in the traditional sense, it wants to keep us alive but maintain a perfect environment to live in. Colds and flus cause reactions that cause your body to heat up to kill them . Lyme hates heat. It also keeps your immune system on a constant upswing but knows it cant kill Lyme. So you reach kind of a dull eventless Lyme equilibrium.
Ha, isn’t that the truth (“the Lyme beats up everything else and maintains a perfect environment for it to thrive.”)! 10 years without cold or flu – that’s incredible, right?! I hope you’re seeing improvements regarding your health.
I really like your description of what’s going on inside. It makes sense to me. Thanks for sharing your take on this, Chris, and also what your LLMD said. The Lyme community is so amazing and I’m incredibly grateful to every one who participates in discussions, supports each other and learns together as we work through and find a healing path through this crazy Lyme thing.
I’ve also heard | read that Lyme hate heat, which I understand, with one exception – When I was at my worst with Lyme, I had these horrible, relentless fevers, day after day. But what was super strange was that although my body felt like a fire to the touch, when I’d take my temperature it would only be 100 – 101. But of course, my average morning temps were so low that I always thought this made the contrast more obvious. There are so many questions, really. Plus the fevers could be from the tularemia too (another tick-borne disease that I have).
Thanks again and hope to see you back here soon!
I believe it’s bc Lyme and the like are the basis for autoimmunity. The immune system is in overdrive trying o fight Lyme – which is tricky since it can can go so deeply cellular and is very “smart”. Not all bacteria and viruses are created equal. A sad little fu virus is no match for the zooped up immune system. It’s like building a bear trap and not catching a bear but instead lots of bunnies, mice, maybe even a coyote. And as for the autoimmunity, the trap keeps snapping on our own foot, too. But the bear (Lyme)? That one is trickier. We need honey (medicinal protocols), patience, and smarts and hope that one day…
Hi D, Thanks so much for sharing your insight! I love your analogy here!
Lyme and autoimmunity are definitely connected – I agree. I never had autoimmune issues until getting Lyme and know it’s a big problem for others too. I also think, for me at least, a leaky gut can predispose people to autoimmune so this is something I’m really working on.
Hope to see you back here soon, thanks!
I was exposed to the flu 2 days ago by an insensitive client. I’m just now feeling some symptoms of getting ill. I hope it is true that I wouldn’t catch flu due to my Lyme infection. I’m afraid if I get it that my body won’t do well with my impaired immune function. My CD57 which I believe is an indication of my immune system is a 0 due to my Lyme infection. I’m really afraid & hope that it could true that I won’t catch the flu!!! Thank you for your article!
I’ve had a low lying Lyme infection for at least 15 years but then got bitten again 2 and a half years ago & got a terrible Lyme infection with neurological impairment, arthritis and pain issues.
Oh, so sorry to hear you were exposed to flu, Carrie. It’s definitely going around! I’d love to hear an update…did you get the flu or no? (I’m hoping not!)
Thank you for sharing about your experience with Lyme. Fifteen years is a long time to live with Lyme. Praying for relief from your symptoms and improved health.
Thanks for visiting the site and commenting. I hope you’ll be back soon!
I believe that when we are infected with a bacteria infection such as lyme it makes our body tolerable to viruses. I have thought about this since my late stage diagnosis. Prior to being diagnosed I have had a superb immunity. So many people who state that couldn’t believe how I never got ill. I thought it was due to my tonsillectomy as a child but even after diagnosis and having such autoimmune disorders I still can maintain my natural health to viruses. Very strange
Hi Marlana, Thanks for weighing in on the discussion! It’s always interesting to read how different people experience Lyme.
I have been fighting Lyme and co-infections for four years, but only began treatment 6 months ago. I have never experienced a break from getting colds, unfortunately, and was diagnosed with the flu 5 days ago. Amazingly, instead of feeling worse, my Lyme symptoms disappeared!I had all the flu symptoms and was contagious – but I felt so much better than I usually do. Now that I am getting over the flu, my muscle and joint pain is returning. I don’t understand this at all, but it gives me some hope for better days. Any thoughts?
Wow, that is amazing, Dee! I’ve never heard of Lyme symptoms disappearing after getting the flu, but nothing about this disease surprises me anymore. ha
I really haven’t been sick (in the traditional sense of the word) with colds and flu since getting Lyme 5 1/2 years ago….with 2 exceptions:
1. 2 1/2 years into my Lyme illness I got a horrible case of the flu and was sick for almost 2 weeks. But, my Lyme symptoms persisted throughout the illness. I had just started treatment for Lyme a couple of months before.
2. Currently I’m sick with an awful virus…all the symptoms of the flu but I tested negative for influenza. Having a Lyme flare too.
I’m hoping us getting sick is a good sign. I’m encouraged by every little improvement I see and am thankful to feel better than I did last year. I hope you’re seeing the same.
I’m so sorry your pain is returning but we can (and we will) get better! Hang in there and keep the hope, girl, and please keep in touch! Prayers that your health will continue to improve. Thanks for visiting the blog and hope to see you back soon!
Until 2022 I haven’t caught a cold/flu since the 80’s when I got my first Lyme/bartonella infection.
I’ve caught 2 infectious things this year and covid in 2020, but had no real symptoms. I guess maybe my body has the upper hand on the Lyme and I should be stoked to mount an immune response… ehhh, I think I prefer the devil I knew.
I asked my immunologist about this. He suggested it could be Interferon related. Inteferon that our bodies make – not the drug kind. Also curious – with me – I also have an immune deficiency – ie CVID – which for normal people means tons of infections unless on IVIG. When I was treating for Lyme years ago with Abx and was on IVIG I would get lots of resp. infections. I stopped treating Lyme and Co’s (gave up) – also stopped IVIG – and knock wood – still no other infections (that I know of – hard to tell).
Hey Susan! Thanks for sharing your knowledge here!
How interesting about the Interferon. I’ve read that the Lyme disease spirochete activates an Interferon response by our immune cells but definitely want to learn more about this.
How curious that getting Lyme (and stopping the treatments) seemed to change your body’s response. Isn’t Lyme the strangest thing?
You’ve given me much to think about and research (the book nerd that I am). 😉 Thank you!
I hope and pray that your health is improved. Please keep me updated on how you’re doing. I’m grateful to have you here and hope to hear from you soon! XO
I am so relieved to have “stumbled” onto your page after googling why I never catch colds anymore. My whole life if I even saw someone with a cold from a distance I was the first to catch it. After having my last child 4 years ago, something changed. I believe it was that pregnancy that triggered some sort of autoimmune disease. I have yet to get an actual diagnosis (negative for Lyme), but some of my blood tests are consistently off (suggesting the possibility of autoimmune disease). I cannot digest the majority of foods I once was able to eat, I have increased joint and muscle pain, dry eyes and mouth, terrible fatigue, and many other strange symptoms. Sometime in the last two years I began to notice I would NEVER catch any of the colds my husband or children had when normally I would catch it within 24 hours. My husband noticed this as well. I haven’t had a single cold or flu since. I have suspected it was my over active immune system since there were a few times I would start to feel something and then it would promptly go away. I’ve never been so sad to not get a cold! I wish there was more medical info on this phenomenon. Still searching for answers.
I hear you, Jan and I’m so glad you ended up here in your search! I’ve been searching for answers to this strange phenomenon for years now and I’m thankful that so many people have responded. I’m learning a lot!
Other than Lyme I’ve read that this occurs with other groups too, such as MS and others.
I used to catch common colds and viruses several times a year when I was teaching. Nothing major – just the occasional illness.
Wow, so many of your symptoms sound familiar to me! Did you just have the one Lyme test? You may already know, but the traditional Lyme tests are notoriously inaccurate. I’m not saying you have Lyme at all, just might be worth looking into further with your symptoms.
I tested negative to the first Lyme test they gave me, but then tested positive to several tests after I became very sick and bedridden. Many others say that they never tested positive for the test but they were diagnosed based on their symptoms and/or knowledge of a tick bite. If you’d want to look into this further, ILADS.org is an excellent resource.
Also wanted to mention that after I got Lyme (and it went undiagnosed and untreated for 2 years) I tested positive for a few autoimmune conditions including: Sjogren’s Syndrome (what Venus Williams has). It can cause dry mouth and eyes, chronic fatigue and body pain; Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD); am positive for RNP antibodies and ANA positive.
A rheumatologist can test you for autoimmune conditions.
I’m so sorry you’re having allergies to food. It’s frustrating when you feel like you can’t eat anything. I’ve had several allergic reactions to foods I ate often, including most vegetables. My allergist told me to stop eating them for a while then gradually introduce them back and this has helped. I just have to be careful not to eat the same foods day after day.
Hoping that by sharing this with you it will help you in some way.
Thank you for visiting the site. Please keep in touch and let me know how you’re doing. You can also email me at healthylife@lorigeurin.com. XO
I have also experienced this.
One day I was explaining this to my then 13 year old daughter and she excitedly said,
“You’ve found a cure for the common cold! Lyme Disease!”
We both broke out in big smiles and laughter.
It was an awesome silver lining moment. 🙂
What a clever (then) 13-year-old you have, Don! Too funny!
I love “silver lining moments” like this. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing – come back soon!
Oh we’re definitely getting the cold and flu. We think we don’t because we don’t get the “normal” symptoms. Our body just isn’t fighting it so we aren’t getting the immune response that causes “normal” symptoms.
This was hard for me to wrap my brain around for a while, Wendy, but I’ve read/heard this enough times that it’s starting to make sense.
It is counterintuitive, (at least for me) because it seems like if you have a weakened immune system that you would get sick more often.
Thanks for weighing in on this!
I came across this as I was searching for a reason as to why my partner has been sick for 6 days where I started having symptoms yesterday but woke up today feeling normal. I’ve been undergoing treatment for chronic Lyme and Babesiosis since July, I was hoping perhaps all of the supplements I take helped protect me, but now I’m wondering if, like Kim, perhaps my immune system is too weak to fight any additional battles beyond what it’s already doing. My doctor did discover that I’d had a Mycoplasma Pneumoniae infection, when I finished a Z pack so many symptoms that I’d been complaining to my doctor about since 2014 (drenching sweats, hot flashes, skin changes) completely vanished, so clearly my body had been trying to fight the infection for 3 years with no luck. I suppose my treatment isn’t going along as well as I’d thought if I am not getting sick the way an otherwise healthy person does.
If any further information regarding this arises, please let me know.
Hi, Carey, I’m so glad you visited the site and hope you’ll come back!
I’m so sorry you’re dealing with chronic Lyme, Babesiosis and other illnesses. But I’m thankful some of your symptoms are gone now thanks to treatment. Prayers for continued healing with your ongoing treatments. For me it’s been a long journey working to grow stronger and get healthier, but I’m gradually seeing improvements and that’s incredibly encouraging.
If/when I learn more about this issue I will try to add it to the post. Thanks!
I was first diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease about 20 years ago. For the first five or so years, I’d experience periodical flare-ups involving a variety of terrible symptoms from severe headaches,to joint and muscle pain, to speech aphasia, all of which — thankfully — could be quelled with a course of antibiotics. At some point though, I stopped experiencing those flare-ups, and around the same time, I also stopped getting colds and the flu.I have literally not been sick in 15 years, nor have I experienced any further symptoms of Lyme. It’s as though I have a hyper-immune system now and I’m not complaining. As long as I feel great and my doctor continues to give me a clean bill of health every year, I’ll take it.
Wow, thanks so much for sharing your experience, Amy! I’m truly sorry you’ve experienced so many Lyme symptoms, but thankful that you’ve stopped getting flare-ups and haven’t been sick for 15 years! From my perspective this is amazing and so encouraging to someone who is currently in the trenches with Lyme.
It’s interesting to me how this crazy Lyme disease can impact us. Although I’m better that I was a few years ago, I still have symptoms and frequent flare-ups and admit that they can be discouraging. But there is always hope for anyone with chronic Lyme to get better and that’s what I’m counting on and working towards.
Your story is incredibly encouraging – Thanks again for sharing!
I was told that because the Lyme is the top dog in your system it has the ability to suppress (including our immune system) other bacteria and viruses that you may contract. It also has to do with the biofilms and the lyme being able to control who gets to wreak its havoc at which time. So it’s not as though you aren’t getting the viruses and bacteria, they are still in your body, it’s just that they have been tucked away awaiting their turn with you. People who are being treated for Lyme who start to get colds and flus is a GREAT sign…it’s a sign that the Lyme load has been reduced in the body and now theirs a new top dog in town, which could be a flu or cold, that gets to take over. Your immune system is also working better by this time as it’s also no longer being controlled by the Lyme and isn’t as overwhelmed. You’ll start having typical immune responses now like fever, chills, sneezing, etc. However it’s more likely that it would be the other coinfection’s that may manifest themselves before the common colds and flus do. it’s like the process of peeling back the layers of the onion. You have to slowly knock out them out one by one.
It’s funny because I used to joke with myself every time someone around me got a cold or flu. I used to laugh and say to myself ha ha I never get sick. If I only knew then what I know now that the reason I wasn’t getting sick is because of my lyme disease, I certainly wouldn’t be laughing. I can’t wait for the day I’m sick in bed with the flu for a week!!
Thanks so much for weighing in on this, CLD!
We can learn so much from each other, especially in the realm of Lyme disease, where there is so much to be learned about how it works on our immune system (and everything else).
It makes sense that the bacteria and viruses still enter our bodies and hang out there even if we don’t experience the symptoms.
Thanks for sharing a great explanation of why we don’t often get sick like others do. Having Lyme has definitely changed my perspective, and I totally get what you’re saying. 😉
I hope you’re continually feeling better and healing from the Lyme. Please keep in touch and let me know how you’re doing!
My doctor explained a lot of the pain, etc. in Lyme is from inflamation. When our immune system is overactive you get a lot of the Lyme (& autoimmune) symptoms. It’s only recently that I’ll feel like I am catching cold/flu & the next day it’s just the “normal” bleh.
Hi Claudia,
Thanks for sharing your experiences with Lyme. While I’m never glad to hear that someone has Lyme, it certainly helps us all when we share what we’ve learned and what we’re going through.
I’ve heard this about the Lyme pain being caused by inflammation too. Isn’t it crazy how our immune system can show up in this way, causing all the autoimmune issues, but then when it comes to catching the flu….nada?
So do you feel like your health is improving overall as you’re beginning to catch cold and the flu a bit?
Thanks again for reading the blog and sharing your thoughts! I hope you’ll be back soon!
XO,
Lori
Hi Kim,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
I’ve never heard it explained this way, but it does make sense to me. So do the “sick” germs just accumulate inside us and add to the toxic load since we can’t fight them off?
I’m so happy you stopped by my blog and hope you come back very soon!
Also, I hope you’re making good progress towards healing from Lyme and feeling better! Please keep in touch!
Sending you hugs!
Hi, for decades I never got a cold or a flu, at least that’s what I thought. What I was told is that I never got the symptoms of a cold or flu because the symptoms are your immune system working and your body fightingoff a cold or flu. So I guess since my immune system has been compromised from Lyme it isn’t working so the symptoms don’t appear. Does that make sense?