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After we have stopped taking our drug of choice does anybody know if it lowers our immune system? I hardly ever get sick and I have been up all night with a severe sore throat, chills, sweats and a fever of 103.4
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Avatar universal
About 2 weeks after detox I woke up with a face full of freckles,,,after puzzling the doctors it was determined that I had melasma. No one had any idea of what triggered it and it all came down to a reaction from the birth control pill. I still have the freckles some,,My skin also cleared up a lot and my hair grows really fast now. Its just,,,,,weird?
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Avatar universal
Same here...3 years of using and not so much as a cold (unless I ran out...8 then it was "West Nile Virus" and the only thing that could get me out of the house was more pills. Fast forward to last month (when I quit opiates) earache, sinus infection AND a freaky rash all over my back (totally gone now) thank God!
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Avatar universal
Yeah, its very odd. I'm gonna have to research it now that I know it's not only me. After the first few years of being on opiates I began to realize it but never thought enough of it to ask anyone. Obviously there's some illnesses that opiates would cover up but that doesn't explain now even having a cold for over 4 years. Especially considering I had one at least twice a year for over 18 years.
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2048234 tn?1330814100
I do want to know now if there is some scientific reason for people not getting sick while on a high dose of medication. I understand why we get sick after detox with all the stress on our organs but is there a reason why we do not catch common colds or flus while on them?
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2048234 tn?1330814100
Thank you, I just got back from the store and bought everything you recommended. I hope this helps.
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Avatar universal
This is a very interesting post. I always wondered if there was some connection with being on opiates and not being sick. For the 4 years I was addicted, not once did I get ever a cold. Very weird.
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1926359 tn?1331588139
Vitamin C ascorbate and hot lemon w/ginger and honey!  I have a compromised immune system and detox really kicked my butt.  I drink tons of fluid, especially warm tea and water.  An infrared sauna is also amazing...I had the beginnings of a ear/throat infection and I just hopped in, sweated it out and then bundled up in warm clothes and got LOTS of rest.  Everyone I know has been battling one virus or another....Keep an eye on that fever and if it doesn't break, see a doc for a throat swab.  Treat yourself with lots of love and compassion and REST...
xo
Lu
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Avatar universal
Both times I detoxed,,2 yrs ago and 114 days ago I ended up with mono. Ive had mono 3 times in my life,,in high school and post detox twice. I dont understand the physiology of what the pills did to my immune system,,the only logical reason I can come up with is that I was taking sooo much tylenol (percocet) a day that maybe it messed up my liver and made me prone to mononucleosis. They also say guillene barre (sp?) and the CMV virus are triggers too,,,who knows I may have picked it up along the way as I am a nurse and have had patients cough and sneeze on me and a few times it went in my mouth. Ive read that stress can trigger a flare up. It doesnt help that I am a smoker either. Gosh,,,I sound like such a dirty person. I cant believe what I have done to my body over the last 8yrs,,it literally makes me sick. I used to be the bathing beauty at work and in my family. It makes me so sad. My body has aged and it creeks and pops and I have back and knee pain,,a potbelly and Kim kardashian butt. I dont know,,,Im really in a bad place tonight.
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2048234 tn?1330814100
I forgot about all the stress adding to it. Goodness hope it goes away soon. It's my first time being sick with no family around. It's different not having my mom and grandparents dropping by to check on me at random times. My little one has been very helpful though.
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Avatar universal
Don't forget too you've been through an  incredible amount of STRESS over the past week.  That lowers your immune system in itself.  You've had a double-whammy--off the charts stress and sudden withdrawal from vicodin.  Yep, that ought to do it!!!
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2048234 tn?1330814100
That is strange to me too. I never related not getting sick to being on vicodin but looking back I never got sick when everybody else around me was sick. I guess its time to start a vitamin plan. I dont do well with illness and I am sure my brain right now is making everything 100 times worse then it actually is.
Helpful - 0
1959859 tn?1331741157
Scared,

I did notice that when I was using, I did not get so much as a cold.  Prior to using, I would usually get a yearly cold.  Although I have sneezed my head off since December and have had sore throats, I have not been really sick YET....I did pick up a stomach bug recently which I have not had in years so yes, I think that it is very likely that the pills keep us from getting sick which is weird to me.
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2048234 tn?1330814100
It's going around here too. Not fun! I havent been sick in years!
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495284 tn?1333894042
COMMUNITY LEADER
Our bodies put so much work into repairing itself it leaves us open for any bug that is floating around.  It does get better and our immune system comes back to life.  If you arent feeling better real soon with the sore throat and fever you may want to see your doctor.  Strep throat is going around big time where i am from.   sara
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2048234 tn?1330814100
Thank you for responding... This just stinks!
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Avatar universal
Yep.  I've been sick with something on and off since I detoxed.  It has to be a huge stress on our body, chemicals trying to go back to pre-drug levels.  Snake Jones also describes the process of your mucous membranes getting wet (which is why we are very sneezy)  - when you are on opiates it kind of drys everything up - your bowel movements, your mucous membranes and then when you go off everything starts to swing the other way which is why you get the runny nose, post nasal drip (which will give you a sore throat).  I never thought about this before Snake told me but it makes a lot of sense.  As always - we didn't get here overnight and we aren't getting out overnight.  I'm finding at 33 days I'm having up days and down days - but mostly a lot of pain, bad stomach.  Hoping to see big improvements in the next 30 days!
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