Does this sound like autoimmune?

[angryt]

Hi

I was just wondering if someone in the know, could read my symptoms and tell me whether it sounds like an autoimmune issue or not. Thanks

For the last year I keep getting 'colds' that last maybe 12-48 hours and then dissapear, they happen at least once a week,  it honestly feels like a bad cold, it comes on suddenly with a sore throat, blocked nose and a cough and goes just as fast, I cannot find a trigger, and antihistamines do nothing to help at all, so i don't think it is allergies. I also suffer from frequent urinary infections, and almost constant diarrheah. Although despite my diarrheah I am overweight and find it hard to lose weight.

My lymph nodes ache almost constantly, and have for the last year and half, but don't seem swollen,  I suffer from night sweats despite an average temp of 35.9 or 96.6, and I suffer daily from fatigue.

My blood counts all came back pretty much normal, except slightly high platelets and too many lymhocytes,

Can anyone relate to this? The doctors are giving me the brush off a year and half after I fell ill, because they have no idea what is wrong, but I'm not willing to give up so easily.

Any help will be much appreciated.

[AireScottie]

What blood tests have been run?  Just a CBC, or have you had ANA, Sed rate, CRP, or specific autoimmune tests?

[angryt]

Hi thanks for the reply. I have had CBC, ESR (13), liver and kidney function tests, , cortisol,  mono spot, thyroid test and a chest xray. All normal, well slightly decreased kidney function  and low phosphate, but nothing really. They never tested me for any specific autoimmune, because they just kept saying it was a virus, and then it was "post viral" but they sent me to a fibromyalgia specialist who said I didn't have fibromyalgia. Now they wont do anything at all, I just can't help thinking there is something more to this than "post viral."

[karajo]

When I was reading you symptoms, some of them did sound like kidney.  Actually it was the sore throat.  Then you mentioned the frequent UTI.  Do you ever have blood in your urine?

I'm not sure they could help, but maybe a internal medicine dr. or a nurologist or a nephrologist.  You usually need a referral for nephrologist.

I'm not sure if that could be what is causing the cold flashes. (this is what I call that)  I've been cold like that for years.  Maybe it was early lupus symptoms, maybe not.  Thyroid med. didn't help, so it must have been vascular.  Do your fingers turn white and the tips turn blue?  If so this is alled raynauds.  It "CAN" be caused by lupus, but there are other things too.

Some of the main symptoms of lupus are achy joints, fatigue and a facial rash.  Does any of these symptoms sound familiar?

Platlet count too high:  need to rule out dehydration, bleeding, cigarette smoking, excess production by the bone marrow, strenous activity, myeloproliferative disorders, infecctions, inflammation, and cancers.

Elevated lymphocytes may indicate an active viral infection.

[karajo]

I'm sorry, I thought you said cold hands.  You said colds.  It sounds like you need to do some things to build up your immune system.  Go to your local health food store and ask them how you could build up you immune system.

[angryt]

Thanks Karajo, I have had blood in my urine a few months back actually, but the antibiotics sorted it out, just got over another bought of UTI, I've been on echinacea and herbal supplements but it's not helping. And it's really isn't actual colds, because they don't last long enough and happen every week. My joints don't really ache, just my lymph nodes and upper back.

I was just hoping that maybe someone had the same symptoms or something, long  shot I know. The worst thing is not knowing!

[kjelltp]

Constant diarrheah is pretty serious.  You most likely have leaky gut, poor absorption, causing lack of pretty much everything, which again causes all kinds of disorders.  Start by treating that (diet, probiotics)..check with a a good nutritionist / holistic ND to get it sorted.

[karajo]

I take lots of herbs and vitamins.  Cat's Claw is a wonderful herb for kidney infections.  It boost the immune system