Thanks, Lu
This stuff is almost all too much for me to understand now but i keep trying...
meg
my doctor explained immune system dysfunction as your body is too busy responding and attacking the wrong things, so that when a real threat comes (ie flu virus) it is not able to respond well to that threat as it's already exhausted its resources fighting wrong things.
Hi Meg,
Copaxone does not affect our immune system. That is one of the reasons I picked it as my drug of choice.
feel better, Lulu
Hi Mike,
I am on copaxone, not sure about it...
meg
Are you taking a DMD?
Bob mentioned some drugs will knock down your immune system, and I think the DMD's are in this category.
I've been using Rebif for 3 1/2 months and have caught 1 cold during a trip to the hospital for tests (i think that's where I caught it).
Mike
Okay, my brain has finally caught up, processing is slow...so I get it now !!!
meg
Thanks Bob, my mind gets worse i think, takes me longer to understand.
hugs meg
Depending on the drugs you are taking, they can knock down your immunity. For example, IVSM is used as an immunomodulator. Solumedrol turns down your immune system.
The MS immune systems see Myelin on the nerves in the CNS and thinks that myelin looks like another organism, maybe the herpes virus. So the immune system watch dogs call out other cells that are designed to kill and destroy herpes, but the destroy myelin instead. This is a very simplified model.
What did you mean by this...
The problem here is we kind of need that myelin and the strength of our immune systems is what does the damage /
Thanks Bob, thats what I thought but can never explain it. I do wonder why I get sick so much though.
And yes, i am DX'd..
hugs, meg
I was reading a paper about the use of B12 to boost the repair of nerves. Turns out if your b12 is low, it helps. Also turns out it your B12 is normal it doesn't. Normal vitamins or additional doses if you are low in something is most likely a good idea, ask your Dr about it. Over doing it is not. Some fat soluble (A and K) come to mind can be toxic or cause clotting issues. The water soluble ones will just end up being flushed out in your urine.
Bob
Thanks Bob!! I too have been confused about this. So, is it a bad idea then to take vitamins or supplements that boost the immune system?
Thanks!!!
Kristi
Sorry Meg, I really didn't check to see if your DXed with MS before I wrote that.
Opps
If you think about it, MS is not about a weakened immune system, but a more "hyper responsive immune system." Most immune diseases like MS or SLE, the body's immune system attacks the body. This is not like HIV where the CD4 cell count is too low to respond. In MS patients, the cells respond very well. You have a very healthy immune system. Maybe a little confused, but not weak at all.
Do you really want to know about all the CD cell types, T cells, B Cells, NK Cells (Natural Killer)? The point is in MS the immune system is strong, just confused. The immune system is confused and thinks it is supposed to attack myelin on the nerves in the CNS like it is a foreign invader. The problem here is we kind of need that myelin and the strength of our immune systems is what does the damage.
Bob