Do You Get Sick Easily?

[GlutenWrangler]

Hi Everyone,

I have found that since I have had celiac, I get sick much easier. If someone around me has a cold or stomach bug, I pick it up myself. I used to only get sick about once or twice a year, but it is much more now. I was wondering if this is a common theme with other celiacs. It makes sense, being an autoimmune disease, but I just wanted to see what others had to say. Thanks.

-Brian

[Deej]

I seem to catch everything going around.

[CarlaB]

I used to catch everything going around, but after gluten-free my whole family can be sick and I won't catch it.

[jkmunchkin]

Actually funny you should post this. I was just commenting to DH on Saturday that ever since I went gluten free I hardly ever get sick. Before I was pretty much always sick with something.

[GlutenWrangler]

I've only been gluten free for less than a month, so I'm sure it will be a while before I notice a difference in getting sick. I thought I was getting glutened for the past few days, but it turns out I've just been sick. I hope the gluten/casein-free diet will kickstart my immune system again.

[wozzy]

Yeah I get sick less...I didn't even get a cold this spring! I think that was the first time ever.

[Green12]

Yeah I get sick less...I didn't even get a cold this spring! I think that was the first time ever.

I get sick lesss too, when it comes to colds, flus, etc. But I react to foods really easily and often and have lots of symptoms surrounding these reactions that mimic colds, flus, etc, so go figure!

[Ashley]

I stay sick all the time , feels like. I just had two sinus surgeries and that's really helped with sinus infections and whatnot, but, I'm always sick-to-my stomach, tired, no energy. It's just something I've learned to live with.

-Ash

[judy05]

Hi Everyone,

I have found that since I have had celiac, I get sick much easier. If someone around me has a cold or stomach bug, I pick it up myself. I used to only get sick about once or twice a year, but it is much more now. I was wondering if this is a common theme with other celiacs. It makes sense, being an autoimmune disease, but I just wanted to see what others had to say. Thanks.

-Brian

I am much healthier going gluten -free. I can't remeber the last time I had a cold or needed antibiotics. I also take a flu shot and I haven't had the flu in over 5 years. (knock on wood)

[GlutenWrangler]

Thanks for the replies. I'm looking forward to the positive effects of the diet. I hope it starts pretty soon.

-Brian

[jenvan]

I also tend to get rundown, sick easily. It is improving for me that longer I have been on the diet. A big factor is setting good boundaries with my schedule and making sure I get down time to rest and enough sleep. I keep my vitamins and balanced diet up too...

[gfp]

I've only been gluten free for less than a month, so I'm sure it will be a while before I notice a difference in getting sick. I thought I was getting glutened for the past few days, but it turns out I've just been sick. I hope the gluten/casein-free diet will kickstart my immune system again.

Its a common misconception to regard celiac disease as a weak immune system, if anything its a over reactive one.

Looking back I have hardly ever been sick from disease, mostly it has been allergies or autoimmune things or being rundown which os prably adsorbtion issues.

Since being gluten-free for 3 years I have had a cold once but mainly I don't get colds, flu etc. and never have. Most of what I thought were colds were allergies which explains why I never caught what was going around but thought I had colds when the rest of the community didn't and visa versa.

Same goes for scratches and things, I never get infected ?

Having said that continued poisioning by gluten can probably damage peoples immune systems eventually so people shouldn't rule that out.

[eKatherine]

I hardly ever got sick before, and I hardly ever get sick now, so nothing has changed.

[MandyCandy]

Hi Everyone,

I have found that since I have had celiac, I get sick much easier. If someone around me has a cold or stomach bug, I pick it up myself. I used to only get sick about once or twice a year, but it is much more now. I was wondering if this is a common theme with other celiacs. It makes sense, being an autoimmune disease, but I just wanted to see what others had to say. Thanks.

-Brian

I've only recently gone gluten free but in the past if anyone has a cold I'll catch it (only I get it 100x worse), If i catch strep throat i get stage 4 strep throat. My mom could never figure it out from the time I was little why I get so sick. It's like my body can't fight off the infection (even though i've always been very active and at the time I thought healthy) I also have many allergies to Antibiotics to the point there's nothing I can be put on right now. I'm hoping now that i'm gluten free that I'll see an improvement and not get so sick all the time! Hopefully you'll find improvement too!

Mandy

[elonwy]

I used to get sick all the time and I don't think I've had a cold since I've been Gluten free.

Like gfp said, having an auto-immune disorder means you have an overly strong immune system, it just happens to be a confused one. When you're gluten free and its not busy fighting your cells, it has time to deal with the stuff that it should. When its busy freaking out at gluten, its got no time to deal with the real stuff.

Obviously other factors make everyone different, but thats a simple explanation.

Elonwy

[KaitiUSA]

I would get sick alot at first but now my immune system is pretty strong. If you are prone to getting sick you should definitely be on a good multi vitamin and be strengthening your body by getting proper rest and nutrients.

[Kaycee]

Before going gluten free, I would only get one decent, horrible cold or flu each year.

But last year pre gluten free, was an annomolly, as I only had slight hayfever, which hardly gets me at all, but no colds or flus.

This year, as we still are in winter, I have not had anything to even warrant a day off work, yet everybody around me at work have been dropping like flies with flus etc. So I feel quite lucky, but it does not stop me wondering when I am going to get my big cold for this year and last year.

Another thing of interest, is it worth having flu injections. I am trying to put that off till I am old and gray, and maybe when my defences are worse than what they are now. But what are peoples opinions on this.

Cathy