Celiac Make You More Susceptible To Swine Flu

[UnhappyCoeliac]

?

I heard an obese person in Australia with Diabetes died from swine flu. . I just wonder since celiac and diabetes are both auto immune things does this mean I am more at risk?

[Fiddle-Faddle]

First of all, keep in mind that the first appearance of swine flu in America was in 1975--60 Minutes did a special on it in 1979, with Mike Wallace, because the vaccine that was rushed into production ended up killing more people than the swine flu itself did. Also, several hundred people, according to 60 Minutes, ended up with a serious, sometimes fatal condition called Guillaine-Barre Syndrome, contracted from the vaccine.

So, since swine flu has been around since 1975, it is likely that many people have already had the swine flu. Also, 1/4 of Americans in 1975 were reported to have received the swine flu vaccine.

We had several cases of swine flu here in Western PA this year. Nobody died. ALL the cases were reported in the press as mild. Nobody needed to be hospitalized.

The reports here are that the strain is a mild one. I guess if you have to be exposed, you would want to be exposed to the mild one, which theoretically would give you immunity to any stronger strain.

There ARE, however, people who do die from swine flu. And "regular" flu, for that matter. These people are always reported to have underlying health problems. And autoimmune problems DO put you at risk for complications for just about any health problem. You are more at risk for respiratory complications from the common cold, for example. You are more at risk for developing food intolerances. You are more at risk for adverse effects to vaccines, since they were not tested on people with known autoimmune issues.

Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer on the best way to protect your health if you have autoimmune issues. Some people believe that vaccines are the best answer--but those who have adverse reactions, especially those who have watched a child die from vaccine reaction (and there have been many, according to VAERS {Vaccine Adverse Effect Reporting System} will vehemently disagree, especially in the case of a mild virus. (There is less disagreement about the polio vaccine!) And if you look at the autistic population as an example, since they also have a high rate of autoimmune problems, you will also see a huge rate of adverse reactions to vaccines.

If you are gluten-free (NO cheating), and careful with managing your diabetes, that will lower your risk substantially. Proper nutrition and exercise go a long way towards keeping you in the best shape possible to battle off viruses, as well as helping to manage diabetes.

[lizard00]

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I heard an obese person in Australia with Diabetes died from swine flu. . I just wonder since celiac and diabetes are both auto immune things does this mean I am more at risk?

It's also likely that this person had type 2 diabetes, which is NOT an auto immune disease. It is almost always brought on by lifestyle choices. Using only the information provided, I would venture to say this person probably wasn't very healthy to begin with.

[sixtytwo]

In my opinion, I think people are LESS likely to get colds and flu if you eat strictly glute-free. I do not get as many colds or flu as when I ate gluten, and I am knocking on wood here that my theory is right. I eat much healthier now than I did before, so less likely to get sick. Also, I agree that if you were to look at them case by case, you would find underlying medical conditions to each person that died of the swine flu. I never get a yearly flu shot either. I think they are a racket, how in the world are they going to know what flus are coming?

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I never get a yearly flu shot either. I think they are a racket, how in the world are they going to know what flus are coming?

Good point. You also probably noticed that nowhere in the media does anyone discuss the 1975 outbreak of swine flu, nor the disastrous results of the vaccine developed for THAT outbreak. There IS a lot of discussion of Tamiflu and flu shots, and every time I turn around, I hear people saying that they have a fever, or a headache, or a cough, and that they need to go to their doctor to demand Tamiflu, and how they're going to get a flu shot early this year so they don't have to go without in case there's a shortage, etc.

I can't help wondering if the whole swine flu thing was a brilliant marketing ploy to sell Tamiflu and flu shots in the current economy. If it was, it's certainly successful.

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[lizard00]

I would like to remind everyone to please stick to the original topic. The original poster initially asked whether having an auto immune disease, such as celiac, puts us at a higher risk for catching the flu.

Thanks

[UnhappyCoeliac]

Still wanting to know this only see a bunch of preaching

Does having celiac disease in anyway way shape or form make you more likely to possibly die from swine flu? The news mentions existing conditions I want to know if celiac is an existing condition considered that could make swine flu very dangerous for us?

The person implicating that someone with type two diabetes more or less deserved to die should get effed

[lovegrov]

"I can't help wondering if the whole swine flu thing was a brilliant marketing ploy to sell Tamiflu and flu shots in the current economy. If it was, it's certainly successful."

Was it the Bilderbergers or the U.N. that organized this conspiracy?

As to the original question, a person on the gluten-free diet is certainly not more likely to get the flu or a cold than the average person. And a person sticking to the diet is almost certainly not more likely to die. I wouldn't spend much time worrying about it. If you're NOT sticking to the diet, then who knows?

richard

[mommida]

I have been trying to find true information on this too. Reports covering this topic are conflicting.

This is just my opinion, from reading the articles.

An underlying disorder is blamed in the case of death.

celiac disease has trigger that can be avoided. If you are strictly gluten free at some point of time even your risks for Celiac related cancers are considered the same as the general population.

If swine flu is hardest on individuals with an OVERactive immune response (as some reports say), I do think any person with an auto-immune disease should be cautious. The way I understand auto-immune disease was explained from my doctors. A person's immune system has gone into an overactive attack on a person's healthy tissue.

So as always, wash your hands. Stay home if you are ill. Eat well and get proper rest.

We have had deaths here in Michigan. We have active cases. It has been spreading during our cooler than average summer. Reports have not been front headline news. One city's police force was ill and running on less than half of their staff. One officer died and tests results are still not definative if there was an outbreak of Legionare's. (Once again reporter's went on the air and have reported the same officer's death as swine and Legionare's and all the tests and facts are still not in.)

[Gemini]

Still wanting to know this only see a bunch of preaching

Does having celiac disease in anyway way shape or form make you more likely to possibly die from swine flu? The news mentions existing conditions I want to know if celiac is an existing condition considered that could make swine flu very dangerous for us?

The person implicating that someone with type two diabetes more or less deserved to die should get effed

No where does it say in any post here that the Type 2 diabetic deserved to die! The poster just pointed out that anyone who is obese is more likely to be suffering from Type 2 diabetes, which is a totally different animal than Type 1. It is NOT an autoimmune disorder. No one is preaching either...they may have gone slightly off topic but that's about it.

To answer your original question......no, having an autoimmune problem with regards to it being overactive will definitely NOT cause anyone to be more susceptible to the flu. Unless, of course, you were just diagnosed or not following the diet, then you might have a problem because you would be very run down with deficiencies. We have an overactive immune system, not a compromised one.

If you wash your hands and eat well and don't kiss a swine flu vicitim, I think you have NOTHING to worry about. Let's keep this in perspective......