Correralation between HCM and Immune system?

[Toogoofy317 Member of 1000 Post Club! Find all posts View Profile Close Toogoofy317]

Is there any relation between having HCM and a decreased immune response. Ever since my diagnosis of HCM in 2002 my health has done nothing but spiral out of control. I have had my gallbladder removed, rejection of a medi-port, diagnosis of Crohn's disease, countless respirtory tract infections, colds, and recently pneumonia.

Before this I didn't miss a day of school from fourth through 12th grade! Does anyone else seem to have these never ending problems too?

Mary S.

[Sarah Brave Heart Find all posts View Profile Close Sarah]

Re: Correralation between HCM and Immune system?

Dear Mary,

I went through a period where I developed hypothyroidism, had several kidney stones, and a few other random things, too. I thought my body was falling apart bit by bit and I would be dead by 30 (I was in my early to mid-20s).

I have several theories. 1. It is reasonable to expect other systems to become compromised when your heart isn't providing all that you need. 2. HCM seems to act up in cycles and hopefully you'll level out soon. 3. My brother with HCM and I both also have hypothyroidism and psoriasis --both of which can be immune-system related problems. Some forms of cardiomyopathy are immune-system related as well --although HCM is not considered to be one of them. My personal -and totally unsubstantiated by any medical research I'm aware of- belief is that some of us have compromised immune systems, either genetically or due to the HCM and this caused this cloud of illness. None of which is helped by the increased workload caused by trying to process medication on top of food, all with a decreased cardiac function.

You are definitely not alone, but it will probably get better and I highly recommend looking into an immune-system boosting diet and perhaps some supplements. People swear by coQ-10 as beta-blockers reduce it in your system and it is very important.

hang in there!!!!

big hugs,

Sarah

[mtlieb Brave Heart Find all posts View Profile Close mtlieb]

HCM, Immune System, and CoQ10

Mary,

I agree with Sarah... since HCM affects such a vital organ that interacts with every other system in the body, it simply has to be a factor in our immune system health also. From childhood on, i've always been the one member of my family to get just about every virus or bacterial infection to come down the pike. I swear, if somebody within a twenty-mile radius of me sneezed... i was guaranteed to wake up with a cold the next morning! That hasn't changed a whole lot over the years.

I didn't know i had HCM at the time, but i was known far and wide as being the 'sickly' one of the bunch. And i was always so quick to tire... when the other kids were still going strong, i was ready for a nap! LOL. I remember my father being the same way before he died, and we didn't know he had HCM at the time either. So whether there's actual medical evidence to back it up or not, i do firmly believe that HCM has in some way compromised my immune system.

I do recommend CoQ10 if your physician says it's okay for you...

I've been taking 100mg of Coenzyme Q10 for some time now, along with my 100mg daily of atenolol, and i believe i've gotten tremendous benefit from it. There's no medical evidence to prove that CoQ10 helps HCM patients, but there's no evidence to prove that it doesn't either. My specialist (when i had one) told me that there just isn't the funding available to do a comprehensive study on it. Because of this, he did advise me not to take it... but i'm glad i did anyway. Several months ago i just didn't have the money to buy a new supply of CoQ10, so i went a couple of weeks without it. I'll tell you, i definitely noticed a big difference in my energy level and overall well-being.

There are many other people on the board here that swear by CoQ10, and maybe they'll chime in here, but i also know that there are people here that have tried it and didn't notice any benefit from it. So please ask your physician what he thinks. If it doesn't work for you, you've done no harm to your body... but ask him or her if they think it is worth the expense. Incidentally, the price for Coq10 has come down quite a bit... and should run you somewhere between ten and twenty dollars a month, depending upon where you buy it.

I've also been told that with HCM it is important to get your annual flu shot (like it or not, flu season is coming) and i was also told it's a good idea to get the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. I think both of these vaccines are avilable free of charge through various clinics.

Hope you get to feeling better real soon Mary

Jim