Medical questions

[Yvette BG]

Hi--I have a couple of medical questions. When a person is in an HPV-Positive active mode, is he/she considered immunocompromised or immunosuppressed? I read on some over-the-counter products you should not take them if you are immunocompromised, and I'm wondering right now until I test negative, does this apply to me? Also, when people are HPV+, are they more prone to getting colds? Currently I have this cold/virus that won't quit and have had it now for about 1 1/2 weeks. Usually my colds last 3 days and this is the worst one I've had for a long time (like decades). I'm kind of curious about this cold thing, because with my medical history, I suspect I was exposed/infected with HPV in 1978/1979. That following year (1979-1980) I had at least 3 or 4 bad colds which lingered. Thanks for your help.

[Yvette BG]

Hi--Thanks for your comments, Wolfcub86 and mkh9. I checked with my doctor about the supplement and she okayed it. That is important since supplements can interact with medications, even though many are "natural" they are not always safe or healthful, etc. I also appreciate your comments about C. Diff., mkh9. Mom had it for 9 months (in her 80s, resistant strain or recurrent infection they couldn't get rid of) and was quite ill, hospitalized for it, etc. I may have caught it from her as I was caring for her and I also had been on antibiotics for an outpatient surgery and also for dental within 3-4 weeks of contracting the illness (which, like you say, is typical). The C. Diff. and the HPV are probably not related, but I just wonder about how strong my immune system is--I had to go through 2 rounds of treatment for C. Diff. before it cleared. Then 3 years later I come up HPV positive after being in a mutually monogamous relationship for 25 years. Kind of makes you wonder if having C.Diff. 3 years ago weakened my immune system or helped reactivate a long dormant virus. Thanks for the suggestion of the zinc lozenges. I really don't know if what I've been fighting is a cold or the flu. I might have made a mistake, but I wanted to wait a bit after I was first diagnosed with HPV to get my flu shot, in an effort to boost up my immune system before getting the immunization. Maybe this backfired. Sometimes I over-think things! Thanks for your help, Yvette  

[mkh9]

Hi I wanted to comment on you having C. difficile. This does not come from HPV. It almost always comes after taking antibiotics. Did you have antibiotics before you got it (usually1- 2 months after you took antibiotics). I don't this is related either, unless you still have C. diff.? Otherwise it is possible that you are getting a virus that is not a cold rather  a bug like parainfluenza or adenovirus. Sometimes you can get reinfected with the virus over and over. I agree you need to get your immune system boosted. Are you sleeping well and exercising? Lycopene is good but try zinc lozenges (try the orange flavored ones the cherry can be hard on the stomach). The zinc is good for Rhinovirus (cold) but not the flu. Stay from crowds and wash your hands frequently after being in public. Let me know how it goes. Feel free to  send me a note. You might want to get a complete blood count to see if your cell counts are normal and a chemistry profile too.

mkh9

[Wolfcub86]

Hello,

I just want to stress that it's very important to consult with your doctor before taking any OTC drugs, including food supplements.

If your cold has lasted more than 2 weeks, see your doctor.
I don't see how it can be related to HPV anyway.

I hope you get well soon,
Take care and let us know.

[Yvette BG]

My Pap smears in May and Oct. of this year were abnormal and I was diagnosed with HPV in Oct. I had a colposcopy in Oct. and they didn't find anything unusual (had a lesion which was treated about 33 years ago, no recurring lesion since then and I've been getting regular Pap tests every year or so since then.) I think I will ask about the immunoglobulin test--thanks for the suggestion. Also, my fasting blood sugar has been going up a little each year lately, so that would be a good idea as well, since diabetes runs in my family. I had gotten an infection back in 2008 called C. Diff. (Clostridium Difficile) which usually happens to people that are older than I am and also is more common in people with immune systems that are already compromised. Now I'm wondering if that C. Diff. is somehow related to my HPV. Maybe the C. Diff. infection ended up weakening my immune system and reactivating the presumably dormant HPV virus.
Now what I'm doing is eating more foods with lycopene since some research shows that might be helpful for the immune system, and I've also just started taking a supplement called Nutriferon from *******. It is supposed to boost the immune system and does have some research behind it. Thanks again for your help. Take care, Yvette      

[mkh9]

Hi YvetteBg,
HPV alone isn't going to make you immunocompromised. Are you Pap smears normal? If so I wouldn't worry about just an HPV result. If you have an abnormal PAP smear which indicated cancer then you might be immunocompromised but if you have normal PAPs then it should resolve. The latest virus this year is making people sick for about 2 weeks so you may have that. The flu isn't supposedly out yet according to the CDC although there are a very small number out there.The colds you have that linger may be caused by something else. You could get a immunoglobulin test and complete blood count , and perhaps a fasting blood sugar, and see if you really are immunocompromised. If you hang around children you will get sick a lot too, especially if they have been to day care. You should keep any eye on your PAP smears regularly and as long as they stay normal you are ok.
hope this helps,
mkh9