Catching things--what could be wrong?

[opple]

Does the pill really suppress your immune system? I can't think of anything else that would cause me to get so sick every time I catch a cold or flu or infection of that sort.

I just get slammed to the point where I am home flat on my back. Coughs are the worst--always they go into bronchitis. I had pneumonia once, serious case of it. I don't know if that would weaken my respiratory system forever or what. I am fifty, I exercise and take many vitamins and supplements.

I seem to never be able to do over the counter anymore, forget it. Aspirin I have to have on hand but usually in conjunction with amoxicillin or cipro. I am running to the doctor every time I get these things or self-medicating with meds left over from the last time. I confess, I save a few pills because I know I'll get slammed again and a person can only go to the ER or minor emerg so much.

[Kszan]

Dapple, yes the birth control pill is, in fact, an immunosuppressant steroid. People who are on steroids in general have a lower immune system, and the pill isn't too much different. If you do some research on the internet and specifically look for scientific articles about steroid sex hormones, you will see that the pill is an immunosuppressant.

That's part of what made me decide to quit. When I read some of the stuff that I saw, I was very concerned because I didn't realize the business about being a steroid. So I quit and I'm a lot healthier all around, thankfully!

[adamace1]

Also you need to finish your meds, not save some for next time. You might not be killing all the bacteria and thenit will come back stronger.

Also taking meds will lower your immune system responce to viruses.

[opple]

Thank you both. I wish the women's clinic could have just given me HRT instead of the pill but I don't know all the ins and outs of why they do the pill for perimeno. Something about you have to have no period for a year and really be in meno before you can get conventional HRT(?) What a year that would be.

I'm convinced the more pills you take the more you need. I take a pill for this, a pill for that until sometimes I think to myself, what would happen to me if I didn't have these on hand or couldn't afford them? Probably end up in the hospital.

And now with all this amoxicillin I better go to Rite Aid and grab some yeast medication--it never ends.