Why do I keep getting serious infections??

[armquestion]

I am usually on antibiotics 6-10x per year. I get a lot of minor infections but I also get a lot of complications - recently a virus was going around and I got a secondary infection and was then hospitalised for sepsis.

I also got sepsis after a wisdom tooth removal despite being told it wasn't possible to have complications that fast or that severe - the dentist said he had never seen an infection so severe. Was in hospital for a week.

I have had unexplained cervicitis three times that has led to PID and hospital stays with IV antibiotics. Negative STI screen, no known cause.

This time last year I had a combined chest and kidney infection. I have also had kidney infections multiple other times.

Blood panels are all normal, no known issues. AIBU to think it isn't normal and there must be a reason?

Have you been tested for other autoimmune conditions?

Thyroid and coeliac, which both run in the family, and were both normal. Normal BMI, don't drink or smoke, eat healthily, take vitamins

The only condition I have is PCOS

Before or after the sepsis?

If most of them were after the sepsis, that affects the immune system and once you have had it once, you are more likely to get more infections and get sepsis again.

I never realised that :( lots of infections/illnesses both before and after the sepsis, but the severity/complications have got worse

How frustrating for you! That’s really rotten luck- if that’s what it is.

Low vitamin d levels? Or low iron?

Low or disfunctional immune OP (not necessarily autoimmune)

you take vitamins ? Perhaps look into some high strength ones (not gummies etc) especially Zinc, vitamin A, D, C

Once you have sepsis once, it does something to your body which makes you a lot more easier to get infections in the future unfortunately :(

There’s a lot more auto immune than thyroid and coeliac.

I got vaccinated by my consultant against pneumonia and a few other things because I kept getting chest infections which made my asthma worse and landed me in hospital.

That sounds horrible OP.
I would suspect he many courses of antibiotics could have affected your immune system.. Not that you have much choice when you need to them to fight a bacterial infection, but maybe it's something to discuss with your doctor to have a plan to rebuild your immune system. (Like testing if infections are definitely bacterial before being prescribed AB and getting probiotics prescribed as well)

Do you exercise?

What other autoimmune conditions are there that could cause this? I don't know what else to ask to get tested for, or whether this is just my life

Have you thoroughly rebuilt your gut flora after each course of antibiotics? If not, I'd expect your gut to be hammered by now, and they now know that about 75% of immunity starts in the gut.

If you think this could be the problem, I'd recommend some serious fermented probiotics (probably a couple of months worth) and take them exactly according to the instructions. Don't be tempted to ignore the instructions to not take within two hours of food, or with milk, or whatever the say. Decent fermented probiotics are going to cost you something like £70+ per month supply, but hopefully this is a one-off. Then on an ongoing basis add fermented foods to your diet. Also make sure you are always eating lots of prebiotics (feeds your "good" bacteria).

@armquestion likely its this rather than autoimmune

so many abs have a gut impact and most immune resides in the gut

Perhaps I d focus on repairing it with probiotics (Symprove is what we take ) and ginger

Spot on @Zivvy ! X post

I would request a HbA1c and check for inflammation levels.

With several courses of IV antibiotics under your belt, sounds like you may need to see immunology.

I believe in the US they give out antibiotics after all tooth infections as a phrophylactic

I think there is a push for it here.

Definitely sort your gut out, that will stop vitamins being absorbed too. Make sure the vitamins you are taking have good bioavailability and sufficiently high dosages. Also when you are taking vitamins make sure you tone them correctly and take the right ones at the right time (iron with vitamin c, not with any dairy etc).

The sepsis will have had a major impact and it will take time to build up your immune system.

@Zivvy thank you, I do have a lot of digestive issues now from all of the ab's. Took high strength probiotics after every course but don't tolerate them anymore, they make it worse. Do you recommend any particular kind?

It sounds as if you need further tests to see exactly what is going on with your immune system.

My dentist actually referred me to the oral medicine team when I kept getting repeated deep infections despite good oral hygiene. The tests they ran included tests for immunoglobulin (which tell you how your immune system is running and is often determined genetically) and tests for autoimmune conditions (ANA and something else?). In my case my immunoglobulins came back low but just on the threshold where it is officially considered an immunodeficiency. In short, I just have a shit immune system.

Its always worth ruling things out.

DH who is a great sceptic had some good results with https://www.chucklinggoat.co.uk/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1745609752&gclid=Cj0KCQiAwYrNBhDcARIsAGo3u312ZOiiHFCWierGY7oIRgtjS0kvBT_9jco4pQqm89g8-1FkYE-iyU0aAuhfEALw_wcB

I have Selective IgA Deficiency which causes recurrent infections. It is diagnosed by blood test, but it’s not a routine blood test so you’ll probably need to ask your GP for it.

Are you vegetarian/vegan?