Changes in immune responses/allergies after a pregnancy?

[The Governess]

I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this?

 

Before my pregnancy, I had no allergies, and didn't get sick that often, just the occasional virus.

 

In the years since dd4 was born, I've been sick a LOT. As soon as she was born I developed this post-nasal drip that never went away. The first winter after she was born I got bronchitis (for the first time ever) and had a cough for nearly 3 months. After it went away I developed hives all over my body (I had never had hives before). After the hives went away they would come back if I scratched my skin or took a hot shower - this happened for months.

 

When dd was 2 I began training for a 5k. I got sick a lot while I was training - every few weeks I would end up in bed with body aches and a low-grade fever. Now I'm wondering if it was really a virus or something else.

 

The next year I got sick quite a few times too and ended up with a sinus infection and was tested for allergies (mild allergies to tree pollen and dust).

 

Since September last year, I have been sick on and off. Twice with a cough, a few times with a sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes everywhere. My doctor had me tested for mono which came back negative. In between these colds, I have been in bed at least 5 or 6 times with body aches and sometimes a mild fever. It seems that I will feel better for a week, get back to my normal level of activity, and then by the weekend the aches will start. They usually last 2 or 3 days.

 

I've been doing some research and my symptoms sound a lot like an auto-immune disorder to me. The only thing is that when I'm not sick, I feel fine. I don't feel fatigued or have any lingering symptoms. And sometimes I will go months without feeling bad at all.

 

Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I have another appointment scheduled next month with my doctor - a complete physical and she is very thorough - but in the meantime I'm doing some of my own research. I would love to hear from anyone who has gone through something similar or has any leads for me.

 

Thanks!!

[keptwoman]

After my first pregnancy I developed allergies to latex and gluten.

 

I don't know anything about autoimmune disorders sorry. But I did read that during pregnancy the immune system is suppressed so you don't reject the baby. Afterwards it is rebuilt and in the process you can develop allergies and loose allergies previously held.

 

Unfortunately for me I only developed more. All the ones I had already (hayfever and cats and penicillian) still stand.

[jojomojo]

I became allergic to eggs :sad: I miss eggs (that was almost 5 yrs and one pregnancy ago).

[Robin M]

I'm the complete opposite.

 

Before pregnancy I was lactose intolerant. After pregnancy, I wasn't any more. My metabolism changed because before pregnancy I was always cold blooded. Now I'm always warm. My allergies seem to have gotten better. Not sure if this helps, but that's what has happened to me.

[MountainViewMama]

After I had my son (he will be 9 in April) my hair started falling out. Everyone told me it was normal and would grow back. Well, it kept falling out slowly but not growing back. I just started wearing a wig the day before Christmas because my hair is soooo thin all you see is scalp. Also, I developed an anxiety disorder right after having him as well. I have been to different doctors and 1 believed it was my thyroid out of wack maybe from the pregnancy but the others don't believe it. So, I am back to not having any answers but knowing it had to do with that pregancy.

I really hope you find the answers you need and everything works out for you.

[ChristusG]

Gosh, I thought I was reading about myself! I've had strange symtoms and new allergies during and after my pregnancy with my second DD, who was born almost two years ago. I developed allergies. I've never had allergies before. In fact, just this morning I'm about to leave to go to a skin scratch test to see what all I'm allergic to.

 

And I just have weird things going on with my body. I am sore all the time, like I ran a marathon the day before. Which I didnt. I have heart palpitations sometimes. I feel tingly sometimes. My nose is stuffy all the time. It's really strange. And it all started after having my second DD. My thyroid went out of whack for a while after that pregnancy, but it is fine now. I've had bloodwork, an echocardiogram, CT scan.....it's all normal. It's really strange.

[The Governess]

I don't know anything about autoimmune disorders sorry. But I did read that during pregnancy the immune system is suppressed so you don't reject the baby. Afterwards it is rebuilt and in the process you can develop allergies and loose allergies previously held.

 

This is really interesting. I have a feeling that there must be a connection between this and all of the symptoms I've been having. I did some research online last night also and read that pregnancy, very stressful life situations, etc. in addition to a virus can trigger auto-immune disorders such as CFS or lupus.

 

Thanks for sharing! And I'm sorry your allergies got worse. :(

[The Governess]

I became allergic to eggs :sad: I miss eggs (that was almost 5 yrs and one pregnancy ago).

 

:(

 

I'm the complete opposite.

 

Before pregnancy I was lactose intolerant. After pregnancy, I wasn't any more. My metabolism changed because before pregnancy I was always cold blooded. Now I'm always warm. My allergies seem to have gotten better. Not sure if this helps, but that's what has happened to me.

 

I'm glad to hear that you saw an improvement. I'm always so scared about what will happen to me if I ever get pregnant again, since it was so bad the first time.

 

After I had my son (he will be 9 in April) my hair started falling out. Everyone told me it was normal and would grow back. Well, it kept falling out slowly but not growing back. I just started wearing a wig the day before Christmas because my hair is soooo thin all you see is scalp. Also, I developed an anxiety disorder right after having him as well. I have been to different doctors and 1 believed it was my thyroid out of wack maybe from the pregnancy but the others don't believe it. So, I am back to not having any answers but knowing it had to do with that pregancy.

I really hope you find the answers you need and everything works out for you.

 

Thank you for sharing. :grouphug: I'm so sorry you've had such a hard time and not been able to find an official diagnosis. That's incredibly frustrating. I'm planning on doing some research myself to bring into my doctor, hopefully she won't ignore it.

 

Gosh, I thought I was reading about myself! I've had strange symtoms and new allergies during and after my pregnancy with my second DD, who was born almost two years ago. I developed allergies. I've never had allergies before. In fact, just this morning I'm about to leave to go to a skin scratch test to see what all I'm allergic to.

 

And I just have weird things going on with my body. I am sore all the time, like I ran a marathon the day before. Which I didnt. I have heart palpitations sometimes. I feel tingly sometimes. My nose is stuffy all the time. It's really strange. And it all started after having my second DD. My thyroid went out of whack for a while after that pregnancy, but it is fine now. I've had bloodwork, an echocardiogram, CT scan.....it's all normal. It's really strange.

 

That is strange! It does sound a lot like what happened to me. I also had a scratch test done, it only came up with mild allergies to dust and tree pollen (of course it had to be two things that are nearly impossible to avoid). I used to also get a tingly sensation in my mouth and lips after I would eat (any food, nothing specific). I always wonder how much of what's bothering me is related to my allergies, or if my allergies are simply a symptom, being caused by something bigger. I hope you find out what's bothering you!

[ElizabethB]

My food allergies developed after pregnancy, and got worse after a miscarriage.

 

I have 3 female friends with multiple food allergies that developed later in life, 1 developed hers after pregnancy, 1 after a hysterectomy, the last was just a casual friend and I didn't ever get around to asking when/how hers developed before we moved. I also have a friend who developed lupus after pregnancy.

 

I got sick a lot when they first developed--I was still eating things I was allergic to, I didn't realize I had the food allergies.

 

After I went on an elimination diet and stopped eating things I was allergic to, my overall health improved. However, now I'm limited to a ridiculously small amount of food, I've gotten allergic to a lot of new foods the last 6 yo 8 months.

 

Some of your symptoms could be allergies but also sound like possibly tick related offhand.

 

I've also recently become allergic to polyester, and hot showers can aggravate the reaction to that.

[helena]

Yes, that ALL sounds familiar. I found out it was lupus (SLE). It's so awful. I hope, hope, hope it's not that for you. I thought I was allergic to something, and that I was just kind of letting myself turn into a sickly person. To play it safe I would stay out of the sun, and ask for blood tests. Don't delay if you think it could be lupus, because it sounds like if you have it, you're at a decent place. It seems like the goal with lupus is to stay below the radar, and avoid organ involvement for as long as possible. I think that once you're organs are involved there's no going back to problems just being hives, feverish, throwing up, sore joints etc. Yes that is a decent place to be in lupus land. I'll think positive for you, hope you find you're answers soon. It's hard not knowing, and it can be scary when dum dums like me suggest it could be something bad. Sorry.

[asta]

My immune system collapsed after my first pregnancy. The baby (DS) turned out perfect, but I was sick as a DOG for 2 years. After that, I wasn't actively ill (fever, exhaustion, etc.), but I had a very low level of activity that I could do without having "flares".

 

The docs are still trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with me (DS is 15). They have ruled out psychiatric, but in doing so found a cardiac problem and a weird EEG (brain waves are set up for seizures, which I have had). Now they are looking at some specific auto-immune disorder (weird tests).

 

I was advised by a whole bunch of docs not to get pregnant again. They figured that the baby would be fine, but I'd be dead.

 

I wake every day thankful for my DS.

 

 

asta

[The Governess]

Some of your symptoms could be allergies but also sound like possibly tick related offhand.

 

Yeah, I've thought about that too. We do have ticks in our area but lyme is not too prevalent here, and I've never had a bite (to my knowledge). But I will definitely bring that up with my doctor and see about getting tested just in case.

[The Governess]

Yes, that ALL sounds familiar. I found out it was lupus (SLE). It's so awful. I hope, hope, hope it's not that for you. I thought I was allergic to something, and that I was just kind of letting myself turn into a sickly person. To play it safe I would stay out of the sun, and ask for blood tests. Don't delay if you think it could be lupus, because it sounds like if you have it, you're at a decent place. It seems like the goal with lupus is to stay below the radar, and avoid organ involvement for as long as possible. I think that once you're organs are involved there's no going back to problems just being hives, feverish, throwing up, sore joints etc. Yes that is a decent place to be in lupus land. I'll think positive for you, hope you find you're answers soon. It's hard not knowing, and it can be scary when dum dums like me suggest it could be something bad. Sorry.

 

No need to apologize! :001_smile: Thanks for sharing your experience with me. I had initially thought that it couldn't be lupus: the achey feeling I get is more like the flu and not like arthritis, and I don't have any rashes, etc. But it's definitely on my list to bring up with the doctor. I'm so sorry you've had to deal with all of that. :sad:

[The Governess]

My immune system collapsed after my first pregnancy. The baby (DS) turned out perfect, but I was sick as a DOG for 2 years. After that, I wasn't actively ill (fever, exhaustion, etc.), but I had a very low level of activity that I could do without having "flares".

 

The docs are still trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with me (DS is 15). They have ruled out psychiatric, but in doing so found a cardiac problem and a weird EEG (brain waves are set up for seizures, which I have had). Now they are looking at some specific auto-immune disorder (weird tests).

 

I was advised by a whole bunch of docs not to get pregnant again. They figured that the baby would be fine, but I'd be dead.

 

I wake every day thankful for my DS.

 

 

asta

 

My fear that "next time" things will be worse was the reason that we decided to adopt dd2 rather than go through another pregnancy. None of my friends really understood this.

 

I hope your doctors find you a diagnosis and that you can (finally) start feeling better. Thanks so much for sharing your experience. :grouphug:

[Tess in the Burbs]

I joke with my dh that another pregnancy would leave me allergic to the world.

 

The first pregnancy gave me an allergic child. Egg and Dairy. And dog/tree/cat/dust/mold. in a baby! they were shocked at all his allergies.

 

The second pregnancy got me. I test negative for foods, but cannot eat some dairy products. yogurt, soft cheeses. My indoor/outdoor allergies are horrific and they have told me to do the allergy shots now. I am sick all year round and it takes 2 rounds of antibiotics for every sinus infection....

 

I do have Hashimoto's thyroiditis(autoimmune disease) so I wonder how much that affects all these other issues....no answers, but you aren't alone

[asta]

My fear that "next time" things will be worse was the reason that we decided to adopt dd2 rather than go through another pregnancy. None of my friends really understood this.

 

I hope your doctors find you a diagnosis and that you can (finally) start feeling better. Thanks so much for sharing your experience. :grouphug:

 

Yep.

 

I actually had a (relatively young and very hip) priest tell me that it was my duty to die in childbirth, if that is what happened. He was completely unconcerned with the fact my DH has no one to help him with DS, and is not in a profession that would allow him to "stay home".

 

Sigh.

 

asta