Preparing for the Flu Season
September 22, 2009

Headache. Extreme tiredness. Muscle aches. People affected by fibromyalgia may get a double whammy this flu season as many of the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia also occur with influenza viruses.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu activity is increasing in most of the United States with nearly half of all states reporting widespread influenza activity.  Most prevalent is the highly publicized H1N1 flu, often referred to as the swine flu, which may cause more illness or more severe illness than previous strands.

 
Any type of influenza can be especially tough on those who suffer from fibromyalgia. “People with fibro have immune dysfunction as part of their sympathetic hypersensitivity/dysfunction so they could be more prone to the flu, but I've not seen this conclusively proven yet,” says Mark J. Pellegrino, MD, one of the nation’s leading experts on fibromyalgia. “We know that those with fibro who get any flu feel worse and have longer recovery times that those without fibro.”

 
The scenario certainly has proven true with two Orange County, Calif., FM patients who came down with the flu in February—a female in her 60s and a teenage male. Both are still contending with significant setbacks, experiencing the same difficulties as when they were first diagnosed with the disorder.

 
To guard against a similar scenario, the NFA recommends you talk with your healthcare provider about whether a flu shot is a good option for you.  According to the CDC, the vaccine is first and most important step in protecting against seasonal influenza. Two are recommended this year— the seasonal flu vaccine, which guards three of the most common seasonal viruses, and the new H1N1 vaccine.

For additional tips on how to protect yourself and your family and other information on the flu, visit the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm