Increase in Respiratory Illness?

[javaaddict]

Have any of you experienced an increase in respiratory illnesses since starting Tecfidera? I am now dealing with my 4th round of bronchitis since I started taking it in November. I haven't had bronchitis for years prior to that.

It's hard for me not to link the two, though I know it may not be that simple.

[Tawanda]

I got something like a really nasty chest cold after going full strength on Tec. I had this really nasty cough that was keeping me and everyone else awake all night. Finally saw my PCP who gave me so e cough medicine, that was it. I coughed for about a month straight, and I did consider this could have stemmed from a lowered immune system due to Tec but then my husband (not on Tec!) caught the same, nearly fainting in church and also coughed his head off for a month!

When I got Shingles, I did think back to the nasty thing I got this spring, and it did make me wonder. To be brutally honest, I hadn't seen my PCP since I was diagnosed with MS 10 years ago, but have been there for 2 different infections since starting Tec. The same mechanism calming the charge of the MS (and in my case, also calming the charge of my Psoriasis) seems to be simultaneously letting other diseases out of their bottle! Thus, I have decided Tec isn't for me (and just when Biogen just approved to pay 1/3 of my co-pay for Tec which, ironically, they just called to tell me today)!

Feel better!

[javaaddict]

Well, I was OK until a few weeks ago when I developed pneumonia.

I am honestly having a hard time believing this is not related to the Tec.

My CBC showed a lower white count but not outside of normal bounds. I was reading on some more detailed drug literature that upper respiratory infections are a possible side effect. My neuro says no. I say...there are too many incidents this first year of taking Tec to say otherwise.

I'm not sure what to do at this point. I feel like I'm in a "better the devil you know" kind of situation with Tecfidera - s/e of some of these other meds are much worse.