When “Just a Cold” Isn’t Just a Cold: What You Might Not Know About Autoimmune Disease and Immune Suppression

By: Brandon Matthew Deen, Sr.

Most people catch a cold, feel lousy for a few days, and bounce back. No big deal. For someone with an autoimmune disease like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or Crohn’s? It’s not that simple. Especially when their immune system is being actively suppressed by medication.

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system becomes confused and mistakenly attacks healthy parts of the body, such as the brain, joints, digestive system, or nerves. And to manage that, many people are prescribed immunosuppressive or immunomodulating drugs. These treatments are essential. They slow the damage. They reduce relapses. They give people a shot at something close to stability. But they also come with a price: fewer defenses against everyday illnesses.

That’s the part people often miss. If someone has an autoimmune disease and they’re on a drug that weakens their immune system, it means they don’t fight off bugs the same way you do. What’s mild for you can knock them sideways. And they can’t just “boost their immune system” with a smoothie or extra sleep in fact, doing that might even backfire if it ramps up the same immune system that’s already misfiring.

They walk a tightrope every single day between keeping their disease in check and staying protected from everything else going around.