I have been battling for the past few days with an awful viral sore throat, persistent cough which has now gone on my chest ie bronchitis. It has been doing the rounds locally and people feeling rough. I’m doing all the usual things, paracetamol, fluids, rest etc and started an expectorant today to try and help shift the phlegm. ( I did check this with the GP online) ( I am Covid neg, did a quick test to be sure. ) The reason for this post is to ask if anyone knows if our immune systems are affected after a stroke ? Are we more susceptible because this is the worst I have ever been with a throat infection and I also feel rather wheezy. It has impacted my balance etc probably as I’m more tired. Any worst tomorrow and I will need to ask the Gps advice though I try and avoid at all costs for things such as this. Any thoughts learned survivors?
I have just recovered from something very similar so sending you my sympathies and hope you feel better soon.
It is common to be affected more from illnesses after a stroke. Not sure whh but I think itvis probably because your new brain connections can’t cope with fighting an illness & dealing with the new connections. I have found even the mildest of colds can completely wipe me out. It can also make your stroke affects worse temporarily too.
Plenty of rest & stay hydrated. Get well soon.
Ann x
Hi Hilary - sorry to hear you have picked up a horrid infection. Pleased you tested negative for Covid. Good that you are doing all the usual things.
Unfortunately, in my experience, these infections do take about a week or possibly two to clear, and the strains are getting stronger through building up resistance to antibiotics etc. 
Wrt to contacting the GP, I think perhaps now, it might be worth not avoiding at all costs for such things - being a stroke survivor is hard enough and you should take all the help that is available. To be fair you did check with the online GP - so well done!
Get well soon 
Today, I learnt something new from your post
I learnt what an expectorant is - this is the first time I have ever come across this word 
Sorry to hear that you are unwell at the moment. Take care and look after yourself and I hope you will be feeling better soon.
Sending positive thoughts and regards
Sue
Regards Sue
My immune system doesn’t seem that affected after my stroke, but my CPSP gets far worse on the run up to any illness (ie colds, Covid etc) even before I know I’m ill. It then goes away when the symptoms develop.
Thanks Bobbi do you play the banjo?
@ManjiB yes, every day is a school day. A good old remedy is an expectorant. Whilst I am a little sceptical of some cough linctus’s an expectorant can be very useful in bronchitis. As an old retired nurse we learnt about these benefits back in the 70s when I first started. Sorry to reminisce but I can remember using a weird contraption to administer tinc benz inhalations, which I see on Google you can still buy, the tincture of benzoine that is. Oh.. its available on Amazon too.. lol. Anyway, an expectorant is in my opinion very useful in loosening that phlegm ( sorry if you are eating) and allow you to cough it up. Not to be used though unless that is what is needed. A pharmacist would know, and I only know from listening to my breathing feeling congested and the persistant coughing is the body trying to remove it. Saves a trip to the GP who will inevitably stick you on antibiotics as a precaution because them he can tick a box and frankly there is not much he can really do except tell people to take paracetamol etc rest and hydrate. However antibiotics are of no use in the majority of upper respiratory infections because they are almost always caused by a virus not a bacteria, so all the antibiotics will do is mess up your gut biome and destroy the good bacteria that you need. Biology lesson over for today. I admit, I did almost reach out to the quack as I felt awful and agree with you that a stroke is bad enough but my old nursey logic told me I was going to feel like ****. Bronchitis is nasty. Rest and let my body do the work of killing off the bugs. A bit of indulgence watching tennis helped too. Salt water gargle, paracetamol etc. So, today I am much much better and thank you for your kind words Hilary
@Bobbi @Mrs5K @Susan_Jane @MinnieB thank you all. I’m feeling much better and it is helpful to know that some of you also have a worsening of stroke symptoms in these cases. It makes sense. I mustn’t make the mistake of rushing to do too much too soon so I think another few days of watching Wimbledon might be what is required. 
Nope.
Putting a record on is about as musical as I get.
@Bobbi love it! I might treat myself to a banjo one day 
Glad you’re feeling a bit better. I’d definitely take it easy gor a few days and indulge in the tennis 