Stress induced auto-immune problems??

Doctors suspect that my mum's purpura (little purple dots all over her legs and back), low platelet level and bleeding gums may be due to stress-induced auto-immune issues. She had a platelet transfusion on Tuesday but her levels didn't get better. She was supposed to have another one last night but the ward she's in has absolutely horrible organization and I don't know if it happened.

She was also on Sulfa drugs for a UTI, but stopped those on Monday. My father passed away last week unexpectedly and she's been dealing with his estate - so the stress thing is believable, if possible.

Can anyone tell me more about this either by personal experience or medical training? Will she get better if her stress levels decrease? How does one decrease someone else's stress levels????

Hi my immune system is totally trashed if someon sneezes a mile away from me a i would get a cold. yes stress can have the strangest effects on the human bodie. I am sorry for your families loss and for what your mum is going through. I think that given time she will start to feel much better. take care

Stress can trigger someone who has a propensity or vulnerability to a autoimmune or other chronic illness... it doesnt necessarily cause it completely....

it might be helpful for her to have psychotherapy to help her deal with her illness, stress levels and assist her in helping her manage her life..... there are many therapist who work with people that have chronic illnesses....

being there as a social support and for your mom is great. It's not your responsibility to take on her stress but it'snice that you care about her.

Her stress levels decreasing might help her illness calm down or go into remission but it might not fully stop it because as I said at the start.most autoimmune diseases arent caused by stress but can be triggered by stress...

i hope she starts to feel better soon.... thats a lot of you go through with too, your fathers death, her illness,,, wow... it might help for both of you to have counseling....

Re-post this question in Medicine, in the Science section, here at Yahoo.

Grief: Go to http://www.mind.org.uk/ and type "grief" in the taskbar, and enter. Call: The Grief Recovery Institute (U.S.A.) 1-800-445-4808, or Hospice (phone book). Email jo@samaritans.org Chatrooms and forums: http://www.chatmag.com/topics/health/gri... and http://talkingminds.15.forumer.com/ and http://messageboards.ivillage.com/ Other websites: http://www.griefnet.org/ and http://www.helpguide.org/ (coping, supporting others, loss of relationship, or pet) and http://www.mental-health-abc.com/ and http://www.boblivingstone.com/?q=node30 and http://www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk/ Understand that there are often several stages of grief.

The stages are:

Denial: The initial stage: "It can't be happening."
Anger: "Why ME? It's not fair?!" (either referring to God, oneself, or anybody perceived, rightly or wrongly, as "responsible")
Bargaining: "Just let me live to see my son graduate."
Depression: "I'm so sad, why bother with anything?"
Acceptance: "It's going to be OK."
K眉bler-Ross originally applied these stages to any form of catastrophic personal loss (job, income, freedom). This also includes the death of a loved one and divorce. K眉bler-Ross also claimed these steps do not necessarily come in order, nor are they all experienced by all patients, though she stated a person will always experience at least two.

See http://www.amazon.com/ for books on the various stages. After a while, consider making a photoalbum/scrapbook and/or a shrine, in remembrance, and set aside one day per month on which to reflect. Many religious organisations offer counselling, or you may feel more comfortable with a therapist, to express your thoughts, and feelings. Journalling may help in this. If there is depression: visit your doctor, and see depression treatments, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris in section 2.
Suggested Resources on Grief and Mourning: Beyond Grief: A guide for recovering from the death of a loved one; and: Men and grief: A guide for men surviving the death of a loved one, New Harbinger Productions Inc. 5674 Shattock Ave, Oakland, CA 94609 Phone: 1-800-784-6273

James, J. W. & Friedman, R. (1998). The Grief Recovery Handbook, Collins. Grollman, E. (1995). Living when a Loved One has Died, Beacon Press.

Livingstone, B. (Planned August, 2007). The Body-Mind-Soul Solution: Healing Emotional Pain through Exercise, Pegasus Books.

Simon, S, & Drantell, J. J. (1998). A Music I No Longer Heard: The Early Death of a Parent.

Livingstone, B. (2002). Redemption of the Shattered: A Teenager's Healing Journey through Sandtray Therapy, http://www.boblivingstone.com/

I don't have a section on grief, so included my post above, because I wouldn't have had space enough for the longish post on stress treatments as well: view section 42, at ezy build, page i first.

Print, or save to favorites, or bookmarks, for her, later. Try to take a little of the burden from off her shoulders, by doing what you can to help, and asking other family members to do their part, as well.