Getting sick occasionally is part of life, even for generally healthy people. For many, infections clear up on their own or with a combination of time and treatment. But for others, illness happens more often and lasts longer than expected. When this pattern repeats, it could be a sign that the immune system is not working as well as it should.
That’s why CSL created SickonRepeat.com, a new educational website to help people better understand recurring illness and learn more about primary immunodeficiency (PI), a complex condition that weakens a person’s immune system. With PI, the body can’t fight off infections because part of the immune system called immunoglobulin (Ig) is missing or doesn’t work as it should.
“People often normalize recurring infections because they’ve lived with them for years. SickonRepeat.com helps them uncover the potential link between frequent infections and immunoglobulin (Ig) levels, offering a self-assessment tool to guide next steps and spark a meaningful conversation with a health care professional,” said Priscilla Tavener, Executive Director, Immunology & Neurology.
Primary immunodeficiency (PI) may be the cause of frequent or recurring infections, but it can take nine to 15 years for this complex condition to be correctly diagnosed. PI isn’t just one disease. There are 550+ types of primary immunodeficiencies. SickonRepeat.com explains what PI is in clear, accessible language and offers the tools to have a conversation with their doctor or get connected with an immunologist.
Why primary immunodeficiency can be hard to recognize
Primary immunodeficiency does not always show up with one clear or dramatic symptom. Because these symptoms resemble everyday illnesses, PI is sometimes overlooked or recognized only after years of ongoing health concerns. Frequent sinus or ear infections, repeated respiratory illnesses, pneumonia or infections that take longer than expected to resolve may be signs that the immune system needs closer attention.
Looking at the bigger picture
In addition to threatening a person’s health, repeated infections can interfere with daily life, leading to missed work or school, ongoing fatigue and frequent medical visits without clear answers.
SickonRepeat.com is designed to help individuals step back and reflect on their overall health experience, rather than focusing on a single illness. The website includes a symptom checker that guides individuals through questions about their health history. This tool is not intended to diagnose any condition. Instead, it helps people think through their experiences and decide whether further discussion with a health care professional may be helpful.
SickonRepeat.com also provides links to organizations that offer patients support, including the Immune Deficiency Foundation, the Jeffrey Modell Foundation and the International Patient Organisation for Primary Immunodeficiencies (IPOPI).
