(Or maybe the culprit seems clearlike if youre taking a medication that makes you prone to infections.)
For example, if youre experiencing gastrointestinal pains, a doctor might suspect you have celiac disease.
Or, if youre constantly coughing, they might look into asthma.
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In many cases, these initial hunches can be correctbut sometimes, youll have to do more digging.
One little-known condition in this vein iscommon variable immunodeficiency (CVID).
(Think:stomach ailments, sinus infections, pneumonia, and ear infections.)
Many people dont show signs of the disorder until their 20s or 30s.
(Confused yet?)
All of this makes diagnosing the disease a bit challenging.
Sometimes, that means the body mistakenly attacks healthy tissue.
In other cases, the immune system has a harder time fighting bacteria and viruses.
This can sometimes lead to longer, more severe, or recurrent periods of illness, according to theAAAA.
Your chances of having CVID arent super likelybut some factors increase the odds.
CVID affects roughly one in 25,000 to 50,000 people globally.
CVIDsymptoms span a wide range, but some are more common than others.
And as a reminder: How severe (or mild) they are is different for everyone.
You might not get an accurate diagnosis during your first doctor visit.
Unearthing the root cause of feeling regularly sick or generally unwell can be a journey.
This is particularly true of CVID, which is underrecognized, Dr. Hartog says.
Dr. Hartog notes that identifying whats really going on can take persistence.
We dont know why that happens, Dr. Hartog says.
There are solid treatment options for CVID, but no cure.
Most folks with CVID are prescribed immunoglobulin replacement therapy6to deal with symptoms, according to theAAAA.
This is a blood-based infusion that contains antibodies to help people with CVID patients fight infection.
Undergoing immunoglobulin infusions doesnt mean people with CVID will never get sick again.
Theres still so much to learn about thisprimary immunodeficiency disease, but CVID doesnt have to feel scary.
