I ask as Im currently in the midst of a particularly virulent bout of flu/cold.
This is maybe the sixth time this year, it's not unusual. Am I just unlucky, is it genetics? Im a reasonably fit and healthy 49 year old.
I realise this is a first world problem, dealing with so many bouts of illness but it's causing knock on effects in other parts of my life.
Save for wearing a mask how can I avoid so many instances of lurgy?
How do you avoid it?
I used to get loads of colds when my daughter was at plague group and primary school but since 2019 I have had Covid once and either a cold or Covid another time. So twice in six years. I think I just avoid people who are sick now
since 2019 I have had Covid once and either a cold or Covid another time.
I'm much the same. Ive had a flu jab pretty much every year since I can remember, work used to provide them for all staff and now I just stump up £20 or whatever it is without worrying about it. Wont help with any colds going about, obviously, but i seem reasonably impervious to those on the whole.
So if you're getting 6 flu/colds a year, it's genetics 😬
Up until lately I worked in schools over the last decade, I spent alternate years either being catching a new colds every other week, or shrugged them off with ease. Building up your immune response or avoid sick ppl (& sanitise your hands lots)
The best year(s) for not getting colds was during Covid, when everyone used hand sanitiser! (I miss that.. sanitation station are still in place, but not filled)
Four months without a cold/cough/etc and feel like I'm doing well. Got two kids in primary school.
Yeah, the common denominator may be my 7 year old germ spreader. She seems to have a slight cough meanwhile I get the full chest infection/laid out option.
I realise I can't avoid it but was hoping there may be some holistic remedies that were working for folk.
The 6th this year? Blimey. Is this you....
Since I retired I've been almost 100% healthy, apart from 1 bout of COVID, which I didn't get until late 2024. I acquired a grandchild a year ago. All continued fine until she went to nursery and I started looking after her one day a week. Since then I have had almost continuous illness. I call her my favourite little disease vector.
Currently feeling sorry for myself with my once in a 10 year cold/flu. I feel much worse than when I had Covid. This is nasty.
I only had the flu jab last week too.
Never took a day of work for 10 years too but I had Friday afternoon off.
pretty much never ill with colds and stuff like that.
as for being worn out....... yes deffo.
last 15 years been to the doctors four times. all resulted in surgery.
Very rarely.....didn't catch covid, can't remember the last time I had a bad cold....decade or three ago...but do seem quite good at major stuff...cancer twice in last 5 yrs and had 5 cardioversions for AF over last 25 yrs (but hopefully the ablation at the last one sorted it for good....)
I get properly sick about twice a year. I class that as not going to work and I don't even feel like riding my bike so I know I'm poorly.
Normally awful cold/flu type stuff where I just want to stay in bed.
Anecdotal evidence is anecdotal, but about five years ago I stopped using shower gel/shampoo. I shower every day, but just use hot water on my hair and a scrubbing brush thing on my pits'n'bits. Since then I've had far fewer colds and sniffles. I think it's something do with the old skin biome and it's effect on the immune system, but IANAepidaemoiligist (Obviously, because I can't even spell it)
This year for the first time in ages that I can remember.
It coincided with returning to civilization. Living in the van and spending the majority of our time somewhere remote with very little contact with the masses. We turned up at friends in Stuttgart, I took a train to London and I was laid flat for a couple of days.
Caught something last month that went on for ages. Blocked nose, headaches, tired. Think it may have been Corona light. No idea.
Not ill very often.
Not very often but when I am I do it in style. Been T1 diabetic for 34 years. 2018 diagnosed with bowel cancer cue 3 ops and a dose of peritonitis. 2023 another bowel cancer diagnosis, 2 ops and rapidly running out of large colon. As a wee addendum was also told I had metastatic prostate cancer - 6 weeks of radiotherapy was not pleasant, neither is the ongoing hormone therapy. But at least I've avoided covid - so far.
Like I say 1st world stuff compared to the life altering above. Just frustrated is all..
Not often. Not had even a cold until recently and been stuck with blocked sinus / head cold last two weeks. I have shares in Sudafed now.
Very rarely, I put it down to years of exposure to bugs.
Like I say 1st world stuff compared to the life altering above. Just frustrated is all..
I think is why I feel so frustrated when I have "just a cold".
I've been pretty lucky since the kids got to secondary school. Usually couple of cold a year, a week at a time.
This year I tested positive for Covid in June, jad to take a week off, then a week of with Norovirus early November. Just starting day 8 of an annoying cold which is lingering.
The team at work has been generally ill for 2-3 months now with bad colds/flu/ possible Covid. A few colleagues have kids, so we blame them. Undoubtedly some are coming into the office to work when they shouldn't, a couple because they genuinely struggle to work at home, a couple because they already take the piss with the 60% office attendance and have no wriggle room.
Thankfully very rarely. I'm supposed to get the flu jab but the doctors have decided to stop inviting me for the last two years so last year I managed to catch the flu which considering I'm immune compromised wasn't too bad. So far this year I've avoided it so fingers crossed. I do work completely from home which I think massively helps because it means I've not had any other bugs all year.
I mean it could be worse and you could be a woman like me who every month like clockwork feels like absolute death!
Stress and depression can be a big cause of getting more ill than normal, even if you're fit and healthy
When I commuted by train - all the time. 7-8 times a year (basically everything going). Working from home once a year if that.
There is some crazy fast spreading nasty lurgy about. My kids class had 11 of 30 off last week. Other kid needed a week off to recover.
Stress and depression can be a big cause of getting more ill than normal, even if you're fit and healthy
Yeah a lot of things can feed into it IMO. When i was self employed, working too many hours, eating badly and probably drinking too much, I seemed to have a cold constantly.
Then i got a day job, sorted out my diet etc, and seemed to get far fewer bugs from then on
I've always tended to get whatever lurgy was doing the rounds at work, but not every lurgy would need me to call in sick, typically twice a year I'd need about a week off for something that hit me badly.
But the three covid vaccine jabs each knocked me out, each for ~2 weeks, the first one was touch and go after a 111 call whether to go to hospital because of side effects. Very mild flu jab side effects, still went in, workmates were shocked.
Think I had proper flu for first time in October '21, had to take three weeks off work, felt dreadful.
First time I knowingly got covid in March '20, besides one day of splitting headache, I was fine for the rest of my 14 days isolation. Second known time in late September '22, it just felt like a head cold during the first week while on annual leave, then it got much worse on day 7 and became long covid and I didn't return to work over the next ~11 months before taking ill health retirement.
This year has been worse than normal, I've had three respiratory illnesses that each hit me badly for ~3 weeks, two of which were almost back to back starting the day before my ebike got delivered around Easter... Which frustratingly barely got any use until late May!
nothing related to civid i think, but pushing too hard for a couple of weeks would take me out w a chesty thing. I think i am doing better having listened to a podcast that suggested eating more carbs before and during rides, and upping protein intake to a much greater level - 2ish g/kg [i am not properly close to that - closer to 1.1g/kg].
So i find that increased protein intake across the week and more carbs during a session, has reduced the feeling of being totally wiped out post ride, and the outcome is reduced illness.
Of course i will now go down w the lurgy this week
I mostly catch most things going. So plenty of colds and stomach bugs this year. One stomach bug on and off since April. Probably will need some camera swallowing investigation. Also covid. Also get injured a lot. So ill, injured or both. Seems the norm for me.
I realise I can't avoid it but was hoping there may be some holistic remedies that were working for folk.
In the years since I stopped all nicotine products ( it's immunosuppressive) I almost never catch anything, and if I do it is invariable very mild lasting typically a couple of days and never more than 4 or 5.
I have no idea if it due to a healthy immune system or the preventive measures that I take at the very first sign, or of a threat, of a cold or other virus.
Which is echinacea, zinc, and Vicks First Defence. I take at least double doses of echinacea and zinc for as long as I feel under the threat of a virus, and start First Defence straight away. All three are always in the medicine cupboard so they can be taken instantly, which I believe is vital.
I never take any of the three if I don't feel a cold or virus coming on.
I have no idea if any of the three remedies work or whether they all do, or whether it is just the placebo effect, but I do know that I rarely catch any viruses and at least some appear to be stopped in their tracks, whilst those that do develop are always mild.
If I had to put my money on any of the three I guess it would be First Defence for which there is some evidence of its effectiveness. But don't bother taking it after a cold has got a hold, it won't help.
A decade ago when the kids were young I had all sorts of weird and whacky illnesses. These days I’m rarely ill. I can’t pin that on one thing, but I think being generally quite fit (with a lot of exercise but within sensible limits), not smoking and having a varied diet all contribute.
I'm on stage 1 absence at work for 3 episodes of sick leave in 6 months but I'm kind of proud of it as they are are due to bike related injuries including a concussion and 12 stitches in my face.
Other than that and seemingly constant IBS I'm great 🤞
Very rarely ill, even when Oh had COVID a couple of months ago, me nothing.
Injuries and stupid accidents however.. I’m the clumsy king. Work know now that I don’t tend to need sick days, but when I do the chances are it’ll be more than a few days.
3 months off for my last unplanned lie down.
Never had a cold, flu, sore throat, mumps, chickenpox despite being rubbed against other kids at school, covid (phew) etc..etc.
But when those around me were/are ill then I used to get cold sores but that was all, sometimes quite severe cold sores but no other symptoms at all despite being in close contact (girlfriends etc)
Diagnosed with SPMS in 2018, since then mum/bro/best mate (only folk I see) have had flu, colds/sore throat’s/sniffles around me but I’ve only had teeny cold sores that hang around for a day/two then go away.
Guess my immune system was so bored at easily dealing with normal illnesses that it decided to attack myself
Rarely these days. I had the makings of a sore throat and felt a bit off a couple of weeks ago but it passed after a day or so. Those around me at work were dropping like flies with a flu type thing.
I believe a clean UPF free diet, good sleep and a positive outlook on life help to stay healthy. It helps to have a job you don’t dread going to.
Been working as a teacher for around 20 years, hardly ever got colds etc. since COVID it has been incessant, one after another all winter.
Had been doing well for a while and was even congratulating myself for racing a full CX season, but then missed races this weekend and last for the mildest of mild afflictions that I just didn't want to make any worse but which also comes on worst in the morning which tends to bump motivation for the day!
Usually hot dry eyes, mild headache, clearing lots of gunk from my throat.
My theories were either very mild Covid, some sort of weird cold from 9 hrs in the train two weeks ago, or the left field option of low humidity in the house.
Am going to buy a wee indoor humidity monitor to investigate option 3...
Ill like colds and sniffles? Rare. Only had covid once and that was only a couple of months ago.
I mean, technically I'm ill 24/7 as a Type 1 diabetic I'm never far from potential catastrophe! Which is nice.
Ill - not often - once a year maybe with something that will flake me out on the sofa.
Ailments - every bloody week!! Always seem to be waking up with a pain somewhere. It's been in my tight ankle this past week.
I'm 44 and I'd say a couple of times a year maybe. But, I don't have kids and I work from home 3 days of the week which I think probably makes a pretty big difference.
As much as you can pin these things down, I reckon almost all the time I do get something its from being in busy pubs indoors or social events like birthdays and weddings and things.
I am reasonably diligent when it comes to using hand gel which might also help but I do think in the eyes of my friends I look like some kind of unhinged germaphobe. I got barracked to death because I used hand gel before eating a sandwich in an airport. Thing is, I'm not scared of getting bugs or whatever, I just don't want to interrupt training for races with 2 weeks of flu for the sake of eating a BLT in the departure lounge.
I just don't want to interrupt training for races with 2 weeks of flu for the sake of eating a BLT in the departure lounge.
So much this! I look on enviously at those with stronger constitutions than I who manage to race the season through, maybe it just requires that extra diligence.
That being said, I had a good wee turnaround this morning between feeling a bit grubby and wondering if I still had something working on me, to finding the motivation to get out and suddenly feeling fine. I wonder how much seasonal mopiness has to do with feeling under the weather.
Need to get back on the Vit D!
Just getting over a bout of flu. I suspect it was the fact I was coming to the end of quite a heavy 3 week block of training so I was knackered combined with some life and work stress.
Could just be coincidence but I couldn't help but make the connection.
I got barracked to death because I used hand gel before eating a sandwich in an airport. Thing is, I'm not scared of getting bugs or whatever, I just don't want to interrupt training for races with 2 weeks of flu for the sake of eating a BLT in the departure lounge.
Yeah I can understand the concern and I don't like touching food with what I feel might be contaminated hands, but it's worth remembering that most viruses don't do too well surviving passing through the stomach, unless you are on strong antacid medication.
My understanding is that rubbing your eyes or picking your nose with contaminated hands is a common way to catch to a cold or flu virus, it places the virus exactly where it wants to be - inside the cavities of your head!
I am also not convinced that trying to maintain a totally sterile environment is beneficial to the immune system. Small low level doses of viruses must surely help your body to build up immunity?
It's a bit the other way. I'm rarely completely well (or uninjured). Even as I type this I have an infection.
Being in the mountains has proved to be great, as I hardly cough or catch anything. Although weirdly I caught covid (twice now) years after the first virus reared it's ugly head.
My brother is an ex-teacher and now a children's author, still has school visits with reading workshops. He's always catching colds, viruses and general illnesses that the children carry, especially at this time of the year.
Virus-type ill, hardly ever, possibly because since retirement I don’t mingle as much. Injuries/pain ill, every day.
Colds, probably 1 a year, this years started on my last day skiing and I spent 3 days in bed after that, it was a monster.
Flu, proper vomiting, fevers and night-sweats, almost never.
IBS episodes, way better now I avoid lactose, wheat, onion, garlic and a shopping list of other things.
My theory is being out in the cold helps, dog walks and bike commutes. Not touching your eyes, I have dry eyes that water loads and I think I imparted a lot of bugs into my system that way. A multi-vitamin a day, a partially healthy diet (lots of home-cooked food - see IBS point) and the occasional hot honey and lemon works wonders. Oh, and no kids.
have had two colds in the last 5/6yrs, never had Covid.
5-10min cold shower every morning and a healthy diet.
Stress and depression can be a big cause of getting more ill than normal, even if you're fit and healthy
This, most definitely this.
something that requires tissues and/or lemsip; and I feel sub-100%; possibly resulting in WFH or canceling social engagements or bike rides - a couple of times a year.
something where I'd be unable or unwilling to go for a 30 minute walk outdoors - can't remember the last time that happened. certainly not in the last 5 years.
I'm not in the presence of junior germ spreaders so I'm rarely ill, but if I was getting ill that badly, that often then I'd be getting my immune system checked out 😕
I don’t count the various aches and pains that I’m living with as being ill, they’re largely due to injuries caused by coming off a bike, work-related injury and just generally getting older! The last time I was really ill was around 2015/16, when I caught something flu-like that lasted three months, and was just weeks of misery with my head seemingly at one end of a wormhole from Planet Snot! I had no idea that sinuses could produce such vast quantities of green goo, I was raiding the loos for bog rolls, I was going through one a day.
Such a relief when it cleared up. I think it was working inside a big metal box with a bunch of other people, and not much ventilation.
Since leaving that job, which was also responsible for the severe arthritis in my thumb joints, I rarely get more than minor sniffles 🤧.