How often would you say you get a stomach bug/infection/virus per year?

[Borelis]

How often would you say you get a stomach bug/infection/virus per year?

My adult DD had one about 6 years ago after an all inclusive holiday. That’s the only one in our family of 4 (and that includes my recent trip to India.) for at least 10 years. I very occasionally might eat something that disagrees with me so I might need a couple of urgent loo breaks but no more than that and no other symptoms.

However DH and I are off on a cruise soon so that might be challenging.

I agree with the poster who uses no bleach or disinfectant. We don’t either and I also avoid anti-bacterial cleaners.

Hot water, washing up liquid, old fashioned flash and elbow grease keep my house more than clean enough as our so far excellent record of not getting bugs or food poisoning demonstrates. I also make homemade Greek style yogurt and eat that most days as it is said to be an excellent probiotic.

When I first started in the primary school I got a bug every time the airbourne type bug went round the school. which is normaly once or twice a winter. I have a lot of children throwing up in my office and they are tiny and some get scared so you have to sit and hold them.
I've worked there a while now and I only get every 4th or 5th bug that does the rounds.

I usually get the lurgy bug that goes around november/december time every two years but I get it really bad. Since working in social care, I'm constantly ill.

I don't think it's just down to hygiene practices. I'm fairly relaxed about most things. I do what I consider to be the important things, i.e. washing hands after handling raw meat or going to the toilet, but I don't wash hands before eating unless visibly filthy and I'll quite happy leave leftovers on the stove top overnight to be reheated the next day.

Even the two episodes i have had only lasted a couple of hours or so, so i definitely think there's an element of natural immunity to these things.

The blood type thing is interesting, i'm type O so in theory should be more prone. Although looks like that study was a fairly small sample size. I know cholera affects type O more. A friend got cholera on holiday abroad and described it as a mild stomach upset (she's not type o)

I'm so jealous of most of you. I've had 2 stomach bugs already this year, along with sinusitis numerous colds etc!

My last stomach bug was 40 years ago.

I'm also type O, plus I work in a school, plus I have children of my own, so, in theory, I should be ill more often. Yet I have only once caught a D&V bug from my own dc, despite having looked after them through many bouts. I probably get a D&V bug about once a decade. I'm far more prone to catching colds than tummy bugs.

I rarely use antibacs and bleaches, am not hugely fussed about hand-washing - other than when cooking, after using the loo, and after being on public transport or other mass-exposure situations - and eat hedgerow foods and unwashed veg.

Certainly some degree of exposure to 'germs' is necessary to build up your own immunity.

Never had one in the last ..... 30 or 40 years.

Stop using anti-bac, just wash hands thoroughly with soap and water reasonably frequently throughout the day and before eating. You probably need some good bacteria in your system so introduce some kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha etc everyday.

I have a long term health condition and get a lot of bugs. One thing that really helped is the doctor's trick of making sure you don't touch your mouth with your hand. Most germs are picked up by you touching a door handle say then putting your hand in your mouth. Once I started monitoring this I couldn't believe how often I had my hand in my mouth! Massively reduced the number of bugs I was picking up. I work with the public and wash by hands after every appointment and before eating.

I've not had a stomach bug (properly, I've been ill from ibs and from alcohol) since I was 13. (Now 36) Luckily that goes for the kids aswell. Have had one off bouts of vomits but never a proper bug. Don't tend to get colds/coughs here either apart from DH (he had flu at Xmas) BUT I do get tonsillitis ALL the time (not nice)

I'm a b+ blood group and DP is a+ blood group and he has caught DD bugs before and also had flu type bugs and I seem to dodge it all except getting the odd runny nose

I het a couple of colds per year but hardly ever get anything else.
I think last stomach bug was 2014. I seem to be pretty immune to most things.

I have migraines and serious hayfever though so I have my own regular issues.

"All that bollocks about houses being too clean causing allergies and autoimmune disease is a crock of shit, as by that reasoning, I should have been fine."

1. Your personal experience tells us nothing about how health conditions are caused in the general population

1. No one has ever said that houses being too clean is the ONLY cause of any propensity for any illness.

In the past 20 years, I caught stomach bugs in April 2004, August 2012 and December 2018.

Probably about 2 ever, I'm very prone to catching cold though

Thanks so far everyone - great to see so many replies! I'm curious to know how a lot of people know exact dates they've had a stomach bug, esp when it had been a decade etc. ago in some cases.

& the blood type connection that some people posted about is interested but I can't find out my blood type unfortunately as NHS refuse to do it for no reason.

I can answer that. When you’re not sick often (especially), d&v bugs are a HUGE DEAL. My last one was over 10 years ago but it was only the second in my life. I can remember it in minute detail ( really wish I didn’t!). down to what I was wearing, what YouTube videos I watched that day, and the robins that woke me up in the morning. It was The Big Event of 2006!

2 or 3, the worst was 6 in one year when the DC started nursery.

I hardly ever pick up coughs or colds, but if there is a whisper of a d&v bug I know that I'm for it.

I've been sick on 4 occasions since I was about 7 or 8 (when I can reliably remember). Once was due to a migraine (while I was pregnant, I don't have regular migraines), once was after a night of drinking.

So given that I'm now in my 30s I'd say I have a stomach bug every 12 years.

My thing is sore throats. I have those when it's too hot, too cold, I'm coming down with a cold, I'm run down, hungover, preparing for holiday or just because. Luckily it isn't too debilitating but I do feel for people whose Achilles heel is D&V, especially with the 48 hour rule.

I get 24 hour stomach bugs around 3-4 times per year.

I rarely suffer with fevers, virus, coughs etc.

Myself and kids have never had a stomach bug. We are vegetarian/vegan do don’t have to worry about meat.

Dp gets them occasionally (Meat eater) hospitalised once.

Colds type viruses we seem to pick up once per year. Which has gone down since dc left school.

Friend gets d&v regularly.

Friend is a bleach queen and has OCD with regards to cleaning. Her house is spotless and she is Ott over hand washing.

@Borelis - if you wish to find out your blood group then give blood! You do a good deed, maybe even save a life, and get to find out your blood type for free.

0-1 per year for me

Try Kefir or prebiotics/probiotics. Sounds awful for you.