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Original poster

Do you manage to shower when you're ill?

40 replies

Poorlymum0 · 22/10/2021 22:21

Had my booster and flu jabs yesterday.. Been feeling utterly rotten since, nauseous, achy etc.. I managed to shower this morning and I also shower before bed, but I literally just dragged myself up to my bedroom and fell onto my bed covers..
I feel terrible to not shower before bed but honestly can't bring myself too, is it unreasonable to just lay here.. I've brushed my teeth as I did that earlier.. The thought of having to get up again makes me want to throw up..
Do you manage to shower when you feel ill?

OP posts:
swapsicles · 22/10/2021 22:24

I try to as it makes me feel better but honestly it won't hurt going without especially as you had a shower this morning.

Monsterpumpkins · 22/10/2021 22:25

Even when I had Covid. Nowt better than clean hair and a clean body!!

ooft · 22/10/2021 22:26

Nope!

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General health
TroysMammy · 22/10/2021 22:26

No I don't but I know when I'm getting better because I can smell my rank body. That first shower is the best thing on the road to recovery.

Hope you feel better soon.

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 22/10/2021 22:27

I've never showered everyday anyway. But it take me a lot of effort to shower due to disabilities. If I am particularly bad a bits and pits wash does me.

KohlaParasaurus · 22/10/2021 22:28

I've never been so ill that I couldn't shower, but I've also never felt the need to shower more than once in a day.

ALittleBitWorrriedNow · 22/10/2021 22:29

I usually shower once a day, no more and try to keep this up when I’m ill but maybe without hair washing and extra faff - unless it’s something really bad like the flu. Unless you’ve been doing something really dirty, you don’t need to shower twice a day.

Soggychip · 22/10/2021 22:29

I think it depends. Mostly I can psych myself up because I know I’ll feel happier/better afterwards. If I have a fever and am shivery or if I feel really sick then I’d probably not force myself. If the thought of a shower is really horrible then it won’t be the end of the world if you don’t have one especially as you’ve had one today. Hope you feel better in the morning.

Keladrythesaviour · 22/10/2021 22:30

I've always showered every day. No matter how ill. But i wouldn't worry about showering twice unless you really want to. I have been known to crawl there and then sit in the shower (I have ME/CFS).

Immaculatemisconception · 22/10/2021 22:31

If I feel really ill, then showering is the very last thing on my mind. It just depends how bad you feel. No one ever came to any harm from not showering for a few days.

Lindy2 · 22/10/2021 22:31

If you don't feel well enough to shower then don't shower. Go to bed and get some rest.

felulageller · 22/10/2021 22:32

No

ISpyCobraKai · 22/10/2021 22:33

No, often for many days at a time.
Bad mental health is awful.

Notsurewheretogo · 22/10/2021 22:33

I had flu really bad about 12 years ago. It's the one and only time I haven't.

I was so poorly me and dd (then about 4) moved in with mum and dad. My (now ex) husband worked about 13 hours a day and I just couldn't function. I would wake up feeling OK, then after about half an hour start feeling dreadful. Sleep, feel better, decline. After 3 days mum and dad had to help me to the shower and mum helped. I have honestly never been as poorly.

Every other ime I have been ill I have found having a shower makes me feel a bit better.

mydogisthebest · 22/10/2021 22:33

Depends how ill I am. I had flu about 5 years ago and was so ill I could barely get out of bed for a week. DH had to help me to the loo. After a week I had a shower but DH had to wash me and then dry me. Even so I had to lie down again straight after.

I get bad migraines and, again, cannot get out of bed with them. I cannot even sit up without throwing up so no way could I manage to shower

gnushoes · 22/10/2021 22:37

It's your choice. Nobody can judge you and you shouldn't judge yourself. Wash as often as you like and if you cba that's entirely up to you.

LemonCake79 · 22/10/2021 22:37

Yes, I know it will make me feel a bit better to have clean hair and clean clothes.

TheBlackArt · 22/10/2021 22:39

Depends how ill. Bad cold or period - yes I will. Sickness bug? I probably can't even drag myself from the bed tbh.

WillYouDoTheFandango · 22/10/2021 22:42

I was too ill to shower for a day last week. Showered Saturday and then Monday. I had the killer cold and couldn’t even support my own head never mind stand in a shower.

I’ve had stomach bugs where I couldn’t shower til it had largely passed too. If you’re not up to it then just go to bed. It’s really not the end of the world.

Pinkbonbon · 22/10/2021 22:43

I fail to see why you would need another shower if you've been hanging about he house ill all day since the last one. One shower a day is plenty unless you are hitting the gym after it.

SpookyPumpkinPants · 22/10/2021 22:53

It depends how ill/what sort of ill.

But you should just go to bed! You showered this morning, you can shower tomorrow, the world will keep turning!!

I hope you feel better tomorrow!

I'm going for my booster tomorrow. I think it's Pfizer so I'm a wee bit concerned how I'm going to be. I had AZ last time & was fine, but anecdotally with my underlying conditions Pfizer has been a bit if a rough ride.

SoftSheen · 22/10/2021 22:54

Yes- even if I feel terrible!

MaitlandGirl · 22/10/2021 22:55

If I’m unwell then I sit on a plastic garden chair under the hot water so I can get clean without falling over.

When I had swine flu in 2009 I didn’t shower for about a week - I smelt horrendous but was barely coping with getting up to pee, showering was beyond me. I figured it was my body’s way of telling me to rest and that upright wasn’t safe.

Hope you’re feeling better soon.

NotMyCat · 22/10/2021 22:55

Depends what kind of ill
I've had flu/tonsillitis/norovirus where I haven't been able to shower and I've not been bothered about showering so I know I'm ill!

Chicchicchicchiclana · 22/10/2021 23:07

I'm sorry you feel so unwell but your question is actually "do you shower twice a day even if you feel very unwell?" - to which all but a teeny tiny minority would say "no, of course not that would be nuts".