We’re all so ill

[Blueisthecolour1]

What is going on with the violent & never-ending illnesses this year. DS1 came home from school at the end of Nov with flu, sat under a blanket on the sofa for 10 days & then went back to school. Immediately upon his return DS2 (4) caught it & repeat with him for the full ghastly period. Then, last Sat, down I came with it - full-blown, face-exploding, sneezing, shivers, fever, nausea etc etc. Still feeling exhausted/congested. Wed this week just gone DS1 comes home from school coughing. Cue next two days coughing, shivering, vomiting & generally feeling wretched. Yesterday DH starts with the cough, shivers, aches. DS2 pale & lethargic this morning, not eating so awaiting the fresh hell of him about to get sick again.

I’m not sure how much more of this shit I can take. The house is in a terrible state, so untidy. I’m exhausted, we haven’t done tree/anything Christmas related because we’ve all been so so rough for the last month. We all had the flu jab this year, I know it’s not guaranteed to give complete protection but I was hoping it would take the edge off. Appreciate these illnesses may not have been flu but they sure felt like it in terms of symptoms/severity etc.

I’m so done. I’ve never known a winter like it for illness

Forgot to add, I have never gotten the flu vaccine and I only caught the flu once in the last 20 years. I caught covid last Jan and had a fever for several days....that was the worse! But similar to flu I once had. I live in London where it is germ central and I used to never wash my hands after tube and coming home etc. I only started doing that after having kids (bc they always talk about newborns and germs etc, so I was careful). But anyway, I think not washing hands like crazy also must have helped.

From what I can read the main impact the lockdowns had on our immune systems arose from the stress of the social isolation, and not the reduced exposure to viruses etc in that time (because of how immune systems work). And well the world is a bit shit now and many people's mental health haven't really had a chance to recover, and that is continuing to impact physical health.

Also the research on the impact of covid on the immune system doesn't look great, which is also stressful, and well it's just depressing really.

Can you show the evidence that vaccines are behind this?

They've got a circuit breaker. It's called the Christmas holidays. You stay home if you like but no one's ruining my life again! And as I recall, the November 2020 circuit breaker was followed by 3 months of lockdown, so that didn't work well did it !

Since having covid in March I’ve had so much illness. Colds are taking 3+ weeks to get over, often turning into chest infections which never really happened to me before. I’ve had swollen glands, skin infections, loads of colds, sickness and shingles. Had 4 lots of antibiotics and one lot of antivirals in the last 6 months, having not needed any for years. My DD (6) is the same, she was rarely ill but has had tonsillitis, chest infections and cold after cold this year, all post covid. It feels like covid absolutely decimated our immune systems.

Definitely so for many people

Exactly, the hygiene hypothesis has acquired mythical status for many people who don't understand how the immune system works.
The notion of needing to be constantly exposed to pathogens is attractively simplistic. Add in a suspicion of vaccination and isolation, along with a superstitious yen for 'natural' health and you've got a dangerously misguided philosophy brewing.

The real issues are less attractive to that mindset.

@Redebs @beezlebubnicky I am just speaking from my own experience, but I believe it. Of course some people have stronger immune systems then others, but I believe not washing hands like crazy helps build it up. I never washed my hands growing up...ever and I seriously was NEVER sick. I had one tummy bug age 6 and never puked again until 30 when I got a tummy bug. My entire life at school I never had flu or fever. In fact I never caught the flu until age 30, when in one week I had tummy bug, then flu and pink eye. During this time I was caring for and breastfeeding my baby who also was sick, so I believe part of it was me being run down. However, this is during the time I also began washing my hands more and using handgel, due to having a baby. As I got paranoid with it during baby classes.

I went to a school with enough children to be exposed (two classes of 28), but somehow remained bug free. I might have caught the odd runny nose or tiny cough. But no fevers or anything serious. Later in life and moved to London, germ central. I rode tubes and ate, never washed my hands and in the 20 years, I was only sick that one week age 30 (during the time I was washing hands like crazy). And then the other time age 38 when I caught covid from my children. I did not know they had it because they had no symptoms, I was bed sharing w them, giving them cuddles and kisses (and I am not vaccinated). So in 20 years I have had a fever twice. I went through a phase with my dc catching all the bugs and I went crazy with them washing hands, hand gel straight after school. Until one day I realized sod it. They catch everything anyway. I stopped making them wash hands after school. I tossed hangel. It was instant they did not get sick again for like 3 years! But after the lockdown they returned to school and caught flu now and some colds, I assume because they are now needing to build immune system again...not quite sure.

Sorry, I meant in the 20 years living in London I only had fever twice. Prior to that during my childhood I did not have any fevers during my school life. I know I had a fever before age 6, but I am too young to really remember. I only remember once around age 4 getting my temperature taken via my bum and being weirded out by it. That is it.

Not that I would wish this on anyone else, but I’m so glad it’s not just us that are going through the same. The last time we were all well was Halloween.

we all had covid in November, and my two teens have had non stop colds since! I do wonder if school pressure about attendance Is meaning more children are in school unwell , and illnesses are spreading.

YANBU OP. I've had covid five times this year (seven times altogether). Most recently I had it at the end of September then again in November. In between I've had d&v twice and currently have strep A. Plus numerous colds and other bugs.

I'm immunosuppressed but I've never had as many illnesses as this in such a short space of time. I feel absolutely hollowed out and done in and would give anything to go back to how I was three years ago. I never seemed to be unwell. I do think that lockdowns suppressed illnesses to an extent and now we're seeing a resurgence, and hopefully it will calm down soon. Also DD started teaching this year and brings all the bugs home, even if she doesn't get ill with them herself. Fairly sure every case of covid I've had this year came from her school - she's only tested positive twice, but she isn't testing anymore. Also I don't really go anywhere to catch it, apart from supermarkets and so on. That's another thing - I used to go all over, travel, go to gigs etc, bit now I don't because I'm worried about catching even more 'stuff'. Life has become a bit shit, really.

Sounds like we’ve been lucky, had norovirus (or whatever D&V bug is circulating) 2 weeks back but have so far dodged all the colds and fluey things this year. There’s been a number of children in DD’s class off sick though.

there's quite a lot of research and the evidence base is growing to show that covid damages the immune system, and the more times you get it, the worse it is

This would absolutely check out with me. Despite being immunosuppressed (I take immunosuppressant drugs for rheumatoid arthritis) I was rarely unwell prior to 2020. Seven covid infections later and I'm rarely well. Plus it takes me longer to fight off infections - I'm on my second course of penicillin for strep and it's still not shifting.

I'd also say that covid weakens the immune system in my experience.
It used to be that I had a bad cold every 4/5 years which would last around a week. I had covid August 21 then from September to December had 4 awful illnesses that absolutely floored me, far worse than covid did. Thankfully this winter has been better with a few sniffles and feeling a bit rubbish but not too bad really. Unfortunately my 2 youngest have been taking it in turns to have a cough and cold since October.
I hope you all feel better soon op.

Well I've had Covid 4 times each new variant at work (care) before and after vaccinations arrived, and apart from Covid I've had nothing else, despite my kids having usual colds etc.
It can't have damaged everyone's immune system. I'm sure it has in some cases and especially for those with long covid complication. Surely a lot of the issue is just down to those normal winter bugs circulating again especially through children that have been suppressed a couple of winters by lack of interaction and masks. Also in the case of the toddler population that had not attended nursery or play groups etc.
It's grim for everyone though.

Had covid twice. Had all the vacs I'm allowed. Currently in the throes of my yearly bad cold, which usually strikes between November and January. Been teaching for over 20 years, so exposed to over a thousand germ carriers regularly.

My worst periods of prolonged illness, from what I can remember, were when I first started; when I moved schools to a different area; when my kids were babies/ toddlers and didn't sleep and I was still FT.

Personal experience isn't too useful in this issue. Glad you managed to be healthy for most of the time, but please don't ease off on hand washing and hygiene, for your own sakes and other's. (You may pass on infections without ever knowing it)
Viruses mutate all the time and who knows what strains may suddenly emerge in future.

Quite. The state of the uk - and world - following on top of the stress of the pandemic is depressing.

Maybe. But I also think many families now just can't afford to take time off if a child is sick so send them in and hope for the best.

I think if you’re run down, feeling stressed, getting a lack of sleep you’re going to be affected more.

Flu hit our family this week and I suffered the most but prior to this I’ve been feeling stressed and run down through life!! I think that has a big effect on the immune system to be honest. A lot of people are just plain stressed and weary.

I have the worst sinus pain and my face feels swollen and the pain is like cramping around my nose and cheeks.

Is there anything I can do? Tried steam, saline, ibuprofen and sudafed (all spaced apart!)

What more can I do? Doctors have put out a statement saying they're prioritising children this week due to Strep A which is fair x

@Plingston that sounds awful sorry to hear you are going through this. And I thought I was feeling depressed having a bit of a cough and not being able to get my Christmas tree yet.

It WILL get better as you improve and your chemo is tweaked. Hope you will be all good to be with your kids very soon 😘

I’ve had all my vaccines including flu and covid booster in October. I’ve had no illness this winter and I work on a kids ward which has been full of all kinds….. I’ve been ill twice since 2018. Covid got me this year. Mild infection which I recovered from.

Research is showing it’s likely due to covid impact on our immune systems ( it attacks multi systems of our bodies) but it easier to believe alternatives like of course it’s the vaccines isn’t it than try and understand a completely novel human virus and what it actually does to us long term.

No one is suggesting lockdowns or schools closing either just the school holidays are a natural circuit breaker to the kids merry go round of germs.

Had this in 1985 a whole winter of illness with a six and four year old, including scarlet fever. They shared everything from school. Christmas a write off. By the end of February I was going crazy with it.