Is anyone else catching bug after bug?

[C1239]

Since having covid twice I seem to be catching something every few weeks, it’s driving me mad! I feel like I’m coming down with something then I seem to fight it off but a few weeks later I feel off colour again. Is it just me or does anyone else feel their immune system is weaker this winter?

Me and I'm sick of it. I eat well, exercise loads but it's just one cold type thing that lasts weeks - a few weeks of feeling ok - then onto the next one.

I take my vitamins etc, so everything they say and I just feel my immune system is crap now.

I had chemotherapy in April 2020, so at first I blamed that, but I'm needing a new excuse it's been going on so long

I've been promoted this year (7 months ago) and the stress levels are huge! So I am massively run down.

Since I've been promoted, I've had covid, chest infection (needed anti-b's and was threatened with steroids), another 2 bad colds, a 24 hour bug that emptied my system, and lots of "ugh, I feel rough" days without being bad enough to be bedridden.

I've had more time off for illness this past 6 months than the previous 4 years combined. I'm taking iron and multivitamin most days and trying to eat reasonably well. The cold weather will hopefully have killed off a few and I plan a LOT of rest over Christmas.

My son and I came down with something last week of October, and haven't been well since. Mine keeps reducing to a lower level, feeling run down, snotty, cough, then a few days each week it ramps up to a fever, body aches, nausea etc. I have it again now! It is really starting to affect my mental health tbh. I haven't felt completely well for even one day since October. My kids have both been off school 3 times each since September, but could have been off at least double that.
My husband and I were discussing it yesterday and both agree that somethings not right. This has either come from the vaccines, or from actually having covid. Something has definitely damaged our immune systems and I find that very worrying.
Each day I take a Yakult, a multivitamin, vitamin c, high strength vitamin d, magnesium, and vitamin b, and I feel worse than I ever have before.
As I said, it's started to affect my mental health and I was already struggling to find any Xmas spirit but now spending the day sweating, shivering, ill again my Xmas cheer has completely gone 😫

I know the lockdowns were beyond shit for most of us, but I didn't miss getting the usual bugs and colds for those two years. I certainly look back with some fondness for just how nice it was to not have to take to my bed or worse go to work feeling terrible.

I sometimes think we should all go back to mask wearing as soon as it gets cold.

And covid changed nothing in my workplace re sickness.
If it's a cold your expected in, in fact unless your leg is hanging off, your expected in.

Spring is typically the normal downturn of viruses and the like, which was the reason many areas decided to begin removing restrictions at that point

Yes, that was spring 2021

Not this spring

Which is why it seems improbable that the increase now is due to a bounce after lockdown - especially if you look globally and see how RSV numbers rocketed in the 2021 (beginning in the southern hemisphere, notably South Africa). The timelines just don't work this far out.

The papers on covid's effects on the immune system are good quality, and becoming more numerous. It is a much simpler explanation, which fits the timelines better.

To me and my DH, it doesn’t matter whether anyone else does or not. I’m done with catching things off others!

If I stay home i'm okay, if I have a night out i'm guaranteed to be ill for a week with a virus, just makes me not want to bother.

What the science is showing about this (according to the Independent SAGE Committee) is that our immune systems are compromised when we have Covid, but the only take about 10 days (a few weeks tops) to recover fully.

That's interesting, as that's much shorter that indicated in recently published papers

When did Independent sage make that assessment?

I admit I could exercise more, but I try to eat a good amount of fruit and vegetables, drink plenty of water etc, take vitamins. It just seems constant at the moment

Sure, it was nice, but not a sustainable long term strategy. The immune system works by being exposed to germs, if it isn't, it doesn't work properly. You might make it work for a while but ultimately you will be more vulnerable.

The extreme kind of outcomes being things like those kids who had liver failure, or why leukemia is more common in developed nations.

Yes, but I take a strong dose of immune suppressants every day and have 4 children. I kind of just resigned myself to constant winter lurgies. I hope noone assumes my continual colds are due to bad hygiene though @LargeglassofRosePlease

I wish there would have been guidance to wear masks if you have a virus. It’s like we learned nothing.

The idea that the immune system needs constant exposure to disease has been debunked.

Has it? Surely it depends on your immune system, not everyone gets every bug or virus

Just last Friday 16th. Do you watch their weekly meetings on YouTube?

It's partly because of the heating situation too. Even if you feel warm enough in yourself, breathing in cold air stresses your lungs and airways, making them mote susceptible to bacteria and viruses. I had a lingering cough for six weeks when we were still trying not to put the bloody heating on. It then cleared up pretty quickly, but OH and toddler have another virus now 🙄It's just a matter of time until I succumb to it too, no doubt.

How is everyone managing to keep their spirits up? I feel pretty down about it this week, just want to feel 100% again!!

Sleeping through as much of it as possible! Easy, as I'm knackered from being ill.

Crap telly.

Solidarity with the Good People of Mumsnet.

Our playgroup just called up and cancelled their "festive Christmas crafts stay and play" tomorrow (not that we could have gone), as all of their workers are ill. Their session on Monday was almost empty too, apparently, also because of illness.

take garlic, vit C D Magnesium
etc not a multi take the actual vits

Yep, had Covid over the last couple of weeks, got better last week, ill again from today - slept for 12 hours without realising and feel fluey with a cold sore coming. DW was ill just before I got Covid. Oh dear!

Keep "boosting" that immune system with novel pharmaceutical products, that'll solve it - or did it cause it?...........

Take some echinacea each day to prevent catching any new bugs, and take vitamins

Yep. I have a very strong immune system ordinarily and in 20 years at my workplace have only ever had a handful of days sick. I'm currently in bed with flu like symptoms and a cough for the third time in 2 months. Touches wood everyone else in the house is fine

Has it? Says who?