Why is my DH always ill?

[welby123]

In the past 12 months he's been ill a lot. He seems to pick up every single bug going. Usually cold/flu type symptoms with high temperature. He's currently not well at the moment, he's feeling sick and got the body aches. It was only 2 weeks ago he had D&V.

He never used to get ill (once or twice a year max maybe) so I'm wondering what has changed as I'm starting to feel a bit concerned about him. Should he see a doctor or is it just one of those things? His diet could be better but he's not really unhealthy. He used to go to the gym a lot but he stopped when he had a really bad viral infection a few months ago and never got back into it.

Anybody any experience of this?

I was going to say some of us are just like that... autoimmune runs in my family and those of us with it are constantly ill because our immune system is fucked and constantly fighting the wrong things.

If its suddenly new to be ill all the time though then thats more worrying.

Undiagnosed autoimmune condition.

Antibiotics are great but do depress the immune system. I take garlic, echinacea and berocca when I start to get the symptoms of a viral or bacterial infection.

My dd was like that when was seven and an acupuncturist gave her a treatment of Chinese herbs. She was better in 3 days and didn't get sick again for another two years

It would seem very unlikely if he gets everything else going that he’s not had Covid

When DD started nursery both DH and I were ill constantly for about 9 months. It was hell.

@welby123 i highly recomend Echinacea drops to try and boost an immune system - they are more easily absorbed by the body than tablets. fifteen drops three times a day for two weeks then two weeks off then start again. Take the drops in as little water as he can bear - they taste like manky pond water but only for the brief time they go over your taste buds. The taste doesn't last
Get him eating more vegetables - carrots, broccoli, savoy cabbage, - raw if he can. plus specific vitamins which I think H&B could suggest?

His immune system is probably low, making him susceptible to any germs floating around.
I agree with asking for a full blood test, including testing for vitamin deficiencies.
Jamu juice is good for building up immunity, it's the turmeric and ginger that work together to help build up immunity.

I am the same as your DH for the past few months - currently it's been 3 weeks with the latest bout. This is not normal for me at all.

I've finally spoken to a GP and will be having blood tests in a week. Meanwhile, I'm doing the barest minimum, although I still have to care for DS, try and work a bit (self-employed) and to an extent still have to 'soldier on' although I'd rather not. I'm 61.

I'm jabbed but my friend who has been off work all year isn't.

Engaging with weird covid conspiracy theorists and anti vaccine-related posts is pointless.

Also. as I said, this has been a problem for me since 2020. I was jabbed in mid-2021.

I’m normally the person who catches everything. I’ve started taking multi-vitamins and going to the gym twice a week and honestly I’m probably the most well I’ve ever been, I’ve managed to evade all the bugs going round work up to now (touch wood), though I’m currently stuck indoors with a germy teenager so there is time yet!

One thing I will say is when I’m stressed I get really rundown and present with headaches and cold symptoms. The effects of stress on the body can be quite profound and immune suppressing. Could he be stressed about something?

It does sound like classic long covid

But if he’s pretty sure he’s never had covid, that rather scuppers that theory (though of course it is possible to get the long form after even the mildest of cases and that might have gone unrecognised)

Probably worth a trip to the GP to see if tests are needed to rule out any other immune conditions

Good nutrition helps everything, so paying attention to diet always pays off

Otherwise, it’s a case of avoiding infection until he’s had a chance to fully get over the infections he’s recently had. Firstly by resting, and secondly by avoiding catching anything else - so look at wearing a mask when in indoors spaces with strangers, improving ventilation wherever possible, avoiding close indoors contact with others especially if they have symptoms of anything,

My DH is like this at times. It's stress because he works so hard, lack of resilience because he doesn't make enough time to exercise and keep healthy, and a weak chest which makes him vulnerable. I've started him on vitamin supplements to try and boost his immune system (he'd obvs never think to get them for himself 🙄) and they do seem to help.

Whilst most of the 'treatments' and 'explanations' here are all valid, it isn't actually that normal for a reasonably fit/healthy 27 year old; possibly for an old hagatha like myself, but even then, no.

The 'elimination' method is the best way - not anything freaky, just eliminating what it isn't whilst possibly finding what it is.

Gotta start with the GP, as it's confidential it's possible he might impart some info to the GP that you don't know about OP (preferably not, but understandable) or some blood tests should be recommended if nothing else.

I have to admit that it was hard to admit to myself that I needed to contact my GP about this, and when I did, she did seem surprised that I'd made it to 61 without having more than my cholestrol tested since any serious medical issues decades ago.

Sure. but that's your experience. I've had fewer vaccines - I keep getting bloody covid around the time I'm due a vaccine! And I've just gone through 2 months of being sick off and on.

Believe it or not, there is lots and lots and lots of research on all kinds of reasons why people get sick. It's one of the reasons generalised blood tests to check all sorts of things is pretty common.

My personal experience is also that I think people are weaker currently because post Covid, and in the midst of a COL crisis, we're all a bit more stressed, a bit more unhappy and a bit more unhealthy. The people I know who keep getting sick are also often the ones who are most impacted by the way things have changed over the last few years and who are struggling with that. I include myself in that category. My wealthy friends are vaccinated up the wazoo, don't ever seem to get covid and are living fabulous healthy lives.

Definitely worth going to the GP for blood tests in case it might be a deficiency which can be addressed easily.

Oh blimey Bleedin Obvious - whilst death is inevitable for a myriad of reasons, did you mean to be so rude?

I mean, it's a possibility, and indeed it's true that not only have I been vaxxed x4 and DS refused all vax for his own, scientifically-orientated reasons, ds has not been later often ill like I have and I have also said to him that it's a possibility that he could have been correct to refuse, but;

it's also quite likely that as I am old and he is young that I'm ill a lot for other reasons.

Either could be true, though not equally so.

if it is not usual for him and nothing else has changed, I would see the GP. some blood tests to cover some bases and rule some stuff out.

Ask for a full blood count. Could be something lurking.