To think my immune system is f*****

[Pollyputthepeleton]

Over the last couple of years I’ve been ill with colds, coughs, bronchitis, flu, sinusitis, viruses and more pretty much every 5-6 weeks. I’ve now lost my voice for the second time since Christmas, coughing, sinuses blocked etc. What’s going on? I eat healthily (pescatarian) exercise regularly (ran a marathon in December) try to look after myself but seem to get every cold the kids bring home but end up bedridden while they and my husband have a mild bout.
WIBU to try and get some tests (no idea what sort) to see why my immunity is so fucked and why I am literally constantly ill? I’m so fucking tired of being sick, feel guilty and have understandably lost all sympathy from family and friends .

I got covid in August last year and have pretty much been sick ever since. Once I'm over one thing (which takes ages) I get the next thing. I feel like my immunity had completely broken down. I always had really great health but the past 6 months have been awful. I'm a teacher and my immunity is normally great, but I've never been so sick since I had covid.

I’m the same but actually thought this was fairly normal due to being run down with small children. Since Christmas I’ve had covid, a cold, a sick bug and today I’ve started with another sore throat. Last year I had 3 sick bugs, 2 bouts of tonsillitis, 1 x covid, 2 severe uti’s and several colds. I eat well, exercise, sleep fairly well (considering I have small children) and take vitamins - iron, vitamin c, zinc and vitamin D. Following this thread to see if any suggestions.

I’ve been f*cked since Covid, but I also have an almost 5 year old who brings everything home from school and coughs it in my face. But I’ve had tonsillitis 5 times in almost 2 years, as well as numerous chest infections, fatigue. Just feel so buggered. I am 43 so it’s time I start to eat all my fruit and veg, take vitamins, exercise more as just feel like crap!

I was the same last winter. I had Covid in September 2022 then had either a cold, stomach bug or other illness every month until May 2023. Since then I've only had a couple of minor colds so there was definitely something going on with my immune system.

I also had a run of viruses for around 8 months after Covid. Although none recently.

I eat 30 fruit and veg plus nuts, yogurt, fish, mushrooms etc, and ev olive oil.

It’s so reassuring how many people are in a similar boat. I’m a regular runner (run 50km a week average and have done consistently for 3/4 years) I’m not a covid conspiracy theorist but I do wonder if it's legacy has completely fucked my ability to fight off minor illness. Kids are 9 and 5 so surely I should have some sort of immunity to their bugs.

OP get yourself some boots dual defence spray and use it 2-3 times daily. I’ve been using it all winter and haven’t caught a single thing off DS or DH. I also suggest high dose vitamin d and C. It’s highly likely that your vitamin d is severely depleted from all these infections. 4000 IU D plus vit K2. 1g vitamin c at first signs of anything.

Me too - I'm just the same. Have just spent the past week feeling absolutely miserable with a heavy cold, congestion, sinus issues, coughing, extreme tiredness. Others in the family had the same cold but just shrugged it off. Have a good diet and eat tons of fruit and veg. Take vitamins/exercise (although I didn't this week as I felt so ill) and have early nights. Haven't had covid for 15 months. I have a public facing role and worked through the last lockdown so don't think its a lack of immunity building situations. Am starting to read Breath - James Nestor which was recommended on another thread. Open to all other suggestions, I'd love to find something that would make a difference.

My husband is the same. He had the original long covid in 2020, all his vaccines, and this past year hes getting everything going. We have no kids in the house now, and hybrid working. He races Ironman, so not weak. His bloods all fine. Ive been fine. It's very strange.

And me. Cold after cold after cold ... but not normal colds, as I'm familiar with, nooooo, these are absolute bastards, with sinus infections chest infections coughs that go on for months and tiredness I haven't experienced since being pregnant 30 odd years ago.
I am on my third week of the latest shitshow and my dr finally agreed to some tests.

Do you take vitamins. I do believe they help

Could have wrote this myself. I'm mid thirties with 3 children under 10. Work in a healthcare environment. I'd say since having children, I am ill a lot - chest infections, tonsillitis, COVID, viruses, stomach bugs etc. but OH is barely ever ill. I take vitamins. I wonder whether it's because I've had to deal with a lot of stress throughout my life, and throw kids into the mix then it's stress +++

30? How

Wash your hands all the time, it helps.

Ease off on the running - you might just be tired.

Covid induced immune system damage 🤷🏼‍♀️

One thing I would say is to research high dose vitamin D. A lot of people are deficient in the winter and research has shown it be effective in improving the immune system. Worth having a look and see if it might help.

I’ve felt lousy since the covid vaccine last November. Just can’t shake it , chest infection now finally got antibiotics so fingers crossed.
will try the vitamin d high dosage

Vitamin a, c, d, zinc. B12. Magnesium, fish oil, q10 coenzyme. Get your levels checked & iron /ferritin. Filtered water or home distilled better but need electrolytes with distilled. Eat the rainbow ie colourful veg & fruit organic where possible . Wild fish, no farmed or high mercury fish like tuna, swordfish. Reduce stress yoga, meditation. Short bursts of cold water in the shower.

I used to be the same. Every cold/virus/whatever going used to floor me for days/weeks (depending). My DD has a beast of an immune system and is never ill, or if she catches anything - she's good in one day. 11 years old and NEVER been seriously sick (knocks on wood). However, all the bugs she caught at school used to pass to me. And floor me for days and days.

Until I started taking Vit C every day religiously. Nothing special or fancy, a bog standard effervescent one from Lidl/other supermarket. Haven't changed anything else in my diet/life. Haven't been seriously ill since. Some sniffling and one bout of flu-like nastiness last winter (not too bad though). Had covid twice (to my knowledge) and been completely fine both times.

A simple thing and could be way off the mark, but maybe give it a try? Just a thought.

2 things have happened in the last 4 years. First Covid. Many have had repeated bouts of Covid which (new fancy term, long covid) can contribute to much post viral illness which basically means reduced immunity to other common viruses. Something that was learnt during Covid was that the majority of patients were deficiant in Vitamin D. A big player in good immunity.
Secondly. Repeated MRNA vaccines. Which it is now known did not reduce infection, nor stop transmission. But is laso now known to have a negative impact on the immune system making those that had up to 4 boosters more suseptable to viruses.(see WHO.CDC.Lancet and BMJ)So all these folk, most of us, are now more likely to get the circulating viruses.
WHO now recommends everyone take a daily dose of Vitamin D.

@Pumpkinpie1 How?

That's what I thought when it was suggested 🙂but actually it's not difficult.

Seven breakfasts usually covers oats, coffee and fruit (apple, pear, banana, satsuma, pineapple). That's seven.

Lunches - soups, salads, sandwiches - this week, lettuce, beetroot, spring onions, cucumber, radish, and home made veggie soup which contained celery, potatoes, swede, onion, kidney beans, tomatoes. Eleven more.

Suppers - peas, sweetcorn, spinach, lentils, chilli, leek, mushrooms, sprouts, peppers, broccoli, garlic

Snacks - hazel nuts, sultanas.

It just takes a bit of planning, one veggie soup or veggie chilli a week, and a good supermarket. I change it every week. In the summer there are berries, french beans, asparagus, courgettes, aubergines. If I keep it seasonal, it isn't expensive but if you have the funds, there's all the more exotic fruit & veg.

Yep I’ve been like this too!

Does anyone else not like to plan too far in advance in case they get hit by another one of the bugs?!

Are there really adults out there who never had covid?
Not even in 2020 before tests were easy to get?
I struggle to believe that they exist.

I imagine the pandemic social isolation reset all our immune systems to be like toddlers again, constant runny noses & coughs until our bodies remember to fight germs again.

Same here. I've been ill 5 times since October. I'm getting fed up now. Never been this bad, usually I avoid most of the bugs.