To think this is just shit luck? Or is there something else going on?

[ImWorkingLateCosImASingerrrr]

I'm having a bit of a rant and a moan. Feeling a bit sorry for myself.

I know most of the country is ill with some sort of illness so I'm probably being unreasonable and just need to get on with it.

I have been ill since 7th December. On 7th December I came down with a usual winter cold / cough. On 12th December I was scheduled for gynae surgery. The anaesthetist did a full exam and was happy to proceed as I did not have a temp and it didn't go to my chest. Perhaps this was my demise. Surgery recovery was fine apart from infection. I was put on a course of antibiotics for 7 days. During this time I developed an infection in one of my surgery entrances. 2nd set of antibiotics. But the cold then developed into my chest. I couldn't shake it and eventually after feeling awful on 27th December went to OOO who said I had pneumonia. Another set of antibiotics prescribed. All finished. The chest infection has cleared, but I am still very bunged up and have a dry, hacking cough. Not out the woods yet and very tired still. Monday evening I was struck down with what I think is norovirus. 3 full days of complete V&D and not being able to keep fluids down or food. Today is the first day I haven't been sick. But it was horrendous and knocked me for six. Still feel like I could easily be sick now.
This morning I have woken up with a horrible UTI. I'm guessing it's from the Diarrhoea or dehydration. I surely cannot be out back on a 4th set of antibiotics in a month!? The UTI isn't great. I have a small amount of blood when I wipe. A red tinge more than blood.

What sort of fuckery is this? Is anyone else just getting infections back to back?

My immune system is shite. I had a long and gruelling cancer battle a with multiple surgeries, but that all finished 5 years ago. I have 2 heart conditions (prolonged QT and SVT) which was brought on from my chemo. Managed with meds. I was a 26 weeker and twin so I guess my immune system has never been fabulous.

But I am STILL not entitled to the flu and pneumonia jab! I have been to my GP 3 times. I have been to OOO once. What else can I do at this stage? I do get ill every winter without fail and hold on to illnesses but this takes the fucking pish!

Any ideas on who I can see, or what I can do? AIBU to think the GP should be helping me more or do I just need to suck it up? I eat a low UPF diet, plenty of fresh fruit and veg. But I've had zero appetite since 7th December and lost over a stone. I was only 9 stone to start with.

Rant over. Sorry for the long whiney post. I know there's people out there much worse than me. I am just so fed up. Trying to work and be a mum to DD and uggghhhh. Pulling my barnet out! Just desperately in need of some advice on what I can do to improve all of this!

Just a note OP to say I hope you feel better. That's horrible luck for sure. I had a lousy cold and then food poisoning over Christmas and was feeling sorry for myself, but crikey, you've been through it. Rest, rest, rest. I went to the garden and looked at the snowdrops poking through the soil and thought about warmer days.

I'd wait for the flu jab a bit till you are on your feet. It can knock you sideways.

This sounds rough. Might be worth contacting a nutritionist to see if they can support you with getting the best diet possible. Your body has been through a lot and giving it an extra boost could make a huge difference.
FWIW, I'm having to go down this route for a different condition, as NHS are pretty lousy at much other than there's not much we can do........

My local independent pharmacy had "a few" left yesterday, but none of the other 3 pharmacies had any.

Poor you. Sounds a nightmare and now a UTI to top you off! Do not delay in getting some antibiotics for the UTI. Also get some probiotics and start taking D-mannose (helps with cystisis). I had covid followed by a nasty chest infection last year and then a UTI and I was ill for so long. The UTI kept going at a low level for months and months. I was taking A LOT of d-mannose plus vitamins and it keep the symptoms at bay. It does work, but is not a replacement to antibiotics if an infection has taken hold. I also stopped drinking coffee and alcohol. Best of luck in getting well. It's shit. xxx

Vitamin B12 is great if you need it.
But if you don't you will just lose it all in your wee.

@ImWorkingLateCosImASingerrrr if you want to avoid further antibiotics for the uti get some cystitis relief sachets. They’re available at pharmacies or large supermarkets and they’re granules that dissolve in water. The mixture reduces the acidity of your urine which reduces the irritation when you urinate. It’s obviously not a cure if you’ve got a severe infection but I took it once and by the time I saw a nurse at the gp for antibiotics they couldn’t detect any blood in my sample. They did still give me antibiotics as a precaution as obviously untreated infection can have nasty results. Either way it should grant you some relief.

Also recommend dioralyte for post d&v recovery. Again sachets you dissolve in water, helps rehydrate and increase electrolytes.

Be kind to yourself, your body has been through a lot in a very short space of time. It’s frustrating but remember its temporary, so focus on resting, relaxing and listening to what your body needs.

There’s been lots of great advice already but having read your updates I just wanted to send you an unmumsnetty hug - crikey, you’ve been through it! If your dd is just 5 she’ll also be at the stage where they seem to come back with a new bug every month…. nothing you can do about it and won’t be helping but does give some explanation as to the origins of some of your bugs. On the bright side by the end of this winter your immune system will hopefully be ready to fight off next years germs better🤞!!

Vitamin c, zinc, vitamin d, probiotics.

Replying to this because this echoes what i went through in november!

started with what seemed like norovirus, sickness, diarrheoa...
turned into weeks of hell. Developed a vile cold, got a uti also!!!! 2courses of antibiotics and then a concoction of other drugs prescribed.
my throat would feel as though it was closing up, this lasted weeks! at one point my body developed a nasty rash all over, confusion, weakness they suspected sepsis which it wasnt, another doctor said could i possibly have aids!!!! No i do not. I was definately fighting something. Thought my breast implants had ruptured so booked myself im for surgery asap to explant.
In this time my baby also developed croup and was rushed to hospital, so there was def something going around.
My folate levels dropped so low as a result of being so poorly, dehydration.

the only way i can describe it was i felt like i was going to die!

its been a really bad viral/bacterial infection gokng round this year. Its worse than covid!

feel better soon!

They should not have operated on you when you had a cold. I had surgery cancelled when I told them I had a cold - I was told categorically no surgery for 6 weeks. Your immune system was not up to it to begin with and you are feeling the knock on effects; infections etc.

Antibiotics take a big toll on the gut so keep eating well and building up the positive bacteria. Eating a varied diet will help.
Sleep and rest are probably the most important things - get as much sleep as you can - and make a point of going to bed early. When you sleep is as important as how much sleep you get. Personally I wouldnt graze because you spike your insulin every time you eat and you may need to give your gut a rest from digestion so maybe restrict your eating to a time frame e.g. 9-6. Your body has been to hell and back so it needs a lot of rest and recuperation and no stress. Not sure that more drugs will help tbh..

I second sorting your gut microbe as much as possible. I haven’t had cancer treatment but I am on immunotherapy suppressant injections for an auto immune disease. I typically get sick 3-5 times between Halloween and Easter. And I don’t mean a sniffle, I had sinus infections turning to chest infections turning to pneumonia and then followed by shingles every year for 7 years running. The last 18 months I’ve really worked on eating more fermented foods. I make my own sauerkraut and kimchi and ferment my own kefir and Greek yogurt. I eat loads of fruit and various nuts, plenty of onion and garlic, and top up with psyllium husk, chia and flax seed. I takeD3 with k2 all year around, a4 in 1 magnesium, vitamin c and iron and a full spectrum b vitamin. It seems to be helping, This winter I’ve had a mild case of shingles and a snotty nose, barely any sinus problems in comparison to previous years and up to now, no pneumonia!

I feel your pain op. I got noro on the 18th December, then I got ear infections that developed into what I assume was actual flu, I was in bed from Christmas eve until yesterday. I have pneumonia. The antibiotics are starting to work. Today is my first day I've been able to work.

I've never been so ill. Its shit.

SOunds like your immune system has taken a hammering - sort yourself a supplement routine for a month - immunity boost stuff. Choose what you eat and keep it healthy and full of super food type stuff - blueberries, healthy meals, low sugar etc. Use activia or some other gut repair bacteria thing

Get sorted for the UTI - I know more anti Bs but hopefully the other paragraph work will help counter those especially 4 or so doeses in a one month period - they strip good and bad which is also another reason why you have got poorly.

Get yourself some electrolyte stuff and sip throughout the day for 48 hrs to rehydrate help after illness and with UTI.

Stop trying to push through and get some proper rest as well

I recommend taking a high strength vitamin d supplement- it’s well known that if you live in the northern hemisphere we don’t get enough vit d in winter and that can contribute to a low immune response. I started taking it last year and have had far fewer illnesses (I work with children, so get exposed to colds a lot).
I also can’t believe you’re not entitled to a flu jab, I have mild asthma which barely affects me and am offered it every year. I would pursue that with the gp, that’s very unfair.

forgot to add, random...have you had a throbbing face? Like every part of it tingling and feeling itchy!? That was another synptom i had to endure for at least two weeks! It became worrying..

it will stop but it did last a good month from the start of it before i felt myself again.

@OnyourbarksGSG
various nuts, plenty of onion and garlic, and top up with psyllium husk, chia and flax seed. I takeD3 with k2 all year around, a4 in 1 magnesium, vitamin c and iron and a full spectrum b vitamin.

Excellent suggestions. Omega 3 as well.

Last year we had about 6 months of one infection after another hitting all of us. I think it's a mix of lots of different bugs around but also us being really run down so vulnerable to opportunist infections.

I am eligible for the flu jab and honestly it’s bloody great. I get so many less winter illnesses I swear - DP now pays to get it as well. It’s normally between £15-19, so worth it. I also take Echinacea throughout the winter. I swear helps to fend off colds, highly recommend.

Totally shit luck, having illness after illness has probably weakened your immune system and your catching the next thing..I sympathise with you. Best thing to do it care for yourself. Have plenty of rest and hydration and eat well. Don't out too much pressure on yourself and give yourself time to get back to full strength. Hope you feel better soon.

Well I would be proper sorry for myself if I was on the roller coaster of what sounds like one horrible health issue after another and I hope you soon start to feel a little better. I had one bloody thing after another last winter and was unwell for 6 weeks and it was horrible so I feel for you. As others have said, get a flu jab, lots of pharmacies do them, my local Asda one does, it has a massive sign up advertising them.

It’s partly bad luck but there are things you can do to lessen it in the future. You can try all the vitamins, healthy diet and water things - makes a difference in some people but no difference in others. Otherwise, pay for the flu jab every year. And, most important, wash your hands regularly - every time you go into your house or work from being out somewhere. Been to the shop? Wash your hands? Friends house? Wash your hands. Work? Wash your hands. Change your clothes if you’ve been on public transport or to the doctors. Wipe down all touch points in your house regularly with diluted bleach. Wash your hair regularly, especially if you’ve have been somewhere were ill people are, public transport etc. This may seem like overkill to people with decent immune systems but if your immune system doesn’t work properly, you need to keep on top of this stuff to give it a chance to recover. First Defence nasal spray is supposed to be good for preventing colds so give that a go too. The only way you are going to recover fully is if you have a decent gap between viral infections.

Multi vitamins ? @ImWorkingLateCosImASingerrrr

I struggled a few years ago. I saw GP and asked for bloods after a bacterial chest infection (asthmatic).

My vitamin D was right on the cusp of being in the range, so I've been taking very high VitD and K2.

Also got my ferritin up from 16, to 118 by taking ferrous sulphate every 48hrs on an empty stomach with high dose vitamin C tablet from New Leaf on amazon.

Also increased my B12 but subsequently read that you should have this tested before taking supplements to make sure you can absorb it properly. So im going back for a further test in the spring.

Started HRT which might not be relevant for you, but my immune system and energy was on the floor before this.

Hope you feel better soon OP.

Look into taking probiotics! Your antibiotic use will have completely stripped your gut of bacteria so you need to try build it back up. Kefir, sauerkraut, probiotic drinks, anything you can get hold of

That’s rotten, OP. I’m sorry. Rest and rest and rest some more. We’ve had some luck in our household with monolaurin (brand name Lauricidin) for restoring a faulty immune system.