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!

I take natural products only. Ginger has never failed me in any form.

I’m so sorry, you’re having such a shit time.
its the same here, I came down with a chest thing at the beginning of December, it quickly moved to pneumonia and just as I was breathing good after that, my mum passed her flu/cold on to me.
the cough is doing me in, I’ve had steroids and now an inhaler, the lady in boots gave me a really good cough bottle, it begins with V, sorry I’m comfy eating my tea and don’t want to mice to get the bottle lol

Bloody hell OP, you have been through the ringer. Nothing else to add - just sitting here on the Moral Support Committee cheering you on and saying you are well entitled to a good moan and to feel sorry for yourself! We’ve had Covid, D & V, colds and influenze A since 8th Dec. I am totally over wintering in a cold climate.

I have b12 injections bitterly via gp surgery.

Flu vax £12 at Tesco.

*quarterly

Wow, all at 72, that's incredible!! You sound amazing!

Thank you so much for your suggestions. I got some ashwanskbshxgs whatever it's called today with vits C, D+ and something else. Went into Holland and Barrett and spoke to the lady on the counter and she sent me away with loads of bits and bobs

i looked at my gym attendance (I’m regular, every other day at least) and after getting what I think was RSV half way through November I didn’t go again till after Christmas. It just hung around FOR EVER. I did eventually get better. Hope you get better soon.

I have a chronic illness my immune system used to be awful . I saw a nutritionist for two years we did lots of tests the main thing to boost is gut biome . Get quality pre/probiotics I use biokult . Get the boosted ones take two a day . I now have two biokult mind and two boosted a day. I wear a mask to any places like airports shops and hospitals I use oodles of gel and wash my hands after every outing .
it sounds onerous but it’s better than being ill back to back . I also use a nasal rinse called sterimar suggested by doctor this clears viruses and bacteria in your nose so it doesn’t spread and a spray called cldzyme which I find helps.

keep hydrated cranberry juice is amazing for controlling uti. You can dilute with water . Get a good quality one .

lastly turmeric capsules agsin good quality are excellent I take two a day
amazon is best to show you the best qualities. All expensive but 🤷‍♀️

Well done, it does take s few months for vit & mineral supplements to kick in. Just to say you need K2 when taking D3. Magnesium very important too. Sorry if I'm sounding a horrible bossy nyaff. Good luck and take the best care of you. 💚

that sounds absolutely miserable. you poor thing.

You dont sound like a hypochondriac you sound like youve got stuck in a rut of bad health and its SO HARD to get out of these particularly at this time of year.

A few tips - rest, sleep but keep your mind occupied. The brain and the gut are linked in such a complex way and the more you focus on the negativity the worse your gut will be.

Also, vitamin patches - these are so much effective than oral ones. You can buy them on amazon. Vitamin D is SO IMPORTANT at this time of year particularly. You can get b12 patches too

This sounds like a lot of people this year. It's been a horrendous winter for flu etc. Your gut microbiome is very important for your overall health and immunity. All those antibiotics will have ravaged your gut flora and left you susceptible to more and more infections. I would work on healing your gut flora (probiotocs and prebiotics. VSL3 is the most comprehensive probiotic) and getting your vitamin D levels raised significantly. You want to combine D3 with vitamin K2 - never take vitamin D without also taking K2. Might be worth having your iron levels checked too. You can safely take far more than the recommended daily allowance of D3 to initially boost your levels quickly (max 10,000 iu daily).

This year I have discovered Black Elderberry supplements. My whole family have had cold after cold and I've not had any illnesses yet. There's peer reviewed research that shows its efficacy. Sambuccol Immuno Forte (or they have a stronger max defence one) would certainly be worth a try.

Lots of good advice here. Just wanted to add that if you haven't done so already, it would be worth getting some blood tests done to check if you have any specific deficiencies. I have low iron stores from time to time, and I find it really affects my immunity when they are low. I also found out recently I had a significant vit D deficiency (my level was 14, when normal starts from 50), and the fatigue it caused was awful. But even if everything is in 'normal' range it sounds like you have had quite a run of bad luck and I hope you get the time you need to rest and take care of yourself.

Hope you are better soon OP and have got good advices from people.
I just wanted to add that unfortunately you often need different antibiotics for different things even if they are close to each other. And even one thing might knock for six whereas you had quite a lot recently so be gentle to yourself.
In the future if you’ve got yourself Superdrug membership card they offer flu vaccine cheaper for members. My DH also paid to get COVID vaccine privately at the local pharmacy, it was about £90.

Apologies if all these things were mentioned already.

I make a drink every week which has helped me I think to stay well.

I blitz in a good blender, a full lemon and orange quartered, peel and all, heaped teaspoon of ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, quarter of cayenne, black pepper, good pinch of sea salt if you have it, 3 desert spoons of honey. Blitz the lot. Have a quarter cup of this twice a day with added hot water.
It is powerful stuff.

Apple cider in hot water with honey is great for a persistent cough.
Any supermarket apple cider will do.
We swear by it.

Anyone with a heart condition is entitled to a free flu jab.

You can organise to pay for it through a pharmacist though who can probably organise the pneumonia one too, and COVID booster.

Probably once you've had one, your GP surgery might then have you on a list!

You poor thing. You sound exactly like my sister. She has had serious flu 3 times in the past month and is now finally on antibiotics. I would recommend organic bone broth, 100mls every day for the next week or two and upping your vitamins D, C and K2. This will improve your gut health which is where your immune system sits and help you fight these infections.

Just on the mesothelioma point, do you have any idea of how you may have contracted it? Have you previously worked in a role where you may have been exposed to asbestos etc or even if you partner has and you’ve regularly handled his dirty work clothes/overalls to wash them or spent any real time in his works van?

I mention it as you could have grounds for a personal injury claim for an industrial disease.

Have you had radiotherapy or chemotherapy for your cancer OP? You should get the flu vaccination free if so.

You can pay for a flu jab at Boots, Tesco etc. Not expensive. Thorough hand washing helps prevent infections too.

Heated intra operative chemo. So they put bilateral chest and abdomen drains in for about 5 days at a time and flushed hot chemo through them. I had 5 rounds. It was grim.

No radiotherapy

'Just on the mesothelioma point, do you have any idea of how you may have contracted it? Have you previously worked in a role where you may have been exposed to asbestos etc or even if you partner has and you’ve regularly handled his dirty work clothes/overalls to wash them or spent any real time in his works van?

I mention it as you could have grounds for a personal injury claim for an industrial disease.'

@gillefc82 yes I do, I was exposed as a child. I won a case with a certain company a couple of years ago because of their contaminated talcum powder. I can't specify which company but if you google it, it will be pretty evident. :)

So sorry you feeling poorly,I'd go to hospital and tell them whata going on and refuse to go if they don't see you,your immune system can't work properly after cancer then you've had all these other things going on that's not good,you need more bloods doing,if your new op was a lady op could that be where the bloods in your wee is coming from?could have a infection inside somewhere,if I was you I'd want more tests and id demand them,I vnt believe as a cancer survivor they are been like this with you,put your foot down Hun,you are entitled to the jabs aswel due to a weak immune system so just go to chemist for them it's easy Hun,hope your doing better now 🥰so glad you beat cancer i hate it so much,lost so many people to it it's scary,I do race for life as it's a subject very close to my heart,you have been so brave and I admire your confidence,just keep pushing them Hun x

I’m sure chemo counts too OP (yours sounds especially bad). Ask an independent local pharmacist. I got my Tamoxifen from Boots for years. As soon as I switched to an independent one, he told me I can get the flu vaccination for free.