Why do I KEEP getting the flu

[Highlander4]

Does anyone know why all of a sudden I would be getting lots of coughs and colds, and struggling to get better from them?

it feels like I’ve been hammered with them over the last year, and it’s been worse in the last few months in particular. I had a terrible bout of what I think was the flu and was flattened for a week, then ok for a few days then came down with pretty much the same thing and was flattened again for another 2 weeks, and again got better for a few days and I’ve spend the last 3 weeks with a terrible cold that just won’t shift. Anytime the symptoms start to get better for a day or so, it just seems to start right back up again. Blocked nose, really awful exhaustion, crackly ears, noisy chest and just feeling all round shit.

I never used to be like this and I’m miserable with it. I’m in my 20s and I’ve always had a great immune system and had every injection recommended to me. I’ve not moved house or environment recently or had any life changes. I’m generally healthy and play a lot of sports, I’ve a pacemaker for heart issues but never had any symptoms like this and my heart is fine now.

if anyone knows why I seem to be catching every bug and struggling to shift it off, or has any advice, I’d be so grateful! Absolutely fed up with feeling so miserable!

They do. You just need to ask. I did so recently and my Vit D is non existent.

That’s great to know! I’ll contact my gp and ask for it. From the comments it definitely sounds like something worth checking x

If your levels are really low, you'll be prescribed a high dose of Vit D. Good luck.

There’s your answer

I had this two years ago, and when I finally got a chest X-ray, they found I'd had a case of walking pneumonia for the past six months and needed a massive course of antibiotics to clear it. See the GP and demand an X-ray would be my advice.

Flu, Covid and RSV are doing the rounds, as are plenty of other cold viruses that can make us feel grotty and exhausted. Once you have had one virus, and are run down, you can be more susceptible to the next.

It’s rubbish when you get stuck in this seemingly endless cycle, and primary school and toddler winters can be brutal.

Unfortunately, we can’t avoid viruses completely, but I choose to believe that good general health habits can help me recover better. All the usual, boring stuff like a balanced diet, fresh air and adequate sleep. And I know the evidence for vitamin C is pretty weak, but I take it anyway, alongside vitamin D, and try to eat plenty of green vegetables.

Another thing I think might be worth considering, particularly when you feel you’re going through a particularly susceptible patch, is whether you can reduce your exposure to bugs for a short while. That might not be realistic, especially if you use public transport or work in close contact with lots of people, but creating space where you can, and avoiding crowded places if you don’t have to visit them makes it easier to dodge the bugs.

I had a similar experience a few years ago. My GP relative suggested that, basically, the first virus gave my immune system a thrashing and made me much more susceptible to any virus I encountered after. It did right itself after about 3 months of feeling like death on a stick.

Eat as well as you can, rest as much as you can, take a good multivitamin, avoid sick people where possible and get out the COVID days hand wash, etc. It will pass.

We all knew what you meant with regard to flu/cold type illness. Some folk are just dicks.

Also from my experience of friends and family, those who picky eaters, hardy eat any fruit n vegetables- seem to get more colds than the rest.

Take vitamin D

Have you had covid in the days when you did the tests? I have noticed since getting covid in March 2020 and Summer 2022 that the lingering post virus cough takes forever to go away

Yeah definitely some viruses can do damage to your lungs I think. I had a really bad flu in 2009 and I’ve never been the same since. I was so unwell and I had such a bad cough after. Since then my coughs have lingered so much longer.

Sometimes these things just come in waves unfortunately. When your defenses are low, it makes you more prone to catching other things.

Back in May, I got laryngitis and COMPLETELY lost my voice for over 2 weeks. Then I caught a streaming cold, then I got a nasty cough that lingered for weeks, then I got an eye infection. It's just the way it goes sometimes.

I can sympathise op, and you're so young too. Also remember the effects on our lungs from Covid -especially pre-vaccine. I had a bout of Covid in Oct 2024 and have had pneumonia ever since with a crap consultant (a bad mix) when I actually suspect I have bronchiecstasis with pneumonia. It's left me feeling fluey all the time with no energy, constantly coughing up stuff. If I didn't work from home I'd be unemployed.