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General health

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Original poster

My Immune System Is Useless any suggestions?

23 replies

colette · 30/03/2006 12:52

Since Christmas I have only had about 3 weeks when I have not had some sort of cold or virus. It is so frustrating,I went to see gp and she took blood tests and said they were normal.
I am trying to eat really healthily and am not sleeping very well which makes it worse. It seems I catch everything the children get and some more.I think this may be quite a common problem so would be grateful to anyone who managed to get out of this kind of rut. I am getting bored as I really don't have the energy to get all the stuff done I would like to do.

OP posts:

CountessDracula · 30/03/2006 12:53

Echinacia/propolis

Original poster

colette · 30/03/2006 13:30

Thanks cd , have never heard of propolis will google it.

OP posts:

Original poster

colette · 30/03/2006 13:50

Bump for any similar experiences

OP posts:

SauerKraut · 30/03/2006 14:11

Could you be anaemic?

Original poster

colette · 30/03/2006 14:14

SauerKraut I think gp tested for this.

OP posts:

SauerKraut · 30/03/2006 14:18

Ah. I get the same as you- but I know that's the reason- lack of sleep is another! I know the immune system doesn't work properly if you can't absorb enough nutrients from food because of digestive probs- could that be a possibility? Then even eating healthily doesn't work.

mancmum · 30/03/2006 14:23

sounds daft but I noticed a huge improvement in my ability to NOT pick up bugs etc when I got fanatical about washing my hands... and not just after the loo... did it every hour or so and every time I blew nose or dealt with snot... there is a lot of evidence to support this so try giving it a go..

(at risk of being torched, echinacea was recently proved to beineffective at reducing risk of catching and severity of colds.. but guess if you beleive it works...then it could..)

Rhubarb · 30/03/2006 14:23

drink lots of Guinness.

Tortington · 30/03/2006 14:54

i heard that echinacia was proven to be a load of old tosh - ofcourse i cannot source my claim!

vitamin c every day - takes a couple of months to get properly into your system i think. lots of vit c.

Issymum · 30/03/2006 15:09

Second Mancmum's handwashing and add to it that you need to make sure that anything you use to eat off or with is given a really hot wash (a dishwasher is fine).

Aside from that, have you tried wrapping your children in cling film and then that black and yellow bio-hazard tape?

zippitippitoes · 30/03/2006 15:10

I read something today or yesterday which said echinacea was proven to be effective..will try to find it

Kathy1972 · 30/03/2006 15:14

Cold baths, colette.
Seriously!
(That is what my dh and I are going to do if bird flu kicks off.)

keziah · 30/03/2006 15:24

Colette you could be me! I am in bed with ear and throat infection. Its the sixth illness i,ve had since christmas. I'm usually really healthy and it all started from the day a friend showed concern about my recent caesarean and I said honestly I'm fine i never get ill. ha ha. havent been well since! My house is in a terrible state and i'm quite down and also bored of it. Was going to try eccin. but not sure you can take it whilst b/f. I bet a months holiday in warm sunny country would cure us! I'm going to try the frequent handwashing idea as well. hope you feel better soon x

purpleturtle · 30/03/2006 15:44

Thread hijack:

Keziah - I am considering using your name for db3 (if a girl, obviously!), but I'm unsure of the pronunciation. Is it Keziah to rhyme with Isaiah or Keziah with an e sound in the middle?

Sorry for the intrusion. Hope you're all feeling a bit better soon.

Issymum · 30/03/2006 15:50

If it helps, you can buy some of this anti-bacterial no-water hand-wash stuff. 99p from Superdrug.

poppiesinaline · 30/03/2006 15:51

I used to get cold after cold and bug after bug. The first winter when DD was a baby in total from Sep to the following spring I was only cold free for a maximum of 10 days. :( As soon as I got over one thing I came down with something else, from colds to flu to tonsilitis. Sleep deprivation really doesnt help the immune system and stress can also lower your immune system. Since that winter, every winter since I have taken Echinacea and now I do not catch colds etc as much. This winter I have only had 2 colds and I am in the first winter of DS2. I truely believe Echinacea has helped loads. I also take zinc which is meant to help with guarding off colds. And now and then I dose up on Floradix. If I jump up and down you sometimes hear me rattle

poppiesinaline · 30/03/2006 15:51

oh and vit c

Original poster

colette · 30/03/2006 16:15

Thanks all,
more handwashing is a really good idea. So the jury is out on ehinacia, might try it anyway.
Not sure how my digestive system is SauerKraut . I am very windy sometimesis that a sign of poor digestion?

OP posts:

Mosschops30 · 30/03/2006 16:25

you could always get a job in the NHS, you'll get everything for the first few months and then you will have an unbelievable immune system and never get anything

Twiglett · 30/03/2006 16:27

acidopholus from your health food store .. take 30 mins before eating (get the real stuff not yogurt crap) .. seemed to help my system

Original poster

colette · 30/03/2006 16:27

bit drastic mosschops

OP posts:

Chapsmum · 30/03/2006 17:03

Its true, the first two years I worked in the NHS I was as sick as a dog, now I just get the occasional bout of bird flu!!!!

keziah · 03/04/2006 20:18

Hi Purple Turtle - sorry - I switched off the computer after i posted and missed your question. Hope you check back. Its Keziah to rhyme with Isaiah. Its not my real name just got it from the Rumer Godden children's book The Diddakoi. Kizzy for short. Lovely name! Enjoy baby no.3. Emily.

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