Quick survey: (a) how often do you get a D&V virus; (b) how often do you get any other illness bad enough to confine you to bed; and (c) are you ill more frequently than before you were a parent?

[artichokes]

I am lying here with my fourth bed confining illness in 6 months. I am so fed up of being ill. If it's not me it's the DCs or DH. Due to our poor health we cancel more social engagements than we keep. This survey is to see if we are normal! My answers are:

(a) D&V once every 6 months at the moment;
(b) Other virus once every 2-3 month;
(c) My health is sooooo much worse since DCs. Before conceiving I had not had a day off work in 6 years.

1)Last time I vomited was about 7 years ago - food poisoning. Don't really get D&V, though have had the occasional loose tum on holiday.
2)Can't remember the last time - not as an adult apart from infection after DS1's birth, but don't really count that as an illness
3) Not really. I get a couple of colds a year, mostly fairly mild.

I am very jealous of some of the immune systems described here. When I am really ill there is no way I can just keep going even when it is very necessary. I tend to run very high fevers and can hardly move let alone care for the DC.

I don't think I've ever felt ill enough to go to bed during the day..except maybe with a hangover.

1. I am (luckily) very rarely ill. I vomitted when pregnant and once with food poisoning (also when pregnant). Really can't remember having D much at all

2. Very rarely again - was ill at Christmas and had to be in bed for about two days. Can't remember that happening post children before (DS is 5)

3. I don't get ill much; never have done. A cold about once a year on average.

I realise I am lucky

a) rarely
b) had labrynthitis 6 or so years ago
c) yes definitely, colds and stuff

d&v - last time wasnt a bug but me giving us food poisoning with cheese on toast (strange but true). The only time I get d&v is when it does the rounds at work (am a nurse). i lock myself away from the family for 12hrs using the downstairs cloakroom and use bottles of antibacterial spray on everything i tough. I have never passed it on to any family

being confined to bed - not a luxury i'm afraid. with 2 under 2 I just have to keep going. I had a migraine when i was pregnant with DS2 and i remember stumbling around the house after DS1. we dont have any family in the country so I just have to get on with it.

Pre-children, I dont remember getting many bugs, coughs or colds. We dont even now really. DC bring home coughs and colds from nursery but nothing that confines us to bed.

(a) how often do you get a D&V virus;am very rarely ill with D&V infact cant remember last time i was sick except ofcourse after a heavy binge drinking night!

(b) how often do you get any other illness bad enough to confine you to bed; maybe twice a year im knocked sideways by something but thats maximum

and (c) are you ill more frequently than before you were a parent? im ill less now since having children although think thats more to do with me just getting on with it because i cant afford to be ill with 2 kids!

Definitely more ill since having kids, and worse the more kids I have had. A 'friend' told me, just after I had had my 4th, that families with 4 children had on average 5 completely illness free weeks a year.

I have no idea how anyone could find that out, but it feels frighteningly real to me.

1. Once in the last 10 years (twice if food poisoning from Valentine's day scallop included)
2. I'm 43 and have had flu once as a child.
3. Health was perfect until about 18 months ago when I got really low and liverish. Have been knackered and had lots of episodes of not feeling well since then. Not colds or bad chests, but lots of sinus problems, feeling tired, and headaches. Horrible really. I think it might have had something to do with 5 years of interrupted nights with ds2 and ds3.

1)twice in my life
2)once a year
3) no noticeable difference

(a) Once in the last 20 years (food poisoning)
(b) None
(c) N/A

(a) Twice in the last 5 months
(b) I have had one day when we all stayed in bed until lunchtime because we were ill, a few months ago, and other than that it was a kidney infection nearly ten years ago
(c) Yes, definitely. This was our first winter with a toddler who mixes with other kids and we went fron one bug to the net without a break until a few weeks ago.

I'm fairly sure that in a year or two this will be less of an issue. DS won't feel the need to try to eat every inanimate object he lays his hands on and we'll all have developed a bit of up-to-date immunity.

In the last 2 yrs my DDs have only been ill a couple of times! Artichokes, I was told the older your child gets the less they catch! So far this seems to be true. Touch wood quick we haven't had a bug for at least 2 yrs, and the amount that DC have had off Sch is at a minimal. DD1 and DD2 no time in 2 yrs and DD3 has had 1 week (bad viral infection and 1 day (sick in the night) in the last 2 yrs!

If you asked my DH the same questions, the list of time off work and in bed for manflu incapacitating illnesses would be a mile long ...

1)once a year (max)
2)once a year (for 1, maybe 2 days)
3)no noticeable difference

1. DC have had one in 3 years. I've not had one in 3 years either. Long may it stay that way.
2. Once a year or probably longer TBH 3)No noticeable difference.

DS has only just started at Pre-School though. This winter we might not be so lucky.

(a) D (no v - just as well, as I'm phobic about it) about once every nine months or so since DS was born;
(b) Other virus once every 2 months or so (finished a stinking cold a week ago, and now have a throat infection which started yesterday. Had pneumonia for three months last year, followed by another two throat things and appendicitis (though can't blame the DCs for that!!)
(c) I was never, ever ill prior to having the DCs. I recall having two days off school ever, with gastric flu. Never had a day's illness until the DCs came along. Now I am making up for it!! It doesn't half get me down...

I run dramatic temps quite easily. Probably in bed once a year (last was February, that was really really awful, had no choice). Still coughing from that one. Tummy bugs wise a couple a year but tend to get them mildly. Colds and throat infections usually one or two a year but i've struggled with a few since september. I think when you get one thing.....

a once every yr to two yrs
b once a year to 2 yrs
c not realy any different now, i think it was to start with but now dcs can be poorly and i often 'feel' poorly but arent iykwim

dd is more often poorly and she always gets it the worst but i reckon she will grow out of it. we are a hardy bunch!!

(a) D&V rarely
(b) almost never
(c) I get more coughs and colds but otherwise it is much the same

it does sound as though you have been rather unlucky! Have you had blood tests to see if anything is amiss? We have a very exhausting life really (10 years of sleepless nights until January this year for instance, no family support etc) but don't have that level of illness here...

(a) D&V twice a year or so, maybe more. The children had 3 bouts of it this spring ;
(b) I do get a lot of lingering colds and stuff, but the last time I was really ill and needed to stay in bed was 3 years ago IIRC with flu/pneumonia/pleurisy. I just carry on as normal where possible with grotty colds, sinusitis, chest infections etc. Day Nurse is my friend.
(c) no worse, other than the stomach bugs which I never really got before