Is your health better or worse living overseas

[Clueless2727]

In the Uk at the moment, but moving to singapore in 8 weeks. It is so lovely that the sun has finally come out here, however really suffering from hayfever, my eyes are so sore at the moment. I have only got it since i moved to my current house from another part of south east england. So must be something around here which affects me. Hoping that when we move to singapore it will go away.
What afflictions do you guys get or what goes away when you move?

Sadly, in SG some people suffer more from allergies/sinus (my DH is one, having never had a problem before) and skin conditions can get worse because of the climate. If your kids get phlegm-y coughs it takes a long time for them to clear (in my experience) again because of the constant aircon and dampness. Ditto scabs from cuts - it is too wet here and they don't dry out. Betadine is useful to dry them out, and watch what happens if you leave a plaster on for too long... The skin becomes quite strange underneath so we only use to stop blood and then we remove ASAP.
Try to use ceiling fans and not aircon all the time - people often get "aircon colds" here - blocked noses and coughs from sleeping in aircon. On the plus side, my kids look (and actually are) really healthy because they are outside all the time and are strong and lean from lots of outdoor exercise. Better than pasty white any day!

I have a chronic skin condition that I have taken steriods for, for the past 12 years. Since moving to Egypt 2 years ago, my dosage has dropped from 15 mg to 2.5 mg a day.

We Also have that healthy year round tan from being outside all year.

Hi Clueless, I live in Singapore. I used to get quite bad allergic asthma in the UK but when I'm here I'm absolutely fine, don't need my inhaler for months. Certainly the pollens will be different here, so you may be OK. I agreee with Saltedcaramel, though, that the heat and humidity means that everyone's prone to skin ailments especially fungal ones, although being constantly sweaty is quite healthy for your face as it cleans out your pores! When I go back to the UK now I instantly get hayfever and very dry skin.

Your biggest health problem is likely to be succumbing to all the coughs, colds and mystery fever viruses that you won't have immunity to, but after about 6 months that should improve.

Also, my kids have been at kindergarten and school for years here and we've never had headlice! Schools are much stricter with hygiene and anyone with anything gets sent home.

Good luck with your move!

I also used to get really bad hayfever in London/UK and don't suffer here at all. Hopefully you'll be the same.

My husband used to get pretty bad hayfever in the UK - still does actually when we go back to visit. None here but plenty of other things to keep you at the docs!! I was never as ill as I have been here, maybe that is part of getting older but there seems to be so many bugs here. My son was recently in hospital for over a week, a bill for $13K but do diagnosis - pretty common in Asia.

My husband used to get pretty bad hayfever in the UK - still does actually when we go back to visit. None here but plenty of other things to keep you at the docs!! I was never as ill as I have been here, maybe that is part of getting older but there seems to be so many bugs here. My son was recently in hospital for over a week, a bill for $13K but do diagnosis - pretty common in Asia.

Painful joints condition has gotten worse since moving to the UK. It was much better when I was in Oz and we if we manage to get back there, like we plan to, I'm hoping for less pain and less painkillers...

Dd had mild asthma in uk...not a sign here in Aus.. More swimming, fresh air, and exercise.

I have several arthritic joints (too many broken bits from falling from horses!) much better here, again I can swim all year round here in qld! Warmer climate, funny tho.. Still gets worse in winter although its not that cold! Very wet summer days can be achey too.

We are all fitter than we were in the uk, I bike to work which is 11 km and home again. Couldn't do that in the uk.. Weather would kill me off!

My health was much worse but due to having two awful pregnancies when we lived abroad so nothing to do with it specifically being overseas per se.

My asthma came back in Australia unfortunately. Mr dr said the exacerbating factors were more allergeic plant pollens, pollution due to the urban environment and more air conditioning (ie exposure to rapid humidity changes from going in & out of areas with a/c).

I lost weight & have been fitter since I came back as I find there is more opportunity to walk & cycle here back in the UK, & I find the weather more amenable to being outside as I got very uncomfortable in the Aussie heat.

I am also relieved to find sun damage marks on my face, feet & arms have faded but I'm still paranoid about skin cancer, esp for my sons having had their early years in Aus even though we were religious about sun protection. We're still observing it here of course, but it's less "in your face", so to speak.

A lot of whether you will be healthier clearly depends on your lifestyle & individual preferences in any location.

I'd say I had been in the same or similar state of health since leaving the UK. Possibly better thanks to the private medical insurance.
DD was in very poor health in Oman. she had dysentry three times, pneumonia twice and various other ailments.
In Bangkok she had tonsillitis twice and nothing of note in Switzerland.
DH has been healthy everywhere we've lived. Apart from one pile in Belgium and that can happen anywhere.

Chloe- I am far more achey and arthritic here (Italy) because of the damp. No-one quite believes me because I get the "but in England it rains all the time" but here it can be 40 deg outside and still humid.

My skin has aged due to trying to be like the locals (ie tanned) for the first few years, but I've learned my lesson with that one and now wear Fac 50 on my face at least at all times.

I have lost about 15 k naturally, no dieting since I came though. Different lifestyle, more active job, eating main meal at lunchtime.

We moved from London to Singapore. My DD was constantly ill in London - rotavirus, stomach upsets, fevers, it seemed endless. Since we moved to Singapore he has hardly been ill (we moved when he was 13 months and been here a year). He did get hand, foot and mouth quite soon after we got here but apart from that he's been ok. Oh there was one stomach upset.

Please do get a good private health plan for all your family and read it carefully. Make sure it covers GPs, specialists, outpatient treatments and hospital treatment.

People are very careful about hygiene here and kids soft play areas are rigorously cleaned. Coughing and sniffing when out in public is seen as very selfish. You also need to get into the habit of putting mossie spray or patch on every day (dengue fever is about) and taking hand sanitizer around with you.

We also have found our lifestyle healthier here. More swimming and less booze (can't afford the latter here!).

I hope u enjoy SG. Feel free to PM me if you want to meet up when u get here.

I should have said DS not DD

Hi
Ironically after i posted this on sat am, i went to see comsultant about a minor shoulder problem that has been bugging me for a while and he found a lump, spent all weekend thinking the worst, that we wouldn't be moving but actually it is my thyroid and not serious but may have to be monitored so yes dh will definitely be making sure health care we gt will cover us from day 1 . Obviously my hayfever paled into insignificance compared to thinking i could have the big C.
Never really thought about effects of cuts healing in tropical weather.

Lot to learn about moving but after this weekend and thinking it would all have to be shelved i can't wait to get there.

Holly, a meetup would be great, i don't know a soul there, think there is a few people on here moving in next couple of months

Am on the continent. I get awful painful sinusitis at the onset of winter. Not sure if this is related to where I live or if it is just something that has developed as I got older.

Other than that, no health issues anywhere I have lived really.

Also in Singapore and would agree with most other Singapore expats - outdoor lifestyle, very rarely get coughs and colds. DD2 has had a tummy bug and a chest infection and DD1 hasn't been to the doctor except for vaccinations ... in 5 years.

Must say though that my skin is doing really well here with the humidity - it rebels when we go back to UK in the summer and the wrinkles deepen although that could be spending 3 weeks living with my DF...-