For those of us being hammered by bugs

[stripetop]

Hello

I wondered if we could have a general chat, handhold, tips thread for those of us being hammered by bugs just now.

I have two children, I also have fairly severe health anxiety focused on them.

We have had colds, chest infections, tonscilitis. Conjunctivitis, norovirus, poisoning, and that's just October.

They have a good diet. Im trying to continue groups etc. I've ordered sambucol on a friend recommended basis.

Any other tips.

Wash your hands when you come home.
A daily vitamin.
Ginger and lemon tea.
Daily antibac of surfaces

I have never heard of Sambucol for kids before this thread and admit I'm tempted to try it to get us through the winter months.

I'm on a multivitamin as pregnant anyway and DS has Abidec vits every day. I also rinse out my nose when I wash my face morning and evening (is a bit gross, sorry) and I'm convinced that helps flush out things that would otherwise become colds. I still wear a mask on public transport and in shops. DS has a persistent cough but otherwise seems to have been mostly OK so far, fingers crossed

To be fair it does seem to be backed by research. I think I'd just buy fresh eldetberries...elderberry and banana yoghurt anyone? 🤣

A friend suggested it to me just before I started this thread. Ive started them today so I will do a two week trial and report back. It is very expensive, even at five a bottle because of the amount. But I am missing every activity at the moment with bugs so I suppose its worth a shot.

Offering a hand hold too. My 20 month old has been unwell on & off since March & passed loads on to me. Covid, colds, chest infections, sickness. It's exhausting, mostly every 2-3 weeks. She's had 2 courses of antibiotics so far this year & been taken into hospital once.

I currently have a terrible bout of Sinusitis after catching a cold from her 2 weeks ago. Never felt so ill.

Every time she's at nursery & my phone rings my heart sinks incase they're phoning to say she's ill again & I have to get her.

My friend is also going through it with her 18month old too. It's awful.

@Opalfeet I was thinking gin....

I've ordered some Sambucol so when it arrives I'll give it a go too. I'm desperate too as my just turned 4 year old has been referred to ENT after tonsillitis after tonsillitis episode and 3 rounds of antibiotics us he had a penicillin allergy. If I can avoid another bout and a tonsillectomy it will be worth it. My 22 month old catches everything from his oldest brother as he hardly mixed for the first year of his life due to lockdowns. Hopefully we are building up their immunity a bit more now. Sending support to those poorly at the moment. We literally seem to be having a 2 week break from the bugs here but it's got to the point now where I now expect the next thing as they've started sneezing again!

@stripetop

A friend suggested it to me just before I started this thread. Ive started them today so I will do a two week trial and report back. It is very expensive, even at five a bottle because of the amount. But I am missing every activity at the moment with bugs so I suppose its worth a shot.

Can I suggest you give the winter dose then for the 2 week trial to hopefully give them a good boost

@needtogetfit21 yes I think that's a good idea. Baby is only 11 months so I think I will start her on single dose for a day or two. Only a few weeks off.

Toddler can drink it the mess she's in again today.

Like I said unthread I'm also thinking about just not leaving house for two weeks but I suppose that's just delaying whatever else is to come.

I think you'll see a good difference with sambucol and ofcourse the general hygiene which I'm sure all of us follow anyway @stripetop good luck! Keep us posted

Interesting...do report back op.

Thank you @needtogetfit21 I've ordered the Sambucol too, DH is sceptical but I am literally up for anything at this stage. It was £120ml for £5.85 from Amazon if anyone is interested. I haven't shopped around.
Also going to be making some mango "smoothies" tomorrow, hoping it will be a hit 🤞

If they’re already taking a multi vitamin, is it ok to take Sambucol as well?

Can't believe how many of us are facing this. I'm so sorry for you all.

I called my friend today to cancel yet another catch up tomorrow and cried my heart out on the phone. Our other friend going has a health condition so no way I'm taking mine, not that I would anyway.

But I felt so alone, so thank you to each and every one of you for the handhold and support.

I started them both at teatime. Will see how we go, both took it happily.

@Rainallnight my toddler has a multi vit and will keep that going, just an extra boost.

@Motherland101 yes, anything at all!!

Thanks for the sambucol tip - I'll try it as well. My partner catches every bug going and she's gotten me into listening to this podcast. I'm convinced sleep is a massive factor with staying healthy, and I'm trying to get into better sleep habits myself.

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/feel-better-live-more-with-dr-rangan-chatterjee/id1333552422?i=1000537668852

@PollyWog A friend recommended that podcast to me so this is a sign that I really must give it a listen!

Can someone tell my three year old that sleep is good for the immune system?

@bakingdemon Do you use a nasal rinse or are you just sticking your face cloth up there?

Agree that sleep is definitely so important for us and the little ones to build up immunity but it's so impossible to get a full night isn't it when you are up and down in the night.

Also reducing sugar in the diet can help the immune system.

I've had to give my youngest calpol tonight as he is pointing to his throat, please no more throat infections or tonsillitis.

@stripetop, we are hear to listen and help. It sounds like we are all going through the same thing with the stress of looking after our little ones. No one is alone here.

Hope everyone gets some sleep tonight, I'm not looking forward to the clocks going back at all, no doubt we will be up at 5 here!

[quote Rainallnight]@PollyWog A friend recommended that podcast to me so this is a sign that I really must give it a listen!

Can someone tell my three year old that sleep is good for the immune system? [/quote]

Ahhh, exactly this!! We are completely at DC's mercy for sleeping which I guess is a totally different thread in itself. Seems like he's missed the memo too on the importance of quality sleep 😭🙈 I certainly notice it in mood / health / brain function.
Hoping for a good night tonight though, I do have a horrendous cough now which I suspect is going to keep me up but fingers crossed for DS. No temp this afternoon, just endless snot and moodiness. Can't wait for Sambucol tomorrow 🙏🏻

@Rainallnight have done saline nasal rinses with a neti pot in the past but tbh just hold one nostril closed and blow - the key is to have got your face pretty wet first so there's enough water to loosen all the gubbins up there

Oh god I belong on this thread. DD is 17 months (and still BF not that it makes a blind bit of difference by the way PP!!) and has had cold after cold, plus norovirus then a weird virus that gave her a rash and knocked her out for about a week, and now has a snotty nose again. All from nursery. My employer is also sympathetic but my work doesn't disappear when I take a day off to look after her and I'm falling desperately behind. I also can't remember the last time I had a full nights sleep because she's always waking up as she doesn't feel well!! It's really pushing me to breaking point.

@stripetop

Can't believe how many of us are facing this. I'm so sorry for you all.

I called my friend today to cancel yet another catch up tomorrow and cried my heart out on the phone. Our other friend going has a health condition so no way I'm taking mine, not that I would anyway.

But I felt so alone, so thank you to each and every one of you for the handhold and support.

I started them both at teatime. Will see how we go, both took it happily.

@Rainallnight my toddler has a multi vit and will keep that going, just an extra boost.

@Motherland101 yes, anything at all!!

Bless you OP, it's hard isn't it when it seems like all the simple joys are being taken away from you and all there is is endless illness and sleepless nights and you just feel so helpless and exhausted. I do feel for you!! About a month ago we had DGPs staying with us for a weekend to spend time with DS and allow DH and I some couples time. We had cinema booked and dinner with friends. Well, low and behold, both DS and I came down with another illness on that Friday, missed nursery and when DGPs arrived he refused to let my DM hold him so I had to cancel and stay with him.

@stripetop - whoops, posted too soon...so I had to stay at home with him but managed to get DH to still go out but as shameful as it sounds, I was so sad and unreasonably angry...we never get time alone as have no family locally, my parents both still work so it's not easy to coordinate a weekend that works with everybody. Such is life I guessed but lesson learnt. Not to get your hopes up when you make plans Sept - March 😅😩 x

I take Floradix with Iron tablets, B12 vitamin and D vitamin spray.
Also Echinacea chewables, Lemsip, painkillers as needed.

I've been using Vicks Sinex spray for blocked nose but had to stop so switched to Stérimar with Copper nasal spray today.
also Olbas oil drops at night (not every night).

when my cough gets bad I have Benadryl, Strepsils, Echinacea lozenges, throat spray.
lots of drinks (hot and cold), honey in tea, lemon in hot water...
I also use the hot tub daily to raise core temperature (I don't get fevers so trying to mimic the effect of fever in the hope it will kill bugs....it's just an experiment I thought to do in desperation)

It's all tedious. I just want to be well