Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've heard that the average adult will catch between 2 and 4 colds every year.

By the time I got to middle school, I never got sick. I've had perfect attendance in school, and rarely ever so much as a cold. Now suddenly in the past year I've had to call out of work sick at least once a month.

This year, in summary (the dates are exact because I remember the events that happened surrounding each time I got sick):

• Nothing before May really stuck out in my mind.
• May 17 (last day of exams): My tonsils became infected. They swelled up so large that I could hardly breathe.
• June 21 (went to Six Flags with the boyfriend): Flu symptoms. Fever, shivering, loss of appetite, vomiting
• August 15 (first day of week-long vacation with family): Flu symptoms. Fever, shivering, loss of appetite, significantly more vomiting, weakness and aching in knees.
• September/October, various colds and sniffles.
• November, Thursday a week before Thanksgiving: A red rash appeared on my neck and shoulders.
• November, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving: An ear infection. I was completely deaf in my left ear and partially deaf in my right ear for nearly two weeks.
• December 23: Flu symptoms. Fever, shivering, loss of appetite, vomiting, sour/metallic taste in my mouth/excessive drooling*, pain and weakness in my knees, night sweats that drenched the bed.
• January 4: Flu symptoms. Fever, shivering, decrease in appetite, one instance of vomiting, pain and weakness in my knees.

*My boyfriend says that the metallic taste was probably because I wasn't eating food and I was taking my meds on an empty stomach.

Does anyone have any idea what I need to do to get this to stop? I could lose my job if I keep calling out of work too often. :cry:

Do you work with a large group of people? Is there air flow in the office?

When I worked in a high rise on the 17th floor with over 150 people, I got sick at least twice a month. The air flow is not good, so if one person has a cold, the whole office has it by the end of the day because they're circulating the air that's in the office instead of fresh air.

Use hand sanitizer, that may help. Get your flu shot, take vitamin C tablets every day and a multi vitamin isn't bad idea either.

Some people swear by echinacea (sp?) but it's not recommended to be taken on a daily basis. But, if you feel a cold coming on it can help to get rid of it or at least make it not last as long.

Go to your doctor for a full checkup just to rule out anything else that may be compromising your immune system.

Good luck. :)

I work in fast food, and I've been there for four years without any of these problems.

I am not in contact with a lot of people. The department I am in at school is very small, maybe about sixty students in total come through during the day. The people I see most often are my sister/housemate, my boyfriend, my boyfriend's brother and wife, my boyfriend's son (3) and the brother's newborn baby... the kids are another reason I'm scared of getting sick.

Since you mentioned the ventilation/building, that makes me wonder if I can consider the possibility that my house might be out to kill me. My sister and I just bought this place in March. She's not having the same health issues I'm having, but she's developed sleeping and respiratory problems in the past year.

Getting the flu shot... I forgot to mention in my summary that the December 23 flu was two days after I got the vaccine... to prevent the flu... hurrah irony.

Definitely going to a doctor though, I've already got an appointment for the 11th.

You can't get the flu from the flu shot, it's a dead virus. You can have a mild reaction that can cause flu like symptoms, but you won't get the shot from the flu. Just fyi. ;)

Yes, see your doctor and make sure you bring your list with you of the times you've been sick and what you had. Make sure he/she does a complete physical. It could be something to do with your house. If it's an older house you could be dealing with anything from mold to lead paint.

Let us know how it all goes. :)

I was only sick for about two and a half days, so it might have just been a reaction to the vaccine-- but I had been given the H1N1 nasal spray, which is the attenuated virus (live, but weakened, virus). My doctor suggested it because I always dread shots, and she was like "this stuff is way cooler." and being a trusting little doofus, I agreed.

I was told after the nurse gave me dose number one that "this is the sort of thing we only give to people with good immune systems." *facepalm*

PSA. GET THE SHOT, NOT THE NOSE SPRAY.

I worked for the H1N1 flu campaign. We didn't even offer the nasal spray here in Canada. It was shot or nothing.

The only bad thing about the shot was the fact that the vaccine is thicker then normal and goes into your muscle. For around a week after I got it I still felt like someone punched me really hard in the arm.

I got both shots, the annual flu shot and the H1N1. I really do recommend it. I always get the flu, usually around Christmas because I'm stressed and less careful. This year I was fine ::knock on wood::

My turn.

May 17 strikes a nerve. It's a high pollen count time, especially tree. So, I'm suggesting allergy testing.

August-first frost: Ragweed season. Look at how that nasty pollen looks. It even looks deadly.

I also think there may be an indoor alergen.

So, my suggestion is to see an allergist/asthma specialist and get allergy testing done.

Meanwhile the sniffles and drooling have to go. Your baga of tricks will include and N95 respirator mask when outside doing yard work in the spring and fall.

Neilmed nasal rinse. Packets of buffered salt and a special bottle for rinsing the nose.

Claritan will stop the sniffles.

You didn't mention headache, but pseudephed (spelling) and/or Benedryl would have probably helped the ear infection.

I;m seriosly thinking of an indoor allergy. Pets, dust mites, mold, mildew kind of stuff.

August... frost?

No, The Ragweed season starts sometime in August. It's gone after the first frost, so it has a variable length and start. Sorry for the confusion.

Ah, now I see. That makes sense.

**also, I didn't notice when I posted that the somewhat related quote from the conversation I had with my friend about a tea she recommended didn't copy&paste into the box. Did not mean to one-liner. How embarrassing O.o lol

I would recommend an air purifier in your bedroom at night, plenty of Vitamin C, and Lysine.

In order to get a bacterial, viral or fungal infection the connective tissue must become weakened and penetrable. Lysine and Vitamin C can build a good barrier against sickness.

*Hallo again, been away.

KISS, I am ruling out allergies and asthma, mainly because I have no known allergies, but also because my symptoms are all flu-like in nature, and not respiratory.

Just saw the doctor today (not my usual doctor), and explained everything, highlighting my concern that I've only been getting sick like this in the past few months and never before that. Her response was "well that's normal" and sent me on my way empty handed.

So, the question is still unanswered. What the deuce am I supposed to do now?

Deal. Take a look at:

https://health.google.com/health/ref/Lyme+disease

The orange juice probably won't do much good. I meant the vitamin C packets where you can get thousands of mg's per day. One packet is 1,000 mg, so you space out a few packets a day. On top of this would be Lysine Supplements, 3,000 mg. per day minimum. Those two supplements are not too expensive and you can get into the daily habit of it. If you look the combo up on the internet, you can find some doctors totally recommending it as a sickness prevention.

Also, try and find another doctor. Many of them herd the patients in and out so fast, they don't make time to give you the attention you need. Many natural doctors seem to take their time more to really see if they can pinpoint what it might be. It could be anything, really (even Lyme Disease like mentioned above, I've known people to get it where they had no idea a tick even bit them).

Have you been more stressed out this year? Your symptoms even sound like Herpes 1, especially the metal taste in the mouth. Do you get cold sores?

Really, though, we can't diagnose it over the internet and it really needs to be checked out by a doctor. Either that, or your immune system is just lowered this year. It happens sometimes.

Rosemcs-- the metallic taste in my mouth has been determined to be a reaction to taking medication on an empty stomach. I do not get cold sores.
I am not asking for a diagnosis. I have already stated that I have made doctor appointments. I am leaving my diagnosis to the professionals. However, I was asking for suggestions to keep me from calling out of work sick in the meantime, because I have been calling out so often I can lose my job. So far the only thing I know to do is to shrug my shoulders and start from the beginning-- watch my diet, exercise, plenty of sleep, and plenty of water, don't eat the food from work.

KISS-- I read the article, it all sounds very likely. Does Lyme disease come and go intermittently/ is it recurrent? I've had these symptoms four times since June. Should I check my house for ticks? The article says a lot about pets and high grasses and outdoors, but I don't have any of that.

Also, adding to my original list of chronic infections this year-- between Sept/Oct I had three urinary tract infections. I've definitely got a half-dead immune system.

I'll let you munch this: Evidence-based guidelines for the management of Lyme disease.


Deer tics are really small: Google Image Result for http://www.benbrew.com/lb/deertick.jpg

You maybe anaemic or very stressed I suggest trying some yoga everyday as this helps your mind, body and soul and has a wide range of benefits and its very enjoyable and a great way to stay in shape. Make sure your eating the correct foods in the correct amounts.if you find that you are still ill I suggest a trip to your local g.p.

Hi

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hhghuiiom

Hi

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