COLDS!@#$%

[MARYROSE02]

On my 5th cold since May, only cold free month being September but making up for this one spanning October and November.

This one is probably the worst, feeling not too bad Fri-Sun then horrible Mon-Tue, slightly better on Wed and OK to go out but not to work Thu-Sat.

Now Sunday i feel poorly again, annoying cough which is how cold started plus general @#$%£₩ feeling.

Ive had a flu jab and i know none of these colds have been flu. Maybe they are not colds but hay fever?

Ive taken a week off work (unpaid) but i still do not want to go back and the cough is unpleasant for my workmates.

[Marisawright]

Two possibilities.  You have a depressed immune system, or you have allergies.

A couple of simple things to try.  Buy a Ventolin inhaler at the chemist.   Next time you have a cough, take two puffs (wait a minute or two between puffs).   If that stops the cough, you've developed mild asthma and need to see your doctor.   

Buy some Zyrtec or other anti-histamine and try taking that. If it helps clear your head/nose, that suggests it's allergies not a cold.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

There is a flu bug going around at the moment.

[MARYROSE02]

13 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Two possibilities.  You have a depressed immune system, or you have allergies.

A couple of simple things to try.  Buy a Ventolin inhaler at the chemist.   Next time you have a cough, take two puffs (wait a minute or two between puffs).   If that stops the cough, you've developed mild asthma and need to see your doctor.   

Buy some Zyrtec or other anti-histamine and try taking that. If it helps clear your head/nose, that suggests it's allergies not a cold.

Thanks Marisa. I do have anti hystamines in my cupboard and never thought to take them.

[Eera]

We've found from experience that ongoing irritations like you describe maybe symptomatic of an underlying problem: OH developed really watery eyes and ongoing cough / aches and pains.  We did the anihistimine and codrel thing but nothing would shift it. Eventually he went to the docs for a blood test to find out what he was allergic to.  Turned out to be no allergies but really high cholesterol, Started on statins, after six more months of blood tests turns out he has hypothyroidism.  Since starting on thyroxin all his other symptoms have cleared up.

If it's really affecting you get it further investigated; we had no clue about this chronic immune system thing until we dug deeper because of fairly innocuous symptoms.

[MARYROSE02]

42 minutes ago, Eera said:

We've found from experience that ongoing irritations like you describe maybe symptomatic of an underlying problem: OH developed really watery eyes and ongoing cough / aches and pains.  We did the anihistimine and codrel thing but nothing would shift it. Eventually he went to the docs for a blood test to find out what he was allergic to.  Turned out to be no allergies but really high cholesterol, Started on statins, after six more months of blood tests turns out he has hypothyroidism.  Since starting on thyroxin all his other symptoms have cleared up.

If it's really affecting you get it further investigated; we had no clue about this chronic immune system thing until we dug deeper because of fairly innocuous symptoms.

Thanks for that advice. I was at my doctor only on Thursday complaining about my colds and next time I might ask him some more questions. To be honest I have been a chronic hypochondria for much of my life but lately I have been learning to trust his advice. He listened to my chest with his stethoscope and pronounced "just a cold!" 

I thought I was getting better which meant going out in the evening to the pub again, NO NO NO! I am already on statins actually and whilst I was there I got him to check my BP - perfect.

That reminds me. I must start another health related post about heart disease as both my brothers have had problems, one of them serious, hence my asking my GP to check my BP!