Winter Illness's

computerwoman

Hi I have been ill now for about 2 months with a chest infection...got anti-biotics off my GP again and again I think these are my 4th lot so far but this seems to happen every year lately...was wondering what people take in vitamins and stuff to ward these thing's off...I know we are not allowed to ask for medical advise which I am not I am asking about the alternatives...as I end up in hospital every year now for the past 5 year's...and am getting so fed up with it all...thanks in advance...:D

Sola

I don't take anything, but I've found that since I started exercising (gym 6 times a week) I've avoided every bug that's been round the office. Everyone else has gone down like ninepins with colds, chest infections, vomiting etc but I haven't had any of it, so I reckon the exercise has strengthened my immune system.

kathy206

:hello: Hi
Have you tried a short course of echinacea? (please make sure it doesn't interfere with any other meds you are taking,it can affect the way other meds work) also vitamin c with zinc is recommended to help boost immunity.
If you have had a chest infection for a few weeks that isn't clearing up with antibiotics then maybe you should think about asking for a chest xray?
Hope you are feeling better soon,
Kathyxx

floss2

Maybe next year you could ask for flu & pneumonia jabs? Especially if you've had recurring chest infections? Some councils & employers give them to public-facing staff.....I have them because I have asthma (not over 60!)

Alex_of_Swansea

If you've been in hospital every winter for five years, alarm bells should be ringing somewhere. Do you suffer from an underlying respiratory condition?
Your GP surgery should have a respiratory clinic which you could access regardless. The nurse who runs it will be able to give you experienced avoidance advice which may help. 4 weeks is a long time for any infection. I'd get a chest x ray too. Do they know the source of the infection?
A x

computerwoman

thanks all...they sent me for a full body scan last january but it didn't pick anything up...my GP just keeps giving me anti-bicotics and tells me to wrap up warm which I do I don't go out that much as I am disabled...lost half my right foot to cancer in the summer which I have been fighting for the past 5 years so I guess I will just have to stay in as much as possible and hope nothing else goes wrong...I did have the pneumonia jab but can't have the flu jab as I am allergic to egg... I haven't had a cold or flu or anything really just this cough and chest infection but this time it's killing my ribs I did fall a couple of times in the summer where I broke my ribs so wonder if it could just be that ...I do go to the respitory clinic which is only to get my peak flow really waste of time going if your not well in the first place...I live in a town where nobody seems to care they just push pills at you...am going to go back to my GP after christmas and ask her to send me for a chest xray to see if anything shows up...thanks again everyone and I'll ask her then about the echinacea what ever that is...never heard of it but I'll ask anyway...merry christmas...:D

computerwoman

margaretclare wrote: »

You won't get echinacea from your GP. You get it from a health food store, or online: Simply Supplements here: http://www.simplysupplements.net.

Despite DH and I having the 'flu jab, we still got this nasty thing, and both of us hurt our ribs from coughing. The people who've had it, had it really badly.

HTH

Margaret

no I ment I'd ask my GP if I could take it with all my other meds....:rotfl:I have just got this awfull cough went into doctor's as my asthma had been playing up and she said chest infection again...but I've been backwards and forwards to the doctors for the past month or so now and everytime she says it hasn't cleared up and gives me more anti-biotics...this is the 5th year I have been like it...and hope I don't go into hospital as you get more ill in them nowadays...anyway thanks for your advise...merry christmas:D

[Deleted User]

ginger, honey and lemon. Grate fresh ginger and steep in a jug of boiling water. Strain and dip into it during the day.

Take it hot and add some honey (pref manuka) and lemon juice

Mojisola

Ted Hutchinson knows more about this but vitamin D is proving to be very useful in this area.
Here's one link that's interesting - https://www.drbriffa.com/blog/2007/10/12/could-low-levels-of-vitamin-d-help-explain-why-were-prone-to-infections-in-the-winter/

Savvy_Sue

Yup, I was going to suggest you investigate Vit D3 (not Boots, I think, but Holland and Barrett's is the 'right' kind), especially as you don't get out much. Not that we can get enough sunshine in the winter anyway.

If you have a health food shop which sells Yogi brand tea bags, see if they have Throat Comfort. Spoonful of honey in that, works like a dream on coughs and sore throats!

[Deleted User]

we take D3 (ala Ted) alternate days, solgar omnium and 1g of vit C daily

ginger as above if anyone feels the chill that you get at the start of anything

Ted`s D3 is from www.bio-tech-pharm.com

we also take probiotic capsules from time to time and home-made yoghurt (lakeland limited litre set) daily starting from Rachels organic natural yog, which is full of probiotics. The more I read about probiotics the more I have become a fan of them and I am wondering if I have such good health at 60 because we had naturally soured milk at least 4 times a week from when I was a toddler (Polish thing) and live yoghurt from being newly married when I belonged to a wholefood co-operative

I don`t tend to use places like H and B much because their vitamins are stored in warm places. I get my vitamins from the states and pay less than half price, which includes postage. They are always delivered quickly and you can avoid tax by keeping the order to under $45. I get my omnium and immediately order some more, so I always have it in

The last thing I ordered was udos probiotics and previously omnium and also a mullein complex. You get a lot for the money from here
www.vitaminlife.com