Help : Medical advice



limerickman

Well-Known Member
Jan 5, 2004
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Folks,

Perhaps you might be able to help.

4 years ago, during a holiday on the content, I picked up a flu-like viral infection.
In effect, for six months, I was kaput with flu-like symptoms.
Aching muscles, nasal congestion, sore eyes, headache, sweating/shivering : basically feeling dreadful.

I underwent a series of medical tests (blood tests, lymph tests etc, chest x-rays).
Nothing irregular showed up.
My local doctor and the hospital, diagnosed anti-biotics to cure the ailmentn and rest.
In time, these symptoms passed.

However, since then I have picked up very bad colds several times per year : I'm not talking about regular 1 - 2 day colds.
The colds that I manage to pick up are 7 - 8 day affairs : in effect they feel like mild flu.

I've tried every type of concoction to boost my immune system to prevent me from getting colds.
I have ingested vitamin C each day (1000mgs per day) : I've made sure to eat a balanced diet : made sure I get plenty of rest.
Yet each year my system succmbs to catching very heavy colds.

Does anyone else get heavy colds?
What do you do fight them?

Or what do you do to help prevent picking up colds?

All advice appreciated.
 
It sounds like you are doing a lot already but I do a couple of thing in addition. Wash your hand frequently and disinfect your surroundings frequently.
I also use a nasal rinse everyday. Just a saline soulution but it seems to help keep down the sinus issuses.
If you have never used a nasal rinse it is a different experience. You squirt a saline sloution into one nostril and it comes out the other without ill effects.
 
Washing hands more often is a good idea. I wonder has anything in your life changed that would cause you to be in contact with viruses/bacteria more often? Perhaps a new job working inside more often, or even coming in contact with sick people more. Perhaps your wife or someone in your household has a new job working inside more then they used to and could be bringing this stuff home like a carrier. Just a thought
 
Thanks fellas.

I was approaching this subject more from the perspective that it is probably better to try to boost my immune system.
 
limerickman said:
Thanks fellas.

I was approaching this subject more from the perspective that it is probably better to try to boost my immune system.

Lim, each year of marriage seems to stip away the will to live and drains the resistance to death away until death is a merciful alternative. This could be part of your problem.:D
 
limerickman said:
Or what do you do to help prevent picking up colds?

All advice appreciated.

I used to get nasty sinus viruses and infections with depressing regularity since childhood. After difficulty trying to clear a blockage in my left sinus I finally demanded a referral to an eye, ear, nose & throat specialist. He found a polyp that had started in the sinus and punched a hole into the anterior nasal cavity, where it could be seen hanging in the back of my throat on a good day.

Well, since he removed that thing I rarely get sick and when I do I'm over it a lot more quickly. Not saying that's what you have, but you might want to see a sinus specialist.
 
If I were you, I'd be gorging on seaweed. According to what I've learned here at Cycling Forums, seaweed cures everything. How do you think that Elvis was able to meet with the Grays from Zeta Reticuli? I'll tell you how, when the paramedics got to the scene, and found the King on the floor by the toilet, they forced seaweed down his gullet. See, it even cures death.
 
jhuskey said:
Lim, each year of marriage seems to stip away the will to live and drains the resistance to death away until death is a merciful alternative. This could be part of your problem.:D

Frequent orgasms are known to lower one's immunity. But if you are indeed married, that can't be the problem.
 
Lim, have you had tests to check your immune function?

These are specialised blood tests your average GP (or hopital) would not routinely order.

Referral to an immunologist/haematologist might be in order.
 
limerickman said:
Aching muscles, nasal congestion, sore eyes, headache, sweating/shivering : basically feeling dreadful.

All advice appreciated.

Step away from the bottle Lim... the booze will do you no good. :p

As a side note, if I do drink a few *cough* beers a day then I do tend to get more nasal irritaion... then the post nasal drip... which sucks cause there's plenty of good beer out here.
 
swampy1970 said:
Step away from the bottle Lim... the booze will do you no good. :p

As a side note, if I do drink a few *cough* beers a day then I do tend to get more nasal irritaion... then the post nasal drip... which sucks cause there's plenty of good beer out here.

I don't know - I've always found liquor (specifically, rum) to be a great med.
 
Denny418 said:
I don't know - I've always found liquor (specifically, rum) to be a great med.

Actually CNN.com this week had a story about a newly released study that found that car accident victims that had consumed alcohol prior to the crash had a lower incidence or mortality and brain damage. Those that had brain injuries typically had less sever injuries than those that did not imbibe.
 
alienator said:
Actually CNN.com this week had a story about a newly released study that found that car accident victims that had consumed alcohol prior to the crash had a lower incidence or mortality and brain damage. Those that had brain injuries typically had less sever injuries than those that did not imbibe.

"Great taste, less brain damage."
 
matagi said:
Lim, have you had tests to check your immune function?

These are specialised blood tests your average GP (or hopital) would not routinely order.

Referral to an immunologist/haematologist might be in order.

Bloods were tested.
Local GP referred me to the haemotology dept in hospital
They took a series of blood samples from me.

Both the doctor and the hospital said that the readings turned up normal, when the test results came back tow weeks later.
 
swampy1970 said:
Step away from the bottle Lim... the booze will do you no good. :p

As a side note, if I do drink a few *cough* beers a day then I do tend to get more nasal irritaion... then the post nasal drip... which sucks cause there's plenty of good beer out here.

I'm pretty careful as regards diet - being serious for a moment.

Rarely have a drink these days - have to be persuaded to go to the pub in fact!

Thats why I asked the question.
Alcohol wipes out your resistance : and given that I have been avoiding alcohol and eating correct foods..........there should be no reason why I pick up these colds as regularly as I do.
 
Well, I was thinking alcohol. My brother died after a long episode like this, and I found that the real situation was alcohol.
A lot of people are boozing it up something fierce. And then blame it all on this or that illness, disease, condition, etc. But it's the booze.
But you say you don't drink much.
Then you have to look at environment (mold, fungus, allergies to something), diet, and nutrition.
Sugar. Could be sugar.
Tests. There are many tests, and it costs money. But if you find it.
Voila
Good luck
dc
 
David13 said:
Well, I was thinking alcohol. My brother died after a long episode like this, and I found that the real situation was alcohol.
A lot of people are boozing it up something fierce. And then blame it all on this or that illness, disease, condition, etc. But it's the booze.
But you say you don't drink much.
Then you have to look at environment (mold, fungus, allergies to something), diet, and nutrition.
Sugar. Could be sugar.
Tests. There are many tests, and it costs money. But if you find it.
Voila
Good luck
dc

Alcohol intake would be minimal : I had two pints last month.
Prior to that I hadn't any alcohol for 4 months.
I'm an infrequent drinker and it gets more infrequent as I get older.

Sugar intake? I rarely eat sweets or chocolate : processed sugars might be a factor in food though.

Got over an eight day cold, mid-last week.
 
I was going to say do you work at the airport. They seem to harbor every disease or infection passing thru any area.
It says, in the bar. You work in a bar? Is there smoking there, they say second hand smoke is worse than first hand, and it will weaken your immune system.
It seems like you may just have a poor immune system.
Doesn't the doctor want to do all kinds of tests on you? That may reveal some problem somewhere.
Anyway, it's not unusual that people have medical problems for years, and more than one doctor can't find it or identify it. The patient must do a lot of research, and try to find the situation.
Good luck.
dc
 
David13 said:
I was going to say do you work at the airport. They seem to harbor every disease or infection passing thru any area.
It says, in the bar. You work in a bar? Is there smoking there, they say second hand smoke is worse than first hand, and it will weaken your immune system.
It seems like you may just have a poor immune system.
Doesn't the doctor want to do all kinds of tests on you? That may reveal some problem somewhere.
Anyway, it's not unusual that people have medical problems for years, and more than one doctor can't find it or identify it. The patient must do a lot of research, and try to find the situation.
Good luck.
dc

Thanks
 

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