Anyone else dealing with cold after cold?

[andtckrtoo]

I normally manage to avoid most colds. I get maybe one a year, and it's usually not too bad. But this year, I'm fighting my 3rd cold. (I've been living on echinacea, zinc and Vitamin C). DH is sick as well, and everyone around me has had 3 or more colds and it's only January! Any suggestions?

[indysteel]

Knock on wood, I haven't had a cold since October of 2006.

Not to ask the obvious, but is there anything affecting your immunity? Stress? Lack of sleep? Do yo have any underlying issues with allegies, sinus problems?

I hope you feel better and stay better soon!

[Tokie]

Me too...although this is only #2 for me, I've been off my bike the better part of 2.5 weeks. The cold in early November wiped me out too. I usually just have cold symptoms and continue on with my life. I know it would help if I got more sleep (to avoid getting sick), but it just seems like quite a virulent bunch of colds going around. I've been off work for 3 days and my boss says lots of people are also sick now at work. Yuck. I haven't had colds for the past 2 years. Almost over this one though - now where did I hide my energy? It's not good when the 12 hour sudafed wears off! Tokie

[Aquila]

If you're in a really cold area with dry air, maybe getting a humidifier for your bedroom would help? It helps me a lot.

[jobob]

I'm only on cold #1. please let it be the only one ...

[Fujichants]

If you're in a really cold area with dry air, maybe getting a humidifier for your bedroom would help? It helps me a lot.

I actually think my humidifier brought on my cold. Even though I clean that thing religiously. Funny enough, last night I couldn't stop coughing. The minute I turn off the humidfier, the coughing stops and I was finally able to sleep.

I haven't had a cold in years, and now i've had one for 2 weeks and no signs of it letting up either!

[OakLeaf]

Even if the humidifier itself is clean, any time the humidity gets above about 60%, molds have the opportunity to grow on everything else (furniture, bedding, walls, curtains, carpet, etc.). If you're dealing with allergies on top of a cold, it can make the cold last longer (because your immune system is compromised), and also make it seem like it's lasting longer because there's so much overlap of the symptoms.

Personally I have to be careful with echinacea, because it just pumps up my immune system indiscriminately and makes my allergies worse. Maybe try ashwagandha.

But if it's not just you - if everyone around you has had multiple colds - it sounds like maybe there are just that many different viruses going around your area, just bad luck.

Hope everyone feels better soon.

[Grog]

Sleep more?

[badger]

Ever since I started taking New Chapter's Every Woman One A Day Multivitamin 2 years ago, I have had 2 "mini" colds. I also take Andrographis (herb) to boost my immune system when I'm feeling run down.

Also interestingly, since taking New Chapter, I haven't had a cold sore *knock on wood*

[ny biker]

A few years back I had problems with serial colds. I think it was a side effect of some medication I had recently started taking (Advair).

But I also realized that my diet was probably low in iron and zinc, which might have been affecting my immune system, so I started taking a multivitamin every day. I can't swallow giant pills so I take Centrum chewables. Since then I have only gotten one or two colds per year.

I also used to try to keep up my exercise routine while I was sick, but now I take a few days off as soon as I start to feel sick and I take it easy until I'm feeling better. It's hard getting back into the swing of things afterwards but I definitely get over the cold faster.

[Smilie]

Have you changed your toothbrushes? Bleached door knobs, fridge, oven, microwave handles? Make sure everyone washes hands and sneeze into their elbows? I'm a germ killing freak A few drops of bleach in a squirt bottle, and you are an armed and germ killing machine.

[five one]

I think I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on the worst cold I've had in recent memory. Even the remnants of asthma are slowly getting better.

I was in the break room today talking to a coworker who started complaining of not feeling well and was planning to go home. Man, I hope I didn't breathe in any of her germs. I refuse to get sick again (stamps foot). I wanna ride my bike! I hope I remember how . The weekend is supposed to be sunny and in the 60's - perfect riding weather. I hope I have enough energy by then.

Being sick is the worst. Hope everyone gets over their assorted crud and stays well.

[andtckrtoo]

I think I'm just an unlucky spot. Oh well. I do make sure I eat well and get sleep, but, I'm still getting sick. It's not allergies, unfortunately. Those I can handle and feel very different. But thank you everyone for your responses.

FiveOne - I'm with you - I just want to get out on my bike this weekend. It's supposed to be SOOO nice!!!!

[emily_in_nc]

My cold-prevention system is simple: Wash hands often and use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if I can't wash. I have a small bottle in my purse and a huge one in my car, which I use after pumping gas, going into any stores, on my way home from work...) Okay, so I may sound like a germaphobe , but it's well worth being a little neurotic to me. I am around sick people all the time at work (why oh why won't folks take a day or two off when they are actively ill?!) and have managed not to get a cold of any sort in ~2 years (only "sick" day I took in 2008 was for dental work, and in 2007 my one sick day was due to a bad reaction to my flu shot).

For me too, I think the fact that I am almost never around kids helps. Co-workers who are parents of young children seem to get a cold every couple of months.

Good luck -- being sick is no fun indeed (I think I remember that, anyway!)

[andtckrtoo]

A few years back I had problems with serial colds. I think it was a side effect of some medication I had recently started taking (Advair).

But I also realized that my diet was probably low in iron and zinc, which might have been affecting my immune system, so I started taking a multivitamin every day. I can't swallow giant pills so I take Centrum chewables. Since then I have only gotten one or two colds per year.

I also used to try to keep up my exercise routine while I was sick, but now I take a few days off as soon as I start to feel sick and I take it easy until I'm feeling better. It's hard getting back into the swing of things afterwards but I definitely get over the cold faster.

That's interesting - I started a nutrition program that graded based on nutrition, so I stopped taking my multivitamin. I have recently added it back. I have been taking a multivitamin for years, but I had been reading that they are not as effective as eating foods with those vitamins. I wonder if that had something to do with it. I know I seem to be fighting this cold more effectively, which would be after I added them back.

Emily - oh I wash my hands frequently, too. I hate dirty or dirty feeling hands, and as I'm at a computer all day, my hands always feel dirty. I have not had a real cold in about 10 years. I think that's why this season has amazed me. It cannot be as simple as a vitamin pill, can it? Well, that with a sound nutritional program and plenty of sleep?