I Keep Getting Sick What'S Going On

[chris5346]

hi,

is anyone finding they have been getting sick more often this past 6-8 months ?

i've been in thailand a year now and to start with i was fine but gradually i keep getting this re-occuring sore throat and loss of energy /strength a lot of sweating.

seems to be i'm getting run down and pick something up ? or maybe it's the same thing keep coming back ?

when i first came travelling i did used to take a lot of antibiotics because i wasn't looking after myself but now i'm eating well and taking supplements etc and i seem to be worse off !

maybe i should go and see a doctor but i'm not sure really what they can do for me other than antibiotics ?

what about the flu jab etc is that an option ?

things not so bad last 2 months seems to be worse when it was very hot - but i've got it back again now,

can anyone shed any light on this ?

i'm 39 and haven't had any physical illnesses in years.

i'm planning to stay in thailand long term now - chiang mai , because i have a baby here so is there anything that i should be doing ?

i'm upto date with vaccinations that they recommend for having a holiday in thailand but should i be getting any extras ?

thanks for looking

chris

[WAYNEandAEI]

If I were you I would go for a blood test, It will at least give you some peace of mind...and drink plenty of good water

[filingaccount]

Step 1. See a doctor.

Step 2. See step 1.

Step 3. See step 2.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2084811_know-see-doctor-persistent-sore.html

[moe666]

Find a probiotic to take and also up your vitamin c to bowel tolerance should be about 10,000mg. a day taken in 3 or four doses a day. Also see a doctor for some blood work.

[sarahsbloke]

goto hospital, pay for blood test HIV and Hep B

about 500bht

[hhgz]

Have you considered getting a Pneumovax vaccination?

[fiddlehead]

My first year here in Thailand, i was sick a lot also.

I think it may be your body getting used to the change in climate and food.

I suggest you eat a lot of fruit and try to eat as healthy as you can, get some exercise every day and drink only moderately for a while.

My 2 cents anyway.

Doctors here like to prescribe lots of drugs (especially antibiotics) which I don't think are always the best answer.

(not that I'm a medical expert by any means, just a fairly health 60 year old)

[harrypatterson]

I have had same problem and turned out to be I was allergic to mold which grows in air conditioner. If you are using AC, perhaps you could try having it cleaned or use a fan. However, this is not to say your problem is same as mine, so probably best to see doctor. Personally just about the only time I would see a doctor is if I was bleeding profusely, but that is just me. Not smart really, but I have had some very bad experiences with doctors.

[Sheryl]

Obviously, you need to see a doctor for proper diagnosis and to rule out such things as mono.

If it turns out to be just an upper respiratrory infection, air quality may be a factor as it can be poor in CM. If you can, arrange to live out of the city where the air is cleaner. Do attend top A/C filter as suggested by one poster. And a good multivit/mineral supplement that contains at least 10 mg zinc may help.

At the first sign of a sore throat, take additional zinc for a couple of days. Works wonders.

[chris5346]

thank you for advice,

getting bit better today - i usually eat loads of chicken soup and after a week usually feeling better but this time have upped vit c and yakult made sure i take vitamins and on the mend already,

thankfully not as hot this week so i have some energy to fight it off so haven't been too bad this time.

i'll see a doctor sometime and get some tests maybe get that vaccination also.

it's been a stressful 6 months so maybe that's affecting my health ?

thanks again

chris

[moe666]

If you were on antibiotics for a while your gut is shot. You need to replace good bacteria with a probiotic and or good quality yogurt. The need for vit. c has been established in many studies your body uses c as it is needed if you are sick you need more. i have taken up to 24,000mg a day when ill with no side effects typically you will reach bowel tolerance around 10,000mg give or take a few thousand mg depending on your body.

Also take Vit-D3 most people are defiecnt due to not enough sun time, use of sun screen, and clothing. Around 70mg per liter of blood is recommendes for a healthy body level.

Good luck and good health.

[mommysboy]

<br>hi,<br>is anyone finding they have been getting sick more often this past 6-8 months ?<br>i've been in thailand a year now and to start with i was fine but gradually i keep getting this re-occuring sore throat and loss of energy /strength a lot of sweating.<br>seems to be i'm getting run down and pick something up ? or maybe it's the same thing keep coming back ?<br>when i first came travelling i did used to take a lot of antibiotics because i wasn't looking after myself but now i'm eating well and taking supplements etc and i seem to be worse off !<br>maybe i should go and see a doctor but i'm not sure really what they can do for me other than antibiotics ?<br>what about the flu jab etc is that an option ?<br>things not so bad last 2 months seems to be worse when it was very hot - but i've got it back again now,<br>can anyone shed any light on this ?<br>i'm 39 and haven't had any physical illnesses in years.<br>i'm planning to stay in thailand long term now - chiang mai , because i have a baby here so is there anything that i should be doing ?<br>i'm upto date with vaccinations that they recommend for having a holiday in thailand but should i be getting any extras ?<br>thanks for looking<br>chris<br>

<br><br>I dare say you should have checks, but I can also confirm myself and a few friends have been pushed to the edge this year. I think it's the heat and pollution as much as anything.<br><br>Chiang Mai is very polluted as far as I'm aware, and one possible explanation is continual irritation leading to higher bacterial levels which would lead to a low grade fever.  And such a condition is repetitive.<br><br>You might consider a mask, tablets, and antibiotics, but no there is no cure for a degraded  environment.<br><br>I don't know what to say, but if you are badly effected, it would be best to consider a move!<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>

[mommysboy]

goto hospital, pay for blood test HIV and Hep B

about 500bht

What a craX posting.

[mommysboy]

Find a probiotic to take and also up your vitamin c to bowel tolerance should be about 10,000mg. a day taken in 3 or four doses a day. Also see a doctor for some blood work.

What has this got to do with the posting? I mean really!

[geriatrickid]

There are 1001 reasons why you may be having the symptoms. Illnesses manifest themselves in some weird ways depending on the person. Sometimes the symptoms cause one to think there is a bacteria induced infection when it may in fact be something else altogether. Once one has been on a regime of antibiotics that are started and then stopped once one feels ok, one runs the risk of creating a reservoir of antibiotic resistant bacteria. If you are concerned, then the first step is to have some basic tests, which will necessitate some bloodwork. Depending upon your past history, a chest Xray may be needed, maybe even a culture from a nose or throat swab.

There is a lot of information missing. Things like whether or not there is a family history of immuno suppressed illness in your family, whether or not you smoke or if you are down wind froma location that is spewing irritant agents into the air you breathe. Often, there are some common sense explanations for these issues. Aside from the tests, you should take a good look at where you live and the neighbourhood. Drive around and see if there is somebody running a kiln or exhausting industrial smoke close to where you are. It happens. Better yet, consider the following suggestion because AC is one of the major causes of irritation. Dirty air filters and mold in a home really do a number on some people.

I have had same problem and turned out to be I was allergic to mold which grows in air conditioner. If you are using AC, perhaps you could try having it cleaned or use a fan. However, this is not to say your problem is same as mine, so probably best to see doctor. Personally just about the only time I would see a doctor is if I was bleeding profusely, but that is just me. Not smart really, but I have had some very bad experiences with doctors.

As an aside, you have a kid now, so you owe it to the child to make sure there is a Dad around for a long time. Get the bloodwork done. If you are prescribed antibiotoics. Follow the script from start to finish. Do not pop the pills indiscriminately and do not self medicate with antibiotics. At the very least, you will achieve some peace of mind and that may be a factor. Who knows, maybe you are not getting enough sleep, or it could be psychosomatic, or an allergy or an immune system related illness. You won't know until you check it out. Vaccines can't help if you are already ill. Besides, vaccines do not work on everyone. I used to get jabbed with a few, and it turned out they were ineffective on me.

goto hospital, pay for blood test HIV and Hep B

about 500bht

What a craX posting.

And your response is rude and inappropriate. We all know your views on HIV. Please do not allow your personal bias to interfere with what was a responsible and caring suggestion. It was a suggestion that presented a negligible possibility of harm, unlike suggestions to pop pills or other potions.

[mommysboy]

A responsible and caring suggestion would surely point to the 99% certainty that this is a minor ailment brought about by URTI, allergy, or tonsilitis. I don't think it's very sensible at all to suggest going for tests for entirely unrelated conditions. Personally, the thought of these 2 tests put the fear of God in to me and I think many others too, not so caring IMHO.

Edited July 10, 2010 by Sheryl
civility

[chris5346]

it's all good - i must admit when i read the 2 tests i suddenly felt better and made me think.

i had an hiv test a year ago and i'm upto date with vaccinations but i'm sure there's many things that can be picked up.

i think maybe i'm just run down and with the extra hot weather i'm picking up more viruses ?

i'm happy to hear that a few others are similar in chiang mai and not just me because i was thinking i had bird flu or something ??

it's my first time in asia and living away from uk - the first 6 months were very easy and i was feeling much fitter / stronger than i have in years but i seem to be going backwards a bit recently and not sure why.

must be a combination of things so i'll get some tests and try a few things - maybe i should see if i'm dificient in anything ?

i don't smoke but i used to binge drink few days a week in the past - also i was pretty bad for pill popping but also i used to try and exercise most days and wud go through stages of being ultra looking after myself - no processed foods etc so a bit up and down really.

i've had a few days where i've been so lack of energy i can't even move my eye lids and almost switching off/getting dissy when stand up etc.

thankfully it's been intermittant but can't keep getting sick like this.

[mommysboy]

it's all good - i must admit when i read the 2 tests i suddenly felt better and made me think.

i had an hiv test a year ago and i'm upto date with vaccinations but i'm sure there's many things that can be picked up.

i think maybe i'm just run down and with the extra hot weather i'm picking up more viruses ?

i'm happy to hear that a few others are similar in chiang mai and not just me because i was thinking i had bird flu or something ??

it's my first time in asia and living away from uk - the first 6 months were very easy and i was feeling much fitter / stronger than i have in years but i seem to be going backwards a bit recently and not sure why.

must be a combination of things so i'll get some tests and try a few things - maybe i should see if i'm dificient in anything ?

i don't smoke but i used to binge drink few days a week in the past - also i was pretty bad for pill popping but also i used to try and exercise most days and wud go through stages of being ultra looking after myself - no processed foods etc so a bit up and down really.

i've had a few days where i've been so lack of energy i can't even move my eye lids and almost switching off/getting dissy when stand up etc.

thankfully it's been intermittant but can't keep getting sick like this.

It could be simple heat exhaustion/. Do you use air conditioning? I think it would be essential for you both to recover overnight and avoid exposure to air pollution.

The worrying bit is when you said you could barely move your eyelids, is this just stretching a point?

As I'm finding out (even after 5 years) you have to severely limit your exposure to the heat/sun out here.

People who suffer mild or negligible allergies in Farangland often develop more severe symptoms out here, it's usually to do with smog if they are city dwellers. A typical reaction is to just ignore it as you can do in Farangland, but out here you eventually grind to a halt. Chiang Mai has a poor reputation for air quality and that's being polite.

[thaibkk]

did you notice strange smells and big brown and black clouds in the sky

-> garbage burning season

it is not over, as it starts raining

but i also was sick for 2 months and no antibiotics would help as the problem was caused by pollution of our friend Thais around

where police close one or both eyes for the right sum of tea money

[chris5346]

hi,

yes i swear on my daughters life i get that tired that all i can do is lie on the floor and move nothing - has happened many times where's it's got to that point - i thought once i'd take a multivitamin and that made me worse, difficult for me to remember because as soon as i get fit again i forget about what happens - i definatelly find myself pushed to my limit sometimes - i prevously took a bump to the head and i get this thing where i kind of convulse in my head - a bit like switching off for a second or two and when i'm sick i have been getting that too also if i have had a hangover then i used to get it,

my main problem is sleep if i don't get enough i'm really not too good - so when it's been very hot i have struggled and having baby here must have been hard for me.

i just asked gf and she said if i sleep at night with fan on me she knows i'm going to get sick ?? but i'm not sure about that one - i think maybe if i sweat too much at night i get weak - we only have aircon in the living room and we brought it new about 2 months ago when it was at it's hottest.

i seem to get dehydrated easily - if i just miss drinking water for half a day i notice it and especially if sick then loose a lot of weight.

we were living in the center of chiang mai but was never sick there really but as i say i was more active then and last year wasn't as hot we have moved outside now, it's cleaner air here but quite noisy.

my diet is very good i can eat everything we spend a lot of money on getting the best food we can , past 6 months i have been eating more and more food thou and have put on weight i'm now the size i was when i left the uk, i think maybe sometimes i drink and eat too much , i can't really remember - i have had eating disorder in the past so i tend to do things to extremes.

maybe i'll try and exercise again now the weather a bit cooler ?

it's definately not as easy living away as i thought it would be.

any recomendations for a doctor etc

[holymoly]

I have had same problem and turned out to be I was allergic to mold which grows in air conditioner. If you are using AC, perhaps you could try having it cleaned or use a fan. However, this is not to say your problem is same as mine, so probably best to see doctor. Personally just about the only time I would see a doctor is if I was bleeding profusely, but that is just me. Not smart really, but I have had some very bad experiences with doctors.

I believe I had the same problem. I had the inside heat exchanger of the A/C cleaned with high pressure water. NOT the little filters but the fins of the heat exchanger. I also took the occasional anti allergy pill

(clarityn). Now the sympton have become much less.

Yes, the doc could not find any real problem with my lungs just the bronchials. He recommended the clarityn.

[chris5346]

yes i have seen those brown clouds several times looking out from our house, surely can't be them affecting my health ?

think i'll start wearing a mask see if that helps - may cut down the headaches i get.

cheers,

chris

[ZL1DD]

My suggestion:

If you are in Chiangmai go to the big base hospital variously known as Suan Dok/Maharaj/Shripat.

Go to main entrance and make way to the 13th floor Special Medical Unit.

They do full medical checks, very reasonable prices, cost depends on number of tests you need done.

You also get interview with Dr Greg who is the GP and has lots of knowledge of the Thai situation.

Then follow treatment advised.

If you do not respond to treatment, or low order symptoms hang around would recommend visit to the traditional chinese doctor at wararot market, shop front room on Changmoi rd, about 100m up from the river, opposite the soi that leads into the main market area. Ask for "maw cheen", people will know place.

Avoid Chiangmai Ram , they seriously and dangerously misdiagnosed major problem I had.

Good luck

Barry

[mommysboy]

Yes, I'd say you need a trip to a doctor- I'm sure there's not too much wrong if anything at all. It sounds like you are not looking after your body too well under extremely challenging conditions.

Recently I ran in to related problems and had to look at my lifestyle and so asked my mates who come from UK, Canada, Skipland, etc. It was clear that those that come from cooler states:

1. Drank between 3-6 litresof liquid a day depending on exercise rate, coffee/booze intake.

2. Used air conditioning and indeed needed a room at 27 degrees or less to sleep properly.

One of my friend actually only need 2 litres of water and doesn't needair con.

I personally ensure that my doors and windows are closed at least 10 hours a day, that the air con is serviced, the fan dust free, and that the room is otherwise well dusted/dust free as most of us are allergic to house dust to one degree or another.

From what's been said I think how you are basically not looking after your body too well and that's an essential when you live in a hot polluted area.

[avidflyer]

A/C: number one suspect, for sure. Clean that baby.

[cmsally]

hi,

yes i swear on my daughters life i get that tired that all i can do is lie on the floor and move nothing - has happened many times where's it's got to that point - i thought once i'd take a multivitamin and that made me worse, difficult for me to remember because as soon as i get fit again i forget about what happens - i definatelly find myself pushed to my limit sometimes - i prevously took a bump to the head and i get this thing where i kind of convulse in my head - a bit like switching off for a second or two and when i'm sick i have been getting that too also if i have had a hangover then i used to get it,

my main problem is sleep if i don't get enough i'm really not too good - so when it's been very hot i have struggled and having baby here must have been hard for me.

i just asked gf and she said if i sleep at night with fan on me she knows i'm going to get sick ?? but i'm not sure about that one - i think maybe if i sweat too much at night i get weak - we only have aircon in the living room and we brought it new about 2 months ago when it was at it's hottest.

i seem to get dehydrated easily - if i just miss drinking water for half a day i notice it and especially if sick then loose a lot of weight.

we were living in the center of chiang mai but was never sick there really but as i say i was more active then and last year wasn't as hot we have moved outside now, it's cleaner air here but quite noisy.

my diet is very good i can eat everything we spend a lot of money on getting the best food we can , past 6 months i have been eating more and more food thou and have put on weight i'm now the size i was when i left the uk, i think maybe sometimes i drink and eat too much , i can't really remember - i have had eating disorder in the past so i tend to do things to extremes.

maybe i'll try and exercise again now the weather a bit cooler ?

it's definately not as easy living away as i thought it would be.

any recomendations for a doctor etc

If you have had everything else checked over and it comes up negative, get your sinuses checked. I have had pretty much the same symptoms and it was a chronic sinus infection.

You are literally too tired to get up, not to mention dizzy and pressure (moves around - sometimes cheek area, maybe forehead or side of head) also. Cannot sleep any longer than an hour or two at a time.

You might feel better after antibiotics for a while but it comes back, as you need a mega dose of antibiotics to make a difference.

You will feel worse at night and pretty strange in the morning.

My sinus x rays showed a mild sinus infection - so I hate to think what a bad one is like.

Now that I know what this is, I realise I have had it periodically over the last 2 years but not enough to make much of a dent to my health. I think this years weather just pushed it over the edge.

Should have added - sinus infection can easily give you a sore throat as infection can drain from your sinus into the back of the throat.

Edited July 11, 2010 by cmsally

[philliphn]

A lot of people get sick when they sleep in the air conditioning.

If you sleep in the air conditioning you must still cover up.

[moe666]

Find a probiotic to take and also up your vitamin c to bowel tolerance should be about 10,000mg. a day taken in 3 or four doses a day. Also see a doctor for some blood work.

What has this got to do with the posting? I mean really!

You know little of how the body functions. Long term use of antibiotics causes the elimanation of the good digestive flora our bodies need for the digestion of our food. If food isn't digestied properly we will not absorb the vitamins and minerals we need for proper function. A good probiotic will restore these critters and proper function of our digestive system.

Vitamin c is one of the most important elements in our body, if one has a low grade infection you vit. c levels will be depleted and there will not be enough for proper function of ones body. High doses of vit.c have been shown to help in the recovery of our bodies from infections. If you are healthy and not exposed to to much enviromental pollution you can supplament with around 4,000mg a day but if exposed to high levels of pollution you may need to supplament with higher levels.

Do a bit of reserch at the vit.c institute you may learn something.

Edited July 12, 2010 by moe666

[IMA_FARANG]

Simple answer....go to a doctor for a medical exam.

If your car is running poorly do you ask people on a forum why? Or do you take it to a mechanic for a quick checkover?

Same answer for health problems. That's why there are doctors.

If you are having persistant throat problems, especially in Bangkok, it could be caused by smog. And persistant infections caused by agrravation to your throat caused by smog could drain your energy leaving you feeling weak and listless. But how can I tell that online?

So go to a doctor. That's the place to start.

But you probably already knew that.

[IMA_FARANG]

Against my better judgement I'll add:

Smog, dust in the air, etc can irritate your throat...and cause persistant low grade infections. Throat lozenges to soothe your throat (lettting it start the natural healing processes) can help a lot in that case.

Sweating a lot, in hot climates, can cause the loss of Sodium ions from the body through sweating. Sodium ions from salt (NaCl) are used by every cell in your body to control opening/closing the microscopic pores in the cell wall to let fluids and food enter the cell. So a shortage of Sodium ions due to sweating, if not replaced, can make you feel weak and tired (No food/energy for your cells). Usually a simple galss of water with a spoonfull of salt dissolved in it daily is enough to take care of the problem. Anyhow, it won't hurt even if you don't need it. One large glass of water with some salt dissolved in it every morning.

And then it won't do you any hurt to take some vitamin and mineral supplaments anyhow...although if you have a normal diet you might not need that. But, like I said, it won't hurt anyhow...so give it a try and see if it helps.

But first.... GO SEE A DOCTOR for a checkup exam.