Is it just me - 3 colds in 2 months

[sean in udon]

As a newbie to Thailand I'm hoping that my immune system is just struggling with Thai bugs.

In the UK, I get one cold a year and usually only for a 2 or 3 days. My business in the UK was a computer shop, so I was constantly exposed to members of the public and the germs that came with them. They come in with their kids snotting and coughing or the grown ups are snotting and coughing.

I've had 3 since I've been here, 2 with my usual recovery time, 1 took a week.

The family I live with is quite large and at least 1 other person in the family has had the same symptoms usually one or two days before mine start.

Hygiene for me isn't as issue. I am quite fastidious about food preparation and washing hands.

Would appreciate feedback on this.

[sean in udon]

What am I thinking?

They're not colds. I've had man flu!

[h90]

Try to eat Vitamin C 1000 mg per day. It helped me for something other.

[sean in udon]

Top tip, but got that 1 covered. The diet is healthy, drink in moderation and Vit C every day.

[nottocus]

Have you been sleeping with any ladies of the night? Could be HIV.

[sean in udon]

Thanks nottocus. I was hoping for some positive comments, but not that kind of positive.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

But now you've planted that seed, if I wake up tonight with night sweats and sh*tting myself, how will I know if it's a genuine symptom or just, well, me sh*tting myself.

[Ajaan]

Try to eat Vitamin C 1000 mg per day. It helped me for something other.

็Haha, no, it did not "help" you with anything, other than giving you yellow/orange expensive piss.

No scientific study has ever shown that Vitamin C "cures" anything, least of which the common cold or flu. It's a farang folk belief, no different than Thais making offering to those hindu god statues in parking lots.

[h90]

Thanks nottocus. I was hoping for some positive comments, but not that kind of positive.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

But now you've planted that seed, if I wake up tonight with night sweats and sh*tting myself, how will I know if it's a genuine symptom or just, well, me sh*tting myself.

make some tests, there are chronic things:

fatty liver

chronic infection with example salmonella

allergic

sure 1000 other things that aren't HIV but still nasty but maybe easy to fix.

I think some blood tests could help....but I am the wrong person to recommend on that....far above my knowledge..

[Sheryl]

It is normal when moving to a new part of the world to have frequent respiratory infections for the first year or two..you don't have immunity the common bugs.

If you are living in Bkk, CM or other area with a lot of air pollution, that may also be a factor.

Supplemental zinc has been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of respiratory illnesses. Since you take Vit C anyway I suggest you switch to "Redoxan" which is a zinc + Vit C combo,

[Cylon]

When I first arrived 2 years ago,I seemed to get an upset stomach from everything,but after a month or so I could eat anything and no problem.I got the worst sore throat New years eve,developed into the flu and lasted for 15 days.Then Thai friend put me onto Tiffy tablets.

Edited January 31, 2014 by Cylon

[Bluetongue]

I used to get annual flu injection from my employer, never had a cold for years. Since I've been here I've had pneumonia

twice, once with malaria and once on its own. This winter which seems particularly cold to me I've had several colds at first I put them down to irrigating and having wet cold clothes on but I stopped doing that. The anti-biotic treatments I get from

the quack seem to be effective at first but don't quite kill it off. Now I'm rugging up a bit more and seem to be close to

killing it without further drugs. I hope so.

[sean in udon]

Will try and get a zinc supplement.

Re Tiffy, one of the family brought some round about 2 hours ago. So got that covered.

Thanks for the replies that seem to confirm my initial thoughts about the immune system. It's good to hear that it's not just me.

I think I might be getting off lightly with a bit of man flu. Pneumonia and malaria sounds like a vicious combination.

Edited January 31, 2014 by sean in udon

[h90]

It is normal when moving to a new part of the world to have frequent respiratory infections for the first year or two..you don't have immunity the common bugs.

If you are living in Bkk, CM or other area with a lot of air pollution, that may also be a factor.

Supplemental zinc has been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of respiratory illnesses. Since you take Vit C anyway I suggest you switch to "Redoxan" which is a zinc + Vit C combo,

That is a good point....here where I live they often burn mixed junk, I can imagine that someone who is sensitive to it can get infections more easily as well. Than add unknown bugs someone may get a cold many times.

[almodeller]

is your bedroom cold and you are just using eiderdowns and blankets?, if you are you are still breathing cold air, which will not help your cold situation, Buy a convector heater if you can and just take the chill out of the room

[Suradit69]

When I first arrived 2 years ago,I seemed to get an upset stomach from everything,but after a month or so I could eat anything and no problem.I got the worst sore throat New years eve,developed into the flu and lasted for 15 days.Then Thai friend put me onto Tiffy tablets.

"developed into the flu and lasted for 15 days.Then Thai friend put me onto Tiffy tablets. "

Probably after 15 days bottled water would have been just as efficacious.

Edited January 31, 2014 by Suradit69

[SOTIRIOS]

....a few 'bugs' are going around....

[cooked]

Eat garlic and oranges for goodness sake, they are nature's gift to mankind and a lot cheaper than 'supplements' (as in the manufacturer's wallet).

[bobo42]

Happened to me too, for like a year. Fell sick way more often than I ever did back home, and the symtoms seemed to put me out of commission more and for a longer time. I think it is my diet here. Started taking a multivitamin about 6 months ago and have not had any serious bugs since, feeling more normal. Would recommend you suppliment with vitamins.

[qdinthailand]

Same here (as bobo42). I have a pretty good immune system in general. I came to Chiang Mai 3 years ago.

I got sick 3 times over an 8 month stretch. Very much like the flu - not simple colds - that put me in bed for a day or few each time. I went to McCormick hospital to get checked out one of the times - blood tests, doctor exam. Nothing to do when you get a virus like that - they just stuffed me (and my bill) full of meds from the pharmacy.

No illness in the past 1-½ years.

[jackflash]

Likewise. I frequently developed nasty colds while in Thailand.

They started with an annoying cough and slowly became much worse.

Twice I ended up in hospital being treated for severe bronchitis. It gave me quite a fright as I was very ill indeed.

Eventually I decided that it was my drinking which was causing the problem.

I figured that alcohol was reducing my resistance to bugs, so I cut out the alcohol completely.

Since then, no more problems.

BTW, be careful with high doses of Vitamin C. Many people are intolerant. It causes them severe bladder inflammation.

[Bantex]

Try to eat Vitamin C 1000 mg per day. It helped me for something other.

็Haha, no, it did not "help" you with anything, other than giving you yellow/orange expensive piss.

No scientific study has ever shown that Vitamin C "cures" anything, least of which the common cold or flu. It's a farang folk belief, no different than Thais making offering to those hindu god statues in parking lots.

Vitamin C is well known as a cure / prevention for scurvy - as the early british sailors drunk lime juice & were known as limies.

[Tchooptip]

Try to eat Vitamin C 1000 mg per day. It helped me for something other.

็Haha, no, it did not "help" you with anything, other than giving you yellow/orange expensive piss.

No scientific study has ever shown that Vitamin C "cures" anything, least of which the common cold or flu. It's a farang folk belief, no different than Thais making offering to those hindu god statues in parking lots.

Not the opinion of Linus Pauling a Nobel price...

...of course where you a doctor you could only disagree, vitamin C cannot be patented LOL, but since I have nothing tot sell ➭

[marioc]

I had just 1 but..... it lasted more than a month!!!!!!!!!!! (running nose, bad cough, headache, very light sore throat....but never fever)

[losgrad]

Just another thing for you to check to determine the cause of your infections.

In addition to personal hygiene, flu shots, vitamin supplements or dietary; check the air quality in your environment - from the street pollution to the general city air, but especially in your room. Often an AC unit not regularly cleaned can perpetuate infections or accumulate minute particle matter.

Our bodies have different sensitivities so for some people, they can smoke cigarettes, breathe in street vehicle pollution, toxic factory smoke, etc... and not even cough; but may get lung cancer years later. For some of us, we begin coughing as soon as someone smokes in the same room/bar/restaurant, walking down a street with busy vehicular traffic, or breathing the air recirculated from a dirty AC unit.

I hope you locate the cause of yours.

Edited January 31, 2014 by losgrad

[belg]

what about POLLUTION.... seriously damage your immune system

[belg]

Try to eat Vitamin C 1000 mg per day. It helped me for something other.

็Haha, no, it did not "help" you with anything, other than giving you yellow/orange expensive piss.

No scientific study has ever shown that Vitamin C "cures" anything, least of which the common cold or flu. It's a farang folk belief, no different than Thais making offering to those hindu god statues in parking lots.

another one brainwashed like 99% of the people...

vitamin C is not patentable = nobody wants to pay millions in clinical trials = no money to be made to be sold exclusivly...

you can take up to 9-10 grams of vitamin C per day

hopital grade sick people should get by IV up to 100 GRAMS per day

[noikrit]

3 colds in 2 months ....... yes just you .....

[francescoassisi]

Try to eat Vitamin C 1000 mg per day. It helped me for something other.

็Haha, no, it did not "help" you with anything, other than giving you yellow/orange expensive piss.

No scientific study has ever shown that Vitamin C "cures" anything, least of which the common cold or flu. It's a farang folk belief, no different than Thais making offering to those hindu god statues in parking lots.

another one brainwashed like 99% of the people...

vitamin C is not patentable = nobody wants to pay millions in clinical trials = no money to be made to be sold exclusivly...

you can take up to 9-10 grams of vitamin C per day

hopital grade sick people should get by IV up to 100 GRAMS per day

Sorry but vit C is myth. As for money.....have you seen how much it sells for in tablet form. Not bad for something you could just as easily get by eating FOOD.

[francescoassisi]

They are probably viral attacks that you simply aren't immune to.....cold whatever there are allbsortsbof things we call a cold.....worse still is how we mislabel flu.

[wwest5829]

Can only report that the first few months after moving here it was either a reoccurring cough or intestinal issues. It appears that after my immune system got used to the new Flora and fauna internally, I have been well....OK, except for two motorbike falls!