Poor Immune System

Could you take Immunace? My daughter had cancer last year and has low immunity. She swears by these. Sadly we can't avoid being exposed to germs without cutting ourselves off from everyone. A bit thoughtless of your fiend though x

Friend - sorry!

???????? and she might take the hint!
Seriously, you could remind a friend about your immune system and catching things, you should only need to do this once. DH takes immunosuppressants because of his transplant and people are generally very understanding.
Unfortunately the little DGC still like to "share the lurve" and while you wouldn't want it any other way, a toddler's snuffles can all too easily become a chest infection

I too seem to have a very poor immune system which is why I have had my verrucae for years and can't seem to get rid of them, and have lichen planus (which is where the body is attacking itself) and would welcome any ideas on how to boost it.

On the subject of verrucas paint them with black nail polish, it does work!

On two occasions when I have been scheduled for two different surgeries I got all psyched up for the day but was turned away at the 11th hour because of bronchitis.

When I was scheduled to have my hip replaced I just told all my friends to keep away if they had bugs as I did not want to go through all that again. They were all fine about it and dropped out of visits several times.

Just be up front I think. Real friends will not take the 'ump.

I have to be careful too and tend to back off if someone has a bad cold or something else wrong!
If there are bugs around I try to take vitamin D to boost my immune system and live yoghurt seems to help too. Do you have blood tests fairly regularly vicky to check your neutrophil levels?
Your friends should let you know they are ill and keep away if they realise how it affects you, hope you feel better soon

Thank you all for your kind comments, especially Jalima for the virtual flowers! Think I should be more assertive really .......

Hallo Vicky I feel you pain I am immunocompromised and I do avoid certain things like large crowds, tube trains etc but it comes to a point where I feel the need for the same so indeed I am off to London this week for a show etc. I don't really do anything except avoidance and cope with the fallout. Its very difficult to ask friends not to put you in this position though isn't it. I hope you are well at the moment.

If your friend knew she'd probably be upset. It's not easy to say it as it is, but you know you have to.

I once sent my son and family away from the door because they were all full of cold. They'd just forgotten about my health, as they always have colds or something. Anyway, they weren't in the least bit offended and now always ask if it's ok.

Yes, you do have to be more assertive. Explain to all your friends and ask that they try to help you with this.

Our dentist has a sign up asking that those with colds cancel and rebook appointments. It's a reasonable request.

Here's another suggestion. Vicks make a nasal spray called First Defence which you spray up each nostril before you go out where you might be exposed to other people's germs.
It seems to do the job quite well. And of course thorough hand washing whenever you have been out shopping etc.

People are incredibly careless about the health of others, I find. When I get a cold it triggers serious asthma and weeks of treatment with steroids and other nasties so I am a bit paranoid about germs. I have bought the generic cold preventative nasal spray for everyone in the family at a horrendous cost (as the sprays are about £8 a go) for the first signs of a virus. I also dose the family with vitamins and fruit juice for vitamin C. We all carry hand anti-germ gel and I wash cloths and towels frequently.

I try not to pass on my own germs and always excuse my 'non contact' behaviour by saying I do not want others to get ill when I think I have a virus. They get the statuary 'air kiss' from feet away!

However, I have lost count of the number of times a friend or relative has got up close and personal and THEN said, 'Oh watch out. I've got a nasty cold.'

As for sneezing in close confinement - don't get me started.

I agree with the First Defence. I can't bear to mention it and just keep away from offenders as much as possible. It's difficult because I think i read that normal breathing travels the whole of most rooms, goodness knows how far a sneeze goes.

I have a cunning plan for everything of this nature.

What I do is approach the person in question and ask them to come up with ideas so that I can avoid the problem with [X] caused by other people. I ask them what I should say or do to explain it to these other [nameless] people?
How best to do it without offending them?

The person in question might or might not realise that they are the target audience, but they are then definitely aware of the problem. And nobody has "lost face" or "taken offence".

Worth a try?
[I speak as somebody who is recovering from mastectomy after breast cancer, and was already in a wheelchair, so I am very vulnerable to infection.]

Hello Vicky, if you follow a gluten free diet this will help the body to absorb more nutrients which will in turn improve the immune system, as the digestive system is part of immunity - in other words a healthy diet (low sugar, no junk food etc) and plenty of green veg and fruit. My daughter and I always take the herb Echinacea at first sign of a slight sniffle, it almost always works - consult your GP before taking though. I drink a lot of water with a couple of slices of lemon, helps to keep detoxed. Honey as well is also very good as is pro biotic yogurt. Of course diet should be about 80% alkaline and 20% acid. Body cannot cope with being too acidic as this could cause many of the conditions which we are all trying to avoid. This post is not intended to replace any professional medical advice as we are all different - hope it helps in some way. Agree with previous posts that you must be assertive and explain to friends that you really need to avoid coughs and colds. Best wishes to everyone.

But how do you cope when your children expect you to care for grandchildren with streaming colds or tummy upsets? Saying no means they have to take time off work, which they can't afford to do for every snuffle, and I couldn't bear to do it. But a cold for me always turns into sinusitis or bronchitis and many weeks before I am back to normal.

And be very careful to avoid getting dirt into any cuts. Gloves are absolutely essential when gardening etc.

I had thought about posting on this vein before vickymeldrew but wondered if I were a wooze, so didn't - I am therefore delighted that vickymeldrew has opened this topic up!

I am similar Teacher11 and write off January and February as one cold becomes a chest infection (then another) with three courses of antibiotics and steroids - it really can put a damper on one's life. I always tell myself there are worse things - which there are - but much of this is preventable, so very annoying.

I was so fed up with being ill at this time of the year that I decided to stop being passive and have started an personal offensive and .......... have not yet been ill. This may just be coincidence, luck, or the bugs that normally attack me are not around, who knows? My point (eventually!) is that my using the following I have not been ill.

I. I do use First Defence at the first sign of a runny nose. (Doctor DD says it is complete and utter rubbish but it seems to have worked.....)
2. smear a small amount of Vaseline up and into each nostril when travelling on the underground or bus
4. religiously wash hands when coming back into the house
5. wash hands before eating (should do, but didn't always!)
6. and this does seem a bit extreme but as I said, I am desperate not to be ill again... carry antiseptic hand wash which I use if I eat anything 'on the run' out of the house, be it a satsuma or a sarnie
7. gargle with dispersible aspirin at the first sign of a sore throat
8. use a salt water gargle at the first sign of a sore throat
9. actively get up and move away if another passenger begins to sneeze. Previously I had thought it would look rude, so stayed sat but now, the new me upsticks as far away as possible from the 'sneezee'!

My friends all know to stay away if they have a cold but there was still one just a week ago, who gaily said 'I have a bit of a cold, you don't mind do you?', with a smile. Grrr. She then proceeded to sneeze merrily away into her hand (and was the first person to pass dishes around the table(!) and of course, would go onto everything she touched. I debated long and hard with myself whether to explain how TO sneeze (i.e. into one's elbow). I did so, gently and I THINK she is still my friend........

I have just googled sneezes and they travel at 100mph and can reach 200'!

Gosh, I didn't realise there was so quite much! However, I can now walk upstairs - and breathe; see my family; make plans and actually enjoy these months. No longer am I sitting panting, gasping for breath; using box loads of drugs (and of course, am saving the NHS huge amounts); no rush trips to the GP or A and E for nebululisers - it's a joy!

Does anyone else have a similar regime, or have any other tips for a happy healthy chest?

Firstly I sorry to hear you had this cancer scare.
I have been told that the medication I have to take has lowered my white blood cells.
However many years ago, you may remember the doc on the Richard and Judy programme. He mentioned about taking zinc, which I started to take and I feel they really work. I have only had a cold twice now since taking them, both times it didn't last long, a day or so.
Strangely to say, both times I caught the cold when at the supermarket.

RAF, yes, this is a very difficult point. My children are obviously aware of my problem and take great care not to ask me to have their children (if at all possible) if they are unwell with this type of bug and I am really grateful.

There have been occasions when my husband has stepped in but then he is at risk and so, therefore am I! As we all know, it is impossible to stop small children from sneezing with gusto but if I do see my slightly unwell DGC, I implement all of the above and above all, wash my hands a zillion times.

This is the first year of my 'new' regime and they have not been really ill, only minor sniffles but I have been with a sick, sneezy (but he did it correctly, into his elbow) SIL and have been fine. It's great!!

There used to be a public info' film on T.V,'Coughs and sneezes spread diseases'. We don't seem to have learned anything.I absolutely hate it when people sneeze,straight at you.I agree with all posts about how it can make everyone so ill.
The Japanese wear paper masks a lot,either to protect themselves or others.I just try to avoid people with colds.I feel doomed if I have picked anyone up in the car and they have a bad cold.

Vicky you have a serious health issue and it is certainly not for you to be the tactful one. Just tell it straight, and let your friends know that you are vulnerable to infection so would appreciate knowing if any of them have a cold or such like. This gives you the choice/upperhand to deal with the situation as it suits you - not them. Good friends will thoroughly appreciate this approach as they should have your welfare as a priority.

Weekend before last DSinL developed a Pulmonary Embolism. A&E and sent home with drugs and told to rest. Monday morning their Kitchen refit started and workmen arrived boasting they had flu. And yes they did, but by then they were in the house and the damage was done. So now DSinL is recovering from flu as well as the embolism, and DD started her flu while in London for work on Thursday. Kitchen is finished!