Poor Immune System

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.

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.

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.]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

???????? 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

Friend - sorry!

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