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Little illnesses

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I'm fed up, worked out last night for the past 4 weeks I've been 'poorly' in having a cold or cough or whatever. This week and last week I've not been to lectures for one lack of willpower (I need hitting, I think) and other feeling shitty is a really easy way to justify not going in. (So think, you don't want to go in, then you say 'well, you're kinda poorly... its ok')

I'm on the menedex tonic that my mum has remotely prescribed me, and taking cough syrup for the cough, but I'm just fed up now! Chest is raw from the constant, constant coughing. I don't even know if it's worth going to the doctors though, because they're all patronising shits for one thing :p and I don't have any real significant illness, just a cough and a runny nose and feeling run down and sometimes I feel cold / flu-like (one day last week couldn't walk because my legs had stiffened up!).

It's just winter bogging me down and it wont go away :grump: then I have a break for christmas that will be filled with revision and essay writing :mad:

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ShyBoy wrote: »
    I'm fed up, worked out last night for the past 4 weeks I've been 'poorly' in having a cold or cough or whatever. This week and last week I've not been to lectures for one lack of willpower (I need hitting, I think) and other feeling shitty is a really easy way to justify not going in. (So think, you don't want to go in, then you say 'well, you're kinda poorly... its ok')

    I'm on the menedex tonic that my mum has remotely prescribed me, and taking cough syrup for the cough, but I'm just fed up now! Chest is raw from the constant, constant coughing. I don't even know if it's worth going to the doctors though, because they're all patronising shits for one thing :p and I don't have any real significant illness, just a cough and a runny nose and feeling run down and sometimes I feel cold / flu-like (one day last week couldn't walk because my legs had stiffened up!).

    It's just winter bogging me down and it wont go away :grump: then I have a break for christmas that will be filled with revision and essay writing :mad:

    Keep up with the rest - but take echinacea, get someone hot to rub Vicks vapo rub into your chest before you go to sleep, take some ibuprofen and have lots of lovely muscle soak baths =]
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I need someone hot to rub me up basically :p argh I'd kill for a nice soak right now. Just got the shower which is refreshing but not relaxing in the same way.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    What are you doing with your time if you're not going out to lectures?

    Moping around the house living on junk is unlikely to help you kick off any bug. I realise I'm stating the obvious but I've learnt from some of my uni friends recently it's often necessary. Get out and get a little bit of fresh air every day, make sure you're getting 5 portions of fruit and veg a day (yes, I actually mean it). This will probably mean you need to go out to the shops and buy some fruit juice/smoothies and some fresh fruit. If you think your diet has been lacking a good balance recently you might also want to add a multi vitamin to try and boost things for a little bit.

    Some exercise, early nights and plenty of hot drinks in combination with the above can make the world of difference.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ShyBoy wrote: »
    I need someone hot to rub me up basically :p argh I'd kill for a nice soak right now. Just got the shower which is refreshing but not relaxing in the same way.

    Maybe find someone hot who has a bath you can borrow?
    I *hate* student accommodation without baths. GRR!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    What are you doing with your time if you're not going out to lectures?

    Moping around the house living on junk is unlikely to help you kick off any bug. I realise I'm stating the obvious but I've learnt from some of my uni friends recently it's often necessary. Get out and get a little bit of fresh air every day, make sure you're getting 5 portions of fruit and veg a day (yes, I actually mean it). This will probably mean you need to go out to the shops and buy some fruit juice/smoothies and some fresh fruit. If you think your diet has been lacking a good balance recently you might also want to add a multi vitamin to try and boost things for a little bit.

    Some exercise, early nights and plenty of hot drinks in combination with the above can make the world of difference.

    menedex tonic is basically multivitamins in syrup form, lol. But my mum insists it will make me feel better. As for the food sit. I cook with housemates and have cereal everyday, have my tangerines in the cupboard so have been eating ok. Although I think exercise would probably do me some good :p

    I've been pondering whether staying in is making me worse - it could be that there is an enviromental cause for the cough (dust, whatever) as one of my housemates has been struck down with it as well. I think the early night is a good tip too, when I was feeling better I was a bed at 11pm up at 7.30am boy, now I tend to not do anything so don't feel tired... you know the deadly cycle.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    early nights, so lots of veg, preferably raw. lots of hugs, essencial oils- lavender, tea tree, thyme, sage tea for your throat, and wrap up warm, watch some old kids tv classics.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    4 weeks? BAH. Try 2 months plus, bizzatch. But I know why I'm sick, and I'm not gonna get any better unless I can actually get some sleep soon.

    Anyway, lots of sleep, so try and get some herbal sleeping aids like Kalms. Also, like IWishIWas suggested, Vicks VapoRub, but as well as putting it on your chest, do an inhalation (bowl/sink of boiling water with the Vicks in it and stick a towel over your head), as that will help clear your nose as well as helping your throat out a little too. Also try putting it just under your nose, as I find that's the only thing that actually unblocks my nose. Drink LOTS of water, the reccomended 8 glasses or more. Try taking painkillers and cough stuff before you go to sleep to lessen the chance of you waking up in pain or because of coughing.

    Also, go and see the god damn doctor. Feeling run down and awful for that long is not a good thing, and it's clearly affecting your work. Also perhaps email your tutors and explain the situation. I've missed a lot of lectures and seminars this year because my lack of sleep has made me constantly ill, but I saw my senior tutor who let my seminar leaders know and so they understand when I'm not there.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ok, after the exercise I made an observation that my cough seemed to be related to being inside. After some thinking, I think it's due to the air in my house being too dry and causing my throat and lungs to become irritated ( don't cough in the shower lol). Solution? Open some windows, turn CH off! Worked quite well, although being outside is still better.

    Problem being, now the cough has for the most part cleared up, I'm in work, active, been eating well, taking multivitamins and cough syrup - yet I'm feeling as full of cold as ever. I've half a mind to go home, my whole body is achey and painey. I'm not going to, as I'm sure 'working through it' will help me get over it better, but still.

    4 weeks is a long time to be feeling ill for, as I'm sure many of you will know. Especially at university where getting ill and losing your routine makes things 10x harder (at work I found you take 2/3 sick days and bounce back, at uni whenever I've been ill before I've found it difficult to get into the routine again).
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ShyBoy wrote: »
    Ok, after the exercise I made an observation that my cough seemed to be related to being inside. After some thinking, I think it's due to the air in my house being too dry and causing my throat and lungs to become irritated ( don't cough in the shower lol). Solution? Open some windows, turn CH off! Worked quite well, although being outside is still better.

    Problem being, now the cough has for the most part cleared up, I'm in work, active, been eating well, taking multivitamins and cough syrup - yet I'm feeling as full of cold as ever. I've half a mind to go home, my whole body is achey and painey. I'm not going to, as I'm sure 'working through it' will help me get over it better, but still.

    4 weeks is a long time to be feeling ill for, as I'm sure many of you will know. Especially at university where getting ill and losing your routine makes things 10x harder (at work I found you take 2/3 sick days and bounce back, at uni whenever I've been ill before I've found it difficult to get into the routine again).

    Why not take whatever free days you can at home? It always helps to have a mum look after you! Since you've been ill for so long you can probably get a doctor's note and get extensions on your coursework. Surely it's nearly the end of your semester anyway?
    At uni I find it takes forever to get better because you're constantly around so many people and your immune systems are down.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Maybe, I'm not in the habit of asking for extensions tho! I think if I got one once I would be less motivated by impending deadlines in the future. Today, my symptoms have changed and right now my face is boiling to touch but at the same time I'm shivering. I would assume from GCSE biology that this is my immune system reacting to an infection of some sort - probably a virus like a cold. Sucky.

    I'm definately going to the doctors on monday tho if it doesn't clear up! Mum has advised me to put a damp towel on the radiator, as it will slowly release moisture into the air and should counteract the dry environment :). But afaik there is no cure for the common cold :p
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    could be a bit of croup and a virus...

    i get croup from time to time, never did as a baby (so i'm told) but ever since i had whooping cough when i was 9 i get it periodically. go sit in the bathroom with the shower on full blast.

    taking paracetmol should bring the fever down...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Virus yes...croup, probably not.

    Do as TT says though...paracetamol and bruofen for you young man. And some TLC ;):D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ShyBoy wrote: »
    Maybe, I'm not in the habit of asking for extensions tho! I think if I got one once I would be less motivated by impending deadlines in the future. Today, my symptoms have changed and right now my face is boiling to touch but at the same time I'm shivering. I would assume from GCSE biology that this is my immune system reacting to an infection of some sort - probably a virus like a cold. Sucky.

    I'm definately going to the doctors on monday tho if it doesn't clear up! Mum has advised me to put a damp towel on the radiator, as it will slowly release moisture into the air and should counteract the dry environment :). But afaik there is no cure for the common cold :p

    you need to take time out to get better. if you dont your cold may end up being worse and you'll need even more time off.

    just cuz you're at uni take time to recooperate :)

    and get a docs note!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yay I'm better this morning :hyper:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ShyBoy wrote: »
    Yay I'm better this morning :hyper:

    Whoo! Though I think you've passed it on to me...
    Keep taking the vitamins though...just in case.
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