Illness Prone since moving to the UK!!!

I have noticed this too!! I have been sick with one thing or another ever since I moved and put it down to stress, but this is interesting that I am not the only one... Good point about new virus strains - that makes a lot of sense, actually.

I was sick all the time when I lived in London.  Some of it is being exposed to new strains of the cold virus, some of it was being on public transport all the time.  I was ALWAYS having someone with a wet cough sit next to me on the bus.

Yeah, that.

When I stopped working in London, I stopped getting ill.

Ok, this is my second cold/flu/bug this year. I agree. There's something about being exposed to new germs.

So what do people do to recover? I'm on day three and although there's even more evil stuff out in the world (H1N1 for example) I'm thinking that I may join humanity again, in spite of the ongoing sore throat and phlegm.

Or do I stay home, stick it out, and hope to recover soon? What are you all doing about these illnesses?

I've been just carrying on as normal since in a new job I dont want to be taking a ton of (or any) sick time.... and secretly hoping I would be asked to go home, but have never been. I havent been to the doc for anything, so have just let the viruses run their course and keep on keeping on.     Get well soon!

Since moving to the UK I have developed sinus problems, which I never had in the US. I guess it's just down to the weather, and damp. It means that anytime I get a slight cold, it generally turns into 2-3 weeks of sinus issues. I am becoming a lot better at managing and preventing these, but yeah probably 2-3 times a year at least.

Yeah I'm having some sinus issues now and I figured it might have something to do with the damp weather.

You have to bear in mind that viral and bacterial strains that make us sick will have evolved and mutated differently region to region.  While you have a lifetime of antibodies built up for those infections in your area of the US, the ones in the UK (and indeed everywhere else) have evolved completely differently, as such your antibodies are practically useless.

We just have to wait, be exposed, and build up the immunity over time.

Excellent point.




Right now, I'm about to make another doctor's appointment because now I have a throat issue, my glands are enormous and sometimes make me feel like my throat is constricted.
At least there's NHS to take care of all of us sickos.

Ok, this is my second cold/flu/bug this year. I agree. There's something about being exposed to new germs.

So what do people do to recover? I'm on day three and although there's even more evil stuff out in the world (H1N1 for example) I'm thinking that I may join humanity again, in spite of the ongoing sore throat and phlegm.

Or do I stay home, stick it out, and hope to recover soon? What are you all doing about these illnesses?

I say, if you're on day 3, and it's not seeming to get any worse, then go to the pharmacy and have them recommend some meds.  My husband brought home a paracetamol cold medicine with decongestant that's nice.

I got sick all the time in the US and hardly ever got sick after moving to the UK. For me, I think it's all down to the amount of stress in my life. Life was so stressful for me back in the States and so much calmer here.

My job is portable, so although I'd rather be at the office, I'm working at home because of this bug. Also, I'm trying to set an example for my husband who walks around ill for about 50% of the year, no matter what country we're in... he developed pneumonia about three years ago, so he's a little better than he used to be, but not great.

I just want to be well--wholy-so I can get back to my exercise routine. In particular, I like to swim. But, I definitely can't go like this...

I am grateful for this thread, it puts the illness in perspective.

Hope all the snifflers out there are feeling better, drugged, or not!

I've only been here for 2 days and I'm sick...but I brought it with me so unfortunately I can't blame it on cold, rainy England...this time!

Interestingly enough viruses respond to heat and not cold. Plus, the only way to become sick is to come into direct contact with the virus itsself. You could stand nekked and soaking wet outside in a downpour in December and not get sick.

I was never sick in the US. Other than seasonal allergies, which otc meds as needed too care of.

I came for a visit in October last year and was in bed deathly ill for a week when I got back to the States. My boss was NOT happy that I'd taken 11 days off work and was then out for another week.

When I moved here in March, I had a good 2 weeks before I got some sort of sinus infection. I have never been so sick in my life. I cried for days because the pain in my head and ears - I thought my ear drums were bursting. I was also in the middle of GP registering hell, in which they kept telling me I had to wait to be "approved" before I could make an appointment. Then I had to go back twice to get my antibiotics extended because the first doses didn't even TOUCH whatever it was I had.

I've been pretty okay since then. Sore throats, mostly at night when I get in bed, but they are manageable. I've been sneezing for a couple of days pretty regular, so I'm just waiting for whatever is coming to get worse. We do take vitamins every day, so I'm hoping that helps me stay healthy through the winter.

When I first moved it seems that I had to get used to germs... and boy did I, I had colds all the time for the first 6 months. Someone tried to tell me that it has to do with different cleaning products and germs.

Yes! I was just thinking about this yesterday - wondering if I am the only one experiencing this.

I've been in the UK for two years and had everything from the Noro virus to the common flu. I contributed it to the stress of moving and the overall negative experience but the building up immunity fact makes a lot of sense.

Re. quitting smoking and getting sick, I imagine it's a coincidence, or something else new and different going on in your life that you haven't yet put your finger on. Quitting smoking, if anything, should make you *less* susceptible to upper respiratory illnesses (cold, flu, bronchial infections).

So be strong and keep off the butts!