I’ve lost count of the number of times my winter cold/cough has flared up to lay me low since it started early in December. Here we are, almost to the end of March, and I’ve been hit again. Just when you think it’s safe to scream in the water, eh?
Horrid.
I have an appointment with the doctor on Monday and he’s going to have to deal with a patient who, quietly, pleasantly and firmly, is about to take over control of his case. I get the distinct impression that no-one in the new surgery has sat down and read through my medical notes. In consequence, the whole man is not being treated properly. If I don’t take charge the likelihood is that I’ll end up in hospital with acute bronicals.
There have been a number of reported cases in Welsh hospitals where a C. Difficile infection has taken older folks off to the happy hunting grounds after a winter of colds has left them with damaged resistance. Apart from a one-week course, I’ve steered clear of antibiotics because I know that they kill off the normal beneficial bacteria in the gut, leaving the patient wide open to infection.
As I say, horrid.
Ack! Sorry to hear of the return of the congestion and its related ill effects. I suspect that a smart medico will welcome your quite active involvement as you know your medical history better than anyone.
I agree with Wendy – you know your body and what works. I’m so sorry you’re still dealing with this situation. Maybe you need a week in Hawaii relaxing on the beach in the hot sun with a cool drink?
Now that is not what we wanted to hear. Set your foot down John.
Yoghurt will get those friendly intestinal bacteria all happy and snuggled in where they should be, as will a number of other fermented foods that have NOT been pasteurized or canned (hot-pack). Home-made German saurkraut and Korean white kim chi come to mind; they are essentially the same thing. The kraut is just cut finer. Soup with Japanese miso paste is good, too, but shouldn’t be heated over 40 C, to keep the friendly critters healthy.
I am healthier this year than I have ever been before and I lay it to making a real effort to eat fermented foods and avoiding antibiotics.
Sorry to come on so strong, but having used myself as a guinea pig (trying it the Western way and the Korean way), I have come to believe that the Korean way works best for me. Give it a test-run, at any rate.
Hugs from blooming Corea,
~ Sil
I say get Graham to kick the doctor’s a$$!
Take care, John!
C-dif (which is what we called it on the infirmary ward) is nothing to sneeze at, John. Neither is MRSA. Both of them run rampant, in hospitals.
Sil has some good info – yoghurt is very beneficial. Did you ever try Vinegar (organic, with the mother) and cold water with a tad of organic honey? Ask Gary – it’s worked wonders for him.
But speak with your Dr and be pro-active in your well being.
I’m on the side of Sil and Kate, John. Yoghurt is a winner and any and every time I have to take a course of antibiotics I make sure there’s plenty of it in the fridge and keep those lovely little bacteria flourishing. And what I wouldn’t give for a nice sour mess of kim chee! Love the stuff! That and another mouth blowing goody that a gal from New Caledonia gave me the recipe for called Achards. Green beans, garlic, more garlic and a good dash of garlic with oil and vinegar and something else, which I’m forgetting (I do have the recipe, but too lazy to go look for it) Ah! I believe it’s red peppers. HOT as HOT, anyway, but yummy. And no public appearances for at least a week, unless you enjoy being persona non grata!
We here are so sorry. I wish I could go stir up the doc on your behalf right now. Why, by the way, cannot they see you tomorrow or Friday? Hugs……
Good for you John. I’ve been on statins for months, and not had a good nights sleep since I’ve been on them. Went to dr. and told her, and her answer was to put me on an antidepressant, which will make me sleep! It does, but seems mad to me, to take a drug to combat side effects of another drug. Am going to take control and coming off of both of them!
John, I do sypathise. I was in Wales (Swansea) at Christmas, got THAT cold, was spluttering with its go away/come back recurrences for 3 months, then ended up with a painful frontal sinusitis. A HORRID bug as you rightly say, cough, cough, cough… wheeze.
The phlegm could be patented; it might then be useful to attach the outer tiles onto space shuttles.
At one point late one night, I was so chesty, noisy deep down and breathless, I thought I’d pass out. Well, it’s all but gone now. It DOES go, believe me. It just hangs around till it finds a new host. Hey ho, Spring’s on the way. Hold out a bit longer. You can pore over the seed catalogues!
BTW, I too struggled on eschewing antibiotics. That was probably a rather unwise attitude on my part, I say now with perfect 20-20 hindsight.
I’ll certainly go to the doctor earlier when the next variety beats up my bronicals (sic). A long term breathing-affecting infection is very exhausting, and these nasty bugs can induce complications. Well, granny/eggs — you know the drill only too well.