Going through cold/flu season while immunosuppresse

anomasqrl

i don’t think I’m so much asking a question as needing to vent...I had a horrible flu like illness two wrrrks ago, felt better for 2-3 days, now since yesterday I feel awful again and my temp is 99.5. It’s getting hard to tell what’s just first tri gross exhaustion and what’s an illness, especially since I have asthma and am coughing off and on anyway. My preschooler brings home so many germs. Last time I saw the doc they said pregnancy makes you immunosuppressed, and I can’t think of anything to do except keep resting and washing my hands, but how am I supposed to keep functioning, go to work, take care of my existing kid, and grow another one??!!!

mamanbebe

@anomasqrl I'm sorry you've been getting the short end of the stick with illnesses this season. It is true that pregnancy puts you at risk for getting sick because all your body's resources are moving towards growing a healthy baby.

There are some pregnancy safe things floating out there if you are into natural remedies at all. I've recommended it a few times but Wishgarden makes a cold season tincture specifically for pregnancy and you may be able to find other brands out there that cater specifically to pregnant women.

Other things that can be helpful are using a cool mist humidifier, keeping your room cooler at night and using saline nasal mist (or neti pot) to clear out your sinuses, all three of those can help prevent and improve respiratory infections.

Other than that, I'd probably just beef up on as many fresh fruits and veggies as you can stomach (which may not be much) and stay hydrated!

 I hope you feel better soon!

anomasqrl

Thanks. I’ve been using breathe right strips which help too. I’m ok using robitussin/tylenol/mucinex etc which does help a little. I’m just SO TIRED of being sick on top of preggo sick...starting to spike a temp again today made me so mad.

ameliabedelia-2

Do you take probiotics? I have two in daycare and used to get sick almost every month. Since starting probiotics 6 months ago I’ve been sick once. I highly recommend for immune support. 

key33

I spent all of November horribly sick. I had a severe sinus infection the first two weeks of novemeber. A week after I ended the antibiotics, I What even more sick with a horrible upper respitory infection for another two weeks. It was absolutely horrible, I could barely breathe for days the second time around. I’ve been off the second round of antibiotics for another week now and I am feeling much better. 

I have a preschooler and Kindergartner who bring home all kinds of fun germs. When I got sick the second time, I started taking a pregnancy probiotic, extra vitamin d and took echinacea for two weeks to help increase my immune system. 

foodislove

@anomasqrlRight there with you - going on three weeks of this crap. 

Let the house go by the wayside a bit if you can - I've left laundry and dishes and figuring out meals to DH. He's sick too, but he's not building a person. Let the little watch some telly if you aren't 100% against screen time. At this point I feel like it's anything goes until we get to second tri or I'm not sick constantly. We don't have any family on to rely upon either. (All our friends also have littles, so we're sparing them the extra germs.)

I also recommend humidifier and steamy hot showers if you can to deal with the air/asthma issues. Or well, to help with. I also get really bad when illness hits, been using my ventilator daily. 

anomasqrl

Thanks guys. ❤️