COLD / FLU - HELP

[Kellyleg]

Hi All, I have been suffering from a Cold / Flu thng now for over 2 weeks, I feel very low now as this has gone on soooooo long, one day i feel marginally better and then the next I feel like I am back to square one! This has also gone to my chest, and the hacking cough I have is awful... what I would like to know is there anything that I can take to help overcome this? Perhaps something to boost my immune system somehow? I take Vitamin C and prescription Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D and Calcium and Folic Acid as well as Plaquinil... anything that will make me feel better????? PLEASE!!! Also go on holiday in a week and busy at work etc etc.... xx

[Hidden]

I've heard that echinacea is NOT good for people with Lupus. I have used it, however, seemingly without bad effects, but usually only at the beginning of an illness. What you describe sounds very similar to a cough and cold I had that started on the 12th november last year. Didn't properly clear up until mid December (about 5 weeks). It was the same for everyone who had it (it was doing the rounds at work) though I suspect that not everyone who had it felt as bad as I did (any infection brings on the joint pain and stiffness).

If you think your chesty cough is a chest infection you should see your GP.

Maybe you just need that Holiday really badly.... some rest and relaxation will probably do you a lot of good.

[nanny4 in reply to Hidden]

Make sure you get your chest checked by your gp,you may need a short course of antibiotics and steroids,my daughter had a cold that quickly went to a chest infection,she had a chest xray,which showed s slight chest infection,she was given more antibiotics on top of the ones she takes everyday ,to cut a long story short ,2 days after her chest xray she became really unwell her gp sent her for another xray and it turned out,that she had developed pneumonia,she ended up on lots of meds,including 20 steroids a day.

So be really careful.

Hope you feel better soon,take care, Sandy.

[Kellyleg in reply to nanny4]

Thanks Sandy for this, I did get some Antibiotics but I had to stop taking them as they gave me sever (and I mean Severe) Thrush.... So I am back to just trying to overcome it... I really pray it goes as I am off on my holidays on Saturday... Fell a little better today but still not better! ARGHHHHHHHH

[Kellyleg in reply to Hidden]

I reckon you may be right!! I cant wait for a rest and a week with Mr Grey!!! Thank you. x

[AngelaW]

Go back to your GP, they can always give you a different antibiotic.. I had a chest infection last year which resulted in my lung collapsing due to the infection being missed and therefore left untreated, I am now left with only 65% lung capacity - not fun. I would recommend you go back and see your GP again. Have a good holiday. Angela xx

[BINNEY]

sadly we cant do much for us we catch the flu ....sounds like me and you have the same virus its going around like crazy i have had it 3 weeks now jus kee taking your vitamins you can maybe up the doseage of your vitamin c as well but one thing that alot of us lupies do is when we get sick we dont rest and rest is the key to us getting better you need the holiday more than you relies.

rest,relax(stressing out because your sick only makes it worse your lupus will then join in for the fun to drag you down so make sure you tell it its not beating you),sleep,keep taking your vitamins,drink lots of water (2 litres per day aim for that also breaks down mucus on ur chest)and make sure to blow or spit that mucus out you need to get it out of your body, if your taking a cough syrup make sure its a expectorant thsi helps the mucus out where as a suppressant jus eases the cough but your actually not getting any better if its really bad take the suppresant at night to help you sleep and the expectorant all during the day.take some advil cold and flu tablets and you will be great soon.

let me kno how it goes :-))

next time attack it like that from the start and you will be ok.

this one i have now the doc says takes 2-3 weeks to pass completely and i feel great to kno it hasnt flared up my lupus at all.