Stress and depression
Hi I have shared my situation several times on here and have always had support and advice in the past. I am again hoping there's someone who may relate to my current situation. I believed and was told that I had IBS some years ago but now it seems that any food can cause a flare up which lasts for a week or more. I had campylobacter 7 months ago and took approx 3weeks to clear, but before Christmas after eating in a restaurant I had diarrhea for 2 weeks, which cleared up but February of this year I had a viral infection, persistent cough, shortness of breath and head cold. Again I also had diarrhea. Is there any advice regarding gaining a stronger immune system. I probably should also add that I have Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia which is treated successfully with a chemotherapy pill. I would be appreciative of any advice, thanks to all for reading this lengthy, probably complicated message .
Hi
, I'm sorry that you keep getting one illness after the other. That's so hard.
I can only share what helps me (I have 2 toddlers who keep bringing home all kinds of infections, but this is obviously very different from your situation):
- Eating enough. I know this can feel impossible, but I personally find that I feel better overall when I have lots of protein and generally don't fast for too long. Over the years, I have found that most meat and fish are fine for me, so I eat that and avoid too many vegetables, as those cause my symptoms to flare. I also avoid eating too much sugar or heavily processed foods. This is just me though, it might be the opposite for you.
- Going outside every day. Again, this sounds a bit silly but it makes a difference to me. I've also seen this effect on my husband, who always had a good immune system but has taken a new and very demanding job lately. He hasn't been eating much except at night and never saw the sun at all during the week, and he recently has a blood test after constantly getting sick and his immune system is extremely weak. It might not be related, but he doesn't have any other issues, so I think it might be.
- Reducing stress. I always tend to get sick after periods of extreme stress, so I think it definitely impacts my immune system. I know that this is easier said than done though.
- Supplements. In the past, I had asked for supplements and vitamins at our local pharmacy to boost my immune system, and I found that this helped quite a lot. I don't remember what exactly I took, but it's always best to check with a doctor or pharmacist anyway to make sure that there's no interaction with your current treatment.
I hope other community members will share their advice with you soon.
Sending hugs,
Karina (team member)
