Longer to recover from normal illness?

[Sunny]

OK, I am just curious....at what age did you notice recovering from things such as colds, sore throats, etc. took you longer?

I'm not even quite 50 yet and have now had a second episode take way longer than it used to. Last fall I caught some virus that took 10 days to get over and I coughed for 2 months after.

Right now I am half way through my third week of just a cough (no sore throat, sinus issues, etc.) that also used to have wheezing with it. Getting better, but man, I don't ever remember stuff taking this long before.

Just bad bugs lately, or is older (not even 50 yes is NOT OLD, LOL) rehabilitation-taking-longer just setting in?

At least I didn't have to go into the office while sick.

[tmm99]

I have been having fewer and fewer colds and when I get sick, I get better quicker. I thought it happened to all old people. I figured I have already met most of the viruses and I am immune or something. Of course not having the stress of having to go to wo*k helps too. If I feel a bit down, I can sleep in and get over whatever I may be ailing from.

Aches and pains linger, however.


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[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmm99 I have been having fewer and fewer colds and when I get sick, I get better quicker. I thought it happened to all old people. I figured I have already met most of the viruses and I am immune or something. Of course not having the stress of having to go to wo*k helps too. If I feel a bit down, I can sleep in and get over whatever I may be ailing from. Aches and pains linger, however.

This is our experience as well.

I think it may also have something to do with not being exposed to as many people during the day, but certainly avoiding a workplace where people HAVE to come to work even if sick helps.

Oh, yes--and the kids are gone.

[Marita40]

I have to agree with the previous two posters. In my relative youth (20s, 30s) I got several very bad bouts of bronchitis and thought it would haunt me for the rest of my life. It didn't; never had it again. I'm now approaching 60 and can't remember a time when I had the flu--maybe 30 years ago? And I rarely get colds although "change of season" here in Minnesota falls and springs usually bring on some sniffles for a few days.

So I'm never "sick" like those things any more, but as mentioned above the aches and pains seem to come out of nowhere these days! This has been disconcerting.

[NW-Bound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunny OK, I am just curious....at what age did you notice recovering from things such as colds, sore throats, etc. took you longer? I'm not even quite 50 yet and have now had a second episode take way longer than it used to. Last fall I caught some virus that took 10 days to get over and I coughed for 2 months after...

I have not been sick the last few years, so have not noticed any changes. About taking longer to recover when you are old, surely that happens.

And at the end, people do not recover at all, and expire from pneumonia when they catch a cold.

[razztazz]

This is one group I'm happy to be part of. I am 59 and yes, when I was younger catching a cold (or flu or "other") was common and seemed to take a month to get over. And always slammed me hard. But starting in my 20's I got sick less often and even the bad cases didn't steamroll me like they did as a youngster. In fact, in 1999 I got a really bad bug. The only time in 20+ years I had to miss work for "a cold". My next cold/flu/other was Nov 2015 and that was mild and brief. I can live with a cold every 16 1/2 years.

Medical curio: The only times I have gotten sick as an adult were in years I got a flu shot. In the years I didn't get a flu shot. No sick, altho there are far fewer of those years

[Marita40]

I've never gotten a flu shot. I've heard many times over that people who do get them get the flu versus those who don't.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunny OK, I am just curious....at what age did you notice recovering from things such as colds, sore throats, etc. took you longer? I'm not even quite 50 yet and have now had a second episode take way longer than it used to. Last fall I caught some virus that took 10 days to get over and I coughed for 2 months after. Right now I am half way through my third week of just a cough (no sore throat, sinus issues, etc.) that also used to have wheezing with it. Getting better, but man, I don't ever remember stuff taking this long before. Just bad bugs lately, or is older (not even 50 yes is NOT OLD, LOL) rehabilitation-taking-longer just setting in? At least I didn't have to go into the office while sick.

I think you have been catching some really bad bugs lately, if you are sure it's not allergies or sinus problems.

Like the others, I have found that I hardly ever catch colds any more. I guess that over the years I built up some immunity.

It might be time to see your doctor, just in case? I hope it's nothing serious.

[audreyh1]

I am not taking longer to recover and I'm 56. There may be something else going on?

[EastWest Gal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marita40 I've never gotten a flu shot. I've heard many times over that people who do get them get the flu versus those who don't.

That's a myth. You can't get flu from the vaccine. But many of our symptoms are do to our immune response to viruses. In 2014 the flu vaccine gave me a slight fever and muscle aches. My thinking was that I was mounting a good immune response to the vaccine. Too bad they didn't get most of the strains right that year. If you don't feel completely well after a flu vaccine, thank your immune system for that.

A cold generally doesn't lead to pneumonia.

Last November I got pneumonia. I was in bed about 48 hr before I got a doctor's appointment. I took care of myself but didn't want to go in too soon, since an X-ray too early wouldn't show it. I never felt so weak in my life.

Most say it can take a month to recover. It actually took me only a week.

30 years of being a pediatrician, exposed to every virus imaginable, has created a really robust immune system. I had many bouts of sinusitis in my 20s and 30s and those stopped too. My parents smoked and I got sick a lot as a kid.


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[Jack_Pine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marita40 I've never gotten a flu shot. I've heard many times over that people who do get them get the flu versus those who don't.

Gotten flu shot for 20 years. Never gotten sick from it, good precaution IMHO.

[Dreamer]

I rarely get sick anymore. When I was in my 20's and early 30's, I smoked and would get bronchitis yearly. I get the flu shot yearly and have not been sick from it. The last time I remember getting anything was 07/14 and that was the Shingles. I had an extremely mild case, since I had the Shingles shot previously.

[PRSC]

I am with the OP on this. I am hoping it is just some bad stuff out there this year.

I have had a virus that produced a cough that I am just getting over now after over 4 weeks. I don't think I have ever been sick this long before!

I am 57 BTW.

[Nodak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmm99 I have been having fewer and fewer colds and when I get sick, I get better quicker. I thought it happened to all old people. I figured I have already met most of the viruses and I am immune or something. Of course not having the stress of having to go to wo*k helps too. If I feel a bit down, I can sleep in and get over whatever I may be ailing from. Aches and pains linger, however. Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

Me too

[Car-Guy]

I can't tell if if takes me longer to recover from a cold, flu, etc since I haven't had one in many years. Zero since I've retired. (Maybe it's because I'm not "exposed" to as many sick people as I was when I worked.) However, aches, pains and strains absolutely take longer to "go away" and seem to accumulate.

[Sunny]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed_The_Gypsy Oh, yes--and the kids are gone.

But then there are those walking little germ-baskets known as grandchildren...

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R I think you have been catching some really bad bugs lately... It might be time to see your doctor, just in case? I hope it's nothing serious.

Yeah, hoping just poor luck this year. But if it happens again I think I will hit the doctor up. They are nice people and all, but nobody really wants to go to a doctor. shutter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRSC I am with the OP on this. I am hoping it is just some bad stuff out there this year. .

That is my hope, just some bad bugs out there.

Although now after this thread I am not going to chalk up longer healing time to getting older as much. Thank you for all the replies.

[Meadbh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marita40 I've never gotten a flu shot. I've heard many times over that people who do get them get the flu versus those who don't.

PSA: what you heard is not corroborated by scientific evidence.

Vaccine Effectiveness - How Well Does the Flu Vaccine Work? | Seasonal Influenza (Flu) | CDC

[razztazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meadbh PSA: what you heard is not corroborated by scientific evidence. Vaccine Effectiveness - How Well Does the Flu Vaccine Work? | Seasonal Influenza (Flu) | CDC

I think the idea that might be getting conflated here is that in any given year a person who does NOT get the flu shot won't necessarily get the flu and many people who DO get the shot can still get the flu. Most people don't get the flu anyway and the shot is not 100% fool proof.

If I am incorrect........ never mind.

[KB]

This winter is the second time I have had a cold that lasted and lasted. I came down with a cold in January and was really sick for 2 weeks and then it took another 3 weeks to completely disappear. I'm 63 and take vitamins faithfully and get my flu shot every year.

About 5 or 6 years ago I had a similar cold, lasted and lasted also. If it happened more often I would be concerned, at the point it is just a nuisance.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KB This winter is the second time I have had a cold that lasted and lasted. I came down with a cold in January and was really sick for 2 weeks and then it took another 3 weeks to completely disappear. I'm 63 and take vitamins faithfully and get my flu shot every year. About 5 or 6 years ago I had a similar cold, lasted and lasted also. If it happened more often I would be concerned, at the point it is just a nuisance.

Doesn't sound like a cold to me. Maybe a cold followed by a secondary infection, or allergies?