Constantly sick after moving across the country
February 8, 2018 9:35 AM Subscribe
I moved from Chicago to San Francisco has summer. Since then, I have had a cold (not flu) five times. This is very abnormal for me, can I track down the cause?
Normally I get sick maybe once, twice a year. I’m 28. I’m currently on a diet and eat about 1300-1400 calories a day, plus running 3x a week (I don’t push myself very hard, mostly for anxiety) and a light weights routine 2x a week. The diet started after I moved. I eat a lot of vegetables, I eat meat, I eat carbs in moderation. I drink a lot of water.
Things I’ve considered as the cause, though I’m just spitballing:
- New cold germs in a new city (??),
- Working in an open office with lots of coworkers with kids,
- Pollution (my apartment is street level with crappy windows but we’re on a side street),
- New allergens (i.e. it’s either hay fever or mucous buildup trapping bacteria),
- Alcohol; twice I’ve gotten sick immediately the morning after drinking 3-4 drinks in one night,
- Acid reflux weakening my ears/nose/throat, though I take Nexium and avoid my triggers and have much less reflux than I used to
Honestly this is driving me crazy; I’m doing critical rotations at my job and have gotten sick st the beginning of each one, plus getting sick on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I would think maybe it’s getting older but it escalated pretty quickly. Has something similar happened to anyone else and did you fix it/adjust?
Normally I get sick maybe once, twice a year. I’m 28. I’m currently on a diet and eat about 1300-1400 calories a day, plus running 3x a week (I don’t push myself very hard, mostly for anxiety) and a light weights routine 2x a week. The diet started after I moved. I eat a lot of vegetables, I eat meat, I eat carbs in moderation. I drink a lot of water.
Things I’ve considered as the cause, though I’m just spitballing:
- New cold germs in a new city (??),
- Working in an open office with lots of coworkers with kids,
- Pollution (my apartment is street level with crappy windows but we’re on a side street),
- New allergens (i.e. it’s either hay fever or mucous buildup trapping bacteria),
- Alcohol; twice I’ve gotten sick immediately the morning after drinking 3-4 drinks in one night,
- Acid reflux weakening my ears/nose/throat, though I take Nexium and avoid my triggers and have much less reflux than I used to
Honestly this is driving me crazy; I’m doing critical rotations at my job and have gotten sick st the beginning of each one, plus getting sick on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I would think maybe it’s getting older but it escalated pretty quickly. Has something similar happened to anyone else and did you fix it/adjust?
Everything that you listed seems quite reasonable to me.
posted by k8t at 9:39 AM on February 8, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by k8t at 9:39 AM on February 8, 2018 [5 favorites]
Maybe you are not sleeping well due to the traffic noise. Is it possible this is making you more tired than you realize? Five colds and no flu is within the normal spectrum to me. It sounds like you've been really lucky in the past.
posted by Kalmya at 9:46 AM on February 8, 2018
posted by Kalmya at 9:46 AM on February 8, 2018
Yes, it’s all that. You’ll probably settle in and do better next year. If not, I’d probably assign more of the blame on novel allergens.
May also consider reading up on the hygiene hypothesis.
‘Lifestyle changes could increase microbial exposure, but whether this on balance improves the balance of risks remains the subject of research. ’
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:54 AM on February 8, 2018
May also consider reading up on the hygiene hypothesis.
‘Lifestyle changes could increase microbial exposure, but whether this on balance improves the balance of risks remains the subject of research. ’
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:54 AM on February 8, 2018
What happens if you take allergy meds? I would be strongly suspicious it might be allergy-related for sure.
posted by freezer cake at 9:57 AM on February 8, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by freezer cake at 9:57 AM on February 8, 2018 [3 favorites]
I was sick constantly for the first year of a new job, when I had to move from a nice big office to a cubicle in the middle of lots of other people. Eventually my immune system seemed to adapt, but I totally think that alone (especially coupled with the stress of changing everything about your entire life) could be the culprit.
posted by something something at 10:01 AM on February 8, 2018
posted by something something at 10:01 AM on February 8, 2018
San Francisco is the land of mold. Have you looked around your apartment to make sure that you don’t have mold and/or mildew hiding in there anywhere?
posted by rockindata at 10:18 AM on February 8, 2018 [10 favorites]
posted by rockindata at 10:18 AM on February 8, 2018 [10 favorites]
This may seem like a bunch of hooey, but I have observed a lot people getting sick for indefinite periods of time when they make a geographic move, and my theory is that after uprooting our lives, we suffer a shock to our immune system that needs to be rebuilt on an emotional level through familiarity, friends, communities, heck, just finding a nice coffeeshop we feel safe and at home at. I would probably put energy into that area of life, and also give yourself a break to just enjoy your free time without a lot of pressure and goals.
posted by nanook at 10:19 AM on February 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by nanook at 10:19 AM on February 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
the open office is enough in itself.
on top of that, is it possible that the weather in Chicago kept you inside more? And that in SF you're exposed to more people? Even walking a few blocks downtown you're rubbing thousands of shoulders.
Are you commuting on BART or MUNI? Because that'll do it too.
posted by fingersandtoes at 10:19 AM on February 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
on top of that, is it possible that the weather in Chicago kept you inside more? And that in SF you're exposed to more people? Even walking a few blocks downtown you're rubbing thousands of shoulders.
Are you commuting on BART or MUNI? Because that'll do it too.
posted by fingersandtoes at 10:19 AM on February 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
Are you sure you're sick? I'm astonished at the people saying 5 colds a year seems reasonable. I got 2 colds a year max living in NYC.
It sounds like allergies to me.
posted by Automocar at 10:24 AM on February 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
It sounds like allergies to me.
posted by Automocar at 10:24 AM on February 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
If it is allergies, eat some local honey. It will contain small amounts of local pollens that will help you build antibodies. Or so "they" say.
posted by kevinbelt at 10:37 AM on February 8, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by kevinbelt at 10:37 AM on February 8, 2018 [3 favorites]
Mold was my first thought, too -- a friend of mine dealt with essentially the exact same scenario when he moved to San Francisco, and it turned out his apartment had a mold problem.
posted by the return of the thin white sock at 10:43 AM on February 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by the return of the thin white sock at 10:43 AM on February 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
Do you wash your hands before touching your face or eating, and every single time you come home and/or get off transit? That really does work to cut down on colds. The first winter my kid was in day care, she and I both had colds or other viruses one after another for about six months straight (this is typical), so working in an open office with a lot of coworkers with kids definitely seems like it could be the culprit. If this is the case I would expect it would improve by spring, whenever that is in SF. Handwashing will help in the mean time. If you are continuously sick, with no times that you feel well, then maybe it's mold or allergies, but if you have periods where you have no symptoms, it would be more likely to be viruses.
posted by john_snow at 10:50 AM on February 8, 2018
posted by john_snow at 10:50 AM on February 8, 2018
I agree with john_snow - the ONLY thing that helped me to cut down on the amount of time I spent being sick when I lived in San Francisco was developing what amounted to a compulsive habit of sanitizing my hands the SECOND I stepped off any public transit, and training myself to have a strong aversion to touching my face for any reason but particularly if I was on MUNI or BART.
I'm certain the illnesses came from public transit and not merely from contact with other people (aka open office or whatever) because I worked a public-facing customer service job and handled money all day long, and the only change I made was to stop touching my face and to use hand sanitizer like a lunatic. It made an immediate, noticeable, and lasting change to my health.
I've often seen people blow their noses into their palms then calmly grab the bars on the Muni buses, leaving a slime behind. If you're taking public transit at all, I would bet that's where you're getting a lot of your illness.
Also, yeah, the mold issue might be at play. You're also getting exposed to every allergen that has ever existed all in bloom year-round. I needed to take zyrtec and prescription montelukast (Singulair) daily for allergies - they helped. If you haven't tried a prescription allergy-control medicine, it's basically life-changing. The pharmacy options just aren't as good by themselves.
posted by DSime at 11:21 AM on February 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'm certain the illnesses came from public transit and not merely from contact with other people (aka open office or whatever) because I worked a public-facing customer service job and handled money all day long, and the only change I made was to stop touching my face and to use hand sanitizer like a lunatic. It made an immediate, noticeable, and lasting change to my health.
I've often seen people blow their noses into their palms then calmly grab the bars on the Muni buses, leaving a slime behind. If you're taking public transit at all, I would bet that's where you're getting a lot of your illness.
Also, yeah, the mold issue might be at play. You're also getting exposed to every allergen that has ever existed all in bloom year-round. I needed to take zyrtec and prescription montelukast (Singulair) daily for allergies - they helped. If you haven't tried a prescription allergy-control medicine, it's basically life-changing. The pharmacy options just aren't as good by themselves.
posted by DSime at 11:21 AM on February 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
The diet sounds like something that would be stressful for a lot of bodies and might weaken your immune system; also "critical rotations" at your job sounds stressful too (if it's "clinical rotations, my point stands); moving is stressful. Stress suppresses your immune system. Could be stress!
Or it could be allergies! You could try just starting off taking allegra or zyrtec (or store-brand equivalent) every day. I have a this thing where I get sinus congestion because of the allergies, and that seems to make me more vulnerable to other respiratory infections (especially but not limited to sinus infections).
posted by mskyle at 11:45 AM on February 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
Or it could be allergies! You could try just starting off taking allegra or zyrtec (or store-brand equivalent) every day. I have a this thing where I get sinus congestion because of the allergies, and that seems to make me more vulnerable to other respiratory infections (especially but not limited to sinus infections).
posted by mskyle at 11:45 AM on February 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
It could be any of those - but until you figure it out, you might want to decrease your deficit for a while to give your body a break from the stress of calorie reduction (along with everything else!), specifically by adding some fibrous carbs (more and quicker energy). How much of a deficit are you at right now? Maybe go for -250 under maintenance? Or just eat at maintenance for a while?
posted by cotton dress sock at 11:47 AM on February 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by cotton dress sock at 11:47 AM on February 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Oops, should have mentioned: I take Zyrtec and Nasacort for allergies (Nasacort mostly during tree season since that’s my main identifiable trigger). Zyrtec on its own helps mildly. I’ve considered going to an allergist and probably will now!
I suspected that maybe I was becoming tolerant to the medications or somehow they weren’t working anymore, but the symptoms are a lot more congested-with-yellow-crud than clear runny nose dripping and itching. So not sure exactly.
As for mold, I hadn’t thought of that yet. I just noticed yesterday some weird black spotting near our door that leads directly outside. I thought it was dirt or air pollution from the street but I’ll take a closer look. We live in a relatively new building so hopefully there is no widespread mold problem.
I probably am stressed for sure. I could stand to try more sleep too. Thanks everyone and honestly it’s really helpful to hear other people say they experienced the same after a move!
posted by stoneandstar at 11:49 AM on February 8, 2018
I suspected that maybe I was becoming tolerant to the medications or somehow they weren’t working anymore, but the symptoms are a lot more congested-with-yellow-crud than clear runny nose dripping and itching. So not sure exactly.
As for mold, I hadn’t thought of that yet. I just noticed yesterday some weird black spotting near our door that leads directly outside. I thought it was dirt or air pollution from the street but I’ll take a closer look. We live in a relatively new building so hopefully there is no widespread mold problem.
I probably am stressed for sure. I could stand to try more sleep too. Thanks everyone and honestly it’s really helpful to hear other people say they experienced the same after a move!
posted by stoneandstar at 11:49 AM on February 8, 2018
Response by poster: Oh, and I don’t take public transit often (just to get around on weekends) but I do take the “tech shuttles” everyone knows and hates around here. I didn’t think about it but they’re probably crawling with germs.
Also for the record, my boyfriend who moved with me has only been sick once. So either he’s strong, I’m weak, or I’m getting different exposure.
posted by stoneandstar at 11:52 AM on February 8, 2018
Also for the record, my boyfriend who moved with me has only been sick once. So either he’s strong, I’m weak, or I’m getting different exposure.
posted by stoneandstar at 11:52 AM on February 8, 2018
Are you getting 8 hours sleep a night? I read recently about a study and how much less likely you are to get sick when getting 8 hours as opposed to the 6.5 we often get.
That said, it’s an awful year for colds and everyone I know here in SF has been sick 1-2 times this winter. You may have moved at an awful time, which can’t be helping.
+1 on wash your hands and not touch your face. I recently managed to escape getting sick while LIVING with 4 sick people. I have never washed my hands so much in my life, and I washed every thing they touched before using it.
Also, see a doctor and make sure your immune system is OK. My bff has an immune deficiency and when it’s low, he gets cold after cold.
Good luck!
posted by greermahoney at 12:25 PM on February 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
That said, it’s an awful year for colds and everyone I know here in SF has been sick 1-2 times this winter. You may have moved at an awful time, which can’t be helping.
+1 on wash your hands and not touch your face. I recently managed to escape getting sick while LIVING with 4 sick people. I have never washed my hands so much in my life, and I washed every thing they touched before using it.
Also, see a doctor and make sure your immune system is OK. My bff has an immune deficiency and when it’s low, he gets cold after cold.
Good luck!
posted by greermahoney at 12:25 PM on February 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
If you think it's allergies and need an allergist, MeMail me if you need a rec in SF.
posted by radioamy at 1:30 PM on February 8, 2018
posted by radioamy at 1:30 PM on February 8, 2018
Just FYI, I learned from the doctor that (especially during certain times of the year) I have to take allergy meds AND the good sudafed (the kind that's behind the counter and is harder to buy than a gun in some states) in order to not get a cold that turns into a sinus infection.
posted by ldthomps at 2:15 PM on February 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by ldthomps at 2:15 PM on February 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
Thirding that the diet could be having an impact. I am much more likely to get sick if I'm running a calorie deficit. Research studies on humans show varied results regarding calorie restriction and immunity, which may mean that it has different effects on different people.
posted by metasarah at 2:47 PM on February 8, 2018
posted by metasarah at 2:47 PM on February 8, 2018
Another vote for allergies and the resulting post-nasal drip that creates a perfect environment for every virus that's going around. I only get a grip on it if I take an anti-histamine and a decongestant that contains pseudoephedrine (the kind you have to get from a pharmacist and show your ID.)
You're not wrong about not having immunity against the stuff that's passed around in a new geographic location. Add lots of people who are carrying stuff their young kids pick up at school/daycare, and you're getting exposed to a lot of new stuff. Teaching yourself to never touch your eyes or nose without having washed your hands immediately prior helps me a lot.
If you're worried about allergens at home, getting a HEPA air filter for your bedroom is a great way to make sure the air you're breathing for the hours that you're asleep is clean. New buildings may not have major mold problems, but they are usually well-sealed and indoor air pollution is an issue.
posted by quince at 3:07 PM on February 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
You're not wrong about not having immunity against the stuff that's passed around in a new geographic location. Add lots of people who are carrying stuff their young kids pick up at school/daycare, and you're getting exposed to a lot of new stuff. Teaching yourself to never touch your eyes or nose without having washed your hands immediately prior helps me a lot.
If you're worried about allergens at home, getting a HEPA air filter for your bedroom is a great way to make sure the air you're breathing for the hours that you're asleep is clean. New buildings may not have major mold problems, but they are usually well-sealed and indoor air pollution is an issue.
posted by quince at 3:07 PM on February 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
1400 calories a day sounds like starvation, especially given that you are running and doing weights. As a comparison, the US govt recommends 1800 per day if you’re sedentary, 2000 if you’re moderately active. Being short on nourishment can leave you more susceptible to whatever’s going around.
posted by expialidocious at 6:05 PM on February 8, 2018
posted by expialidocious at 6:05 PM on February 8, 2018
Response by poster: 1400 calories a day is not starvation, except in the sense that as with all weight loss, you are forcing your body to find an alternate energy source, i.e. body fat. Generally women should not eat below 1200 calories. To clarify, I eat back half what I burn on workout day on top of the 1400 (it’s not much).
But I do think that losing weight is inherently stressful on the body and could be a factor.
posted by stoneandstar at 7:22 PM on February 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
But I do think that losing weight is inherently stressful on the body and could be a factor.
posted by stoneandstar at 7:22 PM on February 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
Purely anecdotal, but the last time I lost significant weight by calorie restriction I got a cold that seemingly lasted 4 months and then developed into pneumonia. This was probably worsened by having a job that I just could not take more than a day or two off sick for (coughing up blood wasn't enough reason to not show up, I am so well rid of that job).
Moving is stressful. A new job environment is stressful. Losing weight is stressful. Add the petri dish of an open plan office in and add to that the recycling of the air in that office that dries out your sinuses and it would be amazing if you weren't sick for a bit frankly.
posted by arha at 12:43 AM on February 9, 2018
Moving is stressful. A new job environment is stressful. Losing weight is stressful. Add the petri dish of an open plan office in and add to that the recycling of the air in that office that dries out your sinuses and it would be amazing if you weren't sick for a bit frankly.
posted by arha at 12:43 AM on February 9, 2018
Also, what fixed it for me was getting some antibiotics, I am generally very cautious about taking them but yeah, being after being sick for that long it might be worth looking into.
posted by arha at 12:52 AM on February 9, 2018
posted by arha at 12:52 AM on February 9, 2018
I remember your question about moving here, welcome to SF!
Any or all of the factors you list could be contributing to the problem. New germ mix + open plan office + colleagues with young kids might be enough to do it alone. You've also taken on the stress of a long-distance move, new jobs for you and your partner, and adapting to life in a new area.
In addition, for the San Francisco area in particular, this has been an especially bad winter for illness. Even people who ordinarily seldom get sick have been affected by multiple colds or a worse upper respiratory infection. Allergy season also seems to be starting early this year. It's only February and the acacia trees on my street are in full bloom and wafting pollen everywhere. And finally, depending on where in the city you live, you might be contending with either car-related pollution near freeways and the Bay Bridge or with mold/mildew in foggy neighborhoods. If either of those situations applies to you an air purifier and/or dehumidifier could help
posted by 4rtemis at 8:44 AM on February 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Any or all of the factors you list could be contributing to the problem. New germ mix + open plan office + colleagues with young kids might be enough to do it alone. You've also taken on the stress of a long-distance move, new jobs for you and your partner, and adapting to life in a new area.
In addition, for the San Francisco area in particular, this has been an especially bad winter for illness. Even people who ordinarily seldom get sick have been affected by multiple colds or a worse upper respiratory infection. Allergy season also seems to be starting early this year. It's only February and the acacia trees on my street are in full bloom and wafting pollen everywhere. And finally, depending on where in the city you live, you might be contending with either car-related pollution near freeways and the Bay Bridge or with mold/mildew in foggy neighborhoods. If either of those situations applies to you an air purifier and/or dehumidifier could help
posted by 4rtemis at 8:44 AM on February 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
oh, 4rtemis makes an excellent point. I don't know how it compares to the rest of the country but the SF bay has had an absolutely horrendous cold/flu season. Far more than prior years, people are just SICK this year: real influenza; pneumonia; etc. We just got a note from the school asking us to please describe kid's symptoms when calling in for their absences because the CDC needs to know what's going on. That may be a nationwide phenomenon, but it sure isn't normal. So it is also possible you are just doing what the average American is doing.
posted by fingersandtoes at 9:05 AM on February 9, 2018
posted by fingersandtoes at 9:05 AM on February 9, 2018
It seems unlikely given your age and activity level, but is there any possibility you're pre-diabetic or diabetic and unbeknownst to you, you've had high blood sugar levels despite the good diet? That can compromise the immune system.
posted by XMLicious at 7:51 PM on February 9, 2018
posted by XMLicious at 7:51 PM on February 9, 2018
Hey sorry, I know this is super late but I just wanted to say that the exact same thing happened to me when I moved to SF from NYC. I was sick constantly for the first year or so, even though I am pretty health-conscious (slash anxious), washed my hands all the time, and didn't ride Muni to work. Could have been a coincidence, but I kind of suspect it was just exposure to "new" germs since I wasn't particularly stressed out and the people around me didn't seem to be getting sick. And yeah, separately, this year was also just terrible for colds, flu, and noro.
Not really an answer, I guess, except to say that I gradually stopped getting sick so often, so it sucked but seems to have been temporary. I wish I could tell you that I did something specific but it was honestly just time passing.
Hope you're feeling better!
posted by en forme de poire at 4:56 PM on May 30, 2018
Not really an answer, I guess, except to say that I gradually stopped getting sick so often, so it sucked but seems to have been temporary. I wish I could tell you that I did something specific but it was honestly just time passing.
Hope you're feeling better!
posted by en forme de poire at 4:56 PM on May 30, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by stoneandstar at 9:37 AM on February 8, 2018