How to stop being such a mucusy mess?
January 5, 2025 11:04 PM Subscribe
I am someone who catches every cold and has congestion that is worse and lasts longer than others'. Runny nose, swollen sinuses, post nasal drip, mucusy cough, all that good stuff. Is there any possible way I can make this better?
I have two young kids and the number of germs coming into my home is astronomical. I catch everything. I actually recently caught something that no one else in my family caught, even my baby. I've always been like this. And when I get sick, my congestion symptoms are always worse than others' and lasts way longer. I've always been like this, too.
I'm sick of being congested all the time. It's honestly kind of embarrassing when I'm in a public space and need to blow my nose all the time or have a mucusy cough. I feel gross, and in this 'post-Covid' world, I especially hate having symptoms of illness all the time.
Has anyone been in the same boat? Have you found anything that makes it better? From what I've read, there isn't much to do to boost one's immune system that has actual evidence behind it. But if you've been in my position and something made a difference, I'd love to hear it. I of course know all the normal prevention methods like washing your hands, etc. But there's only so much you can do when you have a 1 year old that coughs into your mouth.
Or have you found a great treatment? I've tried saline sprays and I just don't seem to get any benefit from them. DayQuil works ok but I don't really want to take that for the minimum of three weeks of congestion that I get with every cold. And I haven't honestly tried that many drugs because I feel like I'd have to take them for so long based on how long my symptoms last. But maybe I need to reevaluate that.
I guess at the end of the day I'm just wondering if anyone out there has been where I am and has found something that makes things even a bit better?
I have two young kids and the number of germs coming into my home is astronomical. I catch everything. I actually recently caught something that no one else in my family caught, even my baby. I've always been like this. And when I get sick, my congestion symptoms are always worse than others' and lasts way longer. I've always been like this, too.
I'm sick of being congested all the time. It's honestly kind of embarrassing when I'm in a public space and need to blow my nose all the time or have a mucusy cough. I feel gross, and in this 'post-Covid' world, I especially hate having symptoms of illness all the time.
Has anyone been in the same boat? Have you found anything that makes it better? From what I've read, there isn't much to do to boost one's immune system that has actual evidence behind it. But if you've been in my position and something made a difference, I'd love to hear it. I of course know all the normal prevention methods like washing your hands, etc. But there's only so much you can do when you have a 1 year old that coughs into your mouth.
Or have you found a great treatment? I've tried saline sprays and I just don't seem to get any benefit from them. DayQuil works ok but I don't really want to take that for the minimum of three weeks of congestion that I get with every cold. And I haven't honestly tried that many drugs because I feel like I'd have to take them for so long based on how long my symptoms last. But maybe I need to reevaluate that.
I guess at the end of the day I'm just wondering if anyone out there has been where I am and has found something that makes things even a bit better?
How's your blood level of vitamin D3? Allegedly related to immune system function, and with the typical modern Western lifestyle we don't get enough sun exposure to ensure decent levels.
You don't necessarily have to have the bloodwork done: it's easy and cheap to do D3 supplementation, even for vegans. Make sure you take a K2 supplement along with the D3.
A good cod liver oil with D3 included is a way to cover a bunch of nutritional bases at once. I take the oil itself, not the gelcaps, and I add a bit of flavored essential oil like mint to the cod liver oil to cover any fishy taste.
posted by rabia.elizabeth at 12:05 AM on January 6
You don't necessarily have to have the bloodwork done: it's easy and cheap to do D3 supplementation, even for vegans. Make sure you take a K2 supplement along with the D3.
A good cod liver oil with D3 included is a way to cover a bunch of nutritional bases at once. I take the oil itself, not the gelcaps, and I add a bit of flavored essential oil like mint to the cod liver oil to cover any fishy taste.
posted by rabia.elizabeth at 12:05 AM on January 6
This could have described me, I worked out I spent 20% of my time properly sick, a total of a year in bed in five.
See an ENT, do whatever you can to see one. After being dismissed by a couple of crap doctors for years I finally saw one who looked up my nose, essentially said holy moly, and later removed quite a lot of sinus related bits of my head.
It's been life changing. You might not have the same problems but you definitely should at least rule it out.
posted by deadwax at 12:57 AM on January 6 [6 favorites]
See an ENT, do whatever you can to see one. After being dismissed by a couple of crap doctors for years I finally saw one who looked up my nose, essentially said holy moly, and later removed quite a lot of sinus related bits of my head.
It's been life changing. You might not have the same problems but you definitely should at least rule it out.
posted by deadwax at 12:57 AM on January 6 [6 favorites]
My experience sounds similar, though maybe not quite as bad as yours - if I get a cold of any magnitude it's like for weeks after I'll get congested, especially overnight and into the morning - especially noticeable for my wife as it means I snore more then too.
I discovered that taking a fluticasone propionate nasal spray (pirinase/flonase/etc) seems to really help reset my sinuses once I'm into that tail end of a cold. It doesn't do too much during the worst bit of the cold itself, but when I'm into that: "I feel fine now why are my sinuses still playing up" stage taking the spray once can be instant and lasting relief.
Another option which is more temporary relief for me is oxymetazoline hydrochloride, (Afrin in the usa I think?) which does work if things are really bad and I need a break, but I have read that it can be quite easy to build a physical dependence on as if you take it too frequently it can cause rebound congestion, so I try to use it very sparingly and only when I really feel I need it.
posted by ecstaticcattle at 1:03 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]
I discovered that taking a fluticasone propionate nasal spray (pirinase/flonase/etc) seems to really help reset my sinuses once I'm into that tail end of a cold. It doesn't do too much during the worst bit of the cold itself, but when I'm into that: "I feel fine now why are my sinuses still playing up" stage taking the spray once can be instant and lasting relief.
Another option which is more temporary relief for me is oxymetazoline hydrochloride, (Afrin in the usa I think?) which does work if things are really bad and I need a break, but I have read that it can be quite easy to build a physical dependence on as if you take it too frequently it can cause rebound congestion, so I try to use it very sparingly and only when I really feel I need it.
posted by ecstaticcattle at 1:03 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]
The fact that you and not your family caught the last one- my friend with a dairy allergy basically gets a nasty cold when she's exposed to milk.
Is it possible you're allergic to something?
posted by freethefeet at 2:30 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]
Is it possible you're allergic to something?
posted by freethefeet at 2:30 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]
You could at least try the more recent antihistamines. I can't get through any allergy season without them.
The place to start is probably either Xyzal or Zyrtec (in that order - and take the generic at 1/10th the cost, of course). Xyzal = levocetirizine and Zyrtec = cetirizine.
Old-fashioned antihistamines make people very drowsy and have huge side effects. With either Xyxal or Zyrtec I don't feel any side effects at all. The only thing I feel is better.
You have to take them every day for a while - there is literally no point in just taking them once in a while or "as needed" or whatever. They just don't work that way.
But try taking one every day for two weeks and report back. One reason to try that is just to find out what happens. If it does nothing, that tells you something. If there is a dramatic improvement, that also tells you something. Both of these things (or anything in between) are both #1. Something you can act on yourself by either continuing to take the medication or finding some other way to reduce your histamine load and #2. Information you can take to a doctor for further discussion.
posted by flug at 2:54 AM on January 6 [7 favorites]
The place to start is probably either Xyzal or Zyrtec (in that order - and take the generic at 1/10th the cost, of course). Xyzal = levocetirizine and Zyrtec = cetirizine.
Old-fashioned antihistamines make people very drowsy and have huge side effects. With either Xyxal or Zyrtec I don't feel any side effects at all. The only thing I feel is better.
You have to take them every day for a while - there is literally no point in just taking them once in a while or "as needed" or whatever. They just don't work that way.
But try taking one every day for two weeks and report back. One reason to try that is just to find out what happens. If it does nothing, that tells you something. If there is a dramatic improvement, that also tells you something. Both of these things (or anything in between) are both #1. Something you can act on yourself by either continuing to take the medication or finding some other way to reduce your histamine load and #2. Information you can take to a doctor for further discussion.
posted by flug at 2:54 AM on January 6 [7 favorites]
Allergy pills like Claritin and their ilk never did much for me, but Flonase (spray) was magic. I was taking it daily for awhile for allergies to something in my environment. I found that even when I seemed to have a cold, the Flonase meant I didn't get the attendant runny nose and hellish postnasal drip.
That said, advice above about talking to some specialists seems wise as well.
posted by needs more cowbell at 3:51 AM on January 6
That said, advice above about talking to some specialists seems wise as well.
posted by needs more cowbell at 3:51 AM on January 6
Definitely a "see a specialist" situation. Allergist, ENT, etc.
If solidarity helps, I'm planning to do the same thing this month. I have a lifetime of issues like these, but extraordinarily so since I had the flu back in autumn, and I feel like it's time for a professional opinion. In the meantime, some things that have helped me have included (depending on how open my sinuses are) hot showers, hot herbal tea, neti pot, reducing dairy intake, and occasional Sudafed.
posted by cupcakeninja at 4:55 AM on January 6
If solidarity helps, I'm planning to do the same thing this month. I have a lifetime of issues like these, but extraordinarily so since I had the flu back in autumn, and I feel like it's time for a professional opinion. In the meantime, some things that have helped me have included (depending on how open my sinuses are) hot showers, hot herbal tea, neti pot, reducing dairy intake, and occasional Sudafed.
posted by cupcakeninja at 4:55 AM on January 6
Nth-ing ‘see an ENT’. I saw an ENT and ended up having a septoplasty and turbinoplasty, which finally ended the constant sinus infections, sleep apnoea and reliance on oxymetazoline hydrochloride spray.
If the inside of your nose is a structural mess, you’ll keep getting congested until it’s fixed.
posted by Salamander at 5:05 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]
If the inside of your nose is a structural mess, you’ll keep getting congested until it’s fixed.
posted by Salamander at 5:05 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]
I'll say the stuff every health care professional (usually) says, re: preventative stuff, if you are not already doing it: sleep enough, exercise some, eat good foods. It can't hurt and will certainly help overall, if you are able. If that doesn't make any difference, then seeing allergy/ENT folks could be worth it, see if your nasal structure is weird.
in my case, i have had terrible allergies since i was little, and already had septoplasty and turbinate reduction as well, though they have not seem to made much difference. I have a fancy hepa air filter in my bedroom as well, though that only covers the bedroom.
Another thing I can recommend trying is neti-pot type sinus rinsing; I do it morning and evening with distilled water only. NeilMed makes a little plastic squeeze bottle for doing it. In general that has prevented all of my sinus infections for the last few years (though it hasn't prevented me from getting ill that I'm aware, that has mostly been avoiding humanity).
I will also say, tho, that my friend who is a teacher taught k-6 kids their whole life. They were always sick in the winters, probably 2 - 3 times every single time. When they retired, they stopped getting sick. YMMV. : )
posted by bitterkitten at 5:11 AM on January 6
in my case, i have had terrible allergies since i was little, and already had septoplasty and turbinate reduction as well, though they have not seem to made much difference. I have a fancy hepa air filter in my bedroom as well, though that only covers the bedroom.
Another thing I can recommend trying is neti-pot type sinus rinsing; I do it morning and evening with distilled water only. NeilMed makes a little plastic squeeze bottle for doing it. In general that has prevented all of my sinus infections for the last few years (though it hasn't prevented me from getting ill that I'm aware, that has mostly been avoiding humanity).
I will also say, tho, that my friend who is a teacher taught k-6 kids their whole life. They were always sick in the winters, probably 2 - 3 times every single time. When they retired, they stopped getting sick. YMMV. : )
posted by bitterkitten at 5:11 AM on January 6
Corticosteroid spray (flonase) really helps my sinuses - whether for allergies or colds. It takes a while for it to be effective. This is one of the things that has dramatically improved my quality of life.
Another thing that really helps are long-acting expectorants (like Mucinex). They help loosen and break up mucous, which helps prevent that deep cough from settling in and staying forever.
Sudafed - the real stuff - pseudoephedrine, not phenylephrine - is an effective decongestant. In a pinch, I will also use Afrin spray, which is like a wonderdrug for sinus congestion (read on Afrin addition and rebound congestion to make you afraid to use it too heavily).
When I get a cold and get better but a cough sticks around, my doc prescribed a corticosteroid inhaler, which doesn't seem to be SUPER effective; the most recent time doc also prescribed a 7-day course of prednisone to chill out all the terrible inflammation I had.
posted by entropone at 5:37 AM on January 6 [2 favorites]
Another thing that really helps are long-acting expectorants (like Mucinex). They help loosen and break up mucous, which helps prevent that deep cough from settling in and staying forever.
Sudafed - the real stuff - pseudoephedrine, not phenylephrine - is an effective decongestant. In a pinch, I will also use Afrin spray, which is like a wonderdrug for sinus congestion (read on Afrin addition and rebound congestion to make you afraid to use it too heavily).
When I get a cold and get better but a cough sticks around, my doc prescribed a corticosteroid inhaler, which doesn't seem to be SUPER effective; the most recent time doc also prescribed a 7-day course of prednisone to chill out all the terrible inflammation I had.
posted by entropone at 5:37 AM on January 6 [2 favorites]
HEPA filtration in your home + N95 respirators in public spaces.
As an infant living next to the largest coal plant in the Northeast, my respiratory system learned to produce excessive mucus to push out soot. Environmental contaminants would make me expectorate, and respiratory viruses that were inconveniences to most people would debilitate me for weeks. Pseudoephedrine, when available, would let me breathe through my nose but didn't help the congested chest and trachea.
In 2020, I began wearing an N95 respirator every time I went out and also got HEPA air purifiers in advance of what turned out to be a terrible fire season. This unexpectedly resolved lifelong respiratory issues. I have not had sniffles or congestion or a persistent or productive cough in the last five years.
I do not expect you to wear a respirator at home with your children. But wearing one when out in public will filter both environmental irritants and vectors for infections you might bring home. Within the home, HEPA purifiers with sufficiently high Clean Air Delivery Rate will similarly reduce by orders of magnitude the particulate matter and virus particles to which your body might overreact.
This is not meant to dissuade you from seeing a specialist or trying prescription medication. Just to say that I was in a position similar to yours before air filtration provided welcome relief.
posted by backwoods at 5:38 AM on January 6 [4 favorites]
As an infant living next to the largest coal plant in the Northeast, my respiratory system learned to produce excessive mucus to push out soot. Environmental contaminants would make me expectorate, and respiratory viruses that were inconveniences to most people would debilitate me for weeks. Pseudoephedrine, when available, would let me breathe through my nose but didn't help the congested chest and trachea.
In 2020, I began wearing an N95 respirator every time I went out and also got HEPA air purifiers in advance of what turned out to be a terrible fire season. This unexpectedly resolved lifelong respiratory issues. I have not had sniffles or congestion or a persistent or productive cough in the last five years.
I do not expect you to wear a respirator at home with your children. But wearing one when out in public will filter both environmental irritants and vectors for infections you might bring home. Within the home, HEPA purifiers with sufficiently high Clean Air Delivery Rate will similarly reduce by orders of magnitude the particulate matter and virus particles to which your body might overreact.
This is not meant to dissuade you from seeing a specialist or trying prescription medication. Just to say that I was in a position similar to yours before air filtration provided welcome relief.
posted by backwoods at 5:38 AM on January 6 [4 favorites]
Sinus rinses really help me when I’m a mucusy mess, in addition to precautions such as always washing my hands when I come home.
posted by raccoon409 at 5:56 AM on January 6
posted by raccoon409 at 5:56 AM on January 6
My body is really responsive to weather changes. Barometric pressure and temperature fluctuations can cause congestion, joint swelling and decreased energy. I look at the weather report to get some notice about high/low pressure systems and adjust accordingly. I don't take any drugs to manage congestion, but here are some physical/environmental changes you may find useful.
Cold and foggy conditions cause my sinuses to get congested, especially while sleeping. I have learned to sleep with something to warm my head and neck to prevent congestion during colder weather. Living in Northern California, that can mean at anytime the fog rolls in. Drinking warm liquids will keep my breathing passages clear. Sometimes I sit up for an hour or so during the night to allow my sinuses to clear before going back to sleep.
During the summer, it's fire season, so an air filter, and keeping the windows closed helps my breathing. During late July and August I accept the fact that the heat is going to make my energy level really low and switch to passive activities like reading or watching movies.
There are also certain plants like pampas grass, plantain weed, pine trees, and acacia trees that emit very fine pollen during fine, warm weather that can cause congestion, especially in Southern California with the Santa Ana winds. Another occasion for the air filter and keeping windows closed and still the pollen makes my throat irritated, so I drink a warm beverages.
I know resting will be a challenge with small children to care for, but if you can rest right away when you're first feeling sick, it will help your immune system to work. My mom used to lay down with me to take a nap and it's one of my all time best memories of her from my childhood. I hope you feel better.
posted by effluvia at 6:17 AM on January 6
Cold and foggy conditions cause my sinuses to get congested, especially while sleeping. I have learned to sleep with something to warm my head and neck to prevent congestion during colder weather. Living in Northern California, that can mean at anytime the fog rolls in. Drinking warm liquids will keep my breathing passages clear. Sometimes I sit up for an hour or so during the night to allow my sinuses to clear before going back to sleep.
During the summer, it's fire season, so an air filter, and keeping the windows closed helps my breathing. During late July and August I accept the fact that the heat is going to make my energy level really low and switch to passive activities like reading or watching movies.
There are also certain plants like pampas grass, plantain weed, pine trees, and acacia trees that emit very fine pollen during fine, warm weather that can cause congestion, especially in Southern California with the Santa Ana winds. Another occasion for the air filter and keeping windows closed and still the pollen makes my throat irritated, so I drink a warm beverages.
I know resting will be a challenge with small children to care for, but if you can rest right away when you're first feeling sick, it will help your immune system to work. My mom used to lay down with me to take a nap and it's one of my all time best memories of her from my childhood. I hope you feel better.
posted by effluvia at 6:17 AM on January 6
In addition to the other good advice, consider a Navage machine. It’s a battery powered neti pot, with salt pods that measure the amount for you. It can help suck/push some mucus out.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 6:18 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 6:18 AM on January 6 [1 favorite]
Are you using the saline premixed spray or something you can customize with some heat/volume like Neilmed? I did not find the spray very helpful, but a saline sinus rinse that I mix myself with warm water really helped. It's worth getting your sinuses scoped if you haven't, especially if some of the repeat illnesses are sinus infections. It could be the case that your sinuses are always low-key infected and the infection never really clears due to structural/inflammatory stuff going on in your sinuses. My husband had to do a serious regimen of antibiotic sinus rinses and nasal steroids and lots of water even after he had sinus surgery because his sinuses are chronically inflamed. It's worth getting it looked at -- someone I know had bad sinus infections that never totally cleared and it turned out that he had some abcess/pus in his head that should not have been there -- could have been dangerous.
posted by *s at 6:36 AM on January 6 [2 favorites]
posted by *s at 6:36 AM on January 6 [2 favorites]
Came to say ENT as well. My husband has had all kinds of constant disruptions happening all along the breathing-to-swallowing pipeline for his life and getting worse as he gets older, and finally saw a specialist. Diagnosis: GERD and he needs surgery because nothing up his nose is built to code.
Like, after the doctor explained what was going on in there my husband said, "Oh. I just thought that's what breathing was supposed to feel like," and the doctor was like "Yeah no, absolutely not."
Every pill in the world had been thrown at this problem, every rinse, using a humidifier, using a dehumidifier, all the allergy meds, cough medicines, an inhaler, every pillow on the planet. Just turns out his nose is haunted. (And he was SO AFRAID he was going to go in there and they were going to be like "shut up and quit whining, nothing is wrong with you".)
posted by Lyn Never at 9:54 AM on January 6
Like, after the doctor explained what was going on in there my husband said, "Oh. I just thought that's what breathing was supposed to feel like," and the doctor was like "Yeah no, absolutely not."
Every pill in the world had been thrown at this problem, every rinse, using a humidifier, using a dehumidifier, all the allergy meds, cough medicines, an inhaler, every pillow on the planet. Just turns out his nose is haunted. (And he was SO AFRAID he was going to go in there and they were going to be like "shut up and quit whining, nothing is wrong with you".)
posted by Lyn Never at 9:54 AM on January 6
Note that if it takes you a while to see an ENT, Flonase is available over the counter and you can start it now. It works best taken daily, not just when you are sick.
Also consider whether any family lifestyle changes, like switching from daycare to a nannyshare, masking in public, avoiding large events, etc. might be viable to reduce your exposure.
posted by metasarah at 10:54 AM on January 6
Also consider whether any family lifestyle changes, like switching from daycare to a nannyshare, masking in public, avoiding large events, etc. might be viable to reduce your exposure.
posted by metasarah at 10:54 AM on January 6
I struggled with this for years, until an ENT confirmed what my oral surgeon told me: I had a deformity in my sinuses that never allowed them to drain properly, requiring surgery. Mine was an extreme case, but a prescription spray might be enough to reduce the inflammation and let things clear out.
posted by 1adam12 at 11:02 AM on January 6
posted by 1adam12 at 11:02 AM on January 6
For sure see a doctor, but I'm in a similar boat and have felt WAY better the past couple of winters. A few changes that I think helped:
- Treating my hypothyroidism
- Nasal rinses with the prepackaged saline spray
- I quit teaching :)
And something my allergist recommended that has helped: When I get sick, as soon as my nose gets really congested, I do the three days of Afrin plus my usual azelastine spray, and I sleep upright. I have always been SO SCARED of Afrin, but I haven't gotten a sinus infection since I started doing this, and I used to get several every year.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 11:45 AM on January 6
- Treating my hypothyroidism
- Nasal rinses with the prepackaged saline spray
- I quit teaching :)
And something my allergist recommended that has helped: When I get sick, as soon as my nose gets really congested, I do the three days of Afrin plus my usual azelastine spray, and I sleep upright. I have always been SO SCARED of Afrin, but I haven't gotten a sinus infection since I started doing this, and I used to get several every year.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 11:45 AM on January 6
In the short term, start doing saline sinus rinses morning and night. In the longer term, yeah, this isn't a time for the internet. This is something where, especially since you are catching stuff others don't and symptoms last so much longer, it's time to get help from a medical professional. This isn't about you having a weak immune system, or, if it is, it may be a vitamin or mineral deficiency.
I guess I am wondering if you have done that, and, if not, why you haven't. You get to get health care, too, you know.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:09 PM on January 6
I guess I am wondering if you have done that, and, if not, why you haven't. You get to get health care, too, you know.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:09 PM on January 6
I have been getting sick less since I started using Covixyl (nasal spray that is supposed to protect you from airborne illnesses) and taking elderberry gummies regularly during the winter. YMMV.
posted by chaiminda at 12:15 PM on January 6 [1 favorite]
posted by chaiminda at 12:15 PM on January 6 [1 favorite]
Drink water - your urine should be no darker than apple juice. Being well-hydrated loosens mucus. I use Sudafed to reduce congestion when I'm sick.
posted by theora55 at 12:37 PM on January 6
posted by theora55 at 12:37 PM on January 6
Hello, fellow parent. I can report from the other side that it does get better and your kids do eventually start learning hand washing and covering their mouths; my kids are both in elementary school and while I do still get sick (hi, norovirus) it's not as constant and unrelenting as it was when they were babies.
A few things that helped:
-Check your vitamin levels, especially iron. I was getting sick a lot with lingering illnesses and was also mildly anemic. I started iron supplements and my immune system began working again. I agree with the recs for an ENT as well.
-Changing daycares. Our first was an in-home daycare and looking back, it was a bit slapdash in its cleanliness. Our next daycare center was much more formal and had a fancy UV HEPA air filtration system (pre-COVID, even), teachers wore scrubs/uniforms with an onsite laundry, it had a commercial kitchen, and professional cleaners that came in each night. I know "find a new daycare" is easier said than done but it DID seem to help and our second baby was sick much less often than our first baby.
-Mask, sure, but I'd say ESPECIALLY when you are brushing your kids' teeth. I got COVID from my daughter a couple years ago while my husband & son never got it, and I really think it's because I was the one brushing her teeth and leaning in close while the toothbrush flicked around an invisible fine spray of germs. I'd honestly consider suiting up like a dental hygienist for that: mask, gloves, goggles. Maybe glove up for diaper changes, too.
posted by castlebravo at 1:08 PM on January 6
A few things that helped:
-Check your vitamin levels, especially iron. I was getting sick a lot with lingering illnesses and was also mildly anemic. I started iron supplements and my immune system began working again. I agree with the recs for an ENT as well.
-Changing daycares. Our first was an in-home daycare and looking back, it was a bit slapdash in its cleanliness. Our next daycare center was much more formal and had a fancy UV HEPA air filtration system (pre-COVID, even), teachers wore scrubs/uniforms with an onsite laundry, it had a commercial kitchen, and professional cleaners that came in each night. I know "find a new daycare" is easier said than done but it DID seem to help and our second baby was sick much less often than our first baby.
-Mask, sure, but I'd say ESPECIALLY when you are brushing your kids' teeth. I got COVID from my daughter a couple years ago while my husband & son never got it, and I really think it's because I was the one brushing her teeth and leaning in close while the toothbrush flicked around an invisible fine spray of germs. I'd honestly consider suiting up like a dental hygienist for that: mask, gloves, goggles. Maybe glove up for diaper changes, too.
posted by castlebravo at 1:08 PM on January 6
Response by poster: Wow, thank you everyone for your answers!! I have gotten so many good ideas from this thread. I will definitely try to get an ENT appointment. And in the meantime I’m going to try different things suggested here and see how things go. Thanks again!
posted by imalaowai at 12:13 PM on January 7
posted by imalaowai at 12:13 PM on January 7
Surprised more people haven't mentioned mask wearing. Wear a well fitting N95 mask outside your home daily. You can get good ones like a 3M Aura at a hardware store (Don't use surgical masks) If your kids/loved ones get sick wear a mask around them as much as you can. And ask others to mask around you, especially adults. If people around you are sick, isolate away from them as much as you can. Have air purifiers and good ventilation in your home and workplace. These are basic COVID and virus precautions.
If you're vulnerable to getting sick, every virus makes you sicker and less likely to recover. COVID and other viruses cause immune system dysregulation. Look into Long COVID - you might have it. A lot of people have it without realizing it. Just washing your hands isn't enough - you need to prevent viruses from getting in your lungs. This website, "People's CDC", talks about baseline precautions everyone should take, especially if you're dealing with frequent illnesses. https://peoplescdc.org/2022/09/12/layers-of-protection/
posted by starlybri at 12:35 AM on January 8 [1 favorite]
If you're vulnerable to getting sick, every virus makes you sicker and less likely to recover. COVID and other viruses cause immune system dysregulation. Look into Long COVID - you might have it. A lot of people have it without realizing it. Just washing your hands isn't enough - you need to prevent viruses from getting in your lungs. This website, "People's CDC", talks about baseline precautions everyone should take, especially if you're dealing with frequent illnesses. https://peoplescdc.org/2022/09/12/layers-of-protection/
posted by starlybri at 12:35 AM on January 8 [1 favorite]
Also see if you can get air purifiers in spaces your kids are getting taken care of (school or daycare). That helps cut down on illnesses in kids, especially ones that can't mask. If you can get your older kid to try masking, consider that as well - it'll help your whole family stay healthier.
posted by starlybri at 12:40 AM on January 8
posted by starlybri at 12:40 AM on January 8
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My friend has overwhelming mucus congestion problems and it turns out he has basically fucked his sinuses from chronic inflammation, which keeps the mucus being overproduced, which triggers more stress and thus more inflammation, etc etc. I also have experience with eczema which is part of a bunch of little skin barrier problems that can all cascade together and lead to much bigger chronic issues and susceptibility to viruses and bacteria, as well as misfired allergy responses. All of this stuff is affected of course by things like lifestyle, sleep, stress, all those great things that are super hard to control. But! There is hope.
My friend with the mucus problems is now taking three different perscriptions, two nasal sprays and one pill. The pill is an antihistamine, to help the allergy response lower in general, and one spray is a preventative anti inflammatory to keep everything way less inflamed over all, the other spray is only for occasional use as needed when he gets super gloopy and stuffy. The intention is that over time, his sinuses will regain the ability to heal, because they haven’t had any time not inflamed for like, thirty years. He is already sleeping better and can do stuff like enjoy spicy foods again. And he definitely breathes more quietly. It’s only been a few months; we are both excited about his progress in a year or more.
My skin barrier problems come and go with my self care abilities. I have ongoing occasional prescriptions for topical tubes of antifungals and probiotic pills I can utilize when I realize my skin is getting out of whack, or I’m sick in other ways. For example, I recently passed a kidney stone and while it was pretty low key as these things go, about two weeks later I started getting a yeasty flaky rash on my face. This is because my microbiome got all out of whack. Some prescription cream applied just once kicked it to the curb, and then it’s been a matter of carefully restoring my skin’s health after the stress from the kidney stone. Same with my hair, atrocious dandruff, and with my digestion, which the probiotics have been helping along with just restful time.
It sounds like you won’t be able to have restful time for, oh, seventeen years or so. Thus it’s time to bring in the big guns of prescription meds and preventative routine treatments. Saline is probably great, keep that up unless your doctors tell you otherwise. Every time I hem and I haw for like, years, until a problem gets too big to ignore and finally I drag myself to the doctor and it’s like, wow holy shit over the counter drugs ain’t shit! This problem is solvable! Why did nobody tell me about this??? (They did. They said, maybe you should see a doctor about that? And I ignored them for months to years.)
posted by Mizu at 11:47 PM on January 5 [10 favorites]