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This is the last week of classes: you know, the one where every student I ever thought about comes out of the woodwork desperately trying to save a grade or get extra help with the big projects due at the end of the week. But today, instead of being in my office, I'm here at home with a stupid cold! I also had a massage scheduled today as well as a water aerobics class, but now everything is on hold. I have a regular doctor's appointment this afternoon for a weigh-in, so I'll have him check things out. (Since I have asthma, almost any "cold" quickly becomes bronchitis.)

It never fails that this crap happens either during the last week of classes, finals week, the week before classes begin, or the first week of classes. I guess the stress accumulates and takes its toll on the body. I wish I could find a way to manage this better, but this has been a lifelong problem. I know I can't completely avoid getting sick, but it sure would be more convenient if my body would cooperate and do this between terms or at a time during the semester when I wasn't so crunched!

Does anyone else notice a connection between stressful times and illness? Have you figured out a way to avoid or control it?

I'm sorry you're sick.

There is a connection between stress and illness. The way I combat it is when I'm under a lot of stress, I take as much down time as I can, and I put a special emphasis on not overexerting myself and on getting enough (or more than enough) sleep.

Hope you feel better really soon. I'm also asthmatic, so I have the same problem with colds. Fortunately, *knock wood* I have not had to deal with that in the past year or so.

Jen M.

I have to hand it to my doc. Even though I went in with essentially cold-like symptoms, he did a complete exam and discovered that I was already starting to wheeze. Since I ended up with pneumonia the last time I was ill with a URI and also have asthma, he decided we are going to treat this aggressively from the get-go. So I'm home on bed rest with antibiotics, steroids, nebulizer solution, and bedtime cough syrup for the next five days. (The antibiotics will go on for 10 days.) He seems to think that since we've started early on this, we may be able to keep it from developing into full-blown bronchitis.

Have I mentioned how much I love concierge medicine? It is amazing how much better service and more personal attention DH and I get from this guy. Before I used to feel guilty about calling the doctor, and it almost seemed like an imposition to get an appointment. Now we get same-day appointments, real calls from the doc himself, and visits that last as long as they need to.

That type of medical visit/service does sound nice!

I hope all of this will help you get better without getting sicker.

Somehow, I have never gotten pneumonia (knocks wood again.) I did have "pre-pneumonia" when I was a pre-teen. Very scary!

Take care of yourself.
Jen

Sorry to be late posting here dune67
I hope by now your all better now.

Pneumonia is nothing to sneeze at no pun entended.
I had it when I was a child and almost died from it.
So I am glad your Dr did a complete exam.

When I feel stress due to family dysfunctional time.
I stock up my body with Vit C
You can never get enough of Vit C and for me it works in keeping
the cold/& flu germs away.
Also since you are in such a heavy load of germ warfare in dealing with school and work enviroment.
The best way to cut down on the chances of getting sick is to
constantly WASH your hands.
You are grading papers, touching students hands as they hand you stuff. Its a well of germs waiting to jump on your ass.
So, my advice is just to keep your hands clean as much as you can
That DOES help in reducing your chances of getting sick.
That is my story and I am sticking to it.
Every time I go to the store when I come home I wash my hands.
I have not had a bad cold in over a year. Cause I keep my hands clean and I stock up my body on Vit C.
And the one cold I did have, was my DH's fault! He brought it home to me, lol

Quote:Does anyone else notice a connection between stressful times and illness? Have you figured out a way to avoid or control it?

Absolutely. Two times in my life when I have been very ill have been during periods of extreme stress. One was during my breakup with my ex-fiance and the other was when my cousin passed away from cancer.

I honestly don't know how to control getting sick unless you can keep your stress level under control. One of the stress hormones, cortisol, weakens your immune system, leading to illness.

Sorry to hear you are sick! Stress can definitely lower the immune system. It's been proven. It's probably too late now, but you could go to the health food store and get some sort of supplements to boost your immune system: stuff like echinacea and reishi mushroom spring to mind.