Recurring cold and flu symptoms - 3 times this winter

:-( Same thing here. Had a bad "cold" in Ocotober last year, came back in January, again in May. May episode left with me with a gagging cough that lasted for 10 weeks! It seemed to resolve spontaneously. Year before I broke a rib with this thing, so I was pretty worried.
Antibiotics/steroids, nothing worked. Finally resolved in late June and it's back again as I write. I wake up like someone is choking me, my throat feels like it's going to close off. Mucous is pale yellow so MD will not give antibiotics-- which didn't help anyway. My son, his wife and two kids have been going on and on with this since the first of the year. My husband has it too now, first time for him. He can't even talk.

I've been like this since August. I had a bad cold, but carried on working (I freelance, so I can't not work because I'm ill) and got really really bad. Once the project was over I was wiped out for a few weeks. Anyway, since then I've been stuck in this illness cycle. Sneezy nose, turns into a running nose and sore throat, then the mucus thickens up, turns yellow and goes on to my chest, then it dries up and I get a tickly cough. I live in China and GOOD medical care is expensive. The western medicine doctors at chinese hospitals say it's allergies, but allergies don't give you a sore throat, swollen glands and aching muscles.

The cold/flu symptoms go away, I have a week or two of normality before running nose (it drips uncontrollably) and sore throat (so painful I can't speak) appears and I go through the same cold symptoms, ending on my chest, with a tickly cough that can make me wheeze. The doctors can't get beyond allergies or asthma. The last doc admitted my lungs were really healthy (I run a lot - indoors), but still said she wanted me to try asthma meds.

I'm very healthy and fit normally. I had glandular fever (mono) a few years ago and I pray this isn't it coming back. I'm in a bad financial situation and have just got a stable new job. If I lose it because of this illness, I'll be in trouble. Right now I don't even have the money to fly back home - if I did I wouldn't. I can hardly leave china just because I have a bad cold!

is anybody oing to post any possible solutions as I am having similar problems and I went through all different kinds of antibiotics but nothing helpd at all... keep getting cold week after week with maybe two days in between feeling ok... or almost ok...

My two year old has had repeated bouts of cold/flu this year with exactly the same symptoms; in rough order of appearance:

Runny nose/sneezing
Cough - tickley, dry, uncointrollable, severe
Wheezing/crackling in lungs (bronchitis)
Mild temp
Night sweats/waking up hyper
Loosening up of phlegm/mucus

Time between bouts has been anywhere from a few weeks to only a few days.

We went for broad spectrum antibiotics (against our better judgement!) after chest X-Ray revealed pneumonia during the last visit, but she has since had the same again.

We are getting a blood test done this week, and will ask for them to check for Mycoplasma Pneumoniae antibodies.

I'll hopefully remember to post back!

OK - Count me in! I'm finally sitting down to Google this as I start my third or fourth round (I'm losing track). I've been on antibiotics under my doctor's assumption that it's a secondary bacterial infection from the first viral illness. Nothing is really helping to stave it off and I've been low energy the whole winter. My 13-year-old daughter is experiencing the same thing.

ALL OF THESE POSTS ARE IN 2009 AND 2010, HOWEVER, NOW IN FEB. 2011, I HAVE THIS FOR THE 4TH OR 5TH TIME THIS SEASON. COLD/FLU SYMPTOMS, SORE THROAT THAT FEELS LIKE STREP THROAT, SINUS DRAIN WHICH CAUSES A HORRIBLE COUGH, EARACHES, WHICH I HAVE NEVER HAD IN MY LIFE BEFORE AND NECK PAIN. THIS STUFF IS HORRIBLE. I USUALLY DO A NETI POT FLUSH, MY DOCTOR GAVE ME FLO-NASE, AND DRINK LOTS OF WATER, AND ECHENACIA. I'M BEGINNING TO THINK WITH THE NEW STRAINS GOING AROUND THAT IT MAY BE CAUSED BY A CONSPIRACY. EITHER FROM THE THIRD WORLD OR PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES TAINTING THEIR BOXES AGAIN ON THEIR SHIPMENT OVER HERE.

I'm sort of relieved it isn't just me then. I have been having cold/flu symptoms since the end of October. Every time I think I'm getting better another bout starts up.I'm getting depressed as I have no energy to do anything and I haven't been out for a while either. I have had a course of antibiotics last month, but to no avail. I'm now back on ventolin which I haven't used for years. My 5year old son has had similar symptoms and is still coughing a lot. He has also had antibiotics and ventolin syrup and eventually steroid tablets. He is now coughing again (2weeks later) and has another cold. I feel there is no point to going to the doctors as they just tell you to take plenty of rest and drink plenty. Duh, as if I didn't think of that myself. Not even an option with a big family to look after.

Good day everyone,
Respiratory Therapist comes to save the day (For some of you. I have read quite a few of the posts here. Some of you may have something else going on, possibly malaria). Walking pneumonia can be recurrent, and often not diagnosed (or misdiagnosed as flu). There is a blood test that can specifically identify a mycoplasma infection. It's seldom done, though, unless there is a widespread outbreak that's being studied. Another blood test is used that identifies the increased presence of certain immune substances called cold agglutinins. This test won't confirm that you have walking pneumonia, but it can suggest it.

Recurrent symptoms:
* a cough that may come in violent spasms but produce very little mucus
* mild flu-like symptoms such as fever and chills
* sore throat
* headache
* tiredness
* lingering weakness that may persist after other symptoms go away

causes of pneumonia:
* bacteria
* viruses
* fungi
* other infectious agents, such as mycoplasma
* chemicals
* inhaled food

Three weeks ago I came down with sinus and lung congestion for several days (coughing up very little, however what did come up was thick egg white in color, which is an infection). Even with the coughing (I'm allergic to codeine cough syrup, cherry bark cough syrup worked for me), my throat is not sore (if yours is, you may have something else, or it may be sore from the coughing). In the middle of those two days, fever, chills, aches... my neck and head ached from the coughing.

A week later the exact same symptoms. Then again this week. Treatment are antibiotics, however it may be a multi resistant strain to antibiotics (M.R.S.A.), so finding one that works may be difficult. Hang in there. Tom Preston, R.T.

P.S. My blood tests and urinalysis came back normal.

How is it that within minutes of posting my last response (which was my first), more than 170 of you voted (the exact same number of thumbs up and downs as the last response more than a month ago). That is very misleading. Steadyhealth should reconfigure their code. I am a Respiratory Therapist who has answers for some, yet it says 60+ people voted me unhelpful? If nobody has added a response from last February until now, the votes are for all the previous responses, none are for me. They are accumulated votes for all the other responses

I remembered!

Posted: 12/26/10 4:38 AM

My girl did test positive for Mycoplasma Pneumonia and got targeted ABs in Feb.

She is now no longer testing positive for Mycoplasma, and her pneumonia cleared up.

However she has had the same twice again since (and it's starting to sound like the chest is getting bad again), this is starting to get to us as it severely impacts the kids quality of life and our stress levels.

The latest blood test has shown 'borderline allergies' though, whatever those might be... so obviously the doctor wanted to prescribe antihistamines right away. Why do doctors (in my experience) always prescribe medicine instead of finding out what the root cause is?

If I randomly prescribed things based on a hunch in my line of business without factual evidence of root cause, I would be asked to 'get my coat' in short order.

Nevertheless, I will post any results on progress, if any.

@Respiratory Therapist: any ideas?

Can Mycoplasma reoccur like this as the symptoms are the same - but also similar to some allergies...

Very glad to hear this is not just our family.  We have been afflicted with recuring cold symptoms every year for about three years now and have been dealing with this particular lot for the last 2 months.  Same story here..
sore throat
headache
mild fever on and off
blocked nose
lots of mucus from the kids
unbeleivable sinus infection in myself
non-stop dry tickly cough with my parter at night
stiff neck and muscles

And just as you think you are getting better, the next day it is all back along with that heady slightly stunned feeling you get with a cold.  Had a bout of vertigo so bad the other morning ended up in ED with suspected meningitus.  Of course it wasn't, but that's how the medicos read it this time.  Have had 3 rounds of anitbiotics this time, to no avail, seem to keep the sinus infection from going rampant, but doesn't fix it.  Have had bloods and urine tests with nothing to show.
! always take a multi vit and recently Garlic, horseradish, Vit C and now Zinc.  Will get onto the Vit D3 and cross my fingers.  Fyi I live in Queensland, Australia

I have a Cure! 

Folks, I had the same problem that all of you....flu like symptoms that included joint ache, headache, dizziness, diarrhea, and so much more that is was agonizing.  I've had this problem for over 10 years and it got worse year after year were the occurrence would happen more frequently from once every 3-4 months to almost every month.  Antibiotic did cure this symptom but not the cause.  I then begain using high dosage of vitamin C, acanasia, etc.. etcs..  They all helped greatly in the beginning, but several months later it was like, what ever I had, became better immune to them.  After I left the Undited States and moved to Mexico, the occurrence of this "illness" and the heat down here was unbearable.  I went to a homeopathic doctor and explained my case.  He ordered me to take a blood test.  However, He said because I was currently experiencing the symptoms this would  produced a false reading.  So he gave me some "mercy" medicine and told me after the symptoms disappear to wait a week then get my blood tested.  And I did.  The results was no surprise to him.  He told me that this was a bacteria building inside me and that I would need to be on the homeopathic treatment for several months to rid of it for good.   I stayed on the treatment for 6 months, ending on October 2010.    For 5 months I had 0 occurrence!  I've never gone this long without a occurrence for more then 2 months in years.    Unfortunately, about 1 week ago It happened again.  I'm now sick again, but it's completely my fault.  The doctor strongly advised me to continue the treatment for an additional two months to make certain that the bug was gone, else it will make a comeback and I did not.   The point here is that the treatment worked.   I just did not stay on it long enough to totally eradicate the sucker; and yes I regret it now.  

To cure yourself, go to your closest homeopathic doctor and request a blood test and ask for treatment.  These guys are all taught the same stuff and should know the name of the medicine you should be on.  Unfortunately, what ever it is called her in Mexico, it's probably difference where you live.  Here what to look for in your blood test.  BTW... If you requesting life insurance, they will increase your premium due to this bug.  My take on this is that this bug will eventually be life threatening.

Here is what my blood reading said prior to treatment.

Tifico               Positive 1:80
Paratifico "B"    Positive 1:40
Proteus ox-19   Positive 1:80

This was taken here in Mexico, so I don't know if the name of what I have is the same name in the US or other countries.

Good luck!

Hi all you fellow chronic flu people :-) I'm glad to see I am not alone in this. Like you all I too began to get sick last November and have had a re-infection of the same flu aprox. 9 to 12 days after the onset of the initial infection. This had been going on since Thanksgiving and peaked to it's all time worse in Feb. where I thought I was literally going to die from the thing. I decided to suddenly change my diet with Chinese soups and ginger teas, ginsing lozengers for the throat and it works. I have to be really careful though because I am still infected with the thing for example, I use to drink a lot of ice tea before I got sick with the thing . I started drinking ice tea again two weeks ago and I am starting to feel the onset of a reinfection, in other works the symptoms are returning but I love ice tea so I'll offset it with some real spicy won ton soup for some reason this virus can't survive hot spicy things so I eat a lot of hot peppers in my food, I've also included chop sticks I like the authenticity of changing completely. But seriously this all started around the time when we were getting hit with all that strange animal kill offs around the world. I believe it is all connected and the government knows and is covering it up. Well good luck to you all I am a survivor of a very serious illness because i did these things. 

I had a similar experience this winter. Blocked sinuses, body aches, sore throat, runny nose, chesty cough, mild headaches and general fatigue. These symptoms would last for approximately 2 weeks, then I'd recover and feel good for a few days. Then the symptoms would return and the whole cycle would start over again. This cycle continued for about 2 months during winter.

My mother was a nurse for over 20 years and she recommended that when I feel the very first signs of a cold (blocked nose, soar throat etc), to take 1000mg (1 tablet) of Vitamin C three times a day, plus 150mg (2 tablets) of Echinacea three times a day. Do this for about 3 days or until the symptoms reside.

It worked a treat, stopped the cycle and I haven't been sick since.

I have had simalar symptoms except startswith diarea then bad stomache ache ,head ache , chills then, temp. Ect this is my 5 th time in the last month in a half. If ANYONE has any usefull info please reply. i talked to my doc and he said i must just be unluckey and had the flu 5 times in a row but i know there is something else going on i am usiually very healthy. Thanks