Constantly sick

[Daejeon]

It's common.  Take your multi vitamins and don't eat trash.

[Wretchard]

Yeah I got sick a lot. Now I can't really remember the last time I was sick.

[tesoljon]

It's not just the NETs that are constantly sick. I know a lot of exchange students from Cambodia and they're almost all sick all the time. Something about Korea just doesn't agree with them.

Nothing really helpful to add. Simply commiserating.

[MWeb37]

Take your multi vitamins

This is the easiest way to help your immune system.

-Multivitamin
-Vitamin-C
-Vitamin-B Complex

[wizall]

In my experience, sleep is the most important factor to boost the immune system. The multi-vits help, but without a good eight hours (or whatever works for you) the vitamins won't do much. I've avoided some colds just by making sleep a priority.

This is tough for me, though, cause my brain doesn't start to run on all pistons until about 5pm. 6AM is always early.

[Jrong]

^yeah man, I'm the same way. Sleep is necessary for my health and I have a hard time getting it. Dead in the morning, dead throughout the day, then 5pm "BOOM!" I want to live. I can't wait to move to a Latin culture where stuff goes on later at night (and siesta is basically mandatory).

[eggxdrop_soup]

I'm like all of you first years--sick all the freaking time.

But it's just an irritating kind of sick, nothing worthy of a doctor's time (especially if what you're all saying is true, they wouldn't even bother with the ten seconds for me). I've been entirely exhausted, exploding headaches, and sneezing.

I had my mom send over some multivitamins and some iron to help me get over the initial stress/exhaustion and they did wonders for me.

Remember, ladies, to make sure you're getting enough iron. It's the number one vitamin that women of childbearing age lack. Iron really helped me out with the whole fatigue thing. Plus, beef is so freaking expensive that I don't really get my iron from protein (and remember, iron helps us play! Oh god, forgive my Simpson's reference).

Other things you could try are tons of water (remember, Koreans use lots of sodium in their food which could dehydrate you further), dark green vegetables, rest, exercise.

But, honestly, I've resigned myself to being sick for most of my year here...like everyone keeps reminding us, different bacteria in the food, the water, the air, the everyday stresses of living in another country, the everyday stresses of teaching, the everyday stresses of life in general really play a big part in the sickness that never sleeps.

Also, I took some nasal decongestant my great mother sent over and I feel a little less like keeling over at my desk and sleeping forever (and my headache is miraculously gone--subtle sinus infections sure are sneaky).

[Rusty Shackleford]

I'm soldiering through my second back to back winter; Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb in Korea, March, April, May June in NZ. I haven't had a cold since June last year (actually pneumonia) and the only difference is that I have been taking Vitamin D every day during that time. I also took it up until about 3 months before the last time I got sick. I'm living in a house of 6. One member currently has a bad head cold and the other is a small child. I work in an office populated by constantly sick people and frequented by the cities poorest people and their kids.

It makes sense because it's the only vitamin you can't really get through food. Unless you count milk, but Vit. D is added to milk. Or eggs, but you have to eat about 3 dozen a day to get the (too low) RDI. The sun is really the only way to get it naturally and how much of that exists in Korea in the winter and NZ 75% of the time?

[squid]

I've had no-stop sinus problems since I've been here (going on 10 months). I want to get a HEPA air filter.

Would a store like E-Mart sell them? If not, where can I buy one in person? I know I can find them on gmarket, but getting things delivered is a major hassle because I dont have a room number to my apartment.

Also, does anyone know what product I should ask for in Korean? Air purifier seems like it might be a little complicated to try and stumble through broken Korean.

[Frozencat99]

I've had no-stop sinus problems since I've been here (going on 10 months). I want to get a HEPA air filter.

Would a store like E-Mart sell them? If not, where can I buy one in person? I know I can find them on gmarket, but getting things delivered is a major hassle because I dont have a room number to my apartment.

Also, does anyone know what product I should ask for in Korean? Air purifier seems like it might be a little complicated to try and stumble through broken Korean.

Have it delivered to your school, as an alternative.

[tesoljon]

I've had no-stop sinus problems since I've been here (going on 10 months). I want to get a HEPA air filter.

Would a store like E-Mart sell them? If not, where can I buy one in person? I know I can find them on gmarket, but getting things delivered is a major hassle because I dont have a room number to my apartment.

Also, does anyone know what product I should ask for in Korean? Air purifier seems like it might be a little complicated to try and stumble through broken Korean.

Have it delivered to your school, as an alternative.

Or search for "HEPA". I've found that acronyms are frequently used as-is, even across languages.

[squid]

I've had no-stop sinus problems since I've been here (going on 10 months). I want to get a HEPA air filter.

Would a store like E-Mart sell them? If not, where can I buy one in person? I know I can find them on gmarket, but getting things delivered is a major hassle because I dont have a room number to my apartment.

Also, does anyone know what product I should ask for in Korean? Air purifier seems like it might be a little complicated to try and stumble through broken Korean.

Have it delivered to your school, as an alternative.

That's fine for getting small little packages, but I dont want to have to attempt to carry an air filter, which could potentially be large, heavy and cumbersome, home with me.
I live next to an E-Mart, however. I have looked there before, but didn't see any. So I was wondering if it was possible to get them at that type of store, and mine just didn't have any in stock.

[rocketeerjoe]

So a few months ago I had a very painful throat infection. I thought it was strep throat. The only translation they could give me was "very bad throat infection". So they gave me antibiotics and an IV that day and it ran its course. Painfully lost my voice for a while, had the white spots in the back of my throat.

I'm thinking now that it might have been tonsilitis but they didn't know how to tell me the right word for it. Last night I started to get the sore throat and couldn't sleep because of it. Right now I do NOT want to miss ANY more work. I feel bad having missed work at all so far. 4 days total between the throat infection and the gastroenteritis. I will speak to someone shortly about seeing a doctor after school today.

I've been doing everything to avoid getting sick. Including jogging and exercise. Unfortunately I live near an open sewage drain and it is impossible to avoid it unless I take a bus to Homeplus. Could that be responsible?

[Freeto]

Searching Gmarket for "HEPA" lists 132 items between $100-300 in the "air cleaner" category. You're probably looking at spending about $150 for a HEPA air cleaner for a smaller room.

As for nutritional supplements, I'm a fan of iherb.com since I can read their ingredients section and the products have a long list of reviews (unlike the supplements section at my local Korean supermarket or even Costco). Costs much less as well, even with shipping to Korea (about $6 USD). I buy Solgar multivitamins which are more expensive but they're formulated so the nutrients are more easily absorbed by your body. I also buy Now Foods and Carlson Labs products.

[cjww55]

Hey,
it sounds like you've got a bad case. As with any illness, diet is the key to fight it off and keep your immune system in good order. Since you're at wits end, I suggest doing a serious review of what you're eating and drinking. If you're eating more than 30% calories of your calories in wheat and/or grains, substitute vegetables. Seriously, this will make you feel better.
Second, anything respiratory HAS to be related to yellow dust. It affects everyone to varying degrees. I strongly suggest you get a (silly) mask for when you're outside for prolonged times.
OH, and buy a multi-vitamin.
Cheers, feel better
Chris

[chester]

I'm like all of you first years--sick all the freaking time.

But, honestly, I've resigned myself to being sick for most of my year here...like everyone keeps reminding us, different bacteria in the food, the water, the air, the everyday stresses of living in another country, the everyday stresses of teaching, the everyday stresses of life in general really play a big part in the sickness that never sleeps.

I'm in the same boat, and have just resigned myself to being sick until I leave in a few months. I haven't gone more than 2 weeks without being sick this year. I exercise for 5-10 hours a week, balance my nutrition carefully (including supplements) and do lots of healthy home cooking, but it doesn't seem to matter.

I think it's a combination of new germs/viruses that we have no antibodies for, stress, different environment, and (mostly) being surrounded by kids who never wash their hands (not to mention sneezing directly onto your face and finding blood entertaining). I've seen exactly two students wash their hands with soap in the last 10 months, and no Korean co-teachers. When I started teaching at home I was warned about the first 3 years taxing your immune system, so I guess we're just facing that problem but compounded.

Good luck to the other sickly posters, you're not alone!

[Andy84]

Anyone ever heard of a waygookin getting a really bad stomach condition upon arriving here? I got here last week and almost instantly got the most horrific stomach bug I've ever had. I'm still sick with it. I was told it could be the water? It really sucks, I want to be fit and healthy and getting stuck into the food but currently I'm maybe eating one cup of ramen a day, maybe not even that, maybe just a bowl of cereal. Lost a load of weight. I've never had a bug like it. If anyone has ever heard of something like this happening to someone, and what they took to cure it, I would really appreciate it!

[livzy]

Anyone ever heard of a waygookin getting a really bad stomach condition upon arriving here? I got here last week and almost instantly got the most horrific stomach bug I've ever had. I'm still sick with it. I was told it could be the water? It really sucks, I want to be fit and healthy and getting stuck into the food but currently I'm maybe eating one cup of ramen a day, maybe not even that, maybe just a bowl of cereal. Lost a load of weight. I've never had a bug like it. If anyone has ever heard of something like this happening to someone, and what they took to cure it, I would really appreciate it!

Hey Andy, no wonder your post count is so high in such a short space of time!

I don't think you can instantly get a bad stomach, it takes time to develop (2-5 days), so it was either food back home or on the plane or a dirty public convenience etc in the airport. Usually if I get sick I try to keep up the vitamin intake and don't hold back on my body expunging (I think that's the right word) any nasties. If you're stuck to being within 10 seconds of a toilet that's your body trying to get rid of the nasty bacteria. You might not be able to eat much so try stuff high in sugars and vitamins (fruit juice, those yoghurts with the 'good/friendly bacteria') to keep your defences in tip top condition.

Maybe won't work for you but when I feel I'm overcoming a bug I try to eat lots of cooked potato or toast. It seems to stop my body's peristalsis freaking out.

I have a pretty strong, immediate reaction to MSG which usually takes my body a few months to get accustomed to if I'm eating it every day. I haven't had anything like that here so I doubt very much it's in much of the food I've eaten. Some of the foods have strong tastes but I find most of them are healthy.

[Andy84]

Hey Andy, no wonder your post count is so high in such a short space of time!

Nah I joined before I was here just to try and get used to Korean culture/find stuff out

Excellent advice. I've bought multi-vitamins, and will start downing that OJ like there is no tomorrow. I will see if I can buy a toaster. Haven't seen much bread here, but I assume a bigger homeplus will have them.

[chester]

Anyone ever heard of a waygookin getting a really bad stomach condition upon arriving here? I got here last week and almost instantly got the most horrific stomach bug I've ever had. I'm still sick with it. I was told it could be the water? It really sucks, I want to be fit and healthy and getting stuck into the food but currently I'm maybe eating one cup of ramen a day, maybe not even that, maybe just a bowl of cereal. Lost a load of weight. I've never had a bug like it. If anyone has ever heard of something like this happening to someone, and what they took to cure it, I would really appreciate it!

Not sure of your exact symptoms, but have you looked into traveler's diarrhea?

Oh, and ramen isn't ideal for a sick person as it's so heavily processed and fatty- it's SUPER hard for your body to digest. I'd suggest the BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) 'diet'... a terrible but effective trick I learned working in a hospital. Bananas especially are easy to keep down/digest and filled with tons of nutrients. Feel better!