 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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VT is at a very high altitude for Europe, shortness of breath and a dry air cough are pretty std for moist air beathing sea level dwellers. I always sleep terribly there but means I am up to take out the empties and do a bread run.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Talk to your doctor, probably a bit late for the common preventative measures but he knows your history.
There is a vaccine against the most common cause and having a flu jab reduces the risk.
Good luck
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@bennetht, I have never heard of Val Thorens being unusually full of viruses or bacteria or anything else that might cause an infection.
More likely some sick person on your flight.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Use Boots "first defence" on the flight. It reduce the chance of catching something. Speak to your GP, you may have a respiratory problem and require something as a preventative for the breathlessness (Monteleukost or a salbutamol inhailor) Also, you may benefit from a daily antihistamine.
All of this is ONLY at your GP's advice. Never self medicate.
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| GlasgowCyclops wrote: |
Use Boots "first defence" on the flight. It reduce the chance of catching something. Speak to your GP, you may have a respiratory problem and require something as a preventative for the breathlessness (Monteleukost or a salbutamol inhailor) Also, you may benefit from a daily antihistamine.
All of this is ONLY at your GP's advice. Never self medicate. |
High street chemist Boots has had to scrap its advert for a cold and flu nasal spray after a person complained that it didn’t actually protect against the viruses.
The advert for Boots Cold & Flu Defence Nasal Spray claimed the product was “clinically proven to defend against colds and flu.”
However, a passenger who understood that the nasal spray was not capable of preventing and treating colds and flu spotted the advert on a London Underground train and challenged the claim.
An investigation by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) subsequently found that studies were not “sufficiently robust” to show the spray’s benefits to be “clinically proven.”
Boots stated the product featured iota-carrageenan, which is derived from red seaweed, and forms a physical barrier to prevent viruses entering and affecting the body.
[Related story: Watchdog pulls plug on blue light eye strain campaign]
But the ASA rejected claims from three different scientific studies provided in Boots’ response, and has told them not to show the advert again in its current form.
The ruling said: “Although the product could possibly reduce the duration and symptoms of acute upper respiratory tract infections in some patients under certain circumstances, we considered that the clinical studies were not sufficiently robust to show that Boots' ‘Cold & Flu Defence Nasal Spray’ had been ‘clinically proven’ to treat and prevent the symptoms of a common cold and influenza types A & B, and concluded that the ad was misleading.”
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@bennetht, sounds like you picked up a chest infection which went nasty.
No alcohol, no late nights, no clubbing, no apres ski.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| under a new name wrote: |
@bennetht, sounds like you picked up a chest infection which went nasty.
No alcohol, no late nights, no clubbing, no apres ski. |
And no skiing.
Enjoy! 
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| king key wrote: |
| under a new name wrote: |
@bennetht, sounds like you picked up a chest infection which went nasty.
No alcohol, no late nights, no clubbing, no apres ski. |
And no skiing.
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High altitude weakens the body’s ability to fight off virus. All those activities stress the body even more. So you’re vulnerable.
Need to cut back on the long list of activities. Whether it’s skiing or drinking is up to the OP to decide. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@bennetht, do you have a weak immune system. If not, I would say there is no reason to suspect it would occur again.
Might be wise to go to a ski station at a lower altitude in future. there a plenty of places at 1250 - 1450m that would help if you are susceptible to this kind of thing.
As others have said taking things a bit easier would help also - thinking more than apres and earlier to bed than the skiing!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You got an infection, which I doubt Val Thorens specifically had anything to do with it! You could have caught it anywhere on the journey, or if you'd stayed at home and not skied.
According to the NHS direct website
Pneumonia is swelling (inflammation) of the tissue in one or both lungs. It's usually caused by a bacterial infection.
What causes pneumonia?
Pneumonia is usually the result of a pneumococcal infection, caused by bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Many different types of bacteria, including Haemophilus influenzae and Staphylococcus aureus, can also cause pneumonia, as well as viruses and, more rarely, fungi.
As well as bacterial pneumonia, other types include:
viral pneumonia – most commonly caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and sometimes influenza type A or B; viruses are a common cause of pneumonia in young children
aspiration pneumonia – caused by breathing in vomit, a foreign object, such as a peanut, or a harmful substance, such as smoke or a chemical
fungal pneumonia – rare in the UK and more likely to affect people with a weakened immune system
hospital-acquired pneumonia – pneumonia that develops in hospital while being treated for another condition or having an operation; people in intensive care on breathing machines are particularly at risk of developing ventilator-associated pneumonia
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As above, check with your GP if at all worried or you have other health conditions which may be relevant. Can't see that aspirin would ahve any use at all in your situation; only preventative against heart or stroke or thick blood issues (as far as I know), not viruses or bacteria. Dosing up on Vitamins C, B & D, Zinc or general multi-vitamins and minerals may asssit in helping your immune system a bit. Echinacea is also sometimes useful in helping fight off (more quickly) cols etc.
I doubt very much that it's the resort per se (although it, like many others, is obviously full of disease-ridden foreign types ). Altitude could have a mild bearing (the dry cough and mild shortness of breath sound perhaps altitude related), as could mountain air, cold, sun/cold shifts etc etc. (As someone else said, best to sleep low, ski wherever you can...) Anything that you're not used to can and will alter your body's responses.
Flying is also great for spreading bugs amongst all and sundry on board. Classic return from holiday cold, chest infection etc, summer, winter, autumn or spring.
I don't know what time of year you went, but I often have problems around the March to early April time of year, when the seasons and temperatures really start to change in the UK. I remember one awful ski trip to Alpbach several years ago: Mr G went out with a bad chest infection cum virusy bug (so bad we nearly de-planed on the way out as he was feeling so sick, hot and dizzy) and I came back with a bad chest infection, awful cold and bad throat (presume the same bug). This year I have just had a horrid throat/mouth infection, cold and achy muscles which put a couple of UK trips on hold.
Hopefully it was just one nasty episode for you, and won't happen again. Have a nice holiday.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Grizzler, hmmm, time for a name change to 'Typhoid Mary'? or just 'Biohazard' 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@auntie masque Hmmmmm... 2 mild to reasonable viruses in about 10 years? I count that as pretty darn good, considering.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Grizzler, is it temp changes? I am asthmatic and have had (4/11 years) chest infections in January when spending xmas/NY in Chamonix.
Last time the vet's suggestion is was maybe being facilitated/triggered/exacerbated by pollution (high at the time, due to atmospherics and valley wood burning), pollen (a year round thing, who knew?) or both.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hijacking slightly, but I had the misfortune to have my first cold of the season a few weeks before we went away this year. The cold has long since gone, but the cough persists - it's been about 2-3 weeks now and it is most definitely not getting any better. We've been in Les Arcs a week and we're heading over to VT tomorrow for another week. Not really doing the apres or even overdoing the skiing really.
Is it worth me trying to hit up a French medical place in VT for antibiotics? I'm suspecting it's a bacterial infection at this point for physical symptoms I won't describe through good forum manners, plus the odd feeling slightly feverish some evenings.
And if so.. given I have an EHIC and insurance, what is my best bet for what to do and where to go in VT in order to get checked over and if required, get antibiotics? Never had to do this in Europe before..
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Grizzler, I’m sure you’re right re prevalance. Must research why. There’s definitely a resort based tummy bug problem but that’s just poor hygiene!
@sparklies, I’m not a vet, but a lingering cough is not unusual and in my lay opinion, if you’ve got this far, keep going. If it really was a proper bacterial invasion, you have been hospitalised by now.
(I was married to a Dr once so I have err, certain qualifications).
Does your phlegm have black bits or blood in it? If not, whisky and crack on.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Yeah, I usually do get a lingering cough post cold, and I have ended up with pneumonia in the past (also my mum seems to be even more susceptable to it, it's probably genetic!) so that's probably why I'm a bit paranoid!
That said, as if by magic by posting about it here, I actually didn't wake up coughing last night for the first time in weeks! So maybe it is on the mend.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@sparklies, I know numerous people (including me) who have had a nasty virus/flu this winter leaving a lingering cough that lasted for weeks. For me, I was ill after our February trip, and ironically I've only stopped coughing this week in Norway. So clearly the remedy is more skiing
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Good thing I have a prescription for another week's skiing then!!
It definitely is on the mend today. I think it's just a very antisocial cough.
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| under a new name wrote: |
@Grizzler,
Does your phlegm have black bits or blood in it? If not, whisky and crack on. |
What’s the relevance / background to black bits and blood? (Cos that’s the difference I’m noticing with my “cold/flu” at the moment ?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@sev112, can’t find the link re black bits, but my recollection of some article is that they indicate a proper bacterial infection, responsive to antibiotics whereas mostly post virus chest infections are viruses, which don’t.
Blood invariably suggests a visit to the GP, if it’s somewhere it shouldn’t be. Although, of course, it could be escaping just cos you’ve coughed your way through your flesh.
I’m asthmatic so I am quite sensitive about the state of my lungs. But my fun cough over the weekend seems to be fading despite producing some quite unpleasant stuff yesterday.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| If not, whisky and crack |
And then you'll be too off your tits to feel poorly
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I thought this was going to be satire about snow conditions next winter. Disappointed.
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FAQ
and even dancing, and I slept fine. I just was short of breath and had a cough.
