How do you avoid getting sick?

[GoHerbie]

This is what I think a lot of it is. Different pollens / air / etc etc from where you are from. If I goto visit anyone outside of my area I will get 'sick' but I really do think it's more allergy type things.

I agree with the allergy idea too. On the 2nd day of our first trip we all had sore throats, with negative strep tests at one of the urgent cares. Ever since then we've taken allergy pills and never had a problem since. We're also good with handwashing and have a sanitizer bottle hanging off a backpack.

 

[SUSIEQ]

I don't remember the logic behind it but my mom (a nurse) suggested I take benedryl once a day (at night specifically) to help avoid getting sick. I've done it for 2 trips and it seems to work. I'm a nut about washing hands and have been on every trip.

That sounds interesting. I may have to try the Benadryl method.

 

[MelMeg]

I always get sick when I go also & have had to go to urgent care. It's always starts with a sore throat and headache. I'm going in November and will try Benydrl hopefully it will work. Someone said it could be mold in the rooms from the humidity.

 

[nemajovc]

i use allergy meds and anti-inflammatory meds like aspirin or motrin. your body is not only fighting different allergens it's reacting to slow, very prolonged activity (as many people here discuss-even different than those used to running).
a junior benedryl and motrin at night and plenty of water at all times are a big help in limiting inflammatory reactions. this also means a better sleep (as long as no one has the opposite reaction to benedryl) Sleep is really important.
while hand sanitizer helps some things it doesn't kill some of the germs out there so i like to bring baby wipes-they help with wiping up mickey ice cream faces too!

i'm not saying this always works-just my approach.

 

[craftymama71]

When ever we fly, I wipe the air vents and trays on the plane with disinfectant wipes. I also make my own hotel room spray with a small part vodka, eucalyptus oil and whichever essential oils I throw in there. The oils are highly antibacterial...
Even the eucalyptus on it's own should help...

 

[EWDonald]

A/C units in hotel and resort rooms are a prime source of mold due to the moisture they remove from the air. Most people have some sort of allergies, whether they are aware of them or not. Mold is one of the more "popular" ones. That's probably why the Benadril works. Claritin non-drowsy would be a good substitute for those that are not used to taking allergy meds. I'm allergic to everything that was listed on the sheet when they did the skin test, so I make sure to take my allergy pill everyday, and two shots every Saturday.

 

[lilipad]

Frequent and thorough hand washing. Hand sanitizer is not always enough.

 

[WedgieSock]

I wash my hands everytime I use the restroom... but I dont carry around wipes/hand sanitizer. Maybe I should I have a tendancy to touch my face rub my eyes... I know that doesnt help.


My friend says Im not use to the florida weather. I live in NJ.. and it was just as hot in NJ as it was down in FL. who knows.

Always wash your hands with soap & water - sanitizers get rid of less germs than ordinary water does and there are many germs they do not remove at all, like the norovirus.

To be honest, I think it might be allergies and drainage is causing the sore throat. Everyone in the south seems to suffer from allergies, especially when the ragweed blooms.

 

[LilyWDW]

I only ever have allergy issues when I am down there. We never get sick *knock on wood*. We wash our hands after going to the bathroom or before we eat. We don't wipe down everything in the room (I don't like the idea of bringing in extra chemicals that others may react to), we eat counter service, we touch handrails... we just simply don't freak out about it. I do carry hand sanitizer with me, but rarely use it. It's a "just in case" situation if I can't wash my hands for whatever reason (disgusting sink or if I forget before I eat).

 

[fitzperry]

A/C units in hotel and resort rooms are a prime source of mold due to the moisture they remove from the air. Most people have some sort of allergies, whether they are aware of them or not. Mold is one of the more "popular" ones. That's probably why the Benadril works. Claritin non-drowsy would be a good substitute for those that are not used to taking allergy meds. I'm allergic to everything that was listed on the sheet when they did the skin test, so I make sure to take my allergy pill everyday, and two shots every Saturday.

This is me (except I get 3 shots ) Mold is one of my worst allergens, and I used to come home with a sinus infection every time we went to Florida. Now I take my neti pot (be sure to use distilled water in light of the recent brain eating amoeba incidents ) and take plenty of Mucinex in addition to the usual antihistamines and nose spray. Seems to help keep the cooties at bay.

 

[Mamato3Princes]

Wash hands, wash hands, wash hands

Yeah, we obsessively wash our hands... after every time we use the bathroom, before and after eating, and all times in between. We spend a lot of time washing our hands ... and we're all sitting here with colds from our last trip. My sons got hand, foot and mouth disease after our May trip. And after our Feb trip we all came home with the flu. So washing hands isn't enough.

 

[lauritagoddess]

I wish I knew the answer to this one. We got home 9 days ago and I'm currently on antibiotics for the nasty upper respiratory infection that I have now. I started coughing the day before we came home and got progressively worse. I hand wash obsessively, use antibacterial hand gel when it's not available, but I always seem to get sick anyway.

 

[WedgieSock]

At the end of the day, you are going to a place full of thousands of people from around the world. This is why it is important to build our immunity - part of the reason why our younger generations gets sick at the drop of the hat is our obsession with not allowing them to come into contact with any germs therefore they cannot build immunity.

Wash your hands with soap & water, stay hydrated, top up on your Vit C, eat healthy and good luck!

 

[book_junkie]

I may sound paranoid, but I can get sinus infections like crazy, and my hubby has Crohn's so we can't take too many chances with his health (his immune system is toast with his treatments)...

We keep hands off the hand rails and chains in line, and wipe down tables in busy counter service. We stay hydrated and watch what we do, I have hand sanitizer everywhere we go. I take Benedryl and Sudafed with us so that if I start to feel icky I can start to treat. I also take extra vitamin C, and I take our own antibacterial hand soap and body soap for the room. As soon as we get back to the room no mater when, we wash at least hands and faces and arms, if not more. I also bundle our dirty clothes up in a trash bag in the closet once they're off, or wash them before we go home.

Never been sick (knock on wood) in our travels, Disney or otherwise.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I think I might try the Benadryl suggestion this next trip and see how it works. Thinking about it, I guess it makes sense...the Benadryl probably helps your sinuses drain so nothing can fester up there. Not so much of an issue for me, but almost every cold my husband gets ends up developing into a sinus infection. I tell him it's because he doesn't know how to blow his nose properly.

 

[rwdavis2]

From articles I've seen Airborne is useless. The hand-washing recommendations make sense as well as the Zycam. Drink water on the plane. Research has shown there are tons of germs on airplane surfaces so wiping those down may not be a bad idea either.

 

[LaurenT]

I actually believe in the old "dirt is good for you" philosophy.
I do wash my hands after the restroom and before eating, but that's about as far as it goes.
I don't sterilize my room (and I do use my dresser drawers). No wiping things down or carrying Lysol.
I really do believe that you have to allow your body some exposure to germs so that it can build up immunity - otherwise, it won't be able to fend things off when it comes in contact with them.
I also eat a lot of foods that are high in antioxidants and take supplements - and I exercise every day.
My DD is in 4th grade now and has only stayed home sick once since nursery. I am rarely sick - maybe a cold once every two years or so (and we are not biologically related, so I think it's more our lifestyle than genetics...)

 

[LisaTC]

At the end of the day, you are going to a place full of thousands of people from around the world. This is why it is important to build our immunity - part of the reason why our younger generations gets sick at the drop of the hat is our obsession with not allowing them to come into contact with any germs therefore they cannot build immunity.

Wash your hands with soap & water, stay hydrated, top up on your Vit C, eat healthy and good luck!

I'd rather agree with this. I've work in both bacteriology and virology labs and pharmacy. I know that dilution is key - lots of water, in your body and on your body (hands)! Washing your hands with copious amounts of water, even if you have no soap is exponentially more effective than squirting on a bit of Germex. I use it in a pinch. In the labs we don't even use antibacterial soap. That said, it is good when you need to use it.

I try to fill us up with lots of hearty fruits and veggies and grains and good food prior to vacation because you tend to eat less well on vacation and in a hurry and often forget to drink. My Ear, Nose, Throat Specialist suggests Zyrtec when travelling because you never know what allergens you'll come upon (doesn't make you drowsy) and using Neosynephrine on the plane. I also use the lesser version of Sudafed. (I have mild Meniere's) If you can keep your sinuses flowing and not drying out that is key.

I have to make my DD drink. You can dilute a lot of things out of your system with plain old water. You can actually temporarily sterilize your bladder by drinking a quart of water down to ameliorate the symptoms until you can get some antibacterials. I know....TMI!

 

[Figment43]

Zycam.

Also HAND WASHING. Hand sanitizers might kill the germs on your hands but, dead germs can get you sick just as well. I am not a germaphobe but, with so many people with disregard for their health, I take a small bottle of Lysol, spray the room a bit. Using anti-bacterial wipes, I'll clean the surfaces in the room and the remote control for the tv.

This!!! It's impossible to avoid everything that could make you sick, but hand washing goes a long way in preventing illness! And I love the Zicam cherry flavored chewables.

 

[RMulieri]

First, travelling puts stress on the body, lowering immunity( whether you are excited or not), you are exposed to lots of germs everywhere .I stick with handwashing and using the neti pot to wash my sinuses..Works like a charm.I never get sick on trips anymore