Sympathetic response to another's cold/flu infection?

Dinomania

Dinomania

Dinomania

Soldato
Joined
21 Apr 2003
Posts
4,328
I'm trying to find something online to read about, but can't work out what search terms to use.

So, I live with my boyfriend, and he's in the middle of a stonking cold - started with a sore throat, a cough, etc. - he's now suffering the snots and general malaise but getting better - the usual.

I have started getting the snots and sneezes and occasional blocked nose. No sore throat, no feeling rubbish - just snots & sneezes.

Is this an immune response? Am I sympathetically getting the symptoms? Or has my body picked up that there's something in the air so is pre-emptively trying to keep it out of my passages so I don't get infected?

I'm not trying for medical advice, I'm just curious. Mainly I'm hoping I'll get away with not getting the full-blown thing he has!
 
I doubt your body would be sympathetic, it would appear that you have caught it but are only showing some of the symptoms, potentially your immune system is stronger than his.

Having said that, Man flu is quite a serious affliction so he will need constant 24/7 care, the female variant is weak in comparison :D
 
Simples, something in the air, you catch it and your boyfriend may have helped it along. As mentioned your affliction will never be as great as that of your partners so make sure you take care of him. :D
 
Sp00n said:
I doubt your body would be sympathetic, it would appear that you have caught it but are only showing some of the symptoms, potentially your immune system is stronger than his.

Having said that, Man flu is quite a serious affliction so he will need constant 24/7 care, the female variant is weak in comparison :D
Click to expand...

Exactly. As men are generally fitter, stronger, more intelligent and more active than women when the flu takes away those attributes we notice it more than women ergo flu is worse for a man.
 
sara said:
Hahaha, bless, thread has been turned into macho-solidarity for the bloke :D
Click to expand...

lol

Well just recovered from flu which I got new years eve, and today is the first day I’ve got to work, and been out of bed for more then 4 hours straight.

Started with a massive headache, then chills and sore throat, sleeping for 20 hours at a time when I finally broke the fever and had to change my clothes as the sweat was so bad…. I concur, man flu is BAD.!! Lol

Wouldn’t have minded some TLC, but I manned up and erm… Went to sleep – a lot. Lol

Anyhow, sure you’ve not got what he has? I think he’ll be contagious for 1 day before his symptoms manifest and 5 – 10 days whilst his symptoms last.
 
You've caught his cold, but are experiencing a less dramatic immune response.

Either that, or you've caught a different cold altogether.
 
165328_568864391865_282400400_3731842_8312747_n.jpg


You need to get him some of this!!
 
I caught the bug off a colleague at work. While his lasted longer (2 weeks), mine was shorter (1 week) but sharper and included headaches. It wrote off the start of Christmas but I was good and largin' it for NYE. So yeah, the bug does pass around but it manifests in various ways.
 
colds and flus have different symptoms in MOST situations.

You have his cold as others have said, you are at a different stage of it. Your body may recognise the virus as something its had before and therefore its much quicker to respond, or you might just be in the first day or two and will actually be much worse overall, who knows.

Different people tend to get different symptoms with the same virus though, some people tend to get more blocked up and others get a worse sore throat, thats life, we're all a little different.

Other things can effect differences with the same virus. Stressed at work, over money, depressed and coming off the back of another cold with your immune system supressed tired and having not eaten well and a new bug could wipe you out. While the same person getting the same virus off the back of excellent health, stress free job, several years at the gym in great health, eating great might barely notice the cold.
 
A winter virus passed through our house. As usual mine took the longest to get over and had the worst symptoms but I have a suppressed immune system.

It barley slowed the wife down yet took its toll on our son who does have a strong immune system.

Everybody is different but to sum it up: You've got his germs...
 
sara said:
I'm trying to find something online to read about, but can't work out what search terms to use.

So, I live with my boyfriend, and he's in the middle of a stonking cold - started with a sore throat, a cough, etc. - he's now suffering the snots and general malaise but getting better - the usual.

I have started getting the snots and sneezes and occasional blocked nose. No sore throat, no feeling rubbish - just snots & sneezes.

Is this an immune response? Am I sympathetically getting the symptoms? Or has my body picked up that there's something in the air so is pre-emptively trying to keep it out of my passages so I don't get infected?

I'm not trying for medical advice, I'm just curious. Mainly I'm hoping I'll get away with not getting the full-blown thing he has!
Click to expand...



Individuals respond differently to virus' or infections that's all. You probably contracted the 'flu and simply have slightly different symptoms due to biological/chemical differences in your body.

Pre-empting it at this stage is pointless as the infection would be present 24-48 hours prior to onset of the first symptoms
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom