I've got a cold...

[Rossyboy]

I've got a cold that I think I caught from my boss. We're currently having a "discussion" that as I'm a lot bigger than her and 6 years younger, it would take more of the cold virus (?) to make me ill than it would to make her as ill so technically, I'm sicker than she probably was. Is this correct?

[Oneeyedvic]

I don't know but you have far better conversations at your work place than I have here

[Scarlett]

Hmmm I don't think so! Surely, regardless of size, it is more to do with your immune system's efficiency? Not everyone's immune system works properly. Mine works TOO much and attacks healthy tissue, for example. Other people may have shot their immune system by taking anti-biotics or immunuzations in the past. If you have a big and healthy immune system, then you will probably get less ill than if you don't, regardless of your age and size!

[secretspirit]

She could argue that it's more diluted in your bigger body than her smaller one!

[MissCommando]

I'll back you up and say yeah so that you can have some time off work and stay at home watching Trisha and all the addictive daytime programmes!

[Rossyboy]

MissCommando (dare I ask..?), that sounds like an excellent idea!

[georgit79]

Umm, what?! I don't think it really matters how 'big' you are, as your immune system won't be much bigger than hers.

[Jodyc]

They say "the bigger they are the harder they fall". At the end of the day it comes down to immunity and if the virus has 'morphed' and changed it's method of attack. The same virus can affect different people in different ways depending of their general well-being.

[Fletcher]

How ill you are is completeley irrelevant of your size - its all to do with your immune status i.e if you're stressed it hits you harder as your immunocompromised. The degree of illness is all to do with the amount of virus in your body and how productive this virus is. In simple terms high infecting virus load = high new virus production = you feel like ****!

[Fletcher]

Also forgot to add that increasing age causes decreased immune surveillance and it could be that the strain of influenza you are infected with, your immune system may not have 'seen' before so takes longer to amount a response to fully clear it so thats why you appear sicker than your boss.