Flu symptoms

fadedhound69 said:I mean, who knows if it's actually passing😕 . Either way, I didn't hit up the doctor today, so I'll just see how things play out until Monday. If I'm still sitting here with a 100.4 fever, I'm pretty sure I'll need those antibiotics. Usually, they wait about three days before prescribing them, right?

Look, you only get antibiotics if a bacterial infection hitches a ride on top of a viral one—like if you're bedridden and end up developing pneumonia or something. But the flu? It's a VIRAL illness. Purely viral. You can't kill a virus with antibiotics. All you can do is manage the misery with antipyretics and pain relievers (stuff like DayQuil, Aspirin, Lupocet, or Maxflu) to deal with the symptoms, like the high fever, the headache, and the runny nose.

Walter Myers4 said:Look, you only get antibiotics if a bacterial infection hitches a ride on top of a viral one—like if you're bedridden and end up developing pneumonia or something. But the flu? It's a VIRAL illness. Purely viral. You can't kill a virus with antibiotics. All you can do is manage the misery with antipyretics and pain relievers (stuff like DayQuil, Aspirin, Lupocet, or Maxflu) to deal with the symptoms, like the high fever, the headache, and the runny nose.

Walter, I totally get that the flu is viral and antibiotics won't fix it. My point is, is it even normal to be running a fever for five whole days? I honestly can't tell if it's just a standard virus or if something more serious is going on. I remember last year when I went to the doctor after being sick for a few days, they told me that was the sign I needed antibiotics and exactly which day I should have started them.

fadedhound69 said:Walter, I totally get that the flu is viral and antibiotics won't fix it. My point is, is it even normal to be running a fever for five whole days? I honestly can't tell if it's just a standard virus or if something more serious is going on. I remember last year when I went to the doctor after being sick for a few days, they told me that was the sign I needed antibiotics and exactly which day I should have started them.

You aren't just going to go out and grab antibiotics on your own.
The way it works is, you'll know if it's bacterial if that mucus from your nose or the stuff you're coughing up stops being clear and turns yellow or green.
Anyway, the general rule is you head to the doctor if that fever doesn't break after three days.

Walter Myers4 said:You aren't just going to go out and grab antibiotics on your own.
The way it works is, you'll know if it's bacterial if that mucus from your nose or the stuff you're coughing up stops being clear and turns yellow or green.
Anyway, the general rule is you head to the doctor if that fever doesn't break after three days.

Finally! 🙂 That was my question! Basically, how many days do I have to wait around at the doctor's office before they actually hand over an antibiotic? 🙂

Walter Myers4 said:What happened to you? How did you even react? 😲

It all kicked off with an itch in my palms and soles that quickly spiraled out of control, spreading across my entire body. Before I knew it, my legs were blanketed in tiny bumps, while the rest of my skin was littered with red blotches. Then things got scary—my vision blurred, my hearing failed, and when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, my face was so swollen I was unrecognizable. I couldn't feel my nose at all, though thank God my tongue didn't swell enough to choke me. I barely managed to survive those two frantic minutes driving to the ER. What a nightmare.
To make matters worse, my doctor told me I’m not actually allergic to these specific medications, implying this could happen again with any other drug in the future. Isn't that just lovely? 👎

Absolutely terrifying, like something straight out of a horror movie.😲
I had a similar reaction to a medication once. It completely wrecked my nervous system—I was dealing with dizziness, hallucinations, and massive headaches. To make matters worse, the ER staff brushed it off, claiming it was just the flu and a high fever, telling me to just stick to tea. They eventually took me to the hospital, but I barely made it out okay.

Every single year, it’s some nasty little virus. It knocks you sideways for a few days, and just when you think you’re finally over the hump, it hits you again in a second wave. People are dragging through two-week recoveries, and honestly, the infection spreads just by looking at someone.

Joseph Sullivan5 said:Every single year, it’s some nasty little virus. It knocks you sideways for a few days, and just when you think you’re finally over the hump, it hits you again in a second wave. People are dragging through two-week recoveries, and honestly, the infection spreads just by looking at someone.

I went ahead and got vaccinated....
Everyone around me is getting sick, but my dad and I—since we both get our shots regularly—have managed to dodge it.
I guess I hope it stays that way.👍

Even they went ahead and got the shot, only to end up catching the flu right before I did.

The flu is finally gone, though I’m left feeling completely drained—that’s about it.

But this damn headache just won't quit.
My head is throbbing like nothing I've ever felt before.

Is it even possible for a sinus infection to hurt this much? I've never dealt with anything like this.

It might be my sinuses—during those high fever stretches (hitting 39-40), I was constantly pressing cold, damp cloths to my forehead, and I always sleep with the window wide open.

Honestly, even standard headache pills don't do much; they just leave me feeling slightly dazed and that's it.

And if it actually is my sinuses, do people usually take antibiotics for that or what?

Please, everyone, help me out—this has been going on for five days now, and I can't take it anymore.

By the way, I also recently quit smoking—could there be any connection there?

My head is absolutely killing me too, though I finally got some relief after taking some DayQuil.
It’s totally possible those are just sinus issues.
Try doing some steam inhalations and honestly, just wear a hat everywhere.😁

Terry Wilson2 said:The flu is finally gone, though I’m left feeling completely drained—that’s about it.

But this damn headache just won't quit.
My head is throbbing like nothing I've ever felt before.

Is it even possible for a sinus infection to hurt this much? I've never dealt with anything like this.

It might be my sinuses—during those high fever stretches (hitting 39-40), I was constantly pressing cold, damp cloths to my forehead, and I always sleep with the window wide open.

Honestly, even standard headache pills don't do much; they just leave me feeling slightly dazed and that's it.

And if it actually is my sinuses, do people usually take antibiotics for that or what?

Please, everyone, help me out—this has been going on for five days now, and I can't take it anymore.

By the way, I also recently quit smoking—could there be any connection there?

Those headaches are completely normal when you have sinus issues. Among other things, it's treated with antibiotics, of course...

I got the shot too, but ended up with a milder version of this. My fever hit 99.1°F, I laid low for about ten days, and honestly, I still don't feel right. 😕
I’ve been left with this lingering, borderline temperature—it happened once before, about a year ago. I just feel completely wiped out. My blood work came back fine, and the doctor listened to my lungs and said they sounded okay, then sent me off to get 👎
Now I'm just anxious that something else might decide to latch onto me. 😠

Well, it certainly took its toll on me—though it wasn't quite the worst thing ever... except for that very first day
Here is a little little "kitchen remedy" recipe for boosting immunity and fighting off those nasty flu bugs:

Pour some hot water over this: a spoonful of sesame seeds, a spoonful of flaxseeds, 2 crushed cloves of garlic (which, by the way, you shouldn't touch with metal 😬—instead, just mash them up with something wooden, or even use your fingernails if you have to!), a pinch of salt, and half a teaspoon of ginger. Let it steep for about 10 minutes or so. Once it cools down a bit, stir in a spoonful of honey. It’s absolutely wonderful! If you find the flavor a bit much, you can always add extra ginger... just keep in mind you'll probably sweat a lot more afterward...

As for headaches, you can try rubbing some Tiger Balm on your temples and between your eyebrows...

Does anyone happen to know if... Determining exactly how long someone remains a "carrier" for the flu is a bit like trying to pin down the exact moment a storm dissipates after it has already hit the coast; there is a window of peak intensity followed by a lingering, less predictable tail. Generally speaking, an adult becomes infectious about a day before they even realize they’re feeling under the weather, and they can continue to spread the virus for about five to seven days once those first symptoms actually take hold. It is a deceptive period because you might feel perfectly fine while still effectively passing the bug to everyone in your office or at the grocery store. For children, however, that window tends to stretch out longer, making them somewhat more persistent in their ability to pass the infection along to others.Someone once mentioned to me that a person is only contagious during the incubation period, and once the actual illness sets in, they aren't infectious anymore.

I read somewhere that it lasts about five days for kids, maybe longer.

To those of you who think you've finally moved past the flu—are you still dealing with a brutal cough or anything similar? This has been dragging on for quite a while now, and I'm starting to wonder if I should just head in and get a chest X-ray on my own initiative.
Is there any way to get one done in the city on the same day?

Is everyone back on their feet? Anyone else dealing with a persistent cough? I'm starting to worry it might be pneumonia—God forbid.😕

Man, this cough is absolutely wrecking me, but I thought I was finally back to my normal self yesterday (😬 ) only for it to come roaring back again.

If only I could finally get back to a normal life. 🙏
Every kind of virus seems to have a crush on me; they don't let go easily. 👎

Maria Gomez6 said:Is everyone back on their feet? Anyone else dealing with a persistent cough? I'm starting to worry it might be pneumonia—God forbid.😕

The cough is still hanging on for me, even though I supposedly "recovered" five or six days ago. It’s frustrating. And now, the person next to me is coughing just as hard after their bout with the flu finally passed. It feels like this stuff just lingers in the air, refusing to quit.