Flu symptoms

It’s highly likely what you wrote is correct (the wind, you being sweaty...)

How can you actually diagnose the flu just by looking at a blood test?

Once the fever breaks, how much longer should someone stay quarantined at home? I mean, are we allowed to get some fresh air, or should we be avoiding crowds entirely?...

So, how does one actually tackle the recovery phase? I’m talking about that frustrating window where the fever finally breaks, but you’re left with this absolutely soul-crushing, exhausting cough. And don't even get me started on the fatigue—I managed a mere fifteen-minute walk the other day, and honestly, I felt like I wouldn't be able to roll out of bed for the rest of the afternoon. Any advice on how to bounce back?

slystag4 said:So, how does one actually tackle the recovery phase? I’m talking about that frustrating window where the fever finally breaks, but you’re left with this absolutely soul-crushing, exhausting cough. And don't even get me started on the fatigue—I managed a mere fifteen-minute walk the other day, and honestly, I felt like I wouldn't be able to roll out of bed for the rest of the afternoon. Any advice on how to bounce back?

The aftermath of the flu can really drag on 😢
Based on what you’re describing, someone definitely needs to listen to your lungs with a stethoscope. Honestly, given how wiped out you feel, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get some blood work done too—it's not impossible that some complications from the flu have kicked in.
You seriously need to just stay in bed and rest through this.
I'd recommend hitting the Vitamin C hard with massive doses for at least 7 days, or even just a week if you aren't doing the heavy Vitamin C thing.😈

If it’s just that irritating, dry cough, taking a few capsules of Pholcodin a day usually does the trick (usually 3 or 4 is plenty)—just make sure you don't have any contraindications for it.
Some nutritional supplements could also really help get your strength back, stuff like FortiFit, Ensure Plus Advance, and things along those lines.

I probably shouldn't be touching any of this, honestly. I'm pregnant and due in about a month—though, if my doctor's math is right, I'm actually hitting my deadline in two weeks—so I really need to regain some strength, otherwise, I don't know how I'm going to manage.

My husband has been dealing with this flu for seven days now, just like me, and his lungs are really giving him a hard time. They listened to them, and they seemed fine, but he’s heading back to the doctor tomorrow. I have to get blood work done myself, but man, this illness is seriously brutal.

Given how much we've already spent on fever reducers, I suppose I'll go ahead and buy what you're suggesting. It's not like I have much choice, I guess; he needs to get back to work soon, and right now, even walking around is exhausting him more than climbing Mount Everest.

Since you're dealing with a pregnancy, you really ought to check in with your actual OB-GYN before picking anything up, because even if it probably won't cause any trouble, better safe than sorry, right? 👍

Thanks much🙂

I’m positive this flu strain has mutated or something... I’ve dealt with the flu more times than I can count, but never like this, the symptoms are just straight-up horrific, fever, a pounding headache that won't quit, it hits your stomach hard too, making you feel constantly like you're gonna throw up, and the congestion is so relentless it feels like it's out to get me, plus there's this fever, but not the classic kind where you're shivering under the covers, it's more like if you uncover even an inch you're instantly freezing, then you cover back up and you're burning hot, there's no middle ground, it just flips from ice cold to boiling... and my heart's doing this weird little arrhythmia, just thumping like crazy,
my nose is running like there's no end in sight, usually things settle down after 24 hours but here I am on day three, it's basically like a faucet is turned on in my sinuses.....
I've been slamming orange juice and lemons, drinking tea, taking Aspirin and Kafetin.... but nothing is touching it 😢

The flu virus really loves to show up wearing all sorts of different disguises.

And honestly, this year? It’s being a total beast.

I've seen people dealing with some pretty intense leukemoid reactions, where they're running fevers north of 104 degrees F.🕺>

If you stay on top of it with some lemon and Vitamin C, you can usually knock it out in about seven days, but if you just let it ride without any help, you're looking at a full week of misery minimum.🧐>

I’ve been dealing with this fever since Stefan, and it’s been hanging on for about four or five days now, so I’ve already had to go in for blood work twice. My CRP was sitting at 160 the first time, but it finally dipped down to 80, even though the normal range is supposed to be under 5, and one of my liver enzymes is looking a bit elevated too. I actually went to get imaging done on my lungs today because I can't stop this dry cough, and honestly, it feels like my lungs are about to burst out of my chest, especially since the coughing is so intense it actually makes my back ache. We still don't have a definitive answer on what's going on with me yet.

Does taking an Aspirin, say once a day, actually help as a preventative measure against the flu?

Patrick Young2 said:Does taking an Aspirin, say once a day, actually help as a preventative measure against the flu?

🤣
Oh, absolutely not. Look, Aspirin works by reducing the synthesis of inflammatory molecules in your body, which might make you feel a little better, but it honestly doesn't have any impact whatsoever on the actual flu virus itself (or really any other virus, for that matter).
If you're looking for something that actually provides a preventative effect, you should be talking about the flu vaccine.

So, I went through something a few weeks back that I’m not even sure was actually the flu. It felt like a brutal cold—sore throat, this intense runny nose, and I'm still coughing... but then there was this general exhaustion, muscle aches (my back was killing me and my legs felt heavy), and even some diarrhea. My fever didn't go much higher than 99.3, though. A ton of people around me were dealing with something similar lately.

Do you think it could be the flu, given that the fever wasn't that high?

The last time I had a nasty bout of the flu with a really high fever was about eight years ago—back when everyone was calling it that "swine flu" thing—and man, that one absolutely wrecked me. I was stuck in bed for a whole week.

What are the odds that after dealing with this recent mess, I'm basically immune to the flu for the rest of this season?

So, I went through something a few weeks ago, and honestly, I'm not even sure if it was actually the flu. I had all those intense cold symptoms—sore throat, really heavy nasal congestion, and I'm still coughing this up... but on top of that, I felt just totally wiped out. My muscles were aching, specifically my back, and my legs felt like lead. I even had diarrhea. The weird thing is, my fever only hit 37.4 at most. A ton of people around me were dealing with the exact same stuff lately.

Do you think it could be the flu, even if the temperature wasn't that high?

The last time I dealt with a brutal bout of the flu—the kind where you're running a massive fever—was about eight years ago. That was back when everyone was talking about that "swine flu" thing, and man, that one absolutely wrecked me. I was stuck in bed for a full week.

What are the odds that after getting hit with this recent bug, I'm basically immune to the flu for the rest of this season?

Jose Williams78 said:So, I went through something a few weeks ago, and honestly, I'm not even sure if it was actually the flu. I had all those intense cold symptoms—sore throat, really heavy nasal congestion, and I'm still coughing this up... but on top of that, I felt just totally wiped out. My muscles were aching, specifically my back, and my legs felt like lead. I even had diarrhea. The weird thing is, my fever only hit 37.4 at most. A ton of people around me were dealing with the exact same stuff lately.

Do you think it could be the flu, even if the temperature wasn't that high?

The last time I dealt with a brutal bout of the flu—the kind where you're running a massive fever—was about eight years ago. That was back when everyone was talking about that "swine flu" thing, and man, that one absolutely wrecked me. I was stuck in bed for a full week.

What are the odds that after getting hit with this recent bug, I'm basically immune to the flu for the rest of this season?

That wasn't the flu; it was just some virus. People nowadays call everything "the flu"—as soon as they cough once, they claim it. Especially in certain parts of the country where everyone thinks every little bug is some major illness.
So, you can't really use what someone calls "the flu" as a reliable metric anymore, because people label every common cold that way.

Megan Thomas5 said:That wasn't the flu; it was just some virus. People nowadays call everything "the flu"—as soon as they cough once, they claim it. Especially in certain parts of the country where everyone thinks every little bug is some major illness.
So, you can't really use what someone calls "the flu" as a reliable metric anymore, because people label every common cold that way.

It was definitely some kind of virus, though. I don't get symptoms like that from a basic cold.

But honestly, body temperature is such an individual thing. A certain temp doesn't mean the same level of sickness for everyone, and it changes as you age, too. Like, small kids usually have these massive spikes, whereas as we get older, the fluctuations aren't nearly as extreme.

A low-grade fever—you know, like being in the 98.something range—could actually be a sign of viral pneumonia. On the other hand, bacterial pneumonia tends to trigger those high fevers, similar to how the actual flu works since that's viral.
I remember once having bacterial pneumonia that wasn't even caught until I was in the hospital. At first, we all thought it was just the flu. Even two different doctors who examined me were convinced it was just a virus.

I'm curious what the experts think about this—how much does getting through a virus naturally actually boost our immunity, and for how long?

I read somewhere that recovering from the flu naturally gives you immunity for maybe seven years. Looking back at my own life, I think that might actually be true; I seem to hit those "real flu" cycles right on that timeline, even though I've never gotten vaccinated. As for regular colds, I usually just catch one or two a year, and they're usually pretty mild.

Could I get some expert advice here? (If anyone is available...)
I’ve been talking to doctors about this... and they aren't seeing any benefit in worrying. They basically just brushed me off, saying that since I have an egg allergy, it doesn't matter because the vaccines only contain such tiny amounts that it isn't a concern...
But, if you look at the instructions, it clearly states that an egg allergy is a contraindication... and personally, I’d rather trust the manufacturer on that one.

So, here is the situation: I have systemic lupus and antiphospholipid syndrome. For treatment, I take either hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine, Aspirin, and Lamictal (I went through encephalomyelitis, which was a total nightmare to diagnose... it ended with painful neuralgia, and without Lamictal, I simply can't function. I'm allergic to other medications for it, or they don't work, and besides, doctors actually lost consciousness when they saw my EEG results).
I also take Propranolol for tachycardia, and I have mild PMV.
(...I'm Jeremiah... dammit...)
Basically, it seems wise for me to get a flu shot... but the egg allergy is the sticking point.

I managed to find out that there is a vaccine that contains absolutely no egg ingredients—Flublok—but I haven't been able to figure out how I would actually go about getting it... (The answer is always the same: "It doesn't matter that you're allergic, because there's just a tiny amount of blah blah blah in the vaccine...")
If other high-risk groups can get vaccinated for free, is there even an option like that for those of us with egg allergies here in the States?!

From what I can see, Flublok hasn't been approved in the EU yet, and I haven't found any info on whether there is any other approved egg-free flu vaccine available in the EU.

And given how people here make such a fuss over things that aren't even registered yet—often still in clinical trials—claiming that Medicare won't approve them, I wonder what the deal is with this one?

Honestly, I also wonder if it isn't a disgrace that people with systemic lupus have to pay for their own medication. Most of us take this specific drug; it's the primary one prescribed, and most of us take it permanently... for years... for life... because it isn't even on the coverage list!!! (The response from Medicare is that there is another antimalarial on the list... but that one causes much more vision damage, so many of us can't take it. We have no choice but to buy Quensyl/Plaquenil ourselves...). Isn't that shameful?!

Megan Thomas5 said:That wasn't the flu; it was just some virus. People nowadays call everything "the flu"—as soon as they cough once, they claim it. Especially in certain parts of the country where everyone thinks every little bug is some major illness.
So, you can't really use what someone calls "the flu" as a reliable metric anymore, because people label every common cold that way.

Fever basically means anything involving an elevated temperature (fever!!), which I guess explains why it's such a common thing to hear people claiming they have a fever in certain parts of the country. But look, the flu is the flu. There is a distinct difference, and we should probably acknowledge that.

Don't mention it.

Nicholas Davis4 said:Could I get some expert advice here? (If anyone is available...)
I’ve been talking to doctors about this... and they aren't seeing any benefit in worrying. They basically just brushed me off, saying that since I have an egg allergy, it doesn't matter because the vaccines only contain such tiny amounts that it isn't a concern...
But, if you look at the instructions, it clearly states that an egg allergy is a contraindication... and personally, I’d rather trust the manufacturer on that one.

So, here is the situation: I have systemic lupus and antiphospholipid syndrome. For treatment, I take either hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine, Aspirin, and Lamictal (I went through encephalomyelitis, which was a total nightmare to diagnose... it ended with painful neuralgia, and without Lamictal, I simply can't function. I'm allergic to other medications for it, or they don't work, and besides, doctors actually lost consciousness when they saw my EEG results).
I also take Propranolol for tachycardia, and I have mild PMV.
(...I'm Jeremiah... dammit...)
Basically, it seems wise for me to get a flu shot... but the egg allergy is the sticking point.

I managed to find out that there is a vaccine that contains absolutely no egg ingredients—Flublok—but I haven't been able to figure out how I would actually go about getting it... (The answer is always the same: "It doesn't matter that you're allergic, because there's just a tiny amount of blah blah blah in the vaccine...")
If other high-risk groups can get vaccinated for free, is there even an option like that for those of us with egg allergies here in the States?!

From what I can see, Flublok hasn't been approved in the EU yet, and I haven't found any info on whether there is any other approved egg-free flu vaccine available in the EU.

And given how people here make such a fuss over things that aren't even registered yet—often still in clinical trials—claiming that Medicare won't approve them, I wonder what the deal is with this one?

Honestly, I also wonder if it isn't a disgrace that people with systemic lupus have to pay for their own medication. Most of us take this specific drug; it's the primary one prescribed, and most of us take it permanently... for years... for life... because it isn't even on the coverage list!!! (The response from Medicare is that there is another antimalarial on the list... but that one causes much more vision damage, so many of us can't take it. We have no choice but to buy Quensyl/Plaquenil ourselves...). Isn't that shameful?!

At the Health Institute, they actually asked me if I had any egg allergies or other issues before the shot.

If I were you, I’d call the Health Institute or just show up with your test results to hash this out in person.

It's not crowded, and they're open until 3:30 PM.

mellowharbor15 said:At the Health Institute, they actually asked me if I had any egg allergies or other issues before the shot.

If I were you, I’d call the Health Institute or just show up with your test results to hash this out in person.

It's not crowded, and they're open until 3:30 PM.

Yeah, they ask about allergies because being allergic to any ingredient in a vaccine—just like with any other medication—is a contraindication.

Talking to them is one thing, but getting an official answer is another. They start off being very understanding, but then it becomes polite yet totally useless. You end up in this loop where they say, "Give us a call back," but you already did, or "Talk to your doctor," and you already have... it's a closed circle.

That's why I'm wondering: has anyone in America who is allergic to eggs successfully taken a vaccine that doesn't contain egg ingredients? How did they manage to navigate that process?