Flu symptoms

Karen Sanchez19 said:With the flu, a high fever—anything north of 102—NEVER lasts seven days straight unless there's a secondary infection setting in. Usually, it's just 2 or 3 days before the fever breaks and drops significantly.

I have never once sat with a 102+ fever for seven days straight.

Instead, look at me right now:

Everything aches, I feel completely drained, and even walking up a flight of stairs feels like a marathon, yet my temperature has hovered at a measly 99.5°F for two days. My nose and throat are perfectly clear, and there's no cough. Hmm...

The data shows that only about 50 percent of adults infected with the influenza virus actually run a fever higher than 100°F.

So, this whole theory that you "definitely" have the flu just because you're running a high fever? It’s complete nonsense... even if everyone seems to believe otherwise.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5197931/

Karen Sanchez19 said:With the flu, a high fever—anything north of 102—NEVER lasts seven days straight unless there's a secondary infection setting in. Usually, it's just 2 or 3 days before the fever breaks and drops significantly.

I have never once sat with a 102+ fever for seven days straight.

Instead, look at me right now:

Everything aches, I feel completely drained, and even walking up a flight of stairs feels like a marathon, yet my temperature has hovered at a measly 99.5°F for two days. My nose and throat are perfectly clear, and there's no cough. Hmm...

Perhaps this isn't the flu, but something else entirely.

I have a practical question regarding this year's flu season, and if there are any doctors out there, I would truly appreciate an answer. So, here is the situation: someone I know caught swine flu about ten days ago. They dealt with a fever exceeding 39°C for five days, along with a nasty cough, general malaise, and all that good stuff. She works at a school, which is likely where she picked up the virus, and she just headed back to work this week. The problem is, the flu is still ripping through her workplace... What I’m really wondering is, how long is that person actually contagious? I’ve been digging around online and found info suggesting it’s roughly 24 to 72 hours before symptoms start and up to five days after getting sick. However, seeing as she is constantly surrounded by newly infected people, is it possible she could still be acting as a carrier?...

Kyle Phillips8 said:I have a practical question regarding this year's flu season, and if there are any doctors out there, I would truly appreciate an answer. So, here is the situation: someone I know caught swine flu about ten days ago. They dealt with a fever exceeding 39°C for five days, along with a nasty cough, general malaise, and all that good stuff. She works at a school, which is likely where she picked up the virus, and she just headed back to work this week. The problem is, the flu is still ripping through her workplace... What I’m really wondering is, how long is that person actually contagious? I’ve been digging around online and found info suggesting it’s roughly 24 to 72 hours before symptoms start and up to five days after getting sick. However, seeing as she is constantly surrounded by newly infected people, is it possible she could still be acting as a carrier?...

The Health Institute actually has some information on this topic as well (sticking to local sources for a moment)

Meanwhile, the CDC states, "The typical incubation period for influenza is 1—4 days (average: 2 days). Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. Some people, especially young children and people with weakened immune systems, might be able to infect others for an even longer time."
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/acip/clinical.htm

Question:
When’s the absolute best time to get that flu shot—the one you grab at the pharmacy for like $8 or $9?

Every year, right around mid-November, I pick up the shot and head down to the local Health Institute to get poked. But then, by late February, the flu starts tearing through everything, and I start overthinking it. Am I getting vaccinated too early? Would it be smarter to just buy the shot in the middle of November, stash it in my fridge at home, and wait until the timing is actually perfect to get it jabbed? Just trying to figure out if I'm wasting time by being ahead of the curve before the season actually hits.

Since the first flu cases usually start popping up around December ( [Graph 4]), and you need about two weeks after the shot for antibodies to actually kick in, I guess mid-November is probably the right time to get vaccinated.

Edward Wells5 said:Question:
When’s the absolute best time to get that flu shot—the one you grab at the pharmacy for like $8 or $9?

Every year, right around mid-November, I pick up the shot and head down to the local Health Institute to get poked. But then, by late February, the flu starts tearing through everything, and I start overthinking it. Am I getting vaccinated too early? Would it be smarter to just buy the shot in the middle of November, stash it in my fridge at home, and wait until the timing is actually perfect to get it jabbed? Just trying to figure out if I'm wasting time by being ahead of the curve before the season actually hits.

Yeah, that’s the right window—your immune response isn't going to just fade away after a few months.

Alright folks, thanks for all the input. I’m gonna stick to the old, tried-and-true vaccination schedule

So, what’s the deal with this year's flu and cold season? I’ve been coughing for two weeks straight, my throat is killing me... and every time I cough, I get this sharp pain in my chest, same thing happens if I take a deep breath. Just constantly blowing my nose... I had a mild fever for a few days at first, but for this to be dragging on this long feels a little weird... looking at my blood work, the only thing out of whack is my monocytes, but even then, not by much... if there was some major infection, my white cell count and CRP would be through the roof too. Anyway, just some bizarre flu or whatever... and apparently, other people are dealing with similar stuff lately... I tested negative for COVID, but still, this specific strain feels off this year... I expected my blood work to go haywire, but nothing crazy, so why the chest pains when I'm coughing or breathing hard? Like, even just walking fast or doing chores around the house...

Has anyone else dealt with symptoms like this only for it to turn out being a standard case of the flu?

Is it normal to run a fever for the entire 7-10 day duration that a typical bout of the flu lasts?

I had temperatures ranging from 101.5 to 102.2°F for the first three days. Today, on the fourth day, I woke up without a fever, only to have it climb to 100°F during the day, and now it has reached 100.4°F again. Should I be concerned, or is this just the standard progression of the flu?

The muscle aches have subsided, but the fatigue and exhaustion are still very much present. My eyes feel like they are burning, I have a headache, a runny nose, and a persistent cough. I must admit, a severe case of COVID-19 that lasted nearly a month was actually easier to handle than this miserable flu. I have a feeling I will be dealing with the aftereffects of this infection for quite some time. It is truly exhausting. I feel like a wilted flower...

wanderingbadger0 said:Is it normal to run a fever for the entire 7-10 day duration that a typical bout of the flu lasts?

I had temperatures ranging from 101.5 to 102.2°F for the first three days. Today, on the fourth day, I woke up without a fever, only to have it climb to 100°F during the day, and now it has reached 100.4°F again. Should I be concerned, or is this just the standard progression of the flu?

The muscle aches have subsided, but the fatigue and exhaustion are still very much present. My eyes feel like they are burning, I have a headache, a runny nose, and a persistent cough. I must admit, a severe case of COVID-19 that lasted nearly a month was actually easier to handle than this miserable flu. I have a feeling I will be dealing with the aftereffects of this infection for quite some time. It is truly exhausting. I feel like a wilted flower...

Everything is fine—as long as you aren't struggling to breathe or feeling short of breath. It’s expected that a fever lasts longer with the flu than it does with a standard cold.
Ugh, the flu is the flu—it’s definitely not just your run-of-the-mill cold. It's a much heavier illness, and that fever can really hang around for quite a while. Honestly, that's exactly why health experts recommend vaccination for those in high-risk groups.

Bryan Barnes2 said:Everything is fine—as long as you aren't struggling to breathe or feeling short of breath. It’s expected that a fever lasts longer with the flu than it does with a standard cold.
Ugh, the flu is the flu—it’s definitely not just your run-of-the-mill cold. It's a much heavier illness, and that fever can really hang around for quite a while. Honestly, that's exactly why health experts recommend vaccination for those in high-risk groups.

Thank you for the response, though I must admit I am feeling quite anxious now. Today marks the fifth day since infection, and my temperature has risen again to 38.3°C.

The coughing has become more intense than before, and I feel suffocated if I don't cough deeply enough. My voice is hoarse, speaking is difficult, and my chest hurts because I am straining so hard while coughing. I am worried that it might have progressed to pneumonia. 🙂

I am not sure what the best course of action is. Should I head to the Emergency Room, or should I wait until Monday to see my primary care physician?

wanderingbadger0 said:Thank you for the response, though I must admit I am feeling quite anxious now. Today marks the fifth day since infection, and my temperature has risen again to 38.3°C.

The coughing has become more intense than before, and I feel suffocated if I don't cough deeply enough. My voice is hoarse, speaking is difficult, and my chest hurts because I am straining so hard while coughing. I am worried that it might have progressed to pneumonia. 🙂

I am not sure what the best course of action is. Should I head to the Emergency Room, or should I wait until Monday to see my primary care physician?

I'm in the exact same boat. Literally everything you described is happening to me too. How are you holding up after a few days?

restlessseal58 said:I'm in the exact same boat. Literally everything you described is happening to me too. How are you holding up after a few days?

It’s identical for me too. Last Tuesday, I hit a fever of about 100.4 for three days straight. Then one day, the fever broke and I actually thought I was over it. Nope. It came right back for another couple of days at 100.4. Now I'm hovering around 98.6, but the second I hit 99.5, I grab some Lupacet because I can't take it anymore—the exhaustion is brutal. As for symptoms: stuffed nose, ear pressure, coughing, and fatigue unlike anything I've ever felt (COVID was a breeze compared to this). Went to get my lungs checked out and they're fine, but my blood work is a mess—CRP is at 44. My doctor didn't even prescribe anything. Honestly, the insomnia is killing me; I just can't rest. Keep me posted on how you guys are doing. This is dragging on way too long and it's pure misery.

restlessseal58 said:I'm in the exact same boat. Literally everything you described is happening to me too. How are you holding up after a few days?

Well, I am feeling much better than yesterday. It seems like things only really started looking up on day eight. Today is day nine, and while I am still coughing, it is significantly less intense than it was just three days ago. My temperature has finally stabilized, and I can breathe normally without having to cough my lungs out every half hour...

It will pass. The key is simply to rest as much as possible, load up on vitamins and fluids, and stick to light meals. I made the mistake of trying to push myself too hard because I wanted to feel better immediately. Every time I tried to get up and be productive, I felt worse and my fever would spike. The most important thing is to remain still and get quality sleep while your immune system does its work...

This flu is truly relentless. I don't think I've dealt with anything quite this heavy since I was a child, so it has certainly put me through the wringer...

Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better 🙂

My fever finally broke, and I’m managing to keep things under control somehow. The biggest issue right now is this cough and a throat so irritated that I can barely speak without feeling like I'm choking. 😵

Rest is key, yeah, I agree there. You can't speed up the process; all you can do is try not to make it much worse.
It’s only day three for me, but I'm guessing it should wrap up by the end of the week. This is some nasty strain of the flu, and I've never dealt with anything quite like this before.

restlessseal58 said:Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better 🙂

My fever finally broke, and I’m managing to keep things under control somehow. The biggest issue right now is this cough and a throat so irritated that I can barely speak without feeling like I'm choking. 😵

Rest is key, yeah, I agree there. You can't speed up the process; all you can do is try not to make it much worse.
It’s only day three for me, but I'm guessing it should wrap up by the end of the week. This is some nasty strain of the flu, and I've never dealt with anything quite like this before.

Hey, does anyone know if having diarrhea on the fourth day of the flu is normal? Has anyone else dealt with this? It's really worrying me and honestly just making everything so much harder.

Brenda Martin8 said:Hey, does anyone know if having diarrhea on the fourth day of the flu is normal? Has anyone else dealt with this? It's really worrying me and honestly just making everything so much harder.

It can happen—honestly, it’s more common in kids, but adults definitely deal with it too.

Hey everyone, what kind of temperatures have you guys been hitting?
Something strange wiped both me and my kid out about three weeks ago.
He started off with a heavy cough, a runny nose, and a fever hovering between 99.5 and 101.3.
That lasted for two days, but the third day was the worst—he actually started vomiting.
Thankfully, by the next day, he was practically back to his old self.
Then it hit me: a nasty cough, a fever reaching 100, a stuffy nose, muscle aches, and some pretty brutal nausea.
After seven days, I felt like I was spiraling downward. My fever just wouldn't budge, so I went to see my doctor, who prescribed antibiotics because my sinuses had flared up.
It took me about two and a half weeks to finally feel human again. Honestly, it drained me even more than when I had COVID-19.
I’m starting to wonder if it wasn't actually the flu since the fever stayed relatively low, but it's suspicious—I've never dealt with a cold quite like this before.

COVID-19 hasn't actually gone away; I guess the reports on Twitter just happen once a week now. Even the number of people being admitted to hospitals seems a bit higher lately. So, maybe it really is COVID, and perhaps some bacterial infection just tagged along with it. In Austria, they're seeing about 4,000 cases a day, which honestly isn't a small number at all.