Strange flu or something else?

Hey everyone!

On Wednesday (Feb 11th), I woke up with a 103.3 fever and this damn cough.
My temperature keeps bouncing around, but the coughing just won't quit—if anything, it’s actually getting worse...

One day when I was feeling even slightly better, I went out for a walk with a buddy,
and now? I try to light up a cigarette and there is absolutely no way. It feels disgusting. My body is just rejecting it.
And look, I was smoking about two packs a day.
Could the cough be getting worse because I'm trying to quit??

What should I do??
The doctor prescribed some codeine syrup to help with the coughing, but it isn't doing squat.
My lungs and my chest are absolutely killing me, and honestly, my throat doesn't even hurt anymore because everything else is so bad...

Best,

It feels good to finally get out for a ride before this sickness fully clears my system. I’m thinking it might just be bronchitis...

Just brewed myself some Folgers.
+I’m hitting my body with about 3-4g of Vitamin C every single day (Emergen-C)

mistyseal11 said:I've been drinking juice every day.
+plus I take about 3-4g of Vitamin C daily (Emergen-C)

That doesn't change a thing. Look, vitamins can certainly support your system, but they aren't some magic cure-all for a serious issue. Honestly, you should be careful about overdoing it; you don't want to end up with hypervitaminosis—basically poisoning yourself with an overdose of certain vitamins from the ADEK group.

If I were in your shoes, I’d head back to my doctor...

It’s entirely plausible that we’re looking at pneumonia here. In those cases, you often see a temperature hovering right around 98.6 to 99.5 degrees—not necessarily hitting those high, alarming levels just yet.
We’ve seen plenty of patients come through our clinic with the exact symptoms you're describing, and more than a few times, the diagnosis turned out to be pneumonia.
My advice? Head back to the doctor.

On Wednesday, I was crushed by a 101°F fever, muscle aches, and a splitting headache. The ER staff at Mount Sinai told me it’s just the flu or some viral bug and insisted I don't need antibiotics.
I was fever-free for two days, but now it's back—slightly lower at 99.5°F, but I feel utterly exhausted.
How long does this typically last? I've never dealt with a virus that lasted longer than three days.

Joshua Collins55 said:On Wednesday, I got absolutely leveled by a 101 fever, along with some nasty muscle aches and a killer headache. When I swung by the ER at Mount Sinai, they told me it’s just the flu or some kind of virus and insisted I didn't need antibiotics.
I actually went two days without a fever, but now it's back—it's a bit lower, around 99.5, but I've felt incredibly weak this whole time.
I'm wondering how long these things usually drag on, because honestly, I've never had a bug last longer than three days before.

Given everything you're feeling, it really makes sense to check in with your primary doctor. They'll probably want to run some basic blood work or maybe even more specific diagnostic tests based on how you're presenting, just so they can decide on the best next steps. For now, just take it easy, eat plenty of good food, stay hydrated, and get some sleep. If things get significantly worse, remember that emergency services are still available 24/7 at the local hospital. 😉
By the way, a 99.5 fever is pretty borderline; it doesn't necessarily mean something major is going wrong. You didn't mention if you've been taking any Advil or anything else to bring the temperature down or help with the pain, or what doses you used and how much relief they actually gave you...

Someone sneezed in my elevator and now half the office is down with a fever between 99 and 102.
Headaches, sinus pressure...
It would be fine if my husband hadn't caught it too; he walked through the door and started sneezing like crazy.
Now we're just passing around thermometers, lemon water, tea, Advil, and throat lozenges.
Luckily, our dog hasn't caught anything.
But he won't go for walks by himself anymore.

I'm taking two Advil 500mg a day. My temperature usually drops to about 98.4 or 98.5 afterward, and thankfully, my muscles have finally stopped killing me—after 48 hours of pure agony in my head and quads. My blood work looks fine, except for an extremely high CRP at 27, when it really should be under 5. The doctor at Mayo Clinic told me these things typically last 7 to 10 days, but I'm getting concerned because my fever came back last night after being gone for almost two full days.
Plus this total lack of strength.

Based on what you're describing, it sounds like you've probably just picked up some kind of virus, or maybe even the actual flu. If it is the flu, you’d typically see a bunch of other people around you dealing with the exact same symptoms too, especially among those who haven't grabbed their seasonal shot. Taking some Advil should be perfectly fine to help manage everything you're feeling. As for that CRP reading—and I really do feel for you with how crappy you're feeling 😉—it isn't actually that high; it can get way, way higher with all sorts of other issues.
Just take it easy, eat plenty of food, keep the fluids coming (water, tea, whatever works), and get some sleep. Give it about ten days before you try to jump back into your normal routine. Of course, if things start looking worse, you know the drill—go ahead and check in with your doctor

My little one has been dealing with the exact same symptoms since Christmas: she ran a fever of 101.5 for three days straight. It would drop after some Advil, only to spike right back up six hours later. Add in the headaches, that nasty hacking cough, and her just being completely wiped out and refusing to eat... well, after three days, it turned into bronchitis, and we're still fighting an uphill battle to get her better.

So, if I can offer any advice, don't take these kinds of symptoms lightly and try to push through it at work or school. Complications can happen fast. They don't say you should ride out the flu (if that's what it is) for nothing.

Even though she wasn't officially diagnosed with the flu—just secondary viral bronchitis, since her CRP was under 6 and they didn't prescribe antibiotics—I’m fairly certain it was the flu.

The big question now is whether it’s the flu or maybe adenovirus, especially since the flu is incredibly contagious and neither my husband nor I have been "taken down" by it yet. Perhaps it’s just a matter of time. 🙄

frozenrider15 said:...Fever hit 101.5 for three days straight. It drops after some Advil, then spikes right back up six hours later. Headache, nasty cough, just totally wiped out, can't even stomach food...
Wondering if it's the flu or maybe an adenovirus since the flu is going around everywhere lately...

That’s a spot-on description of the symptoms. Headaches, high fever, coughing like crazy.
I had to take my little toddler out for a quick walk just to go potty.
But I ended up wrapping myself in a scarf like I was wearing a burqa because I felt so dizzy.