The "Almost" Flu

[catwoman]

Anybody else have this? It's like a flu bug that doesn't quite "get there". Here's what I mean: I woke up Wednesday morning and felt fine, but got to work and suddenly started feeling a little bad. My neck ached, and then my sinuses started feeling funky, then I started feeling like I was running a low fever, etc. I thought maybe it was bad allergies or stress, but it got worse as the day went on. By the end of the day, it didn't feel like a cold at all...it felt like the last time I got the flu, only about 1/16 as bad. I even had that "flu taste" in my mouth, and I was like, "This isn't a cold OR allergies." My fever never got above 99 degrees (my normal temp is 97.6 vs. the traditional 98.6 for most people). My chest got slightly congested, but never so bad that I worried. My sinuses got slightly screwed up, but again, not enough to worry me. I just felt flu-ish, but never so bad that I couldn't function. I mean, I was able to go to work and everything. It wasn't until I realized that other people I worked with had similar problems that I realized that "Hey, maybe this isn't allergies...maybe this IS the flu." I'm sure I got it from one guy, and that he gave it to another guy I work with, as well. Then, I think I gave it to my boss. It lasted about two days at its worst, but today I started feeling much better, even though I'm not quite back to normal.

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this?

It'd be great if this turned out to be my only bout of flu this winter since I don't normally get the flu but once every several years or so. I can only remember getting a really bad case of the flu when I was laid up with a high fever for 3-4 days twice in the past 15 years. And, no, I've never had a flu shot -- I can't because I'm allergic to eggs. So, people CAN avoid the flu without getting the flu shot. I just thought I'd add that.

 

[Stacy]

RE: The

an easy solution wouldve been to make an appt with your doc, most offices have tests for the flu that can be done kinda like a rapid strep test is done

 

[sblordita]

RE: The

I get this regularly, actually. When others around me become sick, I often only get "a little sick". I like to think that I take good enough care of myself that my immune system gets it before it kicks my butt. I just experienced it the last two days, actually. There is a nasty flu going around, and I hope that this is all I get of it. I'm better today, but just a bit tired. Hopefully that's what it is Unfortunately, there are several types of flu or cold, and there's no guarantee that something else won't getcha. But hopefully not .

Sara

 

[catwoman]

RE: The

I don't waste my money on needless doctor appointments. If I'm REALLY sick or have an infection, I'll go to a doctor, but not when I've got what appears to be viral. A doctor can't do anything for a virus except take $20 out of my checking account to tell me, "You've got a virus." He can't prescribe anything, because nothing cures a virus. It just has to play its course.

I was just curious as to whether anyone else is experiencing this "almost" flu...because if you aren't, it's coming soon to a town near you...and it's a really weird one. You need to eat something every 2-3 hours or you'll get the shakes and an uncomfortable tummy like your blood sugar is going haywire - I forgot to mention that earlier.

My office has also had this stomach bug going around (and, contrary to what many think, a stomach flu is not "technically" a flu...just a little trivia from a biochemist's daughter). At any rate, if you feel this coming on, you'll get a stomach ache that really really hurts. Just stay down!!! Most people say that as long as they stayed down, they didn't have any problems, but as soon as they got up, they got sick. REALLY sick!!! Just stay in bed and sleep it off! It goes away within 24 hours. Drink herbal peppermint tea with a little powdered ginger and sugar, and it will nip the nausea if you run into this bug. I had this one, too...and I drank my tea and stayed in bed, and I ended up not getting sick. Kids are having a harder time with this one than adults. Kids I know are getting viciously sick with this one, so if your kid complains of a tummy ache, pay close attention because you could be in for a bumpy 12 hours or so.

WASH YOUR HANDS! WASH YOUR HANDS! WASH YOUR HANDS! AND EAT YOUR FRUITS AND VEGGIES AND TAKE YOUR VITAMIN C.

 

[Miss Lee]

RE: The

You most likely did not have the flu. Infuenza is accompanied by sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, headache, muscle aches, and fever. The flu virus causes severe illness. The word "flu" has become a generic term to mean everything from a bad cold to vomiting and diarrhea. Believe me, if you had the flu you would not have been able to function at work.

Michele

 

[Miss Lee]

RE: The

While it is true that a doctor can't give you a pill to cure a virus, s/he can most certainly prescribe treatments/meds to control symptoms, which may be necessary for some people. Infants, children and adults with debilitating illness, diabetics, those who are immunosuppressed, etc, should call their doctor if they exhibit flu-like symptoms--that 20 bucks might just save your life!!

Michele

 

[CathydsRNA]

RE: The

Yes, it wasn't the flu. You likely had an irritation from an allergen or sometype of environmental irritant or were exposed to a low dose of a cold virus or some other virus that causes mild symptoms. For example, if you live in the mid-atlantic states, mold spores were recently at an incredibly high level and can cause the types of symptoms you experienced. Flu typically does not cause sinus problems or a runny nose. Any nose symptoms come later and are most often associated with a secondary bacterial infection.Flu casues a moderate sore throat, cough, lower repspiratory symptoms, fever and muscle aches. The kinetics of a flu infection are typically no symptoms the first day the virus is replicating and shedding in you. The next day virus shedding and replication starts to abate and is actually the day you start feeling sick. Within 12-24 hours after you start feeling sick the virus has pretty much stopped replicating and that is when and why flu prescription drugs stop working (they interfere with viral replication....if the virus has stopped replicating the drugs have nothing to work on and they don't work on symptoms...you can take over the counter for symptoms) The lingering cough, fever and aches are due to the damage the virus has already done via cytokine innduction etc. Yuur body is sort of like a war zone that the enemy has left but needs to be repaired. So if you had the flu, even a mild case the symptoms would not have disappeared so fast. Also you can check the cdc flu pages and see when the first cases are reported in your state. No activity in most states is indicated by the CDC surveillance program but a few states especially out on the west coast have seen sporadic cases to date. Glad you feel better.