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Original poster

Does this sound like the flu?

42 replies

Lozenges · 20/12/2025 17:06

Yesterday evening I started feeling ‘off’ - achy limbs, fatigue and couldn’t get warm, chills etc. I just thought I’d sit with it and see how it progressed. I ate my tea and just lay down on the sofa all evening.
I woke in the night feeling really really cold again, shivering. I had a hot water horror in my bed and my DP in there too. So another persons body heat. I took my temperature using an oral thermometer- it said 36.1 (I do have a low body temp). So it wasn’t anywhere near a fever, I did it three times and the same result.
I went back to bed and went back to sleep.
This morning I had breakfast (kind of low appetite but forced down something) , dropped my DS at his swimming lesson in the car then went for a short walk to get some air.
Still felt a bit achy in my knees etc but not too bad but getting these waves of fatigue on and off.

Now this evening the feeling of cold/chills and aching has come back. I keep sneezing and have a tickle/dry throat and keep needing to cough.

And then this extreme fatigue, falling asleep on the sofa which is unlike me.

I’m so paranoid about this super flu!

OP posts:
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Original poster
Lozenges · 21/12/2025 07:58

I feel basically fine this morning - how bizarre.
Don’t want to speak too soon and I do feel tired but the aches and chills have disappeared? whatever it was was extremely strange!

OP posts:
MyQuirkyFinch · 20/12/2025 18:57

I’ve had a very similar thing these last couple days.

i don’t think it’s odd I often get something like this at this time of year. It’s almost like a cold that never quite develops from the initial aches and shivers. I’ve always assumed it’s just my immune system fending it off.

Cant see why you won’t be fine for Christmas Day

DedododoDedadada · 20/12/2025 18:55

If people couldn't leave the house if they had the flu it wouldn't spread so much but people believe the old wives takes and think it can't be the flu so go out and spread it around.

Original poster
Lozenges · 20/12/2025 18:47

The aches aren’t as bad but assuming that’s the paracetamol,

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Original poster
Lozenges · 20/12/2025 18:45

@vanillalattes You’re probably right, I will cancel.
I feel sad because my parents spent last Christmas alone and this year they’ve bed. So excited to have their grandson (my DS) there with them. I know there are other years, but he’s not getting any younger and the older he gets, the magic won’t be the same.
They’ve bought lots of nice food and games for us to play. They don’t live round the corner either, a few hours drive away so not as though we can just pop in.
It’s really disappointing.
I feel okay at the moment, just sneezing on and off and feeling tired. I have taken paracetamol.

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UnhappyHobbit · 20/12/2025 18:40

This is how it started for me last Friday. The flu kicked in nicely around Tuesday and I’m still coughing. No runny nose, I never get chest issues but this was something else. Very painful! Stock up on paracetamol and ibuprofen and try to relax.

TidyCyan · 20/12/2025 18:36

OttersMayHaveShifted · 20/12/2025 18:31

Why do people keep trotting out this 'if it's flu you wouldn't be able to get out of bed' nonsense? Like with covid, some people get really seriously ill with flu and some people don't.

It's because many people claim to have "flu" when they have a bad cold. The fatigue is the difference, usually. And speed of onset.

OttersMayHaveShifted · 20/12/2025 18:31

Why do people keep trotting out this 'if it's flu you wouldn't be able to get out of bed' nonsense? Like with covid, some people get really seriously ill with flu and some people don't.

vanillalattes · 20/12/2025 18:27

Lozenges · 20/12/2025 18:19

@vanillalattes Why not? I’m thinking if it’s not flu and it’s just a cold/other virus,

I’ve still got a few days to get over it. Just don’t want to let me 7 year old son down.

Because nobody else wants your cold Confused don't be selfish!

Original poster
Lozenges · 20/12/2025 18:19

@vanillalattes Why not? I’m thinking if it’s not flu and it’s just a cold/other virus,

I’ve still got a few days to get over it. Just don’t want to let me 7 year old son down.

OP posts:
vanillalattes · 20/12/2025 18:02

Lozenges · 20/12/2025 17:55

Would you still travel to see family?

Of course not.

AllPlayedOut · 20/12/2025 18:00

Spendthrifting · 20/12/2025 17:58

You definitely have some sort of bug, but with flu you really wouldn’t be able to leave the house- so I don’t think it’s flu.

Again that is a very tired old myth.

AllPlayedOut · 20/12/2025 18:00

You could have flu, yes. You won’t know for sure unless you test but it is possible. You do not have to be confined to bed and unable to raise an eyebrow in order for it to be flu. The severity of it varies from asymptomatic to mild all the way to severe enough to put people in hospital.

Spendthrifting · 20/12/2025 17:58

You definitely have some sort of bug, but with flu you really wouldn’t be able to leave the house- so I don’t think it’s flu.

AhBiscuits · 20/12/2025 17:57

I reckon you'll be OK in a couple of days.

Original poster
Lozenges · 20/12/2025 17:56

I have an ear ache and sore eyes too - weird

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Original poster
Lozenges · 20/12/2025 17:55

Would you still travel to see family?

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springintoaction2 · 20/12/2025 17:53

You have a cold - not flu.

Fingers crossed better for Christmas!

AhBiscuits · 20/12/2025 17:51

It's just a virus of some kind. I would say not flu

I know that there are different severities of flu, but when I got it I suddenly started shaking uncontrollably at my desk and my lips went blue. I somehow dragged myself home to bed and barely left it again for 4 days. I was sweating and shaking and then it turned into pleurisy. I couldn't walk up the stairs without sitting and gasping for breath afterwards. It was a month before I was fully recovered.

vanillalattes · 20/12/2025 17:48

Lozenges · 20/12/2025 17:41

@vanillalattes Oh I thought taking a lot of vitamin c might help or is that an old wives tale?

It can help prevent you from getting a cold but once you're already infected then it's not likely to make any difference.

Original poster
Lozenges · 20/12/2025 17:48

Weirdly I have no fever at all. It’s so odd. But the chills/aches only?

My DS and DP are fine.

OP posts:
Heathotstuff · 20/12/2025 17:47

I got this constant low grade fever and wipes out but no other flu symptoms

BeKhakiReader · 20/12/2025 17:46

If it really matters to you to know, you can get test strips for flu, like the Covid ones.

AllPlayedOut · 20/12/2025 17:45

Growlybear83 · 20/12/2025 17:27

You’ve clearly got a bug of some sort, but if you had caught flu, you wouldn’t have been able to get out of bed, let alone take your son swimming or go for a walk.

That is a myth. Flu can range from mild to severe and can also be asymptomatic.

ConnieHeart · 20/12/2025 17:43

Lozenges · 20/12/2025 17:41

@vanillalattes Oh I thought taking a lot of vitamin c might help or is that an old wives tale?

It won't help, in fact it could have side effects