I’m about to be taken down by the flu…

Good luck @Feelinfluey ! My DH came home from work with this on Friday, he slept for 48 hours. (Important to note he’s’s not the typical MN dressing gown of doom husband ™️ ) then only spetnt 36 hours/day sleeping for the last two. He’s back at work today and so far so good.

Yesterday I started feeling wonky so cancelled one appt…woke up fine today so fingers are crossed I avoided it, but last time I was a week behind him so not out of the woods yet.

Sleep!

Vit C 1g with Zinc 3 x a day
An immune system booster like Echinacea or Olive Leaf Extract.
Lots of fluids
Anti inflammatories
And Rest.
TV for DC
💐

My jab was £8 from Morrisons with More Card discount.

How you doing OP?? Mine hit but I’m not half as bad as some of you have been, today was the headache, buzzing ears and I’m sneezing and coughing lots and the sore throat is coming back this evening.

Iv had a bad cold - potentially flu hampered by me having the flu jab. Day 3. With you in spirit op.

Apparently vicks rubbed on the feet helps?

Vit C, lemsips, hot baths, the usual.

A reminder to have the flu jab early this year!

Hope you're ok xxx

How are you feeling OP? I've got my fingers crossed for you that it doesn't come to anything. My youngest had it before Christmas and shared my bed through the worst of it. I feel like I've been on the verge of coming down with something ever since, but it hasn't come to anything worth staying in bed for yet!

Don't bother with a ton of vitamins, they've been proven not to help of any real amount once you've got the lurgy and high doses of some, like vitamin C can give you the squits, which I presume is the last thing you'd want on top of everything else!

Instead, cough sweets to keep throat less irritated and help with coughing/sore throat, lots of sips of fluids does same thing too. nice easy meals, lots of hot and cold drinks, paracetamol and ibuprofen can lower your temperature and help with the flu aches and pains. If you didn't already know, can alternate between the two, every 2 hours to help you try and get comfortable. (so para's at 12pm, ibup at 2pm, para's at 4pm etc) Don't forget things like lemsip already have paracetamol in them, if not teaching you how to suck eggs!

Good luck OP, hope it turns out to be ok.......

Oh, and I forgot about SOUP.
buy as many tins as you can carry, you'll be too poorly to make your own.

I’m now wondering whether that’s what DD1 (16) had last term. She went down with a bad cold for a couple of days then developed a bad cough, which still hasn’t completely disappeared (though she’s perfectly fine in herself).

...masses of fluids, of course. Alternate paracetomol and ibuprofen every 4hrs.
So: buy plenty of unwaxed lemons to steep in jugs of boiling water with honey to your taste. Have jugs of this on hand day and night.
Get loads of baking potatoes & butter/tuna/baked beans/grated cheese/pesto, etc. So you can microwave a potato & fling some-filling-or-other into it to feed your DC. Or readymeals/microwavable meals.
Or microwaved porridge in vast quantities eaten with honey and milk or cream or jam or whatever you fancy.
Good luck. I'm old, so I don't go in for readymeals (in the ened they all tasted the same to me). But, with a microwave and some potatoes & pasta, you've got your own readymeals right there. Just add cheese or tuna or pesto.

Don't stress on catering, just focus on rest and recuperation.
Oh, and also look up those mouthwashes with PVP-1 properties (one e.g. I can remember is Plax - but there are plenty more) and gargle morn&night.
Good luck.

We have been floored by the virus/flu type thing here and DH has said the boots max strength cold and flu have really helped. The start of 2026 has been grim.

If you have to go to the supermarket, wear a tight-fitting mask.

Ready meals
Every type of drink you might ever fancy
Ice lollies
Beechams cold and flu
Extra soft tissues
Snacks and sweets to keep kids quiet

I took ill on 17 December struggled on till Christmas Day then ended up in bed for 4 days. I still have a racking cough which I think will take weeks to subside.

I was ill first two weeks of December and for all it wasn't full on flu, I was fatigued, horrible aches, night sweats, achy neck glands so definitely more than a cold. And my immune system has struggled since, I get pretty much clear of things for a few days and something else brews in my throat or tonsils. Just had some sort of laryngitis thing for a few days and have the tickly cough from hell.

Trouble is most people aren't eligible for a free one and it's anything from £16 to £21 a jab where I live. I think a lot of places ran out of stocks of it too. I've been struggling with lurgies since the end of November and my DP keeps getting sore throats - it has been horrible winter for viruses!

Just for future ref everyone, you can basic groceries from Morrisons via Amazon, no need to book a delivery slot🥰🥰

Yes me too changing nightie twice per night with ridiculous sweating especially after taking painkillers. This is a very nasty infection/virus/flu.

That is nonsense. Flu can be be asymptomatic, mild, moderate and severe, even deadly. You do not have to be confined to bed unable to raise an eyelid for it to be flu.

There’s loads of nasty viruses going round so try not to panic.

The one thing that indicates flu is how quick it comes on. So the build up with the scratchy throat means it’s more likely to be something else.

Last time I had flu I was out at lunch feeling fine then went massively downhill in the space of an hour. It was scary how speedy it was.

If you can get some first defence that is good. The only thing with any science behind it is zinc - so make sure you are having that. I like high dose vitamin C just to have that covered off. Then just rest.

If you can do all that you ain’t got the flu!

I've had the flu jab in October, I've had some minor cold and sinuses affected as always worse during winter, but nothing serious. I take other medications that can cause minor colds (supressed immune system) so it could be either of those things. Doesn't mean I stay in the house though.

I recall being asleep on the sofa with endless movies on - a treat for DD as I was quite strict about TV use - possibly the real reason i despair when I see homes with TVs on all day - cuts you no slack!

it’s grim - keep kids alive and you have won

Bloody wish I'd got the flu jab this year! Got clobbered by flu on 01st December followed by what we suspect is adenovirus literally 2 days before Christmas with just about every possible symptom. I think I've felt well for about 2 days over the last month. We've started weaning in earnest now kiddo's nearly 17 months and I'm very tempted to neck some of the good cough medicine. It might cut off my supply faster than planned but at least I won't be constantly sniffling!