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Original poster

The worst viral infection you have ever had?

49 replies

Snufflebabe05 · 03/11/2018 17:50

I’m one week into a viral infection, as diagnosed by the doctor, and I’m so.fed.up. The symptoms vary, and come and go, and I just need to know I’m not alone.

I have aching limbs, pain in scalp, pain in base of skull, full ears and fluid in ears, exhaustion, weak legs and a horrible, marshmallow head coupled with a swaying sensation. Shaky feeling.Also a bit of nausea. It’s joyous.

I just need to know that I’ll get better, that someone else has been through this. I’ve had to cancel a weekend away and feeling very sorry for myself. Sad face.

OP posts:

Vodkalovesme · 03/11/2018 18:27

This. Is. Me
Been like it for 3 days so far, the marshmallow head is the perfect discription. I can't taste anything either.
I have no advise I'm afraid but I feel your pain

desertmum · 03/11/2018 18:29

I had flu earlier this year, thought I was dying. If someone had said you have caught the apocalyptic flu and are going to die I would have believed them.

Lots of rest and lots of fluids. I drink hot water with a glug of apple cider vinegar in it, not sure it really helps but always makes me feel less nauseous,

Hope you feel better soon.

Original poster

Snufflebabe05 · 04/11/2018 06:56

THanks both. I’m so fed up. Was in bed before 9pm last night, awake at 5. Feeling slightly better (the smallest amount) but still feel like I have a marshmallow head, and swaying sensation. Random scalp pains too.

When will it go completely?

OP posts:

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NotUmbongoUnchained · 04/11/2018 06:59

I’ve only ever had viruses for 24 hours but they were awful. I couldn’t even move my fingers. My husband had to carry me up the stairs, put my pyjamas on me and put me into bed. I felt like I was paralysed. The pain in my lower back was like labour too.

TheDodgyDunnyOfDoom · 04/11/2018 07:02

All of the above plus two ruptured eardrums. Joy!

I still had fluidy ears two years later.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 04/11/2018 07:06

Tonsillitis. Though technically I’d was baterial not viral as I was given ABs. Awful.

Get well soon!

Mokepon · 04/11/2018 07:09

Flu ttpe thing.
For 10 days or so. Took more than a month afterwards to feel ok.
Sweats/shakes/hallucinations/ headache/sore throat/D&V.
My bathroom is about 3 steps from my bedroom but I had to crawl on the floor.
I remember DH getting me into the shower and just sitting there with my head on my knees.
Once I felt a bit better, the tips of my fingers went numb and all the skin peeled off.
I hope you feel better soon, Op.

panago · 04/11/2018 07:13

I once had this flu (maybe swine flu but never hot tested and never took the anti virals).

Sore throat that was so severe I was convinced my throat was closing up
Coughing up stuff that just was not right
Fever for days that was very high (102-103)
Everything hurt

For a whole year after this I had a cough and wheezing and required an inhaler. I've never smoked but this made it sound like I was a chain smoker. Just awful.

jaimebravo · 04/11/2018 07:14

Swine flu, it nearly killed me. I ended up with pneumonia and blood clots with it. I was put on a ventilator in intensive care it was so bad. The recovery took a long time as well.
On the positive side my immune system seems to be very strong since this and I rarely catch anything anymore!

VanellopeVonSchweetz99 · 04/11/2018 07:18

This thing I have now. Mild flu I'd call it. Day 15 and I'm not running the high temperatures I did but I have not left the bedroom the whole time other than loo (and shower at a push). Even cried 2-3 times and been a bit scared when I felt I couldn't breathe properly. Took DH a good week to clock I needed help with everything, water, painkillers etc, that was 'fun'. Absolutely miserable, totally wiped out. And I even had the flu jab!

BelindaBellender · 04/11/2018 07:18

Bacterial tonsilitis a couple of years ago, lasted two weeks solid and I actually would’ve sawn my head off if I’d had the energy. It was the worst pain ever and I cried pretty much nonstop for days.

ClemDanFango · 04/11/2018 07:22

I had this over the sweaty hot summer and it lasted 3 weeks! My GP sent me to hospital 3 times, never felt so unwell in my life. I couldn’t walk a one point because I was so weak and exhausted, I just had to stay in bed and and have complete rest for a few days before I started to feel a little more normal. Are you having high fevers at night? Mine would sky rocket to 40 plus every night.

PandoNoPants · 04/11/2018 07:22

The adult version of Slapped Cheek/Fifth Disease that I caught from DD earlier this year. Felt like flu, terrible swollen glands and the severe joint/muscle pain left me unable to walk for almost 3 weeks.

I was a bit naive and assumed it was something you caught as a child and that was it.

Hope you feel better OP. If in doubt, see the GP. I had another infection once that took almost 2 months to diagnose as they thought it was a virus. Had to do a swab to find out what it was and how to treat it.

Original poster

Snufflebabe05 · 04/11/2018 07:24

I have underlying balance issues so when I get unwell, the balance is the first to go. It makes me feel unsafe. All the other ailments, I can handle. But the balance, fuzzy head, dizzy feeling really upsets me.

I have cried (embarrassingly at the doctors too) several times this week. A mixture of fear and frustration.

OP posts:

Original poster

Snufflebabe05 · 04/11/2018 07:27

No temperature. Thought it was a virus so just took myself to bed. On day 4, I went to the doctors as nothing was getting any better. She checked me over and confirmed a viral infection. Said she could do a blood test to find out exactly what it was, but it wouldn’t change anythng - just rest, rest and more rest.

I’m just so down in the dumps with it.

OP posts:

DaffydownClock · 04/11/2018 07:31

Viral myocarditis that's wrecked a quarter of my heart and left me in severe heart failure, felt like flu with the worst sore throat ever.
No idea if will recover or not, just have to wait and see.

SprogletsMum · 04/11/2018 07:31

At the beginning of this year I had a virus that knocked me off my feet for 4 months. I ended up with a chest infection from it that took 4 courses of antibiotics to clear.
Looking back I think it was glandular fever, it was awful.
I've got 4 dc the littlest was about 9 months when I got ill and all I could do was lie down I don't even know how I got us all through those months.

FaithInfinity · 04/11/2018 08:09

I reckon it may take a week before you feel much improvement and 2 before you feel back to normal.

My worst viral infection - started with aching shoulder, went up into my neck and then had the worst headache of my life. I’d score that as a 10/10 when labour was a 9! I started vomiting and couldn’t stop, got photophobic. Got admitted to hospital overnight to get on top of the vomiting, they sent me home in the morning. Back in the next day. Doctors kept saying it was ‘muscle spasm’...I said to DH It wouldn’t surprise me if it this is meningitis. 4 days after I first went in a nice consultant saw me and said I actually think you’re very poorly, I think this could be viral meningitis. I cried with relief that someone believed me! Had a brain CT and lumbar puncture, they were normal so they said it was a ‘virus that presented like meningitis’. Same treatment - fluids, anti sickness meds and painkillers. It was 6 weeks before I was well enough to go back to work.

Loobrushesarefuckingrank · 04/11/2018 08:11

💐

Sounds revolting.

You
Poor thing

Hope you feel better

EastMidsGPs · 04/11/2018 08:13

Swine Flu .... never, never felt so ill in my life. Was hallucinating for a couple of days and completely believed I was a Dalmatian dog called Spot (not very imaginative).
Even the soles of my feet hurt.

Took months to be really well as my immune system took a real hit and so caught every bug going.

fairiedemon · 04/11/2018 08:17

Glandular fever which led to secondary pneumonia and left me in ITU on life support. I spent a total of 12 weeks in hospital and over a year off work.

FrenchFancie · 04/11/2018 08:23

Viral meningitis while at university. I honestly thought I was going to die at one point, although I felt so ill I wasn’t entirely fussed either way.
Took months to recover from.

ShakeMe · 04/11/2018 09:16

Last year I caught a sickness bug and my body didn't seem to know how to stop being sick. After 9 days and 3 sets of anti sickness tablets I had lost 20lb and was in hospital.

Sadly the weight went straight back on after

ShotsFired · 04/11/2018 09:20

I had one that had symptoms like flu (but wasn't), but had the added bonus of making my entire face swell up like a balloon as well.

I was a student at the time and had to get the train home for 2-3hours to be looked after at home. It was the most miserable journey of my life.

80sMum · 04/11/2018 09:27

I've only had one serious viral infection; I had flu about 25 years ago, which put me completely out of action for 3 days and took another couple of weeks afterwards before I felt well again.

The important thing, OP, is that you have plenty of rest during the acute period of illness and in the few days following. Your body needs to devote all its energies to fighting the virus and getting you well. Take to your bed and stay there for most of the day. Hopefully you have others on hand who can bring you anything you need, so you don't have to keep getting up?

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