How can you really tell if it’s a cold or the flu?

[Greenbutterlfy566]

How can you really tell if it’s a cold or the flu?

What is the major difference between them?

Anyone saying on this thread that flu and colds are both on a spectrum and flu might not be that bad and colds might be awful has clearly never had the flu.

Real flu lays you flat and takes a long time to get over. If you have it you don’t need the doctor to diagnose it.

Colds and flu aren’t on a single spectrum because rhinovirus is one family of viruses and influenza is a different family, and they have distinct though somewhat overlapping symptoms.

However anyone saying “I’ve only had flu once and I was unable to move for a week and if you can open your eyes it’s definitely not flu” has probably not had every single “nasty flue-y cold” they’ve ever had swabbed and tested. Mild to moderate flu is still “real flu”. The phrase you’re looking for is “severe flu”.

I've had flu several times,its not been fun but I've never felt as if I wanted to die.
Surely though if you have a bad cold you don't need to go to bed and sleep,if you have a bad cold your nose is running ,your throat is sore,you feel like shit but its a controllable with painkillers kind of shit,where you know if you were at home you'd rather be under a blanket with a cup of tea but you can cope at work..And you don't need to sleep all day only emerging for another glass of ribena and dose of nurofen,and have to change into fresh pyjamas cos you have sweated through your current set.And you can eat and drink tea.And you don't get the convalescent phase where you get up and make yourself a sandwich,think " this is good,I feel better!" only to realise that actually you feel like a piece of chewed string and need to lie down immediately.
I think I don't believe you can feel "flu ill" with a bad cold,but I can accept you might feel not too bad with flu.

It is a scientific fact that you can actually have flu and not have any symptoms

I had a cold and i was in hospital with it.

I had swine flu and was at home

There is no comparison between influenza and a cold - none whatsoever! You feel like you're going to die with the 'flu, it's terrible.

I’ve only had flu once as a child and I couldn’t move for a week. I stunk because I couldn’t bring myself to even get in the bath. The only time I moved was to use the toilet and it was absolute agony to do that. My whole body just ached from top to bottom in a way it never had before or since. I also felt sick and incredibly dizzy, the room was spinning a lot of the time. It was a frightening illness, it’s precisely why I always vaccinate my DC against it. Yes, it may not kill you if you’re immune system is fairly strong but crikey it knocks you for six.

A cold makes you feel naff for a few days but you can still function.

We have all had influenza B in this house in the last week, apart from my husband who miraculously only has a cold (the rest of us diagnosed in hospital). I’m on day 5 of fever, sweats and shivers. Only started being able to eat yesterday. Youngest was only able to start eating yesterday (day 9) and eldest came down with it yesterday (has been up most of the night shivering and throwing up). It is awful. I used to say things like “oh I had a bit of the flu” when it was a cold with fever etc but this was a different league. I’ve got bronchitis too so the constant coughing and tachycardia doesn’t help.

Anyone saying on this thread that flu and colds are both on a spectrum and flu might not be that bad and colds might be awful has clearly never had the flu.

No!!!

As has been said so many times - this is not true. There is scientific and medical evidence which tells us this is not true.

You can have flu and have no or little symptoms!

And yes I have had flu. I have also been swabbed for flu and discovered that, although very poorly, it wasn't actually flu at all. I even ended up in hospital and developed pneumonia - but the initial outset still WAS NOT flu. It was a cold which led to it. Because - as is shown scientifically and medically - even a cold can be awful, and yes, even flu can sometimes be mild.

Surely though if you have a bad cold you don't need to go to bed and sleep

Not always. Mine got worse and developed into pneumonia and I ended up in hospital very poorly, after spending days in bed 'with a cold.'

Oh, as well as repeating yet again THREE QUARTERS OF PEOPLE WITH FLU HAVE NO SYMPTOMS I should maybe tell you all about DS who has asthma who regularly ends up in hospital with 'viral induced wheeze' on oxygen and steroids because he's got 'just a cold'.

When I had the flu I couldn't move easily. I walked downstairs and then was so tired I slept for 4 hours. I basically slept for a week, only getting up for the bathroom or the doctor. I developed tonsillitis and sinusitis and needed antibiotics because I couldn't breathe and my head and throat were agony. I could not go out for a walk. When I startes to feel better, it took months to get back to full fitness and I had recurring tonsillitis.

I've read this thread trying to determine if I have flu. Symptoms are,
Whole body aches.
Temperature hot one minute, freezing the next.
Vomiting, no appetite so the heaves were fun🤢
Headache
Sleeping for a few moments then not being able to sleep for ages.
I have to say though if someone knocked on my door with a million pounds I would stagger out and claim it😊

@Isabella sounds very much like it. Keep your fluids up and dont worry about food though do eat if you fancy it. Paracetamol and rest (which you have no choice about) Its horrid an I totally feel for you xxxx

@izzabella sorry spelt your name wrong xxx

Thank you WingingItSince1973 I feel bit better now I've had bath and I don't smell like cabbage😊

Aw izzabella glad to read you feeling better. Cabbage isnt a great smell so good it's gone 😁

Flu tends to hit very quickly too. One minute you feel OK, the next rough, exhausted, achy and ill.