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Original poster

To hate when people say they have the flu? (Lighthearted)

139 replies

MeepMeepVrooooom · 09/01/2014 18:41

I have absolutely no idea why and I think I'm a bit mental for this however...

I hate when people say they have the flu when they don't. It's a cold, man up a bit. I have every sympathy for people who do have the flu and are really ill.

You don't have the flu if you are sitting down the pub having a pint, or at work not looking like you are about to pass out, or going shopping. You have a bloody sniffle.

Does this annoy anybody else or should I get a grip and a large glass of wine and ignore it when anyone says it in future?

OP posts:
Original poster
MeepMeepVrooooom · 09/01/2014 20:29

Thank you bumbley Grin

OP posts:
Crowler · 09/01/2014 20:30

OMG I have a friend who has the "flu" every few months also, does my head in.

Original poster
MeepMeepVrooooom · 09/01/2014 20:32

JustGetting Sounds awful and doesn't really sound like flu to me either. Get back to your GP, hope you feel better soon. x

Polter Don't mention it, I'm just sorry I offended you (or anyone else) very poor wording.

OP posts:
Mim78 · 09/01/2014 20:37

Yes that's annoying - it is very tempting to get a bit sexist here and say, yes when men say they have the flu... But there must be women who do it too, I guess.

I agree flu is only when you can't get out of bed. When I had flu someone sent me a present - my Mum came up and gave it to me (she was staying to mind dd while dh at work) and then I had to sleep with it for the rest of the day because I couldn't physically even put it on the sideboard!

secretsofsanta · 09/01/2014 20:37

I had a cold at the weekend, i knew it was a cold but it didnt stop me feeling shit.

JustGettingOnWithIt · 09/01/2014 20:37

It is really awful, but I'm too ill to get back to the Dr. Was hoping for that sounds like flu twice and you're about to get better, but thanks.

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 09/01/2014 20:40

Yanbu, I've had flu twice, it was horrible. I also get annoyed with anyone that claims to have flu but instead they have a cold. Celebs seem to do it a lot, claiming during an interview they have flu. I doubt it.

Original poster
MeepMeepVrooooom · 09/01/2014 20:42

Sorry justgetting, what about a house call?

OP posts:
Glitterfeet · 09/01/2014 20:43

It annoys me when people are keen to tell others that they haven't had flu Grin

This happened to me last year I mentioned I'd had some type of wintery flu like illness. Someone immediately piped up and informed me that it hadn't been flu! It's not as if I'd given great details on my illness, or said 100 % that it was flu. So i'm not sure why they jumped down my throat.

I hadnt gone for testing! Nor did I give a shit what actual bacteria or virus made me feel like complete crap for a week. My symptoms were exactly like the nhs website list. One hour I was fine, the next I was shivering under blankets, with a hat and the fire on. Winter flu like illness seemed a perfectly good description.

Anyway, I've always assumed flu, like many other illnesses, varies from person to person. Just because one person couldn't move for 10 weeks, then anther person may suffer for a shorter time and experience less intensity. Different flu strains must differ? When swine flu was around I heard a couple of medical people say that a proportion of the population probably had it and passed it off as something else.

Who knows, some people may have worse colds than others with the flu Grin

Original poster
MeepMeepVrooooom · 09/01/2014 20:43

Celebs seem to do it a lot Oooooh and the Xfactor contestants. They have flu but look at that they are belting out a big tune and dancing around like a loon Grin

OP posts:
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 09/01/2014 20:46

Dh used to get flu all the time - the poor man never had a cold. He doesn't get flu any more, but has had several bouts of Ebola. Hmm. I think he thinks I don't give him enough sympathy.

CiderBomb · 09/01/2014 20:46

I had flu once in my early 20's and can honestly say hand on heart that I have never been so ill in my life. I physically couldn't get out of my bed for about a week, I even had to be helped to the toilet. I'd describe it as being like new born fole, you are so weak and achey that your legs can barely support you. Even opening my eyes hurt!

So no, you are right OP. It annoys me as well.

JustGettingOnWithIt · 09/01/2014 20:48

Meep I'm out of call out area.

flyingspaghettimonster · 09/01/2014 20:49

I hate it too! We had a miserable cold at the start of this year that had us stuck in bed for 3 days then a few weeks of cough and feeling grotty. My husband developed pneumonia from it but was fine with antibiotics... Yet some people claim to have the flu when it isn't even a bad headcold! Grrrr

Original poster
MeepMeepVrooooom · 09/01/2014 20:50

Glitter I see no mention of planning your own funeral, I am skeptical Grin

OP posts:
Glitterfeet · 09/01/2014 20:53

MeepMeep Grin

bumbleymummy · 09/01/2014 20:58

"flu is only when you can't get out of bed."

No, it isn't. You can have mild flu. It's a virus and some people will have it worse than others.

Skiingmaniac · 09/01/2014 21:02

I have never had flu.....and I truly hope I never do....it sounds horrendous Blush. I seem to get a bout of tonsillitus most winters though Sad

Stay well everyone Thanks

Original poster
MeepMeepVrooooom · 09/01/2014 21:07

I seem to get a bout of tonsillitus most winters though

I feel for you, I suffered on and off with this for 14 years, luckily haven't had it in 4 now. It's horrible.

OP posts:
purplemurple1 · 09/01/2014 21:25

It's all relative though - ex went to a manual job with the flu (later Dr visit) - he said he felt a bit off but not to bad - turned out he was comparing it to malaria that had nearly killed him as a child.

Needless to say people moaning about the flu pe'ed him off a bit.

Original poster
MeepMeepVrooooom · 09/01/2014 21:36

purple huge difference when we're talking about cold and flu though.

How awful for your DP to have gone through that.

OP posts:
Lookingforadvice123 · 09/01/2014 21:52

This gives me the rage too! Unfortunately my best friend always says she has flu when it's clearly a bad cold virus...makes me grind my teeth but she's so lovely (and just genuinely clueless, not dramatic) that I haven't got the heart to correct her!

OH's bro claims she has a migraine...by writing it on Facebook. I'm sorry but if you can look at an iPhone/iPad screen and TYPE, it's not a migraine.

Lookingforadvice123 · 09/01/2014 21:53

*OH's bro's GIRLFRIEND, even.

Original poster
MeepMeepVrooooom · 09/01/2014 21:59

Lookingforadvice123

Yes, yes, yes. I suffered from migraines for 2 months in 2011 I found out later what the cause was and unfortunately it led on to a whole different path, however when I had these it was a case of curtains shut, sunglasses on, alot of sleeping and trying as much as possible not to move. Going to the Dr via bus was torture and someone confusing a migraine for a headache would annoy me alot too.

OP posts:
EirikurNoromaour · 09/01/2014 22:04

I had the flu once when I was a teenager, I could see the landing light was on but in my mildly hallucinating state I thought it was a fire. Despite thinking the house was on fire I couldn't get out of bed to deal with it. That's flu! I've had it twice since then as an adult and it knocks colds, tonsillitis and most other things out of the water. Only thing I've had that was worse was the mumps.