Surely I can't be the only person in the UK with flu?

[theFailingsofDaphneTrigg]

Chills, sweating, hacking cough, banging headache for over a week now. Got through to GP on Friday as I thought I was dying and they said "flu - take Paracetamol."

Rang my mum for some sympathy and she said "but the Daily Mail says there have been no cases of flu because we're all wearing masks and sanitising our hands. You have been washing your hands, haven't you?"

Anyone else got the flu?

Now we are all aware COVID symptoms range from "absolutely no idea I had it, totally asymptomatic" to "worse than death's door", why in earth would people still argue that unless you're completely incapacitated, it isn't flu? How much asymptomatic flu testing have you done lately? How often do 'regular coughs and colds' get tested for the influenza virus?

Just like someone hospitalised with COVID shouldn't go telling their friends to ignore Track and Trace because "they'd know if they had COVID, trust me, it's horrendous", you don't know that someone doesn't have flu just because the symptoms aren't identical to yours.

There’s a really nasty cold going around. DH and I had it a few weeks ago. Borderline flu like symptoms but I knew it wasn’t the flu as the one time I had that I thought I was dying whereas this time I was bedridden and ill but not scarily so.

@SnackSizeRaisin

Flu doesn't last over a week though so it probably isn't that. (Assuming no complications obviously). Feeling like death for 3 or 4 days max followed by a fairly swift recovery is standard - unlike 2 weeks for a cold (maybe 2 or 3 in total for covid)

Tosh. I've been floored with flu for over 10 days. I've probably had it twice in my fairly long life.

A cold is a blanket term for nasopharyngeal symptoms caused by any of over 200 viruses, including influenza, coronaviruses, adenoviruses, RSV, and most commonly rhinoviruses.

All can be mild or severe. When mild tends to be referred to as a cold, when severe, flu, chest infection etc

Has anyone come on with the ‘if you couldn’t pick up a £20 note in front of you...’ shite?
I see there’s the usual ‘if you can type on MN you CAN’T have flu’

I’ve had influenza (tested and verified by colleagues) and managed to complete a shift albeit feeling shite.

Must get around to making a Mumsnet flu thread bingo card.

This one is ticking the boxes wonderfully.

If the OP says she has flu then who is anyone to decide she hasn’t? Amazing diagnostic skills some if you have.

I don't know if you were trying to be funny here (you weren't by the way) but if you get flu like symptoms then of course you should test for covid. Then if it comes back negative you know its not covid. Its one of those other illnesses

Which the OP has already done. So we can assume it’s not Covid, and is one of the myriad other illnesses doing the rounds.

I’ve had the Flu which has totally floored me for a week or 2 and I’ve had a positive Flu swab when I’ve been to the GP for something totally different.
My GP has asked to swab up my nose as part of the Flu random swab community sentinel programme as I have small children and kids at school when I’ve felt fine.

It depends on the strain, your immune response and last exposures to the Flu etc.

Hope you feel better OP.

My 11 year old DS has a cold atm but it’s honestly the worst cold he’s ever had. All I can put it down to is the fact he hasn’t had as many colds over the past 14 months because he’s obviously been off school and away from others so much so his immune system is finding it tough to beat. He has a terrible chesty cough, he barely slept for 3 days running because his chest was so bad. Dr prescribed an inhaler which has helped. Covid test negative, I knew it wasn’t covid anyway.