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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to have only just realised what people meant by a cold is defo not the flu !

152 replies

Bringbackdrifterbars · 04/11/2023 07:27

I am early 30s no massive health issues and would not at all be deemed vulnerable.
I have always known the difference between a cold and flu as in one being influenza but suppose really didn’t listen when people said trust me you would know if you had the flu over a cold.
well I caught the flu and as a healthy adult ended up admitted in to
hospital for the first time in my life because of influenza A !
maybe this year is a bad strand or something but is it usual for it knock out healthy young people ? 🙈🙈

OP posts:
Original poster
Bringbackdrifterbars · 04/11/2023 07:46

Honestly I felt terrible and tbf must have looked terrible on arrival to A&e because the receoptionist called out triage straight away and I was taken in and treatment started without minutes ( I didn’t know it was the flu then ) but honestly when the test come
back as influenza ( was still in a&e ) I was embarrassed and apologised 🤣

OP posts:
NotAnotherPylon · 04/11/2023 07:47

FridayForever · 04/11/2023 07:34

Hasn't COVID taught us that people can have many reactions to a virus?

E.g. asymptomatic, mild cold, heavy cold, feel like death, actually death... All could be people's reaction to having COVID, and we know thi because we all tested like mad.

I don't think it's unique in that - sometimes people must get influenza without symptoms, and sometimes have it appear as a mild cold. But how often have you tested whether a cold was caused by influenza?

But yeah, flu can be much worse than a cold, so you're not at all unreasonable for appreciating that

Exactly this. Flu can hit much, much harder than the cold. It can be a killer, whereas the cold is extremely unlikely to kill someone. But people who say that a person wouldn't, for example, be posting here if they had flu, are talking out of their arse for exactly the reasons quoted above.

Creepyrosemary · 04/11/2023 07:48

The problem is people calling a bad cold a flu. You can hardly walk if you have the flu.

Original poster
Bringbackdrifterbars · 04/11/2023 07:48

@NotAnotherPylon I do agree about that as I was unwell enough for them to keep for 2 nights but I have been able to stay in contact with people.

OP posts:
SausagesAreAmazing · 04/11/2023 07:50

I've had flu twice. It's worse than anything else I've gone through! I was hallucinating and delirious during the second bout. I really hope I never get it again.

unsync · 04/11/2023 07:54

YANBU. Would it be wrong to slip Norovirus in here too? That's a virus you don't want either.

It's incredible how a microscopic organism can have such a huge effect on the human body. Not just the chaos whilst your immune system deals with it, but the recovery time and risk of post-viral illness too. It is so important to give yourself enough rest and recuperation, I'm not sure that people who haven't had a serious viral illness understand this.

TrashedSofa · 04/11/2023 07:54

It's a load of bollocks either way. Flu can be mild, or even asymptomatic. It's hard to say exactly how often this happens, because obviously it's not something we routinely test for, but you can absolutely have the flu virus and not be very or at all ill with it.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2646474/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4586318/

Hope you're fully recovered anyway OP.

Does Influenza Transmission Occur from Asymptomatic Infection or Prior to Symptom Onset?

A better understanding of transmission dynamics is essential in influenza pandemic planning. If a substantial proportion of transmissions were to occur during the presymptomatic phase or from asymptomatic individuals, then infection control measures su...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2646474

Original poster
Bringbackdrifterbars · 04/11/2023 07:56

Seems like you all managed to pass through it at home and rough it out 🤣 probably should have done the same ! I felt a right nuisance when it turned out to be the flu.

OP posts:
Ollifer · 04/11/2023 07:56

I had the swine flu variant when I was about 18 and I still remember the horror now. I actually thought I was going to die. 2 weeks of being in bed, hallucinations, fever, vomiting, horrendous body aches I couldn't walk for a few days. I've had the flu jab every year since then and I never ever miss it. It also caused a trigger of CFS which has never gone away even after over ten years.

Headsett · 04/11/2023 07:57

TrashedSofa · 04/11/2023 07:54

It's a load of bollocks either way. Flu can be mild, or even asymptomatic. It's hard to say exactly how often this happens, because obviously it's not something we routinely test for, but you can absolutely have the flu virus and not be very or at all ill with it.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2646474/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4586318/

Hope you're fully recovered anyway OP.

Did you even read what you posted?

OP they wouldn't have kept you in for 2 nights if you didn't need to be there!

TrashedSofa · 04/11/2023 07:58

Headsett · 04/11/2023 07:57

Did you even read what you posted?

OP they wouldn't have kept you in for 2 nights if you didn't need to be there!

Show quote history

You evidently didn't...

lilyblue5 · 04/11/2023 07:58

Get well soon OP. You’ve just reminded me to get my flu jab sorted.

Original poster
Bringbackdrifterbars · 04/11/2023 07:58

@Headsett yeh possibly because others stayed home they don’t realise what their heart rates and sats are !

OP posts:
Flipdiddle · 04/11/2023 08:00

Bringbackdrifterbars · 04/11/2023 07:46

Honestly I felt terrible and tbf must have looked terrible on arrival to A&e because the receoptionist called out triage straight away and I was taken in and treatment started without minutes ( I didn’t know it was the flu then ) but honestly when the test come
back as influenza ( was still in a&e ) I was embarrassed and apologised 🤣

What treatment did they give you?

lilyblue5 · 04/11/2023 08:01

Bringbackdrifterbars · 04/11/2023 07:56

Seems like you all managed to pass through it at home and rough it out 🤣 probably should have done the same ! I felt a right nuisance when it turned out to be the flu.

Just because you are young and healthy doesn’t meant you can’t have serious complications!
I’m glad you got seen. They wouldn’t have admitted you if you didn’t need to be in!
Stop feeling bad about that and concentrate on getting better! X

Original poster
Bringbackdrifterbars · 04/11/2023 08:02

@lilyblue5 I am feeling much better not 100 percent but 100 times better but I did have fluid bolus / lots of follow up iV bags and on Tami flu so maybe it’s spread up the recovery thankfully. Only thing was they rang after discharge when my bloods were back to say I needed to go back today because my phosphate is low ? Not sure why I can’t go GP etc but they seem adament I need to go there and back again in a few days for bloods. Not sure what phosphate is tbh 🤣

OP posts:
CrispsandCheeseSandwich · 04/11/2023 08:02

You can get asymptomatic flu, and mild flu. It's not true that you'll definitely know if you have it, and if you're able to lift your head off the pillow, it's definitely not flu.

But of course severe flu is far more severe than a cold would be.

Flipdiddle · 04/11/2023 08:03

Bringbackdrifterbars · 04/11/2023 07:56

Seems like you all managed to pass through it at home and rough it out 🤣 probably should have done the same ! I felt a right nuisance when it turned out to be the flu.

what was it that they kept you in for and what treatment did you receive?

i am religious about raking my flu jab every year after seeing a friend suffer

ReadRum · 04/11/2023 08:03

Flu is not always more severe than a cold. In February my son almost died from influenza A. The rest of the family tested positive too. Two were asymptomatic, I had mild cold symptoms.

lilyblue5 · 04/11/2023 08:03

Bringbackdrifterbars · 04/11/2023 08:02

@lilyblue5 I am feeling much better not 100 percent but 100 times better but I did have fluid bolus / lots of follow up iV bags and on Tami flu so maybe it’s spread up the recovery thankfully. Only thing was they rang after discharge when my bloods were back to say I needed to go back today because my phosphate is low ? Not sure why I can’t go GP etc but they seem adament I need to go there and back again in a few days for bloods. Not sure what phosphate is tbh 🤣

Gosh no idea re the phosphate, someone will come along and know I’m sure..
glad you are on the mend :)

TrashedSofa · 04/11/2023 08:03

CrispsandCheeseSandwich · 04/11/2023 08:02

You can get asymptomatic flu, and mild flu. It's not true that you'll definitely know if you have it, and if you're able to lift your head off the pillow, it's definitely not flu.

But of course severe flu is far more severe than a cold would be.

Yes, exactly this. Obviously poor OP has ended up at the severe end. But it's no more or less flu than it would be if she'd had the virus and merely felt a bit rough for a few hours. This idea people have that flu describes the severity of symptoms rather than the presence of a virus is just not true.

Longma · 04/11/2023 08:04

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines. at the request of it's author.

Original poster
Bringbackdrifterbars · 04/11/2023 08:04

@Flipdiddle a fluid bolus then constant 100 0ml fluid bags ( like 7 which seemed a lot ) had oxygen at some point. IV meds like anti sickness, IV para , things like that and Tami flu.

OP posts:
SpaceChocolatel · 04/11/2023 08:05

Yep p's me off when people say they had the flu and it's clearly just a cold.had it early 20s, was literally bed bound, drenched in sweat and kept fainting when getting up to go to the loo.

Flipdiddle · 04/11/2023 08:06

The hospital have called you to tell you to come back for more blood tests?