Think I’ve got the flu

[Teddyblanket89]

And I feel horrific.
I’m got chills and agonising joint pain.
I couldn’t sleep last night because of the pain and I can’t rest today, I’m just writhing about in pain. My sinuses are all blocked and I’m coughing too.
My skin hurts. Everything hurts.
I can’t take another ibuprofen until 12pm and paracetamol until 1pm. They work to start with but wear off after about 3 hours!
My temperature is 38.5.
What can I do.?!

Olbas oil on a cloth or kitchen roll and placed on warm radiators.

Plenty of fluid and rest.

Up your vitamin c intake.

I would also advocate some fresh air time if you can wrap up warm, a hat is essential and sit out in your back garden. Put a hot water bottle under your coat and inhale the crisp fresh air.

Start to alternate the meds every 2-3 hours so you don't take them together and have them wear off together if you see what I mean.

Send someone to out for cocodamol from a pharmacy, it's much stronger and will help you sleep. Also to get you a Sudafed nasal spray for the sinuses, that stuff is magical. A NeilMed sinus rinse might help too.

Hot drinks or cold whichever you need to feel a bit better, but stay hydrated.

Ice packs for your face and head will feel good.

Unfortunately unless you get much more sick, you need to ride it out.

If you can't sleep you can get day/night flu tablets. The last time I took these even the day tablets knocked me out or Night Nurse

Space the ibuprofen and paracetamol out more, so that you can have something every few hours e.g. -
Ibuprofen - 11.00, 17.00, 23.00 today, space out further tomorrow
Paracetamol - 09.00, 15.00, 19.00 today, space out further tomorrow.

Or, if you want to take in the night -
Ibuprofen - 12.00, 20.00, 04.00
Paracetamol - 16.00, 22.00, 06.00, 10.00

Or anything like that. That way you are taking something every 4 hours or so. But flu is horrible, you just have to put up with it to a certain extent.

Just wondering if you've had the flu jab? If not when you're better make sure you get it.

@Christmasbear1 No because I wasn’t eligible

What do you think you should do?
Have you never had a cold or flu before?

That does sound like flu. Sleep if you can until the next drug round.

You might not have been eligible for a free flu jab but almost everyone (with the exception of certain allergies, etc) can get one for a few pounds at the chemist. I have been doing this since my first bout of flu a few years ago. I felt like death! It's well worth £20 a year or whatever to avoid repeating that experience.

Pharmacies do the flu jab for about ten quid.

It's absolutely miserable to have flu. My advice is co codamol and sleep as much as possible.

I will be paying for it next year, as I can’t go through this again. It’s torture. Especially when you have a 6 year old to look after too.

IS your 6 yr old not in school?

I'm just getting over it. Have been ill since Christmas eve, it's shit. Turns out it ended dup in 'walking' pneumonia, antibiotics have kicked in and I'm a lot better.

The flu vaccine is only something like 30% effective this year.

@boulevardofbrokendreamss What are the signs of pneumonia?

@Lanzarotelady Hes not been well either. I think he’s the one who gave it to me.
seems better today though so will be going back tomorrow although don’t know how I’ll get him in the way I’m feeling.

Same as a chest infection!

I’m not eligible either, but paid £12.

Well worth it, as I caught Brisbane flu and it was awful.

Paid the £12 every year since.

@LanzaroteladyWell I am coughing and got some mild chest pain - also my sinuses are completely blocked and painful.

You can buy lateral flow tests for flu from the pharmacy, if you want to confirm.

I've just had flu AND covid at the same time (and was vaccinated this winter!) and narrowly avoided hospital. I'm still recovering, on antibiotics for secondary infections. I've just tested negative for both now...the Covid tests were positive for two weeks!

I had to call 111 and they sent a doctor out to assess if I had pneumonia. I was delirious. I'd give them a ring if you are concerned, they advised nuramol to keep the fever down and turning the heating off (I was freezing with a high temp) but ultimately it was antibiotics I needed as I'd developed a sinus and chest infection.

You have my sympathies! Hope you feel better soon.

Re Pneumonia ( after flu), I had a temp of 104 f but was shivering cold
I thought I was dying to be honest- and chest pain - it hurt to walk to the loo even
A friend drove me to GP and GPsaid she’d be calling an ambulance if my blood gases were off, she was concerned about very high temperature.

She said ( thankfully) that I could go home but to start antibiotics immediately. ( she gave me some there and then)

It was frightening.

You can help your sinuses with massage. Press with your middle fingers under your cheekbones starting at the nostrils and working outwards.
It might hurt at first but eases after they drain. You might get a big glug down your throat, yuck.

Forgot to say, my Neti Pot has been a life saver for my sinuses.

A GP suggested Neil Med sinus rinse -
( for sinuses)
He imitated inverting his head to get the saline up into the sinus cavities

Leave mouth slightly open when whooshing warm saline up your nose!

Very satisfying to see the gunk come out of opposite nostril

I’m doing steam inhalation but I’ll try the saline rinse.

Do painful sinuses come with flu?

I’m just wondering if it might be Covid