"If you had the flu you wouldn't be sat in front of me now"

[Plumty]

I have been VERY under the weather for three weeks now. Went to the GP surgery as I suspect I now have a chest infection (I do). I asked about this Super Flu and was told “if you had the flu you would be in bed and not in front of me”.

Am I right in thinking this is just nonsense? I am extremely depleted. It takes me 3x as long to walk. I HAD to go in so pushed myself.

I’ve had Covid twice and both times I mustered strength to walk my dog. 7 mins at most once a day (the dog is normally a handful but totally mellowed out as he knew I was ill).

Whatever I have now is 5x worse than my experiences with Covid.

I just think the GP was really dismissive for saying that. I’m on my knees but we all push ourselves when absolutely necessary

I know, it's bizarre. Is it so hard to comprehend that illnesses and pain effect people in different ways? It's not a one size fit all. People get so offended and arsey at suggestions that your experience might be different to theirs, even though it doesn't matter in the slightest. If you feel shit, you feel shit. It's not a competition.
I was actually diagnosed with a swab for swine flu when I had it and felt so dreadful but I had no choice but to get up and do stuff as DH was working abroad and we had two kids, horses and dogs and nobody else to help. I lost over a stone. Did I want to be in bed? Yes, obviously. Did the fact I could get up and scrape together basic food and care for others mean I didn't have flu? No.

Isn't type C usually mild? In hospital (and people were tested for it, so we knew that it was flu), the doctor said you can feel more ill with other viruses. Some people can be really sick with flu, true, but others not.

Flu and COVID have a range of symptoms and prognosis - from being totally asymptomatic to killing you.

You can absolutely have a mild bout of flu that barely registers as the sniffles. I am baffled as to why mumsnet always seems to suggest that flu is only ever a bedridden experience. When all the actual data we have suggests it can cover a range of severities.

Surely this type of generalising is what health care shouldn't be! I mean I know a young girl who walked 24 hours on a broken hip, she was crying and in pain but made to walk so did - if doctors just said oh it can't be a broken hip you are walking instead of xrsying it or using some crap £50 test that makes zero sense - the world would be a very bizarre place indeed.

So you know more than a trained GP who actually saw the patient?. You are questioning their professionalism and capability based on a mumsnetters dramatic telling of her tale ( well enough to have a lucid exchange of views on mumsnet, by the way).

No wonder GP's are struggling with attitudes like yours.

Some people are self-indulgent and take to their beds when there's not much wrong. Others are incredibly stoical and will soldier on out of necessity. Temperature is a better guide than how people "feel". If your temperature (without paracetamol etc.) is under 38 it is probably a cold or similar. If your temperature is over 38 it is likely not just a cold (i.e. Flu / covid / other) and bed rest is justified. Some people absolutely can have flu and a temperature of over 38 and still keep functioning, So the statement "if it was flu/covid, you wouldn't be here" is false. But it's not a great idea to ignore symytoms - with a temperature of 38+ it's much better to take it very easy.

We have Flu A, swabbed at the hospital when we took our youngest in over the weekend. Husband and I are both not too bad, kids are struggling the most. For two of us this is more like a nasty cold, I’ve had flu before and was bed bound. I’d have never thought dh and I had flu if we hadn’t been swabbed. Our eldest 💯 I’d have said yep it’s flu as she’s so poorly.

what this has taught me is whilst it’s true most of the time that flu will absolutely floor you, it’s not the case all the time. And your GP should know that.

I know! It is almost as if they think you thinking it was flu is somehow detrimental to them. These threads make it clear to me that I would never come here for help or advice. Too many people who only want to pick holes in the OP. I hope you are feeling better OP.

What I meant was, unless anyone with no or extremely mild symptoms has actually been tested, why would they be telling anyone they’ve got flu?

I don’t think there’s any need to be quite so dramatic.

Nothing I said is untrue and the Dr behaved unprofessionally, as his attitude was condescending. If this particular GP is indeed struggling, as you seem to think, he’d be wise to reflect on his practice.

Many GPs are wonderful and do a fantastic job. There are also some shit ones. The shit ones shouldn’t get a free pass and nobody is obliged to tolerate rudeness from them.

You absolutely can have mild symptoms but have flu, it's the same as any virus, people can be affected mildly or very severely.

I know COVID isn't the same as flu but it's a similar theory, when we had it in 2021 two of my kids had no symptoms at all but tested positive, another of my kids and my husband had bad cold type symptoms and me and my youngest were absolutely floored with it.

I also had confirmed swine flu in 2009, I was ill and in bed but I did get myself to the GP.

Plus I always think the old analogy of "would you be able to pick up a £50 note in your garden" thing is tosh too, at one point I was so skint that my leg could be hanging off and I would have got that £50.

Sweeping generalisation...or scientific evidence showing a distribution curve

There have been studies;

(I've attached a photo but they may not show up straight away)
For reference ARI stands for Acute Respiratory illness
ILI is Influenza like illness (things like fever, fatigue etc)

I am 45, I've only had the flu once 2 years ago at Christmas, managed a few drinks on day 1, second day in bed, but for days after, I was functioning and absolutely exhausted, had no choice.
I remember a young lady died at her child's hospital bed of the flu, some people can't be bedridden even though they should be.

I've had this discussion with my dad. He claims I've never had the flu because I wouldn't be able to get out of bed if I did

The fact I had to get 3 kids to school as a single parent seemed to be a flyby for him. So yes I dragged myself out to drop them at breakfast club and after school club

Does it really matter , you feel very ill and that is what is important . I’ve had flu many years ago and all I could remember was going to bed on Tuesday and waking up on Friday , I had absolutely no recollection of the intervening days . I also tested positive for swine flu during the epidemic , had a ridiculously high temp and felt crap but was perfectly able to function albeit slowly .

When I’ve had the flu I can’t get out of bed. Going to the bathroom takes all my strength then it’s straight back to bed. Every single time.

It sounds like you've had the flu and it's developed into a chest infection. You did the right thing as you need to get chest infections seen to before they get serious. My brother had holes in his lungs and then a collapsed lung because of one. Seeing that you have been so ill for so long and unable to get out of bed for most of it does suggest flu.

I hope you feel better very soon op. I've had flu 5 times, it's awful x

Yes, but the real question is “could you have picked up a £50 note from your garden?”

😂 nothing is stopping me picking up a £50 note from my garden

Flu absolutely would. I had it at uni and had to be carried out of my bed to a waiting car. It completely floors you.

Considering I managed to look after horses, dogs and two small kids on my own with diagnosed by a doctor flu and feeling like shit, I can assure you, I could pick up a £50 note. It's different for everyone.

Are you sure she wasn’t just trying to reassure you that you’re not really unwell? Sometimes having someone tell us we’re fine / will be fine makes us believe it and it helps us get better. A placebo of sorts.

@Plumty certainly seemed pretty energetic in responses on this thread!

Over the phone! What decade are you living in? Can you imagine what would happen if everyone who's had a chest infection asked for a home visit?!

I can see why it could be frustrating that a GP was a little dismissive but given you wanted a home visit, I'm tempted to think you were being a bit dramatic and he probably just wanted to move you on and out of his surgery.