Awaiting results: if negative can the flu make you feel like death?

[Wineneeded247]

Had a test yesterday as whilst I don't have any of the main 3 symptoms, I genuinely feel so poorly. I feel like I've got a head cold with pain in my sinuses, bunged up nose, constant nagging headache- not a severe one but enough to know it's there. I have no oomph, it's like my head is too heavy for my shoulders and everything is an effort. I also have a funny taste in my mouth and my appetite is zero. (unheard of and a silver lining!)

My workplace are unfortunately the least understanding place ever and due to no cough or temp, they really think I should be in. Despite waiting for test results as in their mind I 'don't have any symptoms of Covid19'. (always reassuring when I'm a teacher 🙈)

Anyway, if my test comes back negative what could this be? as it's absolutely knocked me for six and there's no way I could function at work, it's a major effort getting up to even go for a wee! Can the flu feel this bad?

Change of taste is a reason to get a test. You don’t need a cough or a temperature.

If you feel awful you shouldn’t be at work, whatever it is.

Trouble is, lots of people say they have flu, when in fact they have a bad cold or low-level virus.
"Real" flu is horrendous. I've had it 3 times in my life (am quite old) and each time was completely confined to bed for over a week, unable to lift my head off the pillow, with a further fortnight of being completely wiped out and unable to function properly.
Hope you feel better soon.

I've had real flu once when I was 22. I genuinely wouldn't have cared if I'd have died I felt so ill.

I remember crawling from the bathroom on my hands and knees back to the bedroom. It was like that for 5 days before I started to feel slightly better and started to eat again.

So in answer to your question, yes it can make you feel like death.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/01/12/covid-shutdowns-viruses/%3foutputType=amp

Flu and other viruses are quite supressed at moment. They are still in circulation though. Could it be you tested too late/ early for covid maybe need another test?

For you going to work it's actually irrelevant whether it's covid. You're too sick to work and have something you will pass on. They need to accept you're on sick leave. End of.

If it IS covid, they need to know once you know so they can isolate the right people of course.

Flu is awful. People say they have flu when it's a cold. Flu is a serious illness - I've had it twice and it was horrible. Nothing like even the most horrible cold.

The first time it took me several weeks to get over, so a long recovery time is not unique to covid.

However, I agree with others that your symptoms don't sound like flu. More likely to be covid or a nasty cold.

I have your symptoms and tested negative for Covid. My DSis the same and rested positive.
Good luck. It could be either.

Yup you do have a main symptom - change to sense of taste - so you have to stay at home. Were you thinking it had to be loss of smell?

*loss of taste

First of all, you sound like you are feeling quite unwell and your employer should not make you go in when you are ill. In addition if it is any kind of virus, you will spread it around. Stand your ground on this. It could well be COVID with those symptoms but whatever it is,take some rest, drink lots of fluids and I hope you feel better soon.

flu is awful. Its only since covid that weve started talking about "only the flu". Flu kills people every year.

Thanks everyone, the results are back and positive for Covid.

Rationally I know work should be the last thing on my mind as I'm genuinely struggling with the effort of sitting up in bed, but it's sadly a very British way of working. It's wrong, very wrong but I'm so conscious of being seen as lazy or letting colleagues down that unfortunately, I have the mentality of go in no matter what. However, there was no way I risking spreading Covid so I made the right call this time.

Hoping for mild symptoms and that somehow the rest of the family don't develop it! Isolating in a small house with boisterous children will be 'fun'. Sending to anyone else in the same position!

@JanuaryChill for some reason I did think loss of taste or smell, not change! I haven't been out since testing though just in case and symptoms only started yesterday morning, tested at lunchtime so no contact with anyone other than household

I'm recovering from Covid now and had none of the main symptoms to begin with, mine were like yours. I only got the loss of taste and smell after a week. And having had flu a few years back, I would say that for me, flu was significantly worse. I know I've been very lucky with Covid.

Oops, cross post! Hope you're okay OP, and that the days fly by....

I’ve had both and covid was a walk in the park compared to flu.

I prayed for death when I had the flu. Your workplace needs to be reminded that flu is still around and can knock you on your arse. It's not all about covid.

Flu was worse than coronavirus for me. Covid was horrible too!

Covid felt more "scary" though because of slight breathlessness the second week.

And by the way, your work is unreasonable to expect you in when you're not well enough.

X post. Sorry to read that OP. Hope you're on the mend soon

I thought I had the flu when in fact I had Covid! I always thought people were being dramatic when they said flu was bad!

Both covid and flu knocked me out for weeks.

Drives me nuts when people say "covid isn't serious it's just like flu".

Those are usually the ones who ring in sick on Monday and return Tuesday claiming to have had the flu! And they either haven't actually had COVID or had it mildly - and nothing like the actual flu - just their one day cold "flu"

I've only had flu once but yea it can definitely make you feel like that. I couldn't even get out of bed with it. You definitely shouldn't be going into work regardless of whether it's covid related!!

I tested positive with your exact symptoms

I've had flu and covid. Flu was worse for me, took months to feel normal again

The flu is truly awful. Only had it once and didn't get out of bed for 3 weeks. I've never been so ill.

I'm CEV and luckily for me Covid was less than a heavy cold.