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Covid

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Original poster

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

70 replies

Wineneeded247 · 25/01/2021 10:58

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?

OP posts:

AG1981 · 26/01/2021 07:43

I had flu late Feb last year (or Covid, who knows?!) I was off work for a week in bed and I'm rarely ill. I then didn't feel normal for at least another two weeks. Symptoms started very quickly with a sore throat. They said, as a teacher (me too) it's probably more likely to be Covid. My understanding is that there's not much flu round this year. Hope you feel better soon x

AG1981 · 26/01/2021 08:01

*that said

LeSquigh · 26/01/2021 08:37

I have had both flu (many years ago) and COVID (recently). Your symptoms sound more like my COVID. I have never felt more ill than when I had the flu though.

sylbunny · 26/01/2021 10:00

Hope you start to feel better! I'm on day 5 now I think of covid with these same sort of symptoms. The coughs only really started to get worse today and I'm a bit wheezy. My sense of smell is about 90% gone but taste intact. Just feel generally like I've been mowed down but no fever thankfully as I'm 6 months pregnant

PuzzledObserver · 26/01/2021 10:12

@Sylbunny Have you had a Covid test?

sylbunny · 26/01/2021 14:14

@PuzzledObserver yes tested positive last Friday.

littlestpogo · 26/01/2021 14:38

I had bad flu once and like others have never been so ill - really felt like I would be hospitalised. I was staying at my parents at the time and was too unwell to go back home for 3 weeks. I’ve lived in fear of the flu ever since.

PuzzledObserver · 26/01/2021 14:44

@sylbunny, right, it was just the "I think" in your post that suggested you weren't sure whether it was Covid.

I hope your recovery is swift and complete.

sweetkitty · 26/01/2021 14:45

I’ve been feeling like I’ve got a bad head cold since Saturday, nose all bunged up, sore throat, cough, sneezing a lot, feel tired, shivery and just meh. Any other year would have just said it’s a bad cold. Covid test was negative. I’ve had today and yesterday off work but feel I should go back tomorrow now (I’m a teacher).

sylbunny · 27/01/2021 02:55

@PuzzledObserver yeh sorry the 'think' was my inability to count days. It's a bit confusing as to when my symptoms started. I had a migraine on Wednesday but no other symptoms and then Friday I started to feel rough in the afternoon. I've never had the 3 major symptoms but I'm taking Friday as start of symptoms for isolation reasons.

Graciebobcat · 27/01/2021 03:11

I think a lot of people think they have flu when it’s really a bad cold/virus and then when they actually get flu realise they’ve never had it before!

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

You can have cold symptoms with the flu. You can have mild flu or carry and pass on the virus without having the symptoms yourself. Like Covid. Not everyone is floored by it, but one year you might get it badly as there are lots of strains of flu viruses.

JiminyLeeCricket · 27/01/2021 03:59

Yup, flu can be mild, moderate or severe.

It's considered serious because severe flu can kill vulnerable people.

Mild flu is just that. It doesn't necessarily mean people are being hypochondriacs when they describe flu symptoms but are still functioning. What matters is that they don't spread it, in case someone vulnerable catches it and develops a severe case.

So I think it's actually helpful for people to try to identify and describe mild flu symptoms so others can make informed deck around them, including vulnerable co-workers and relatives.

JiminyLeeCricket · 27/01/2021 04:00

informed decisions!!

What a weird autocorrect.

PuzzledObserver · 27/01/2021 12:16

@sylbunny I understand that. DH and I have counted our symptoms from the day each of us started coughing, but we were both a bit bunged up and he was sneezy for a day or two before, and we think that could have been part of it.

All better now, though :-)

Original poster

Wineneeded247 · 27/01/2021 16:16

Day 3 here and I'm finding it bearable if I just stay in bed. Lost my taste yesterday and sulked as my mum dropped off the big isolation shop today! I may as well be eating cardboard! Randomly though, I can still taste bananas!
Finding that if I take a big breath in, it hurts slightly in my chest and makes me cough, however like poking a bruise I keep doing it.

Hope everyone else has it mild and recovers quickly. Just a quick question, if my husband or children start to develop symptoms and test positive, do I start the 10 days isolation process or am I free to escape? Though in all honesty after he's been an absolute trooper as a nursemaid/waiter/chef I imagine I would have to repay the favour... Though I don't think work would think that so just wanted to know the 'rules'. Google has very mixed messages.

OP posts:

sylbunny · 27/01/2021 16:36

@Wineneeded247 it is my understanding that your 10 days doesn't extend if someone else tests positive. It's the same for anyone in the house who has no symptoms. So for example my daughter has no symptoms, but my husband has started to get ill. If he tests positive he extends but my daughters still stops at the end of the 10 days from when I got ill.

I'm on day 6 I think now. Feel horribly achy and tired. Coughs not bad and sore throat is better but I just have no energy at all.

Original poster

Wineneeded247 · 27/01/2021 17:26

@sylbunny it's weirdly reassuring to hear other people's symptoms at different stages! I know everyone is affected differently before anyone says anything but gives me peace of mind. Glad your cough isn't too bad but like you, the lack of energy is ridiculous! I don't actually feel to bad laid in bed but as soon as I think right I'll get up and do something, the foggy head starts and just pure lethargy! Clearly the body's way of telling us to rest but it's making me twitchy

OP posts:

Original poster

Wineneeded247 · 27/01/2021 17:27

too that was the Covid typing

OP posts:

Justthebeerlighttoguide · 27/01/2021 17:29

Flu is horrible, really really horrible, I run to get my flu jab every year, I've never understood the..

Covid is just flu remarks.

Flu brings the NHS to its knees every year.
Hope you feel better op.

Hallomi · 27/01/2021 17:30

Flu can be terrible, you know this! Other illnesses and diseases haven't gone away. I hope you feel better very quickly.

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