ok so i have swine flu... but now this....

[amidaiwish]

i have had swine flu since tuesday
just like normal flu really but accompanied by absolutely chronic headaches. had to hold my head in my hands every now and again when the headache blasted.

anyway, now saturday and i am starting to feel less fluey though completely shattered.

but i have the worst diarrhoea ever. it is like mud and quite shocking.

sorry if TMI but does anyone else know if this is normal??

No idea I am afraid and hope you feel better soon. But how do you know you have swine flu?

Yes, sickness and diarrhoea is part of it. I am sure I had it several weeks ago, although I wasn't tested, didn't even see the doc. It took me several weeks to recover actually. Hope you feel better soon.

i saw the doctor on weds evening, she said it was swine flu. (i think if it is flu accompanied by chronic headaches which are really quite specific they say it is swine flu).

she offered me tamiflu but suggested i just go home and rest and fight it with OTC flu remedies as i am otherwise fit and healthy and shouldn't have any complications.

purepurple - glad you're better now, but several weeks? OMG...

The GP can do a nasal or throat swab and then on the spot determine whether it is influenza A or B. If A they can sent the swab to the lab, will take up to 10 days before they can confirm whether it is swine flu though. However, if you test positive for influenza A there is a chance that indeed it is swine flu and tamiflu needs to be started within the first 48 hours in order for it to work hence the on the spot testing. However, totally depends on the GP whether they do this or not - many don't like prescribing tamiflu so are more likely to say 'it is a virus' (all flu is caused by a virus after all as are colds ...) and leave it at that. Hope you get better soon but if it is real swine flu it might take many weeks before you will have your strength back.