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Original poster

Whens it ok to go to the doctors with flu?

27 replies

Marne · 18/01/2011 08:40

I know the instructions from NHS are to stay at home and treat as any cold/flu but today (day 4) i am feeling worse (not better), my glands feel huge, i can hardly swallow, my chest is hurting from coughing and dd2 has had a temp of 38-40 for 4 days. If i pfone the gp they will refuse to come out so will have to go in. Am i going to have to go or should i just ride it out at home? Dd2 is bright (still playing) but her temp and cough is worrying (she's 4).

OP posts:

Eachpeach80 · 18/01/2011 10:26

I don't think day 4 to be honest. If you have proper flu you can feel like that for longer. Phone nhs direct if you are concerned. It does not sound like your dd has flu if she is bright and playing but obviously keep a close eye on her. They should come out if you are at all concerned. If they won't, try an out oft hours service at night.
There are lots of people at GP surgeries for whom flu could be very dangerous, newborns, cancer patients etc.

Eachpeach80 · 18/01/2011 10:27

And I hope you both feel better soon x

Memoo · 18/01/2011 10:30

I would also just ride it out at home. Even if it is flu there is nothing the gp can give you, it took us all a week to start to feel better.

JemimaMop · 18/01/2011 10:30

Phone the GP, if they are concerned they will send a doctor out. I had flu before Christmas and TBH on Day 4 I couldn't have managed to have used the computer to type the OP, nor could I have got myself to the doctor's surgery. I was flat out in bed throwing up even sips of water and hallucinating!

Hope you feel better soon, you do need to just give it time.

PixieOnaLeaf · 18/01/2011 11:29

This reply has been deleted

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TrinityMotherOfRhinos · 18/01/2011 11:36

definietely not day 4

nothing they can give you anyway

hope you feel better soon

dikkertjedap · 18/01/2011 11:42

I agree with the other posters, nothing the doctor can do. Too late for anti-virals, if it is flu anti-biotics won't help. However, if either you or your dd get breathing problems or uncontrollable fever then I would definitely contact GP again as it could indicate secondary infection (such as chest infection). You might also want to keep an eye on your dd's throat (to exclude tonsillitis, really red and swollen tonsils with or without white spots/streaks) and ears (ear infection). The main risk whilst having flu or after you have had flu, is secondary infections, and in all likelihood they would need treating with anti-biotics. Hope you feel better soon.

topsi · 18/01/2011 14:03

i guess keeping fluids down is important especially for children. i would say that no fluids for 24 hours would cause concern, any blueness of lips or difficulty in breathing, still passing urine is a good sign and change in level of conciousness, ie can't be woken up
other than that tepid baths and calpol for temperature, plenty of fluids and rest.
i am a nurse by the way
hope you feel better soon

Original poster

Marne · 18/01/2011 17:05

Dd2 got worse so i took her to the gp, she has a slight chest infection so is now on antibiotics, i have just got out of bed (to try and and cook for dd1 and dh as he can't cook), even with clothes, slippers and duvet on i couldn't get warm. I still cant seem to get dd's temp down and it seems to shoot up when shes asleep.

I'm not sure if it is flu, whatever it is it is nasty, dd1 had it last week (still recovering) and so far dh seems ok.

OP posts:

lurcherlover · 18/01/2011 17:31

I'm inclined to say if you can get out of bed to cook it isn't flu. I've said many times in my life "I've got flu" when I now know it was just a very bad cold. I have had proper flu once and it is horrendous. You can't contemplate getting out of bed, you shake so much the bed shakes, you need loads of jumpers, duvets etc but you still feel cold to the core. It lasted 5 days and there was a point about day three when I distinctly remember feeling that death would be preferable. As others have said, unless you have a bacterial infection the doctor can't give you anything. Loads of fluids is key, and alternate paracetamol with ibruprofen to help with the fever/headache.

JemimaMop · 19/01/2011 07:59

I'm inclined to agree with lurchlover. If you can get out of bed and take your DD to the doctor or cook then I don't think you've got flu. I'm sure you feel awful, but I don't think it is flu.

As I say I had flu last month and literally couldn't move. I was hallucinating, throwing up even sips of water, sweating enough to drench the sheets but at the same time shivering uncontrollably. My mum had to come to look after the DC as DH had to go to work and there was no way that I could look after them. DS1 had it too about a week before me and he was the same, he is a really active 8 year old who normally never holds still and he just lay flat in bed for 5 days. We are both still suffering from headaches and tiredness after it and it has been about 6/7 weeks since we went down with it.

TrinityMotherOfRhinos · 19/01/2011 08:11

definietly not flu if you can go out

nasty cold
get well soon

Original poster

Marne · 19/01/2011 08:52

Thanks, Dd2 is flat out in bed, she's never like this (she has Autism and is usually hyper from 6am till 8pm), i have no choice but to drag myself out of bed as i have no one else to look after the dd's (dh is at work and my mum in in bed with flu and has been for 2 weeks). Both my dd's have Autism and need 24 hour care (if i don't look after them then who will?). So whatever i have (bad cold/flu/virus) i still need to look after the dd's.

OP posts:

doris1981 · 20/01/2011 02:18

It depends on the individual on what you can and cant do with flu, If you are on your own with kids and have flu, u will get out of bed to cook etc.
I had flu at xmas an new year, I was at my GP after 4 days as I needed antibiotics, I was also able to get out of bed for short bursts, I was in bed shaking and sweating but after paracetamol it calms down, you shake because your temp is so high, its called a rigor.
Im glad u took your dd to the GP, to be honest you cant take the chance with kids as their health declines rapidly. My dd had a chest infection that quickly turned to bronchitis.
If u feel unwell, go to your GP and get checked out, they dont normally turn you away as they cant be bothered coming out.
its been nearly 4 weeks since i had flu and im still shattered, its effects can last quite a while afterwards.

Hope you feel better soon.

Original poster

Marne · 20/01/2011 09:36

Thanks Doris, we are slowlly recovering, dd2 was worse yesterday and started being sick so couldn't keep antibiotics down. My temp is still up and down, i don't feel well enough to sit on the pc but can manage the laptop (led on the sofa), dd1 went back to school today so at least i only have dd2 to contend with. Dd2 seems better this morning and has eaten some toast. My mums partner was taken to hospital yesterday with pneumonia after he fell ill a week ago. I'm keeping a close eye on dd2 but i think we are through the worst of it.

OP posts:

OhYouBadBadKitten · 20/01/2011 09:45

when dd was a baby we had flu for sure. i had a temp of 105F. dh was at 103 But there was noone else and so we did have to somehow survive. It is amazing what a person can do when they really really have no choice.

Original poster

Marne · 20/01/2011 10:12

So true, i could have easily curled up in bed for 5 days (i did go to bed when i could). When your dc's need looking after you have no choice. I have only done what i really needed to do, dc's have been living on cheese on toast and the house is a mess . Just glad i'm on the mend and managed to get a full nights sleep.

OP posts:

doris1981 · 20/01/2011 10:13

thats good, im glad your feeling a bit more human. There is nothing worse than when you are ill and so are the kids. It was 10 days before my temp stopped going up and down, then it was 2 weeks before i could actually eat!
the last poster is spot on, it is totally amazing what you can do when you need to and literally have no choice.

Original poster

Marne · 20/01/2011 10:20

Thanks Doris, my temp still keeps going up and down, i spent another night fully clothed in bed .

OP posts:

cabbageroses · 20/01/2011 11:31

drs can do nothing for flu as others have said- and they ask you not to go so you don't spread it to others there.

TBH so many people say they have "flu" when it is a virus like flu. real flu means you are in bed and feel as if you are dying!

My Dh has just has swine flu and was in bed for 6 days eating almost nothing and is just feeling better 3 weeks later.

yama · 20/01/2011 11:41

I wish people would stop saying that if you have flu you can't get out of bed. I am bfing a 5 month old baby and have definitely just had flu (confirmed). I had to feed him and I had to comfort him. It was horrendous.

Op - you have my sympathy.

doris1981 · 20/01/2011 23:10

my dr said to me I had flu on 23rd dec, I had aches and pains, sore throat, cough, blocked nose, shivering, temp, green diarreah and I was able to leave my house to go to my dr, I felt like i was never gonna get better, i was crying the works!! but i got up and had a bath, I watched tv, I even managed to make a bracelet with my dd. It was the 2nd of jan before I got fully out of bed and im still knacked, I still have the annoying cough. I was lucky that I had my hubby to help me but when he had to go to work on new years day, I got up, made dinners etc.
I think some people may forget that some people have no choice but to soldier on regardless of whats wrong with you.

doris1981 · 20/01/2011 23:14

I would also like to repeat what i said earlier, flu affects everyone different, both my sisters were hospitalized with flu this year, my younger sister is preganant, when she got home she had to look after her two sons ages 4 and 2 cause she simply had no other choice.

winnybella · 20/01/2011 23:15

And I wish people would stop saying that you always feel like dying when you have a flu.
Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't. You might get a very light illness, you might have the fever, chills, aches but still feel semi-functional with some meds or, indeed you might feel unable to get out of bed for 2 weeks. It is a virus- it can affect different people in different ways.

So just because Marne is able to type doesn't mean she doesn't have the fly, fgs.

winnybella · 20/01/2011 23:16

*flu

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