DH with high temperature and shivers

[oxcat1]

Just after some advice. DH is usually very healthy, but is also quite inclined to take his health quite seriously - he doesn't ever do anything about it or act on his worries, but he goes get quite concerned.

All that aside, he is clearly quite I'll at the moment. On Sunday evening he had a dry cough, but he woke up in the middle of Sunday night in quite a state with what was clearly a very high temperature (no thermometer in the house), but rigors and weird dreams. He fell asleep after some paracetamol, but when I touched him about half an hour later, he was drenched in sweat. The same happened last night, and now today every 4-6 hours as the paracetamol begins to wear off, the uncontrollable shivers start, and you can feel the heat through his clothes. He does now have a productive cough.

What do to? Is it bad enough to bother the GP tomorrow, or should we wait 3 days as advised by NHS direct? He definitely cheers up as the painkillers kick in, but I've never seen such pronounced and unintentional shivering. Not much appetite either.

Well I would go to the GP. A fever is quite unusual in an adult, so it may be a chest infection, requiring antibiotics.

The shivering is caused by the temperature. I'd say it's probably some sort of flu like virus so not much a Dr can do but you should go with your instinct (as I have no qualifications what so ever to say this!). Can you phone the out of hours GP for advice? Mine are really helpful with this kind of thing and much better than NHS direct. It's always best to talk to someone who can reassure you. Hope he gets well soon. xx

Sounds like a bad cold or flu. No point going to a doctor and spreading the infection, imo. He should get better in a day or two.

OneHandFlapping-is fever unusual in an adult, really? As unusual as flu? Because most people with flu get fevers as well.

If his RP is not too fast, he's not turning blue at the lips/extremities, his breathing is not labored...just let him stay in bed for a couple of days.

Oh, and re:shivering, my DD is ill with some sort of infection at the mo and yesterday she was shivering like mad when the calpol started to wear off and the temp was rising- she shaking uncontrollably. Means nothing, just that the temp is rising fast.

I had this a few weeks ago. It was flu.

Theres not much you can do apart from ride it out and take paracetamol

Flu is horrendous! Never realised how bad real flu is!

Yy, Sparky. Puts in perspective those colds, eh?

I had it once for 2 weeks. 2 weeks of being unable to get up, fevers of 40-41 degrees, horrid.

Op, I also thought that to better control the fever, perhaps your DH could alternate paracetamol with ibuprofen?

Shaking means temp is rising or falling too fast. It's not good and is the sign of a potent infection. He should be in pj s in a room with no draughts and a luke warm temp. Lots of rest and sleep.

Yes, if you can walk and talk you do not have the flu!

Make sure he drinks loads, I didn't/couldn't and got dehydrated which made me worse!

Loads of fluids, paracetamol and ibuprofen, and rest!

I now have a fear of being cold because of those bastard shivers!! I knew I was hot, had a duvet, pj's, dressing gown and blanket on and I still felt like I was naked in the snow :(

Thanks - will keep going with what we've been doing then. Afraid no to ibuprofen as he's asthmatic but the paracetamol does drop the temperature.

Just wanted to check I wasn't being mean really! Thanks.

I think you should take this seriously... shivering with high fever[ usually while feeling cold] is rigors and can indicate a severe bacterial infection such as pneumonia
flu like illness can be cough, aches and pains and shivery, but not usually to the point of rigors.
He needs to go to the GP tomorrow, but if he is ill in the night check he is not really poorly such as confused, breathless, in pain or sweaty and clammy in which case get him seen overnight.

just seen he is asthmatic..very likely chest infection/ pneumonia then

DH gets fevers like this with bad colds, so not quite as bad as flu, but it's not unusual for him to get fevers and shivers like this. He rests up, doses up and is normally fine in a few days, we don't bother sending him to the doctor. I on the other hand never get sick like this so when I did last week I went to the doctor, had a bladder infection apparently adn was put on antibiotics so go with your gut....

Sounds like a chest infection. If he is still bad this morning I would get the GP out and some antibiotics if required.

Our family all had a viral thing a few weeks ago, with a very sore throat, and high fevers for a couple of nights. DP was freaked out as he was shivering like that, and he said he never gets a fever. I told him it was the same as I'd had the week before, I felt SO cold, and just stayed in bed for two days.

Then it went away. I was maxing out on paracetamol and ibuprofen and it still didn't get below 38.

Hope he is Ok x

I find I can take ibuprofen if not active i.e. it doesn't upset asthma if I am just laying in bed

If he's coughing up bloody / discoloured stuff or his asthmas bad I'd get him seen. Otherwise it sounds like flu imo but I'm no medic!

The old saying about 'if its flu you can't do anything' is true I think for most but NOT for all. We had swine flu and yes it was utterly utterly horrendous and one of the worst experiences of my life (100miles from family, a 4 year old, 3month old and both of us parents with flu too at xmas) we all kept going to some extent. Obviously dh and I didn't have much choice because dc needed us but even ds was still bounding about at certain points of the day - even when he was later found to have pneumonia.

I had bronchitis and a bacterial lung infection a couple of years back...god I was so ill like your dh but went to GP after a few days of getting worse and worse and he gave me anti b's which made me feel a bit better after a day then loads better. Defo go to the GP x