Feeling washed out: GP referring under the 2 week rule

[Enfys1649]

After a bout of what certainly seemed like 'flu a couple of weeks ago, I've been feeling very weak, tired, with occasional heartburn, sweaty, always a stiff neck, still my voice & throat haven't fully recovered. Most of all, really, really weak and sometimes I think I'm going to keel over.

Wondered about anaemia - had a blood test - results show normal ranges but today the GP said that notwithstanding that I seemed to be anaemic - pale, lethargic. Taking everything into account, including tenderness in my stomach, she said she was referring me to gastroenterology for tests, maybe a endoscopy, under the 2 week rule. Perhaps rather daftly, I've just googled stomach cancer symptoms and find some fit, some don't.

So, really what I am asking is this - has anyone had a bout of flu (or similar) that has just lingered and lingered and resulted in them feeling washed out, stiff neck, sweaty for much of the time? And if I do need to have a endoscopy to rule anything in or out, does it hurt even under sedation?

I'm also hoping that my present symptoms are a result of stress (that's not good but I could cope with that) and upheaval - stress cos I work long days and upheaval because my DCs have now all left for uni etc and I miss them!

Does anyone have any advice about coping with the weakness - even if it is connected to something serious, I want to do all I can to help myself.

Many thanks for any advice or thoughts about any of the above!

It sounds to me as if you're a bit low anyway and the virus gas knocked you for six. It may be too early to get excited about all this. It may, and probably should, get better gradually over the next month or so.

Be kind to yourself.

Have the sedation!
I think the Dr is doing their job.
But I think your symptoms could be ongoing recovery from flu too....

...and yes, I had flu 20 years ago that left me very ill with post viral illness.
Google that...does any of that fit?

I had an endoscopy on Wednesday, I can absolutely assure you that it doesn't hurt. Even when taking biopsies. I was so anxious I was in tears before (age 51) and they gave me a bit of extra sedation. It probably took longer for the sedation to kick in than for the endoscopy to be done.

Many thanks all for your encouraging responses. PoshPenny - I hope that you're alright. And thank you for sharing your experience.
I have wondered about ongoing flu symptoms. But then I'm getting heartburn in the evenings which might be stomach related.

I can accept, though, that a continuously sore neck, feeling very weak & depleted all day long and hot and sweaty may well be signs that the virus hasn't shifted. And on another thread here, someone made the point that we're used to speedy recoveries because of antibiotics. Maybe this is nature taking its course - I'll be relieved when the gastro people have made their checks. In the meantime, I'll try to banish morbid thoughts but it's not always easy.

I'm certainly underperforming at work and hoping that it hasn't been noticed yet.

There is something going around. I had something like flu almost 6 weeks ago. I felt dreadful for 2 weeks, didn't do any work (am self employed), cancelled all social stuff , slowly improved each day but even now 6 weeks on I still have a slight temp each morning, am still sneezing some days and am still whacked on some days even when doing not much.
These things can take many weeks to really get over. Maybe your sore neck is still swollen glands if you still have the virus lurking?

It could be post viral syndrome, two weeks isn't long after proper flu.

Many thanks, all. I hope the post viral possibility is the most likely. Update:

Went to the gastro unit today at the hospital & the doctor is having me back for a whole raft of tests - endoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, biopsies. Had bloods taken today. Doctor spoke of various possibilities including crohn's, celiac, various intestinal disorders. Afterwards the nurse told me that they run a battery of tests for patients with anaemia. It was certainly reassuring but I feel a jumble of nerves and worries.

Perhaps foolishly googled these possibilities just now - some symptoms fit, some don't.

Really, really hoping this is just ongoing flu as the flu like symptoms have returned - neck, glands sore - eyes watering.

Part of me wants to put off the tests for a couple of weeks - the other thinks I should take the first available date and get it over with. Now got to brace myself for telling boss I'll be off for a day or two.

Anyway - in the meantime, a question. Still feel washed out (been about a month now) - really weak & run down. Even if this is power for the course, I'd like to feel even marginally better. I'm a vegetarian (have been since a teen). But anything, anything in the way of a supplement or kind of food come to mind? I'm taking floridex as an iron supplement but will have to stop that soon as it might colour the samples. Thanks!

Try and pace yourself as much a you can - this may mean taking short breaks half way through tasks, and don't push yourself to do any more than the bare minimum. You need time to recover from the flu. Google pacing for fatigue for tips.

B12 will help for fatigue but might want to wait til you've had tests for it as could skew any results.

If you didn't have the stomach problems before the flu then I expect this is all caused by the virus. Have you tried going dairy free to see if helps? Sometimes a sensitivity to dairy can be triggered by virus's.

I would at this point be looking at post viral fatigue syndrome/CFS/ME. It is very important to get rest until you feel better, not to keep pushing and going to work. The more rest you get the soonert you will recover hopefully and not develop ME. If you do have it already then keeping pushing will make you worse. Look it up and see if it sounds like the symptoms match

You have my sympathy. I started feeling ill just before half term, achy, sweaty, glands up, nauseous and stiff neck. I felt ok for a couple of weeks then it's back again. I feel so tired and washed out. I do wonder if viral infections take a while to leave your system and re emerge? I know quite a few people who've had this virus.
Hope you soon feel better. I'm self employed and dread being ill!

Thanks, all - really helpful and reassuring comments here. ginger - you may well be right! All this grottiness came about shortly after the first bout of 'flu. A brief respite - then weeks of feeling utterly washed out - then (and now) flu symptoms all over again. I guess the hospital is being cautious. I'm very nervous about the upcoming tests, not least because I'm wondering if having such a sore neck & clearly inflamed throat might effect the endoscopy procedure. Also - it only occurred to me yesterday - I had my tonsils removed when I was 4 and the op was apparently a bit of a botched job. Doctors, when they ask me to say, 'aaahh' always mention it. I'm fine normally - doesn't effect speech or anything else but I am, in my general state of worriness, concerned that perhaps that will impede the process.

Allfurcoat - same boat! I hope you feel a lot better soon, too. I'm not self-employed but I don't have a super sympathetic boss and am having to drag myself into work! As Please says, be kind to yourself.