This chesty flu virus thingy thats going round....anyone else

[Elibean]

feel breathless even after fever gone? I'm a week in and still have an occasional cough, but feel like I'm breathing through a sponge which makes me panicky - which in turn doesn't help

If I had a secondary chest infection I'd be coughing green gunk and have a proper fever, no?

[SuperFlyHigh]

For everyone else yes this lovely chesty virus is doing the rounds in South East.

I am very lucky in that I was only in bed with it for 2 days but I was ill (aching limbs, slight fever etc) beforehand but I battled through, ignored it...

Get better everyone! Roll on spring

[Lweji]

I'm finally better with no cough, but my voice is still hoarse. I had the low fever, breathlessness and horrible cough for a few weeks and until Christmas.
It does take a long time to shake off.

[5minutestobed]

Oh I'm in Scotland btw so its not just down south, my Dr said it is doing the rounds here as well!

[LightNC]

Glad the doctor was helpful, Elibean.

I'm now coughing my way into the 4th week. Groan..
I hope everyone feels better soon!

[nailsathome]

I've got it too. I'm on week 3 of the cough. I had 3 days of bed rest (as much as you can with 2 kids!)

[Clarella]

This bug has also led to a possible 'revealing' of mild asthma or triggered it or worsened a possible slight asthma that I wasn't previously diagnosed with in me.

So don't be afraid to go back to GP. A blue inhaler helped greatly as did oral steroids but symptoms came back badly off the steroids, so I've begun a six week brown inhaler 'trial' to see if there's an improvement in my peak flow after this time (evidence of asthma). It could just be a terrible bug but I've often had a lot of issues getting over any cough, and it's worsened over the last few years,

[SuperFlyHigh]

Clarella see my post, hopefully most surgeries have an Asthma Nurse - to be honest though at times I felt they were overprotective of my having asthma and monitoring it - I was pleased and relieved afterwards. My asthma was or is mild but is or was made worse by the fact I can't use inhalers so had to use that big clear globe (forget name for it!) until I found an inhaler I could use easily.

I've since learnt that asthmatics need to be more careful than non asthmatics re colds etc as these go to our chests more easily. I now quite happily state this to work if they ask etc. that I have asthma.

Ps Clarella hope you feel better soon as it can Improve.

[Clarella]

Thanks superfly, it's been confusing to be honest as GP was vague but said he thought asthma. I've another thread on this very topic at the mo asking "can bugs trigger adult onset asthma" - basically the answer seems to be yes!

There still a question over me and i was very confused so did call the nurse and after a chat she saw me. I now have a brown inhaler to trial for 6 weeks to see if it make a difference to peak flow. Blue made slight difference, and now using a spacer too.

I've always developed coughs at the slightest cold, and they've lingered and been getting worse. I'd been 'coping' and struggling on believing that if not chesty and gurgly it wax likely to be viral therefore no point seeing GP. I had no idea that sometimes steroids are needed and inhalers - even if there's no asthma. Mines been epic though 10 weeks and counting! This might still not be asthma but I've needed help!

So basically OP YANBU to see GP for extra help.

[amarmai]

cold water humidifier is helping me clear my breathing apparatus. Not figured out how to sort the upper left quadrant pain tho-apart from a hot water bottle. And the headache was bugger for a few days too.

[Jessesbitch]

Ive had this for nearly 4 weeks and a different cold immediately before that (been ill since before christmas). It keeps changing. Now runny nose and extreme fatigue, coughing. No or very little phlegm. Is there any point going to dr? Think she'll just say rest up. Friends keep telling me to go but I don't want to pick up anything else. Have been twice but not for two weeks (he said i was just unlucky to get back to back viruses). Had 10days of steroids as chest very bad (asthmatic). Those finished a week ago and chest is ok. Wwyd?

[elfycat]

We all went down with it last week. DD2 (5 and 7yo) had the week off from school. I nearly sent DD1 in on Friday, but she'd coughed all night and was white in the face. Still is today - another nurse/parent commented on how grim she looked.

It's a mile of gentle uphill waling to school. Between the incline and the cold wind (It was sleeting) I could hardly breathe for coughing. Never mind huh? thank goodness for TENA products I've pulled muscles in my neck/shoulder with the cough so still taking ibuprofen so I can move (and cough without crying).

[Clarella]

Jesse is chest really ok if you're coughing and asthmatic?

If this is asthma (well it is but early diagnosis and might not be permanent for me) my biggest issue / symptom is the coughing. But gets triggered by other things too eg smoke (badly).

[Jessesbitch]

Yes asthma fine. Earlier on it was waking me up 5times a night. Now i just wake in morning with a coughing fit and have a quick puff. Maybe 2 times during day. Compared to before thats well controlled! Forgot to say second trip to dr they gave me an additional high dose salbutamol. So i guess its that keeping in check.

Coughing is in fits like whooping cough but not that often.

[CalpolToTheRescue]

Urgh. Think this is what I've come down with.
A week of regular cold symptoms followed by a rapid deterioration yesterday to more flu like symptoms, but mostly chesty/heady.
DH taken day off to have DDs so I can stay in bed. Just been for a bath & it's worn me out! Back in bed now.
Oh, and joy of joys, I think DD2 (10mo) now has it too.
We're in central Scotland btw.

[amarmai]

what do people think about using Ionic Air Purifiers to get rid of viruses in the air?

[HeyMacWey]

Eurgh - I think I have this.
Woke up on Monday aching and blocked head and feverish. Pressure released on weds and now streaming gunk and persistent cough. Constant aching and dizziness.
I have cfs/me though so don't know if it's just a regular cold as illnesses like this seem to have more of an effect.
Am on bed rest as dc's old enough to take care of themselves.

[CalpolToTheRescue]

When will tthis end? Currently in bed again shivering and feeling generally awful
Supposed to be taking DD1 out for a special occasion tomorrow night and so don't want to miss it.
DH being unsympathetic to my 'bad cold' although to be fair took 2 days off work to help out (I'm a sahm).

Wrt air purifiers, surely once you've caught the virus they're pretty much redundant. Just relying on our good old immune systems to do all the work. I've had the bedroom window open throughout my 'confinement' but mainly to try to keep the room feeling fresher & help my cough. No, it hasn't helped my cough!

[amarmai]

actually worried about reinfecting myself and family , so changing bedding and washing pillows etc. Did buy the ionizer but not sure if it does what it says.

[CalpolToTheRescue]

I don't think you can reinfect yourself. Once your immune system has a hold on it you have immunity - your body knows how to fight it and does so.
I'm no scientist but am pretty sure that's right.

[Sanchar]

I'm coming down with something awful too.

No fever but all my joints ache like buggery. throat so sore that I can't speak except in a croak or swallow without wincing, so I am sipping icey coke constantly!
The cough, oh sweet Jesus the whole body agony when I cough!!!!😭😭😭
No runny nose though which is good, I like breathing when I'm ill.

I'm the only one who has it so far so I'm quarantining myself and leaving dh to do the kids.
He'll be going on a coke, ice and night nurse run later.

[5minutestobed]

Still suffering here, its day 13. Still got a mega sore throat and an awful cough as does DH and DS. This sucks, I just want to be able to go out and do stuff without feeling like crap. We move house in two weeks and I haven't started packing yet.

[DoreenLethal]

I got it the day before this thread, and two weeks later I am only just recovering.

Day 15 for me. Hacking cough. Still getting fevers. Nasty little virus it is.

[Roonerspism]

I have had what I think is proper flu. 3 days in bed with severe body aches, fever, chesty cough.

It came on suddenly. I'm a bit better on day 4 but horrible cough and sweating when I do anything. Really sore when I cough

Sounds I have got off lightly!!!

Get well soon everyone.

[gamerchick]

Ah I'm properly gutted reading this thread. Mine only came on yesterday, weeks of it?

[Roonerspism]

Gamer - I was only 3 awful days....I'm praying I will be better by next week