Aussie Flu

[allglitteredout]

Have you had it yet? If so, are the symptoms really that bad or is the media scaremongering us. I've read a few statuses on Facebook from people claiming to have this "Killer" flu but surely if it was that bad they wouldn't be writing about it on Facebook. I've had a very bad virus for the past 2 weeks that keeps coming back and sore throat so was wondering if that was it??.

Has anyone else had dizzyness with it? I feel really lightheaded today and haven’t before (day 6) is this just part of it?! I am eating reasonable amounts now and drinking loads so it’s not that.

I have got the Aussie Flu & I can tell you, I have never experienced anything like it. I could not walk, terrible pains through my body, headaches and sweating, pains in your stomach and feeling sick ,the cough goes straight to your lungs it is very quick . I am on antibiotics for chest infection, they gave me steroids and inhaler which I have never had. I had the flu jab in September and it's not covered me for this. I am so poorly and still feel so ill.

Yes dizzy and very odd out of it feeling...lasted about 3 days after flu. All went...now if feel well rough again!

I was completely delirious with it. I don't think I stood up enough to feel dizzy, tbh. I also didn't for 2 days at all, because my throat was so bad.

Oh god yes to the dizziness/light-headedness yesterday was particularly bad for that as I kept feeling like I was going to pass out whenever I stood up, it made me feel really nauseous too.
It's day 9 for me and I did the school run and I'm feeling quite a bit better but am off to bed in a bit as still so shattered. No appetite still but forced some toast for dinner.
Feels like I've been existing in some kind of twilight zone this past week and a bit but now I can finally feel some improvement.

Day 6 for me today and I still feel exhausted and unwell but the thing that's getting me down the most is the awful chesty cough. It's so painful and I'm practically in tears each time I have a coughing fit.

Not experienced a bug like this before, I did nothing but sleep for 2 days then next couple of days I lay in bed dozing. Managed water, very minimal food (smoothie). I just want to feel well again

Agree the cough Ian like nothing I have ever experienced. Came on immediately also from the first cough it was deep chesty cough, like a bark. I can’t even explain the cough, DD has had it too (less severely maybe due to flu jab) and she was a few Days before me so over the worse but when she coughs she cries still and says she just can’t bare it. When I cough I feel sort of empty / hollow. Does this make sense to others? I tried to explain it to DH but I couldn’t find the words. Hideous illness

IS not Ian!!

I've heard it said loads of times that when you have flu you can't do anything, yet my daughter, was admitted to hospital with confirmed influenza B ( swabbed) on New Years Day 2013. It was just days before her 6th birthday and she was 9 months off finishing 27 months of treatment for leukaemia. We were in isolation and she was on prophylactic IV antibiotics . I swear she drove me mad for the entire week. Yes she had a temperature, and hacking cough, but was running around the room we were in, doing lessons with the hospital teacher, and demanding to go to the playroom ( off limits for the safety of other children on the oncology ward). We weren't allowed home until her temperature spikes stopped, and her neutrophils reached an acceptable level. I know many are completely floored by flu, but that's not always the case.

First night last night that I haven't coughed all through the night. Woo hoo! 19 days after I first fell ill......

First night last night that I haven't coughed all through the night. Woo hoo! 19 days after I first fell ill......

This sounds awful, I've become completely paranoid re my asthmatic 7 year old getting it.

He went to a party at soft play centre today and I was so wound up about how easy it would be for someone to catch something in that environment. I think it might be best if I steer clear of tube travel and soft play kiddie pits with him for time being. Just for my own sanity!

His whole class have been vaccinated as have all staff, thankfully.

Londonista, try not to panic too much. Both my DCs have had / have got it and neither have been that poorly in comparison to me. DC1 had the flu jab but has still been ill but not terribly so and definitely over the worst now just a bit weak. DC2 hasn’t had the jab, does tend to have a stronger immune system and has it now and doesn’t seem that bothered, just a cough and a bit off colour, so far not as bad as I feared. It’s me that’s been totally struck down by it. DH hasn’t caught it (yet)

What I mean is everyone responds differently. I know people on here are saying ‘it’s not flu if you can get out of bed etc’ I am pretty sure I’ve got it / had it (can’t move and not been so ill ever in my life as the last week) and I caught it from my DD, defining feature the horrendous cough but she was less ill (probably due to flu jab?!) time will tell how my other DC is but again I can only think it’s the same illness as she’s been here in the house with us all week and it’s started in the exact same way (sudden fever lethargy, barking cough) but as yet she’s not too bad.

I thought I was getting better today. I got up at lunchtime, had a shower, got dressed and went downstairs for the first time since Wednesday. I took no pain killers or fever reducers and a slight sore throat and hacking cough.
I managed until about 4 when the head ache and muscle aches returned along with body zaps like I was withdrawing from anti depressants. I think my temperature must have gone up again. I'm back in bed now having taken ibuprofen at 4 and now paracetamol as the head and joint pains haven't gone. The brain zaps have lessened but not entirely gone.

Has anyone else experienced brain zaps with a raised temperature?

Loving the flu snobbery on this thread. Reading everyone's symptoms I think I definitely have it. I've been off work since Wednesday and I'm not going in tomorrow. It's the sore throat that did for me. Bloody horrendous.

Ssshh LEM, before this got me I really believed the whole 'if you can still blink then it isn't flu' thing. I did the school run with it one day, I did have to crawl into bed straight after but I still did it.
I thought I was getting better and went to a couple of shops yesterday, this was a mistake, I've been in bed all day again today with severe headache and body aches again.

Respect to all those suffering or who have suffered this flu season. And to those who may be yet to suffer... we salute you.

Because, flu or not, there is something going about that is clobbering a lot of people and it's vicious.

My version tried to get me a few weeks ago and I somehow fought it off, but last Wednesday I finally got home from work after an agonisingly protracted commute and started to feel the living death come upon me. First real symptoms were a scratchy achey throat and the start of a dry cough. Then I got the migraine with nausea and couldn't look at food. By Thursday evening I was bed-bound with two hot water bottles, shivering and feverish and beside myself in floods of tears for a good hour at one point - not out of man-flu self-pity, but because everything just seemed so sad and poignant and heart-rending. My sleep was hard, dark and very patchy. Going for a wee stung like a UTI, the radiator was up and down like a rat in a drainpipe, and by now even the thought of food made me think I would just drop dead. In fact, I almost wanted to, because by Friday I could barely stand, my muscles, joints, bones and skin ached and hurt, burned and stabbed, and the weight felt like it was dropping orf me.

I haven't been to work since Wednesday and had to cancel the help I usually give Monday mornings on a school run because I can still barely sit up. My back aches to hell, my breathing feels laboured at times, my cough is sore, my appetite has improved thank god but the thought of a square meal gives me the dry baulk and that's not like me. Sleep is still patchy, very staggered over any 24 hours, I'm depressed and pissed off, and terrified of passing this on to anyone I love. Thankfully I live on my own so no direct risks in that respect.

I'm 51, but a very youthful 51 if I do say so myself. I've also had more than my fair share of viruses and chest infections and other seasonal diseases in my time, as well as living with some chronic conditions like fibro, osteoporosis and migraine. But this is like nothing I've ever known and I seriously felt I could die quite easily from it if I took my eye off the ball for more than a few seconds. I now completely get why some people die from flu. My own has a scythe hidden in the folds of its sneaky cloak and I'm praying now that it takes it with it when it finally clears orf!!!

So awful to read everyone’s terrible experiences but does make me feel better that I’ve havent been exaggerating!!

I’m on Day 8 now and still feel poorly but nowhere near as bad but don’t want to risk commuting to work as just too tired so I am working from home (lucky I can I know)

To those who have young DCs who have had this have they suffered more or less than you? DC1 is 6 and has had it and still seems a bit off but much much better so is going to school but not sending to usual sports clubs this week (week 2) DC2 is 2.5 and I think has it but doesn’t seem too bad, mainly a cough. Has anyone else’s suffered less severe symptoms?

To those who say that if it was flu you wouldn’t have energy to go on social media etc.. Two years ago I had the flu. Didn’t get out of bed for most of the day for days but had little choice as am a single parent with no local support.

On the morning of about the 8th or 9th day I posted on fb that I just wanted it to go away, more to gage what other people had been through.

By that afternoon I couldn’t breath, and rang an ambulance, by that night I was on life support in full organ failure fighting for my life.

Flu affects various people differently. If you have the flu it’s unlikely that you’re going to be up and about on family days out but some people do have to drag themselves out of bed and are able to at least partly interact.

Whether it's flu, a virus or nasty cold people are catching, I'd still say to everyone to just look after yourselves, rest as much as possible, if you've got a high temperature take something for it, keep trying to drink and if you can face it small amounts of healthy food.

If you're having trouble breathing and starting to feel worse as it goes on, then that's time the time to get yourselves checked out in case it's escalating into something like a a chest infection or pneumonia which you'll certainly need treatment for.

I had it over Christmas and felt horrific, but I still dragged myself out on Christmas Eve and managed to watch the kids open gifts on Christmas Day. I then developed an ear infection as a complication, along with a bit of costochondritis. Please don’t tell people they can’t possibly have flu if they can get out of bed, it’s different for everyone. Mine was confirmed!

Should also add, I haven’t shifted the aches or fatigue yet and, as a PP said, I’m off work today with a joyous bout of stomach issues. The aches are awful today. It is hitting repeatedly just as I think I’m over it!

MelanieSmooter - I am dreading this! Sounds like it just lasts and lasts. I do feel better today (day 8) but legs feel like they have lead in them. I actually can't believe how poorly I have felt. Just said to DH it has been worse than anything I have had (that I can remember) in my 36 years, I would take norovirus over it even. Bloody horrible.

I genuinely lost a couple of days over the holidays. I said to DH that although I was ‘there’ in body my head was like jelly! Just not with it at all.