Anyone else have this awful virus?

[LEMtheoriginal]

Day 3 and I'm fucked! I have never experienced a sore throat like this. It's agony.

Dr prescribed naproxen and co-codimol. Can't take the naproxen yet as it's bid and I have already taken ibruprofen.

Not slept at all for 48 hours as my throat is too painful. Had to write a note for the Dr as I couldn't talk to explain symptoms.

He said there is a particular nasty virus that is poleaxing people for up to two weeks . I can't afford to take that time off work.

What I'm really after is self help for my throat - it is AGONY and I am besides myself. If I cough it feels like layers of skin being ripped from my throat. Strangely I don't think my tonsils are affected as it's more central roof of mouth.

The most impressive nasal drop you've ever seen.

He didn't say the f word though - just rest and fluids. Pain relief etc.

Anyone want to join my pity party?

I feel like that too - my life is just existence at the moment. Hoping that I will wake up and feel recharged each day. It feels Victorian to spend so much time recuperating from a "chill". I decided to "be better" today so got up at 7.30 am, managed some milky coffee and a few ginger biscuits for breakfast and tried to make a start on some admin work - my brain just won't work and I feel tired and shaky. I think I'm frightened to leave the house after a nightmare London trip to a meeting a few weeks ago.

My twin DD's have just got up and are hacking in the kitchen. They have not returned to uni - mindless daytime TV will be on all afternoon I should think. Will it ever end???

@Kikashi

I feel like that. About going out. Not sure if same for you but I start to feel like my legs are wobbly, bits of me begin to ache and the I feel like I’ve had a skinful and like I might fall. Then after doing so feel desperately tired and then feel like the virus is returning.

I’m really hating this. It’s like life has been wiped out and like you say it’s an existence.

There’s workmen in my neighbours flat and I overheard one say he’s got a cold and feels like shite. He’s hacking away.

I spoke to the other who I have got to know as there’s a renovation going on and he’s had the same sounding virus. And before I could say it he said “it’s a weird thing, you think it’s going, then it comes back and I feel wiped out. Christmas and New Year was ruined. We all had it”.

@Kikashi

The GP I saw said to expect 12 weeks end to end. Sounds like the recovery is the bit that takes time.

treedragon that is exactly how I feel about going out! Yes, I read your 12 week warning further upthread - hope it is not so! My partner has asthma so went to the GP last week because of the cough and was sent for X ray (and given amoxicillin that doesn't seem to have done much good). The GP phoned today and said my partner has had a lung infection and should get a follow up X ray/check up in 6 weeks - perhaps he has had Adenovirus or a "mild" pneumonia.

I hadn't thought about an actual lung infection as when I had pneumonia a few times as a child and many lung infections the phlegm was yellow or green but with this has been fairly clear. My partner thinks we should all be seeing the GP (although there seems to be no effective treatment) except to focus on "rest".

So much sympathy for those having building works in their house or nearby! must be hell.

I'm joining the club! Day 4 for me, barely ate anything all weekend, ended up vomiting at 5am this morning, now desperately trying to blow my nose (which I'm finding impossible for some reason), coughing and spluttering and trying to soothe my throat. I've been having Lucozade (pink one) and raspberry sorbet. The sorbet does work, but not for long. I've had to cancel all my plans so far this week. Great.

Just had to go on an errand involving a walk from the tube to a nearby destination and back. Total of 5000 steps my phone tells me. On the way back I had to stop in a café just to rest. I can't walk at a normal pace at all - very weird. I don't really have any symptoms left (day 16) - minor snivels and sinusy headache. The real problem is this bone-aching tiredness and this inability to move in a normal way.

@Kikashi

I may have asked earlier but are you suffering recurring pain in the body? Almost like an arthritis?

It’s awful. Today I feel like an old person that needs a frame to move about.

Yes I am - sensitive teeth, knee pains,elbow pain, pains in toe bones, fingers - on and off everywhere. Feeling dizzy/false sense of motion today and ear fullness as well. I feel like my bottom could grow roots into the sofa as I have sat practically all day on it watching TV or posting on MN. Partner went to the chemist (5 minute walk each way) to collect inhalers and came back wrecked - gone up to bed.

Yup that’s the same pains I’m having. Almost like tennis elbow. My top teeth hurt intermittently more than the lowers.

Jeez I’m feeling really down with this now. Five Weeks. I mean Five sodding weeks.

Years ago we would all be sent somewhere like Ventnor on the Isle of Wight what’s now the botanic gardens to recuperate.

It is my top teeth too - I have to leave water to "warm up" a bit to make it bearable. My first cheese grater throat started on the 23 December. I thought I had mostly on about on 22 January but woke the next day with the shredded throat - it will soon be 2 months of this. So, so bored but unable to do much. My partner has had terrible hip pain. My son isn't sleeping or eating much and has no energy and a hacking cough and the twins get up around lunchtime eat some toast and go back to bed and come back for fresh egg pasta for tea and watch TV then bed. It's like Groundhog day.

Usually the house is really chatty and lively but is more like a care home in atmosphere the past few weeks.

You are right treedragon we all need a Convalescent home stay.

I can also confirm hip pain. Especially in my right hip. Also shoulders with more pain present in the right. Feels like a sports injury but no sport or activity to cause it.

My skin also feels sensitive too.

Oh my hips! I thought that was just a result of being in bed for so sodding long.
I am tempting fate by suggesting I might be one of the lucky ones. I had eight full days in bed but am now on day ten and have been mostly on the sofa with only a few naps. Appetite is recovering slowly.
Maybe I got a different bug although it sounded just like everyone else’s last week. I have had nearly a week of antibiotics for an ear infection and separately for a chest infection, so don’t know if other people are getting secondary bacterial infections after the original virus that need treating?

Kikashi, must be so difficult seeing the whole family so ill. Hope your DP recovers form the 'mild' pneumonia (not sure how mild 'mild' is, hope he is on the mend).

Groundhog day indeed! Feels like I've been stuck on sofa in same loungewear forever now. 'Frozen' DVD running on repeat for 3 yo some days, feel like I know all the songs off by heart... That and CBeebies. Luckily we haven't had any workmen in for a while as in a lull in building work (whilst DH built kitchen) but are probably having flooring put in next week so suspect I have to relocate sick den! DFIL has offered his spare room but don't want to risk him getting this as he has a lung condition.

Re arthritis like pain, DH has had pains and aches since I've had this. he hasn't had any other symptoms but I am wondering if he has a weird version of it.

Having a ginger beer now, find that it soothes the throat really nicely.

I measured my temperature just now and it was 98.0. Which at present I think is ok. Not sure if the ranges.

That said why do I feel so crap

No you’ll feel crap at 98. That’s a proper temperature. Not terrible but a definite fever.

We have been struck down with it dh has had a horrendous cough for about 2 week,plus general feelings of congestion not sleeping very loud coughing and snoring. Meaning that I've been sleeping separately for about a week. I started with a cold about 3 weeks ago, that went then I got the shivers and a slight sore one sided throat and a high temp. Last week I had a one sided cold and now I have 1 swollen painful gland in my neck and losing my voice and generally feeling so lethargic. Wish it would leave and we could feel better soon.

I had the achy hips, oh my, it was so bad, I couldn't get comfortable in bed and the pain was waking me up in the night - past that stage now.

Now I'm just left with a hacking cough which is making my throat strained and ribs/chest ache. The sides of my neck are really sore now, not a sore throat but like it's been strained. And still any exertion wears me out, went to optician today and just walking back to the car left me out of breath.

Still knackered here. Dr told me it comes with reactive arthritis. Which is nice to know am not imagining it!

What is reactive arthritis? The pain I’m having is like some kind of arthritis I’m sure. The cold type symptoms have subsided but as someone here said it’s now bone aching tiredness and the impact on mobility. I’m actually now anxious to go out because of fear of falling, fear of the pain, fear of not being able to get back home.

It’s doing my head in

What the hell is it? I've been ill for 5 weeks. It's like the first couple of days of a really bad cold, sore throat, stinking headache, streaming nose and feeling very unwell. I finally think I'm turning a corner then bam, it's back as bad as ever again. This time I've had really bad lower back and hip pain as well. It's like it's mutating in my body. It's actually making me depressed now.

@SeniorRita

+1 about exertion. I have found even loading the washing machine leaves me breathless and worn out. I’m actually nervous of tackling jobs or doing something. Even taking a bath takes its toll or fixing something for lunch.

I’ve never known anything like it.

I think I'm feeling a bit better but my mood is very low. I'm sorry to see so many people under the weather here.