How long are people having this flu virus for?

[NameChangedAMillionTimes]

Hi, I've had that flu virus thats going around for two weeks. It went away for Christmas Eve and Day and then came back. Feel really rough, no energy, temperature every night, coughing like a donkey, just feel like Ive been steamrolled. I'm a single mum and am struggling a bit now. Just looking for some hope really. How long are people generally having it for? I am doing all the right things, drinking water, resting, sleeping, I havent had kids for 4 days so I haven't had stress either but STILL feel like sh*te. They're back tomorrow so I'm worrying a bit how I'm going to cope. Looking for a bit of hope? Could I be on the home run now? Doesn't feel like it. Went to see GP before Christmas as chest was rattling but she said it was a virus and nothing to be done. The rattle has subsided a bit but am still hacking. Not covid, and have had flu jab.

Any ideas on the timeline? Thanks a lot. x

Same, last day of antibiotics and cold and shivery and back with green snot, headache and fever. Terrible night sweats again, wondering if this bug has somehow exacerbated menopause symptoms as I was doing fine on HRT before I got it, now wham, bam Im a mental and physcial wreck again.

How’s everyone doing? Day 29 here and back to GP for earache and sore throat and general exhaustion ..more antibiotics! Still got the night sweats too but the nurse (couldn’t get appointment with a GP) kept on insisting they were menopausal even though I’m on HRT and haven’t had a problem with them until this illness 😩😩

DS1 can't shake it his current virus either - 3 weeks and counting....

DH and I only had it for 48 hours.

I am on day 27… antibiotics worked for me for a week but had a terrible day Sunday - although this was after being back at work over the weekend and I’m a dance teacher so it’s a physical job. Now fever has gone again but left with a terrible chesty cough , sore throat and mild exhaustion. Not sure to leave it or go back to docs for more antibiotics if the first lot haven’t fully cleared everything up?

its rubbish that everyone is feeling unwell but does give a slight feeling of relief that others are taking longer to get over this and it’s not just my body!!

She just explained to me that different antibiotics focus on different things so amoxicillin was good for earache & throat that pen v good for sinusitis and chest - might need to have a different one? Tbh though I always thought amoxicillin was a broad spectrum one. Good luck, hope you feel better soon.

I hoping that's what I've got. Really sharp pain in upper front rib going round the side to the back. Coughing is so painful, also sore breathing in. Got to ring the drs tomorrow so will see what they say. Almost four weeks in and on day 6 of antobiotics

Dh got it on 16 December - full on fever and fluey symptoms for a few days, then the cough. He's largely better now.
A few days after he fell ill I had some sinus discomfort, then minor head cold symptoms for a week-ish and I thought I'd got away with it but just after Christmas it got worse in slow motion. Felt feverish and properly ill on New Year's Eve. My hips and ribs ached all day and night and the cough was making me gag and burp so I had to sleep sitting up for a few nights, which helped. Dosed myself with chesty cough syrup and ibuprofen for a week, and it's been a few steps forward and a few steps back every day since.
Still taking cough meds at night and napping in the evenings.
Guaifenesin cough syrup has been a godsend - it doesn't make me feel speedy like Sudafed but it really helps the congestion drain. Constipating though, cos I need another source of discomfort.

@NameChangedAMillionTimes how are you? I have been ill since 26th december! I had antibiotics for 5 days. Started to feel better abit better for like 4 days and now
im bad again!
The dr has now given me a nose spray , but the face ache and headaches are getting to me :( not sure whether i need more :( xx

@blackberrytea82 did the antibiotics help much? I had some
but now im bad again :( xx

@autienotnaughty how are you now ? My face is still aching and awful headaches :( had AB’S xx

Omg I feel as if I’ve found my tribe even though it’s the tribe no one wants to join. I’ve had exactly this, coming up 2 weeks starting 4 days in bed with awful shivering, sweating, sore throat, cough. Not covid and have had flu Jab.
Have managed to get up but now it’s the most dreadful hacking cough day and night which exactly as someone said is until I could puke/ wet self. Awful. Was in office for compulsory meeting Friday and had to leave room to cough.
Feeling really down about it today too. I’ve been prescribed codeine which suppresses the cough at night so I can sleep. But not in day though. Such a pain. Really needed to start new year with a v positive start as am in newish role. Instead feel like coughing crap bag

Bleurgh, now have a combination of pleurisy and inflamed intercostal muscles. In second lot of antibiotics. The cough seems to have disappeared which I'm thankful for, it was vicious. Just pain in the ribs now, which is very painful. Every night I go to bed thinking I'll be better tomorrow, still waiting.

This just simply isn't true. The antibiotics have no idea where your infection is.

Week 4 for me and week 5 for hubby. It goes away a bit then comes back but at least this seems to be normal?!?! We've had worse ones but not sure we have had one as long as this. Didn't even think of GP as its probably viral and by the time we got appointments it would be over .... surely .... good luck everybody

@Cookerhood I think OP means the type of bacterial infections that lurk in those different places, thats why different antibiotics are used for different infections.

Ah, that makes sense!

How long are people having off work? This is my second week I was prescribed antibiotics on sat. I've only been dressed once when I went to the docs. I'm so exhausted, can't sleep with the cough I feel so run down. I had covid in December was just getting over that when I got this virus.

Better thanks I’m still tired and sinuses / headache are still there but not as bad.

I came home early on new years day, then was on annual leave for two weeks, and then a week off sick. Couldn't have gone to work if someone was holding a gun to my head. Finally starting to improve and will be in work next week.

I have it.
I had covid very badly in 2021, was in hospital a week and ill for 3 months. Covid again 2022 - very mild.
I have lots of other health conditions and qualify for covid treatment.
Started with a mild cold 10 days ago. On day 6 it hit me like a train - cough, wheeze, short of breath, fatigue, nausea, fever, diarrhoea, back pain, headache, loss of appetite. After three days it all improved apart from chest. I was so short of breath I rang GP and was seen half an hour.
Got steroids and ABs which I'm on day 3 of. Still can't walk across the room without being out of breath.
This feels very much like the first covid I had but 3 negative tests.

Just marking place
also a single mum , I had covid but it’s two weeks now and still feel shit

i used to exercise daily and can’t imagine even going to supermarket at this rate

sorry for us all x