Anyone else got this Virus - ongoing Nausea - I have had it for 4 weeks

[Concepta]

Just been to the doctor. I have had Nausea now for 4 weeks. The doctor says it is a virus and I should be OK soon. He said that unlike the Norovirus this one can linger for a while. Was wondering if anyone else had anything similar and if so how long did it last. One good thing I suppose I didn't put on any weight over Christmas!!, but I would just love to feel healthy again.

A question for anyone still following - Sorry it might be TMI but when I mentioned it to the doctor she didn’t seem concerned - but as well as nausea the past two weeks I’ve also had loose stools. Has anyone else had this? I’ve been taking one strong probiotic a day, could this be why? Or is this the virus finally on its way out - like I’ve been thinking for the past four weeks 😞😩

Melly, I am so sorry you are feeling this way too! I am starting week 5. Mine actually started with loose stools, nausea, body aches, loss of appetite, and general awfulness. I had something similar that lasted 3-4 weeks last year and thought this would be the same but it’s taking such a long, horrible time to go away. I had the usual bloodwork, CBC, metabolic, an EKG (because my heart rate shot up and has stayed up also), an abdominal ultrasound. Started Zantac and Mirtazapine about two weeks ago (supposed to help nausea sleep and appetite). It’s the worst. Aside from the fact that I miss food horribly, it’s making me tired, anxious, and sad. I haven’t been able to leave the house much. My 4 year old notices and keeps asking if I am “all better”. My physician has mentioned a GI but the tests sound awful and it sounds like they often end up at a loss after anyway. I’m hoping I can avoid it.

Keep reading about Gastritis and Gastroparesis and hoping it’s none of those. (I guess they can happen after a virus too?) I really hope it’s just a slow virus and it’s ok the way out. :(

I just counted... I'm on week eleven!! Dear God! I'm really hoping I'm turning a corner but then I've thought that before!

For the last week my nausea seems to have been under control but I have still had terrible indigestion. Today I managed 2 slices of cheese on toast for lunch and I'm so proud of myself!!! I'm just desperate for this to be the start of better things!

I have a CT scan on Friday - to be honest I'm fed up of the tests too... ultrasound, blood work, gastroscopy and now CT AND colonoscopy to look forward to!

And I miss food too! I never even got my Christmas dinner and keep saying as soon as this is over I'm going to cook one!

Starzen I read that gastroparesis is commonly kicked off by a virus.

Oh Pebble. 11 weeks is way too long for this suffering!

The indigestion is the worst part for me too. It's like I have two types of nausea.. the general kind (I think it happens when I am too hungry, and is sort of low level, and most of the time), and the indigestion kind (it happens if I eat too much, or too fast, and is much worse to deal with). I am currently sipping on a chocolate meal replacement shake. I wish it were something better. Seems like the only things that really settle right now are shakes, buttered toast, and crackers. I am so desperate for some real food! (And the stuff that comes with real food, like energy. And happiness. Haha.)

I haven't had a chance to read through all of the past messages yet, but I am slowly working my way through it. This is the first board I have found where it seems like other people are experiencing the same thing, and it's such a relief to not feel so alone. I just wish we had answers.

My doctor also said sometimes it can take people like 6 weeks or so to get over a particularly nasty virus. She didn't say what kind of virus causes that kind of misery. Or if it can last longer. Or even what to do for it, aside from trying some medications and eating bland foods. It's effecting literally every part of my life, and I don't think she quite gets it. :(

I even had bloods done to test for things like celiac and lupus, and the H.Pylori breath test, and all were negative. Sigh. (I know negative is a good thing, I just wish I had some answers!)

My daughter is 4, and she was sick for about a week before it hit me. For her it started with a reasonably high fever for 3 days, loss of appetite, malaise. Vomiting for a day after that. For another 3 days or so she was just "off", and still didn't eat much or act quite right, and then she was god as new. For me it started a week later and hasn't left.

Sorry about the typos, I think I've fixed them all before posting, and then see one after it's up! Lol.

Mine started with a fever, aches and pains, malaise and just generally off my food, no appetite and nausea... but then when the other symptoms settled down (which took 2-3 weeks) I was left with all the gastric ones!

I have been using the shakes as well - Fortisip and Ensure, to try and top up on calories. I had to buy new trousers at the weekend for work as literally all my clothes are hanging off me... good job I wasn't small to begin with! Doctors will prescribe the shakes but only if you are underweight and malnourished. I'm malnourished and have lost the best part of 2 stone, but not underweight... yet!!

I did a home h.pylori blood test - negative. Like you, I'm pleased in one way things are negative but would love some kind of treatment to be available so the end could be in sight!

I'm still waking up feeling sick and feeling it after eating. I am however just about back to normal eating now though, so hopefully am getting there. I hope so would be nice to feel normal again in the morning.

Mine started with a bad head, then a couple days later bad stomach ache and runs one evening, then the sick feeling and not being able to eat next day.

Here's hoping were all better soon.

@Lizandalfiedog, how long have you been sick? Sitting here picking at buttered toast, and wishing it was a chicken sandwich. I wish there was some way to know when it would all go away. It's so hard to keep the faith that it will after so many weeks.

Melly, I want to come across as intrusive but a lot of symptoms you've described are like mine, which were caused by anxiety. Then after loosing my appetite my entire system was messed up - loose stool, stomach aches & cramps, indigestion..you name it...
Pebble21uk - what are your Doctor's saying? You also sound similar to my experience. I also did the h.pylori home kit test. It's the uncertainty that is unreal. 2stone is a lot. So I went on the scales for the first time since Christmas and I am 9kg down and I've been eating for weeks...so I mst have lost 12kg in total

My GP isn't sure but we have agreed that my anxiety has definitely made things worse... I really don't discount it.
I have had at least 2 previous occasions when I've been through similar in the past, but never for this long. Last time my GP suspected IBD (ie Crohn's or colitis) but that was because I had raised inflammation markers as well... I don't have those this time. I have been diagnosed with IBS in the past.

My consultant isn't sure but wants this barrage of tests. The gastroscopy found a couple of patches on my oesophagus a different colour, but I can't think they are the cause. I was hoping the CT scan would be the last test on Friday, but he has now said a colonoscopy too as they found blood in a stool test. Not much, but over the limit. I don't think it was enough for IBD and they will probably still come to no conclusions (I'm certainly hoping they don't come to any bad ones!)- but the tests themselves cause anxiety, so then it could be a vicious circle!

Meanwhile I'm working on the anxiety, eating little and often, not letting myself get too full or too empty and taking each mouthful carefully!

Hi starzen, I'm nearly up to 5 weeks, but had it before and other times it's usually been 4-5 weeks as well.

Hi everyone,

My main symptom was nausea and dizziness, it was like nothing I've experienced before and this lasted a week then gradually improved, and has been on and off since then. The loose stools, fatigue, headaches and chills come and go but the nausea has been consistent. This Thursday it will have been eight weeks since I first felt sick. I haven't been sick during this time either which makes it more bizarre.

Luckily, it was only really the first week that I lost weight due to not being able to stomach anything. Since then I can usually manage, mostly because it's worse in the mornings then seems to be fine by the evening.

I am going for blood tests tomorrow to see if there's been any change. I'm dreading it as I hate them normally but I know they'll make me feel even more sick with worry.

@Mimi85 it's the virus causing my anxiety, not the anxiety causing the virus or sickness unfortunately. I can not be thinking about anything to do with feeling ill then the sickness just comes on, so I know it isn't the anxiety.

I've managed two days at work this week, so I am hoping things will improve. I saw a few posters way back said their symptoms improved after eight weeks so I really hope this is the last week for me, but who knows.

I hope you all get well soon - this thread has been comforting when I've been worried about what it could be xxx

@Lizandalfiedog that is almost exactly what happened to me last January! It lasted 4-5 weeks, and eventually I felt almost 100% again. I feel like it did something to my stomach though, like now maybe I am more prone to viruses or having problems after them. This time I have not been so lucky.. I don't feel like I am moving anywhere yet. I wish I knew the name of it. I've spent SO MUCH time on Google trying to figure it out, and this thread is probably the closest I have come!

I also hear you all on the anxiety. Stomach problems especially, I always get extra anxious about. I don't eat right because I don't want to be sick, which makes it worse, and it becomes a horrible cycle. Even worse with a 4 year old that is always demanding energy and attention. Kind of hoping if that is the case the Mirtazapine will help. From what I've heard it's supposed to help anxiety, depression, nausea, sleep, and appetite. Nothing yet though. Have not noticed any improvement after starting the Zantac either.

Fingers crossed we are all over this soon, and then we have light at the end of the tunnel stories to tell everybody else who finds this tread!

@Melly1801 I've been trying to tell my doctor the same thing. I don't deny that I have anxiety, but if I could just get rid of the nausea.. I know the anxiety and depression would lift. Maybe it's part of the cycle, but it's not the cause. I wasn't anxious when I first got sick, I was just sick. And it's a different kind of sick than I feel when I have anxiety too.

The first week was also the worst for me. I was convinced maybe it was the flu? But we never got tested, so I don't know for sure. I never had a high temp, but an off an on lowgrade one instead. It also lifts a little bit for me in the evenings.. isn't that weird?

@starzen yes that's exactly what I told my doctor last week! It's this bloody virus making me anxious :( And the sickness just came on randomly for me - and my blood test showed slightly high blood count so I know it was something definitely - and now it's stayed but I also have the anxiety caused by it. I think the anxiety is also from knowing what each day has been like with it.

I had a high temp when I saw one of the first doctors, so maybe it was flu like. It's just so awful, and I really just want for us all to feel better

@Melly1801 I know the frustration. Hang in there! I know anxiety can cause a whole host of issues, but I think that doctors are sometimes too quick to jump on the bandwagon with using it as a reason these days. I've had anxiety all of my life, and it has never done this to me. Not to say that it can't, just that what I am feeling is different. And I am 36 years old, you'd think I'd know the difference!

My nausea sometimes comes in "attacks" for me, and it doesn't always happen when I'm feeling anxious. Usually it will happen shortly after food. And I don't even have to finish the food. It starts as "indigestion", like a pressure in my throat and chest, and then turns to that classic nausea feeling. Emetrol calms it down, but it's scary and frustrating nonetheless. THEN my anxiety kicks in, and I worry about eating and causing it to happen again. I've never had indigestion like this in my life. It's awful. That's all I can even think to describe it as.

The anxiety part kicks in after, and now I am scared to eat out, eat too fast, eat too much, and sometimes leave the house. I just want this to go away. I want to feel "normal" again. I wake up in the mornings almost in a panic about having to face another day.

It happened a year ago, and I wrote it off as a side effect because I was on some hypertension medication that could have GI effects. It went away and I didn't think anything of it until now when it came back again. My daughter was definitely sick for a week, and I felt sick the week after. That's all I know.

How’s everyone feeling today?

Fed up! Every time I've eaten today my stomach has gurgled like crazy and I've burped for Britain (tmi!)

Hi not too bad at moment but I'm a bit nervous about trip to my brother's tomorrow, as it's a long journey and I don't like long journeys.

No better, no worse for me! Still hoping I will wake up one day and notice a solid improvement. “Woah, I think I’m finally feeling better!” But that day is not today.

Sorry you are in the same boat, @Pebble21uk.

@Lizandalfiedog, how long is the drive?

I’m feeling awful this morning. I’m wondering if it’s now stomach acid? Seems worse in the mornings and when I wake during the night if I’m lying on my stomach I feel sick 😞 doesn’t explain the diarrhoea though so no idea. It’s been eight weeks today 😭😭😭

Oh Melly I'm sorry. I hope it passes as the day goes on. Are you on anything like Omeprazole or Esomeprazole for stomach acid? I have 2 a day at the moment.
I just logged on while I try and sip a very sweet cup of tea before going to work. Sugar in tea is the only thing I can stomach in the morning to give me any energy for the day ahead!

I’m with @Pebble21uk on the antacids! I’m taking ranitidine twice a day. It definitely hasn’t fixed the problem, but has helped a lot with the acid, and a little bit with the nausea. I think being hungry all the time was making it worse. I also find sleeping on the left side helps at night. Learned that little trick during pregnancy!

I hope your day improves @Melly1801. Or maybe we just magically get better all together, that would be good!