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Original poster

Can those of you who have had flu in the past answer some questions for me

32 replies

Lazycow · 14/07/2009 19:18

I have never had flu before (until coming down with suspected swine flu on Thursday) but I am just surprised at how tired and unable to function I feel at the moment despite being pretty symptom free (except for cough) for the last 2 days.

Today ds was at nursery so I was at home on my own (I am not going to work until Monday) and I did a couple of loads of washing, answered a few emails to stave off work crisis and ironed for 1 hour. Other than that I lay on the sofa watching TV- dh made dinner and is now doing bedtime after picking up ds and and doing a day's work. I feel really guilty about it but had to come up to bed as I just feel so shattered.

Is this normal after flu? I just want to be better now

OP posts:
anjlix · 14/07/2009 19:21

Did u actually have the flu? What were your symptoms like.

Celery · 14/07/2009 19:23

Yes, it's normal to feel utterly wiped out for quite a long time after flu.

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 14/07/2009 19:24

It used to take me a good couple of weeks to feel totally back to normal after flu - and that was when I was young, free and single.

Original poster
Lazycow · 14/07/2009 19:25

Symptoms

Sudden onset of a temperature - between 38.5 and 38.9 - never quite reached 40oC,
Cough - wracking at times
Tight feeling in ribs and chest - especially when coughing
Extreme tiredness/exhaustion feeling
Muscle aches - aches is a bit too mild to describe it really - my muscles and joints really hurt ,
Constant headache
feeling dizzy
Nausea (but not sick or much of a gippy tummy really - thank goodness as I could hardly get out of bed).

Loss of appetite - The only symptom I wish I could keep!

I spent a lot of time asleep and not really always completely coherent (according to dh) for the 2 days I was really ill. Then had 1 day feeling rough but not as bad then up and about for the last 3 days

OP posts:
nickytwotimes · 14/07/2009 19:25

Yes, it is evtirely normal after flu.
This is one of the major features of flu - severe fatigue which lasts after you are better.

Take it easy, plenty of good fruit and veg, fresh air and in a few weeks you will probably be much better. How long the tiredness lasts varies, but a good few weeks is perfectly normal and to be expected tbh.

HuffwardlyRudge · 14/07/2009 19:26

I've only had flu once. I was unable to walk to the bathroom unaided. Seriously ill.

Was washed out for a few weeks afterwards.

PavlovtheForgetfulCat · 14/07/2009 19:30

Last time I had flu, I was very unwell for 2 weeks, quite unwell for 1 week, turned into a chest infection, had that for 2 weeks, then washed out, tired, unable to function to full capacity for months. Every time I have had flu (probably about 5 times?) I have been unable to work for 3 weeks at least, and have had to take it easy for a good 2-3 weeks at least afterwards. It is not uncommon to suffer from post-viral fatigue, which I guess is not entirely different to the last phases of glandular fever, and can see the odd re-occurance of flu symptoms.

Original poster
Lazycow · 14/07/2009 19:31

Oh great

We are so busy at work! Well I'll try a few days back next week and see how I feel.

Huffwardlyrudge - I could get out of bed to go to the loo but dh had to be there as I felt so faint but I managed.

I thinkt it was pretty 'mild' version of fluwreally and I'm sure the tamiflu helped with that. I'm glad I've never had a severe form !

OP posts:
Original poster
Lazycow · 14/07/2009 19:33

Pavlov that sounds awful

OP posts:
PavlovtheForgetfulCat · 14/07/2009 20:01

The very first time I had it, I recall being a student, I really really thought I was going to die!!! , a gp came out to see me and told me clearly it was flu. I remember then swearing I would never ever say I had the flu when it was in fact a horrid cold (I thought I had had flu before, until this time when I actually got it!) Another time I had gastric flu which meant vomitting too and lost half stone. Luckily I don't get it that often . T'was not pleasant that is for sure. I certainly think the tamiflu would be helping keep the symptoms down, but expect some fatigue for a couple of weeks at least.

whomovedmychocolate · 14/07/2009 20:10

My normal flu two years ago came on very suddenly. I felt a bit ropey in the morning and then at about 2pm suddenly started throwing up, my temperature was up to 40 and I apparently turned very pale. I felt freezing cold and everything hurt. I actually started hallucinating after a few hours, everything was very fuzzy and I felt so heavy it was like there were six people sitting on every joint. That went on for three days. I was vomiting continually and having to sip water continually just so I didn't throw up most of my stomach lining - hint when you start throwing up foam, drink more water or you get in serious trouble.

After three days I stopped throwing up but was exhausted and still very shakey. I lost about a stone in a week.

For six weeks afterwards I was tired and very weak - I also had residual reactive arthritis for a couple of months.

Having never had flu before I was a bit panicked - DD was only six months old and I was breastfeeding her - she didn't catch it btw, nor did DH. I don't know where it came from I certainly hadn't seen anyone who was obviously sick beforehand.

I thought I was dying but DH recognised it as flu and just put me in bed and kept checking up on me and trying to get pills into me - which I duly vomited on him.

So to me, it sounds like you've got off lightly!!!!

Original poster
Lazycow · 14/07/2009 20:21

Whomoved my chocolate - That is pretty much how it happened for me, felt a bit ropy in the morning and then suddenly felt like I was going to oollapse on the bus on the way home from work. Your symptoms sound like mine but much worse.

I think i have got off lightly - I personally would actually recommend that people take the tamiflu if they can. Dh got hold of it for me within 8 hours of my symptoms starting and hearing the stories here I think it really helped. I think the key is to take the antivirals as soon as you can.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lazycow · 14/07/2009 20:24

The weird thing is I haven't met anyone who I know has had the flu. DH on the other hand sat in a training room for a whole day 2 weeks ago with someone who did get flu the day ater - DH is fine

OP posts:
whomovedmychocolate · 14/07/2009 20:29

Lazycow - if you live in an area that has high levels of swine flu you will no longer be offered Tamiflu unless you are in a high risk group. My cardiologist said later it was pretty stupid of me not to call a doctor in the circumstances, but I had no clue that it was dangerous.

DH never gets anything as well

Chrysanthemums · 14/07/2009 20:29

Yes yes normal, I had flu properly at Christmas, for the first time maybe - I felt very ill for a few days, but it just wouldn't shift - even once I was up and about, slightly, I mean walking to the computer and back from the sofa - I still felt weak and yucky and dizzy and awful.
Didn't want to eat for days, finally felt a bit more with it after about 10 days.

It was weird - just didn't feel I could manage to do anything at all.

Chrysanthemums · 14/07/2009 20:31

Lazy - did the tamiflu make you feel sick? That's the bit putting me off tbh. Although if you take it quickly maybe it stops the flu making you sick...

Original poster
Lazycow · 14/07/2009 20:33

Really WMMC. That is shit! I hadn't realised. Dh called the dr he diagnosed it over the phone and gave him a voucher for the drug no questin. I knew they weren't giving it just to people who had come into contact with it but thought everyone symptomatic would get it

OP posts:
whomovedmychocolate · 14/07/2009 20:35

No, they're cutting back massively, both to preserve stocks and because there are individual cases (three of them) of tamiflu resistance and if they keep giving it out eventually the bug will get the better of it. Probably.

Original poster
Lazycow · 14/07/2009 20:38

I hate feeling sick more than anything else so didn't want to take it either but dh was keen as he really didn't want both of us ill with no care available for ds (have just moved no family nearby or babysitters sorted yet). I did feel pretty nauseous but not actually sick and I think that was the flu rather than the tamiflu. I managed to eat something before I took each dose (couple of mouthfuls) as that was recommended. I think the nausea side effect doesn't happen for everyone.

OP posts:
trefusis · 14/07/2009 20:42

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ConvalescingCow · 14/07/2009 20:52

OK OK I get the picuture. I am being impatient and need to rest, it will take time - am going to sleep now

Thanks all for the advice

  • Love my new name -I may even keep it maybe
Chrysanthemums · 14/07/2009 20:54

Thankyou for explaining Lazy. Hmm tricky decision...

trefusis · 14/07/2009 21:08

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Mintyy · 14/07/2009 21:18

I'm sure I've never had flu [lucky emoticon].

I have to say that swine flu appears to be mild in the majority of cases. Was listening to BBC London today, phone-in with Vanessa Feltz - all these people calling in to say they have it and are at home off work/school with temp and cough and can't eat.

My understanding of flu is that you're lucky if you could make it out of bed to pee/puke. You really can't think/speak/move, let alone listen to radio, dial up station, speak to researcher, hold, then speak reasonably coherently to presenter!

GlastonburyGoddess · 14/07/2009 21:31

I had flu when pregnant with ds1. I couldnt move out of bed for about 10 days, i was urinating in a bucket by the side of the bed because i was exhausted and my joints hurt so much I could barely walk. I was quite delirious some of the duration too, alternating between sleeping and waking up not knowing where i was or what day of the week it was.I barely ate for 2 weeks. it was truely horrendous and thought i was going to die!

people drive me nuts saying ive got flu, when i look at them thinking you would not be stood in front of me if you had, youd be flat on your back in bed

I agree with a poster further up, flu is very nasty and because people think they have it when they dont, others assume its not as bad as it is, it really is one of those illnesses where you dont truely know youve had flu until youve had it IYSWIM