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Original poster

has anyone's flu started with terrible pain in their lungs?

28 replies

hereidrawtheline · 22/07/2009 10:07

2 days ago my back/lungs started to hurt a lot. I have asthma and have had full blown pneumonia twice in the last 10 years (once less than 6 months ago). I'm at high risk, as is DS who is 3 in 2 weeks and DH who has a serious lung disease and only about 2/3 lung capacity, so swine flu is a reasonable worry for us. Also it has been confirmed at DS's school (his preschool is adjacent to a secondary school - we got a letter home then immediately after someone at his preschool got "the flu" then school broke up)

So long story short, my lungs hurt like a bitch and I am taking my inhaler several times a day. I checked my temp & its only 37 but I feel really hot & sweaty. I am so tired I could weep. DS and I both have sneezy runny noses. DH works at our local hospital. What should I do, if anything at all? Am thinking of walking in to town this morning to buy some calpol as we are out but its a 40 min round trip walk and I am so knackered but I dont want to be stuck without it if DS gets sick.

OP posts:
LackaDAISYcal · 22/07/2009 10:10

I'd call the docs and then get DH to pick up any prescriptions on his way home or ask a neighbour if that's possible. and would any of your neighbours have some calpol you could scrounge in the meantime?

and never, not ever be out of calpol in future!!

artichokes · 22/07/2009 10:10

call your GP for advice. if they think its swine flu they will give you tamiflu as you are high risk. that will lessen the symptoms.

do an online supermarket shop so that you can stock-up on supplies, incl calpol, without going out and exhaustign yourself (and possible spreading the virus).

sorry you are feeling so bad.

Original poster
hereidrawtheline · 22/07/2009 10:38

I dont know if this makes sense but I wasnt planning on calling the GP unless I was fairly certain I had the flu... and I wasnt sure I had enough symptoms to bother. But my back/lungs do hurt.

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dikkertjedap · 22/07/2009 11:41

Hi Is there a Tesco (or other supermarket) homedelivery or a village shop where you live? They might be able to deliver Calpol/Calprofen?

Tamiflu is most effective if taken within 48 hours, so you probably need to be quite quick if you want to take it.

Hope you feel a bit better.

pollypentapeptide · 22/07/2009 12:01

I think it might be an idea to get yourselves all onto Tamiflu just to be on the safe side (in view of you underlying conditions)

I have been told I have suspected swine flu although left it too late to go to the docs and get tamiflu (although we acted more quickly with my son who is now on it).

I also have asthma and yes, have noticed an aching in my lungs and ribs and general chest area rather than pain as such.

Generally speaking, we feel a bit run down but nothing more.

If you wait more than 48 hours from onset of temp, then they may decide you are too late for Tamiflu so act quickly to be on the safe side.

You say you feel hot but the thermometer says otherwise - this is tricky. I would be inclined to tell the doc you have a temp of 38!

Original poster
hereidrawtheline · 22/07/2009 16:20

ugh

I called my GP & talked to the nurse. she said at the moment it sounds like a virus but as my temp isnt high to just treat it as a regular virus. I couldnt bring myself to say my temp was higher than it is

but I feel terrible. I am in so much pain in my back each time I sneeze it hurts, or laugh or anything. and I have a migraine which is typical for me but makes it worse. I feel really shitty.

OP posts:
Original poster
hereidrawtheline · 22/07/2009 16:20

ugh

I called my GP & talked to the nurse. she said at the moment it sounds like a virus but as my temp isnt high to just treat it as a regular virus. I couldnt bring myself to say my temp was higher than it is

but I feel terrible. I am in so much pain in my back each time I sneeze it hurts, or laugh or anything. and I have a migraine which is typical for me but makes it worse. I feel really shitty.

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LackaDAISYcal · 22/07/2009 16:25

aw

hope you feel better soon.

dikkertjedap · 22/07/2009 17:09

Alternatively, you might have a bad chest infection which needs anti biotics, but you won't know until a doctor actually examines you. I wouls see a doctor asap, they can't refuse to see you if they think that it is not swine flu. There was an article in the times today warning that all kind of conditions are now being labelled as swine flu whereas it might be something totally different, but only a doctor will know definitely not the lay people who staff the flu phone line.

See times online today in the 'life and style' section:

www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6723330.ece

sorry don't know how to insert proper links

Elibean · 22/07/2009 18:47

It IS possible to have pneumonia without a fever. My sister did. Had horrible cough and was exhausted, but no temp - was sent for lung xray in the end, and sure enough, pneumonia.

Really hope it isn't, you poor love, sounds horrible - but do do get seen asap in case you need ABs.

Original poster
hereidrawtheline · 22/07/2009 19:37

its weird though I am not coughing. I am just in so much pain. breathing, sneezing, laughing. It just hurts my whole back/lungs. And I am so tired. I actually fell asleep on the sofa this afternoon just before DH got home from work despite DS playing rather loudly in the room with me!

OP posts:
pollypentapeptide · 22/07/2009 19:43

You really should see a doc. They need to rule out infection. Please make an appointment.

Original poster
hereidrawtheline · 22/07/2009 20:57

yeah I probably will tomorrow thank you.

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LackaDAISYcal · 22/07/2009 21:02

could it be something like pleurisy?

Original poster
hereidrawtheline · 22/07/2009 21:08

my DH has had that, he has a lung disease he's had since he was 3. But I cant remember what it is will google

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MrsEricBana · 22/07/2009 21:10

Definitely get to GP, can't do any harm and as dikker says, you need to be on Tamiflu within 48hrs of symptoms starting for it to make any dif, which could be imp if you have asthma. Hope you feel better soon.

expatinscotland · 22/07/2009 21:16

Mine started in my lungs.

But I scarred my lungs with a bout of flu I didn't treat very wel and it went into pneumonia when I was younger and about 10 years of smoking.

I didn't have a very high fever with swine flu - it came and went but the chills weren't as bad as the last time I had seasonal influenza.

I was very very fatigued and had a sneezy, runny nose and a cough.

Original poster
hereidrawtheline · 22/07/2009 21:19

expat I sound very like you.

I am really over emotional today but I think its because I am so tired and it hurts so much but I am still having to do all the normal stuff.

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pofacedandproud · 22/07/2009 23:15

i had a virus like that hereidtl. my lungs were burning and very painful. I hadn't had anything like that before. I'm asthmatic and ended up on a nebulizer [but hadn't taken any meds for months before] Cough lasted for weeks. and this was just before SF came to the UK, or around the time of the first cases. Any later and it would have been diagnosed as SF, I'm sure, but I don't see how it could have been.

Original poster
hereidrawtheline · 23/07/2009 12:42

made a doctors appointment for today at 5 but its with the GP I cant stand

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GothMummy · 23/07/2009 16:26

Hey there
I was ill for 7 days (felt better yesterday) with possibly SF (no swabs, but GPs surgery said it was probably it). My main worst symptom was a terrible headache and very swollen throat/mouth/sore tongue plus usual flu symptoms but I did have a day where my lungs/back hurt and it hurt to breath. I was a little concerned as I have mild asthma but wasnt takint tamiflu as I was not convinced it was really SF... and I had been ill for over 48 hours by they time I phoned the surgery.

i hope you feel better very soon

Elibean · 23/07/2009 16:30

Hope you're all much better v soon, hurting lungs sounds soo painful (like pleurisy??).

GothMummy, was your throat actually swollen? Am v worried about that symptom specifically, as dd2 has floppy larynx and narrow airway as a result - esp lying down. Her lungs are fine, but her larynx is not, iyswim. Am crossing fingers if she gets it, she gets the diarrhoea sort rather than the v bad throat sort

Original poster
hereidrawtheline · 23/07/2009 17:56

GRRRR this bloody GP I truly hate having to see her. She always manages to make me seem like a total idiot and totally patronize me I swear she has a degree in it.

She instantly (never wanted to listen to my chest btw) just said I must have pulled a muscle & prescribed me anti-inflammatories.

THEN she told me off for coming in to the surgery with flu like symptoms!

She said "you phoned yesterday about this pain with relation to flu like symptoms?"

I said "yes, the nurse said she didnt think it was swine flu, that's why I am here as I am still in pain."

"well its quite obviously advertised not to come into the GP if you have flu like symptoms so you should not be here."

"yes but... she said I didnt have swine flu, and you just said I have a pulled muscle."

I really hate that woman.

OP posts:
pofacedandproud · 23/07/2009 19:12

i hate gps like that.

Original poster
hereidrawtheline · 23/07/2009 19:42

its mad. I dont have swine flu so cant get tamiflu. but I also cant go in the doctors surgery... one or the other surely.

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