Post here if you have the flu!

[Pangloss]

<<cough>>

 

[bascule]

I really don't think I have the flu but I've certainly been sick. Maybe I've had the flu. Hard to say...

 

Last time I had the flu (the only time I've had the flu) I debated calling the emergency room on several occasions. It was a lot of lying in bed in agony between getting up to cough big chunks out of my throat and drink a bunch of water and eat cold meds. I assumed I must have at least two diseases... surely one disease can't be responsible for all these symptoms. I must have strep throat... my throat feels like cracked tiles of sand on a dried up lakebed.

 

After two days of agony I was able to get up, go to a clinic and get tested. Flu, yes! Strep, no. Apparently it was a particularly virulent strain that year (I want to say 2004?) and it was killing record numbers of young children and the elderly.

 

I've heard if I ever get the flu again it won't be so bad, which kind of makes me wonder if one of the colds I've caught recently was actually the flu. Hard to say.

[Baub]

Sorry your sick. I am not currently down with the flu bug, but I have three kids who bring it home often. Remember to hydrate! Pedialyte pops are awsome for speeding your recovery.

[Pangloss]

Holy cow, dude! I'm glad you're feeling better now! Yikes!

 

Your first sentence there brings up something I've always wondered about -- is there an easy way to definitively tell if you have a virus or a bacterial infection? (I.E. without going to the doctor.) I've read that if it lasts for more than a day or so it's probably a virus. But I don't know if that's really a good rule of thumb or just an old wives' tale.

 

(Thanks Baub! Drinking water right now!)

[Royston]

Your first sentence there brings up something I've always wondered about -- is there an easy way to definitively tell if you have a virus or a bacterial infection? (I.E. without going to the doctor.) I've read that if it lasts for more than a day or so it's probably a virus. But I don't know if that's really a good rule of thumb or just an old wives' tale.

 

Well if it's a bacterial respiratory infection, and it's chronic, then you probably feel like you're going to die, same as if you have flu. Even type B flu, which I had last year, is nasty...however it sounds like Bascule had type A. I had an infection on my leg recently, which just made me feel light headed, it was actually quite pleasant. But it was obvious it wasn't the flu, (overlooking the fact my leg was swollen and *****...ewww) purely based on how I felt.

 

So in some cases, I think you can rule flu out. But I guess it depends on the individual blah blah blah, I'm also not a doctor, or have any medical experience apart from being a member for the red cross for a year, so don't listen to me.

 

EDIT: I said *****, not *****

[YT2095]

I`v had Something since September last year, finished 2 courses of antibiotics to no effect, and it`s cost me my hearing

I`v spent over 50% of this time in bed because the vertigo from the middle ear infection and mastoid process makes me seasick even keeping still, it`s the Strangest effect ever!

it`s like the whole universe just slides off to one direction leaving you with a strong sense of acceleration with a falling sort of feeling, like being really drunk with the room spinning the rest of the time.

That`s why my postcount recently has been so low or done from the laptop in bed.

 

when I have a "good" day, I tend to overdo it catching up on things, and then set myself back another week or 2