r/flu

A few weeks ago I was sick, it started off with body chills and headaches and just feeling really unwell, by day 5 I was getting worse and started to develop a cough almost like a tickley one and I could stop sweating. By day 7 I had enough and booked an online doctor because it was the weekend. He prescribed me with antibiotics and steroids for a chest infection. The next day I wasn’t feeling any relief and was in pain with my throat from coughing and haven’t slept all night so I went to my usual GP. Nothing was helping the cough, cough bottle l, strepsils, honey, hot drinks…..NOTHING. They said that it wasn’t a chest infection as my breathing sounded fine and the steroids were probably keeping me up at night aswell, he gave me anti inflammatory for my throat to try settle it down and that did help. So I stopped taking the antibiotics and steroids because it didn’t seem to be needed because it wasn’t a chest infections.

I eventually got a bit better but had a lingering cough that turned very chesty. Then my nose started and now I’m coughing sneezing and snorting just everywhere, I feel like I’m going insane. Nothing is helping my nose, I tried nasal rinse and that’s not helping.

Has anyone any tips of what I can do to just get rid of the mucus that has me so congested pleaseeeeeeee tell me. It’s been 4 weeks and I just want to feel better😭😭😭😭

I’m 28F and looking mainly for similar experiences, not a diagnosis.

I became quite sick with what doctors believe was a viral infection around July 24. I had severe fatigue, sore throat, respiratory symptoms/wheezing and body aches. I was treated for a possible secondary bacterial infection as well.

The respiratory symptoms have now resolved, but I’ve been left with symptoms that honestly feel worse than the original infection:
Severe widespread muscle/body pain, especially in both legs but also my arms/hands, legs feel extremely heavy and sometimes internally “hot”/burning, burning/nerve-like pain in my feet, frequent muscle twitching/pulsating sensations throughout my legs, arms and sometimes face, significant fatigue regardless of how much I sleep, feeling weaker than normal, walking feels difficult and I struggle to carry heavier bags that normally wouldn’t be a problem and sometimes even a big water bottle! Pain is often bad even when I’m lying completely still. I also developed diarrhea during the illness that hasnt resolved until now.

I’ve been to the ER and my GP several times and done numerous tests. So far all tests seem normal! Which is reassuring yet confusing.. My doctors have mentioned post-viral symptoms, and more recently said that if this persists they may need to consider things like fibromyalgia/rheumatological causes. I’ve been advised to see internal medicine as well and she asked me to do further tests and they’re all normal as well, I’m yet to see her on Friday for further suggestions.

What scares me is how intense the muscle/nerve pain and heaviness are despite the reassuring tests.
Has anyone had a viral illness followed by this level of widespread pain, burning/heavy limbs, twitching and fatigue while CK and routine bloodwork remained normal?

If so, how long did it take before you started feeling like yourself again, and what specialty/tests ended up being most useful?

I am taking fever medicines twice a day yet it keeps coming back. I also have a bad cough stuck in my chest. I am taking vitamin c + zinc tablets, chopped garlic, antihistamine, steam and paracetamol, yet I am not improving. TODAY IS DAY 4. I AM HAVING FEVER FOR 4 DAYS!!

Fever medicine heals my fever temporarily. It again comes back after a period of fever getting eased. My fever isn't even mild. It's 100-101. I am in 20s. Don't know what's wrong with my immune system.

I go to grocery store every morning where I walk for 20-25 minutes. Isn't this why I am not healing? I do rest whole day. I do get 7 hours of sleep.

It doesn't seem normal to have fever for 4 days.

This is by far THE most insanely sick I have ever been. I’m writing this right now on a down-swing of symptoms so bear with me, my brain is still foggy.

I have spontaneous intracranial hypotension. Severely low cerebrospinal fluid and even with extensive imaging and an epidural blood patch on 7/28, no help yet. This comes with some severeeee valsalva headaches and headaches upon waking. Like the kind that make you want your head run over by a car to relieve the pressure. I’m not kidding. And I am the furthest thing from suicidal. I have celiac disease too so general malaise and low grade fevers happen as if I’m going to get sick but then it just… goes away.

With that said, HOLY SHIT.

Today is Sunday. Friday afternoon I had an itchy cough, some clear phlegm. By Friday evening, I knew I was done for. Saturday morning, OH MY GOD. My head hurt more than it’s ever hurt in my entire life and NOTHING was breaking my fever and chills. Shower, Tylenol, DayQuil, wet rags to the feet and forehead, sheets instead of blankets and NOTHING. I was sooooo hot at 103.8 for almost 24 hours and that disgusting, awful headache with chest and nose congestion that made my throat feel pierced with every cough.

Late saturday night I knew I had already taken too much acetaminophen but I did NOT care, I was so fed up, so I took NyQuil Severe.

I sweat profusely the entire night and now with every nap I am still sweating profusely. I’ve probably had a 5 gallon jug of water by this point and some homemade chicken soup and crackers etc, so my congestion is loosening and EW. Dark green and dark yellow and just ew. I feel MUVH better but def not out of the woods I don’t think.

My only question is, what the FUCK was THAT?!?!
Worst. Sickness. EVER!!

Update:
It’s Covid. Two different brand home tests, both were dark positive lines well before the 15 minutes.

Fifty-six days ago, on June 20th, I woke up with a headache. I went to a family picnic and initially felt well, but by around 4–5 p.m. I had completely lost my appetite and began feeling mildly queasy and strange when standing. That evening, I noticed some breathlessness.
The following day, I again woke with a headache and felt unusually sleepy. Around 4 p.m., I suddenly felt as though I could not remain standing upright and needed to crouch down. I went for a nap and felt somewhat out of it for the remainder of the evening. Over the next couple of days, I continued to feel sluggish, breathless, and generally unwell.
For approximately the next 22 days, the predominant issue became severe tachycardia whenever I stood up. I underwent cardiac investigations, including bloodwork, a chest X-ray, echocardiogram, and Holter monitoring. Based on the significant orthostatic tachycardia, the cardiologist diagnosed me with probable POTS.
However, on day 23, something changed dramatically. Rather than primarily experiencing tachycardia, I developed profound, flu-like weakness and an overwhelming feeling of being severely physically ill. The best way I can describe it is feeling as though I have been poisoned or am fighting the world’s worst virus. This was not simply fatigue. It was a profound systemic feeling of sickness, weakness, nausea, and having essentially no energy.
Now, on day 56, I am still experiencing this. I feel incredibly weak and unwell, with very little energy, significant nausea, and episodes of dry heaving. My quality of life has become extremely poor because I simply feel physically sick almost constantly.
My investigations to date have been extensive. I have had nine CBCs, thyroid testing including TSH, repeated electrolyte testing, ferritin, urinalysis, a chest X-ray, and CT scans of my brain, abdomen, and pelvis. I also had an 8 a.m. cortisol level, which was slightly elevated. Inflammatory/immune testing including ESR, CRP, C3, and C4 was reassuring. Despite all of these investigations, my doctors still do not have a clear explanation for why I feel so profoundly ill.
Initially, I was treated with propranolol and was subsequently switched to bisoprolol approximately a month and a half ago. The bisoprolol dose was later reduced because I felt that I was experiencing adverse effects from it. I am now also taking midodrine, but there remains considerable uncertainty about what is actually causing my symptoms.
On day 51, I underwent an upper endoscopy. They found a 5 mm clean-based prepyloric gastric ulcer, which was biopsied. I am currently waiting for the biopsy results. This finding has caused me significant fear because I rarely take Advil or other NSAIDs, I do not smoke, and I do not drink alcohol. My father was also diagnosed with gastric cancer at age 63, so waiting for the biopsy results has been particularly frightening for me.
Throughout this illness, I have made a significant effort to stay hydrated, and my electrolytes have repeatedly been checked and have not suggested that dehydration explains what is happening. I have lost approximately eight pounds over the course of the illness, largely because there were periods when I was barely able to eat. Over the past few days, my appetite and food intake have improved considerably with my mom here helping me, but I still have not been able to regain the weight.
At this point, I feel completely at a loss. It has been 56 days, and I remain profoundly weak, nauseated, and systemically unwell, with episodes of dry heaving and virtually no normal quality of life. I have undergone extensive testing, yet there is still no clear explanation for why I became sick so suddenly, why the initial presentation involved such significant orthostatic tachycardia, or why it subsequently transformed into this persistent and severe flu-like illness.
I am trying to understand what could connect all of these symptoms and, most importantly, what the appropriate next steps should be. After nearly two months of feeling this ill without an explanation, I am increasingly frightened and unsure of what to do next.i cant do this anymore. i feel so green. so ill.

Bro, I'm just so frustrated because of it. What do you mean by getting a cold every morning? I also get a fever and a cough frequently. If anyone knows some solutions or tips that might help me keep myself healthy, I would really appreciate it..."

My mom has flu since last 4-5 days yet she has low grade fever of 99.0-99.5. She had her peak fever in day 2-day 3. She has a really bad cough. Her cough isn't even improving inspite of taking medicines prescribed by doctor. Her low grade fever keeps on returning inspite of taking fever medicines.

Even my sibling has caught flu. He is having 100 degree fever and a bad cough. He has to go tomorrow for work at any cost. If he doesn't improve tomorrow, he is fucked.

We don't know what to do. I am unable to guide them to heal from flu fast. I myself have no knowledge about what vanishes infection from body overnight and ease cold. They are taking rest and hydration. Don't know how rest and hydration works.

My family members either have poor immunity or don't know what works for what and what to expect.

Anyone else just have these symptoms?

Has anyone been hit with an absolute stinking virus ?, i’m into the second week and feel as rough as, throat,nose, headache and general body aches.

I’m posting here because I’m trying to find people who have experienced a similar post-viral neurological/vestibular syndrome.

I was previously very active and athletic. Around the beginning of February, I started feeling unusually sick and “out of it.” I initially thought I was simply coming down with an infection.

After initially improving, I suddenly developed an episode of extremely severe spinning vertigo. I could barely stand or walk because everything was spinning violently, and I had to lie down. The following morning I developed a fever for around 3–4 days, followed by a very severe sore throat that took approximately 2–3 weeks to fully resolve.

I eventually recovered from the obvious infection, but I never completely returned to my previous baseline.

Later, during training, I suddenly developed strange visual sensations and sensitivity to bright lights. I had one panic attack during that episode, but I have not continued having panic attacks. The persistent problem since then has been physical/neurological/sensory symptoms, not recurrent panic.

My symptoms now include:

- feeling generally “off” or neurologically strange
- intermittent visual/spatial disturbances, particularly when looking at things close up
- dizziness/head pressure during certain visual or movement situations, including driving
- unusual touch sensations, mainly in my hands — sometimes touch feels slightly muted or doesn't seem perfectly localized to where I'm touching
- very brief episodes while walking where my body/legs feel “jelly-like” or strangely absent for 1–2 seconds
- sensory overload, where sounds can sometimes seem unusually background-like
- symptoms are generally much better after waking and become more noticeable throughout the day
- cold hands at times
- recently making more accidental typing mistakes on my phone

One important objective finding is that vestibular testing showed approximately 37% vestibular hypofunction.

I also had a neurological examination about a month ago that was reportedly normal.

I'm currently being investigated for possible EBV/CMV involvement because my illness had some features that made my infectious-disease doctor consider viral reactivation. I have EBV/CMV bloodwork that I can attach.

Has anyone experienced something similar, particularly severe vertigo at the beginning followed by documented vestibular hypofunction and months of strange visual, sensory and spatial symptoms?

If you eventually figured out what was causing your symptoms, what did it turn out to be and what actually helped?

started this shit yesterday. body aches, the EYE PAIN, fever, nausea but no vomiting. today it's an awful migraine that Tylenol and coke finally helped with, but horrible diarrhea followed. fever seems better. still body aches. all in all...I'm really scared of a cough developing. I don't have any cold symptoms which I'm happy about, but is there anything I could do to stop a cough before it develops?

Tried to test for COVID, it was negative. But definitely viral infection according to my doctor. It's been 2 weeks, my fever has gone away, but I still cough up phlegm— my sense of taste on the other hand has been altered that's still ongoing even today. :/ Meanwhile, a lot of people around me are currently struck with illness as well, most likely the flu like mine. This flu variant must be a tough strain.

I’m 26 and I’m not sure if what I’m experiencing is Long COVID, post-viral symptoms, or mainly health anxiety.

2 months ago, I got sick about 3–5 days after arriving in Koh Phangan, Thailand.

I never tested for COVID, and the doctor there just looked at my throat and said "infection" and gave me antibiotics, so I don’t know what I actually had. (also, I did get some hard workouts with this feeling and it didn`t actually affected how I feel, but now I`m scared to do any kind of workout)

I was sick for around two weeks with a bad cough, lots of phlegm, sore throat, congestion, headaches, weakness, and generally felt terrible. I eventually recovered and felt normal again.

About a week after recovering, I developed this weird “air hunger”, I can breathe normally and take a full deep breath, but I frequently feel the urge to take another deep breath, like normal breathing isn’t satisfying enough.

It’s been about 1.5 months and has gradually improved. The weirdest part is that it disappears when I’m distracted. If I’m talking to someone, laughing, concentrating on work, eating, etc., I completely forget about it.

I also sleep deeply without breathing problems. But when I’m alone monitoring my breathing, it becomes much more noticeable.

At one point I went to the ER convinced I couldn’t breathe and was about to pass out.

As soon as I saw the doctor, it basically disappeared. I even did 30 full push-ups in front of him without any problem because he wanted to see if my heartrate goes up (it was 53 when he asked me).

I can also walk for 1+ hour without unusual fatigue or exercise intolerance.

So far I’ve had normal oxygen saturation, blood tests, ECG, chest X-ray, and excellent spirometry (around 120% predicted on average).

My chest CT was also essentially reassuring with no clear significant pathology, and my doctor doesn’t think this is Long COVID.

An important part of this is that I’ve had severe health anxiety for about five years because of a heart condition (WPW).

I spent years convinced I could die at any moment. I finally had a successful ablation earlier this year, and now it feels like my hyper-awareness has shifted from my heart to my lungs/breathing.

Another strange detail: this same type of illness has happened to me on previous trips to Koh Phangan, almost systematically about 3 days after arriving, with basically the same symptoms and recovery timeline. So I don’t even know whether this infection was COVID.

I didn't get tested because at first I thought I had heatstroke. But as time went on, I became certain it was viral... given everything going on right now, that just seems like the most likely explanation. I clearly had all the symptoms of COVID.

As I write this I resist the urge to vomit and am coughing badly.I had a cold and fever which was quite bad and had a cough in it after the cold and fever ended there was still a light cough then just 10 days later I caught another cold,(no fever)which I’m having now,I have a bad stuffy nose,which I can hear but the cough is so so so bad,I cough so hard I feel like throwing up,I just had a spoonful of honey + black pepper to help me but it won’t help mostly,I feel miserable,I’ve been coughing up phelgm ,please help me with some tips.

I’m a 27-year-old male with multiple sclerosis (MS) on Kesimpta which I stopped taking on April.

At the beginning of March, I got sick and stayed unwell for more than two months, until almost the end of May. During that time, I had a low-grade temperature almost every day, usually up to around 37.4°C (99.3°F), along with fatigue, nasal congestion, sore throat, and a general feeling of being sick. I was repeatedly tested for COVID and influenza, but the tests were negative.

Since then, I haven’t really returned to normal. I still have significant fatigue, body aches, muscle and bone pain, and I constantly feel like I need to sleep. The best way I can describe it is that feeling you get right before a viral infection starts — that overall sense of malaise, weakness, and “coming down with something” — except it has been going on for months.

I’ve had a very extensive workup, including MRI of the brain, cervical spine and thoracic spine, CT scans of the chest, upper and lower abdomen, X-rays, gastroscopy, colonoscopy, a PET scan, and many different blood tests.

The PET scan showed increased/active bone marrow uptake, so I also had a bone marrow biopsy and bone marrow aspiration/myelogram. Despite all of this, no clear cause has been found, and the rest of my workup has been essentially normal.

At this point, I honestly don’t know which type of doctor to see next or what else I should investigate.

Has anyone here experienced something similar after an infection?

If so, did you ever find out what was causing it? What specialists did you see, what tests were helpful, and did anything eventually help you recover?

I’m not looking for a diagnosis from Reddit — I’m mainly hoping to hear from people who have been through something similar because I feel like I’ve run out of directions to look in.