r/flu

29F, Denver metro area if relevant.

Got what I assumed was the flu on 6/17, came on FAST as a super sore throat, fever got up to 102.5 but broke the next day. Fatigue, skin and body aches, a bit of a cough, headache, general flu symptoms. I stayed home, rested, took OTC flu medicine, and started to feel better aside from my throat continuing to hurt. Continued with DayQuil and NyQuil thinking it was just because I still had a slight cough and some post nasal drip. Felt okay throughout the day; way worse in the morning and at night.

Throat still hurt after a week so I went to the doctor. Tested negative for strep, was told it’s viral, and “good luck” essentially.

It has now been over 2 weeks. The pattern remains: painful in the morning, I take ibuprofen or acetaminophen, sometimes pop a throat lozenge. I’m currently in Greece and have a throat numbing spray I’ll use if it’s particularly bad, but generally during the day I feel okay and the pain ramps back up at night.

Sometimes localized to one side of my throat, sometimes both sides, sometimes my ears also hurt.

Definitely still have post nasal drip, as I can feel the phlegm and have the urge to clear my throat frequently (but especially at night). I’m in Greece until 7/9 but can return to the doctor when I get home if the pain remains. Just feeling increasing anxiety about how prolonged this has been and wondering if anyone has had a similar experience. This is hell.

I am in SE Denver, I started to feel scratchy throat, then sore, body aches and fatigue. I dont understand, it's July, I hardly go out much, I tested using a flowflex test everything kit. It camr back neg for everything. I dont get it, I am sick and all the news reports is this stomach parasite bug but I dont have that. Anyoneone else in my region sick with thismysterious bug?

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Hi All, my 6 months old baby has Influenza A on Tuesday night (3 days ago) with very high fever on and off until Thursday night. She has been fever free since then. She got no other symptoms except the high fever. Do you think the flu is over now? I read and other babies usually have other respiratory symptoms like congestion/sore throat/ runny nose/ coughing and their fever usually takes longer to go away.

Thanks!

I remember getting a flu a few years ago. It would feel very unpleasant but nowhere near what I'm experiencing now with influenza B. Got tested today.

My eyes hurt, nose, throat, head. It all burns, a LOT and all the time, it's a constant suffering, torture really. I'm taking parecetamol and Tamiflu (unfortunately started late on day 3-4) . I can't talk, I can barely drink or eat. Staying in bed is unbearable but getting out is even worse. I feel like I'm dying.

Never had it this bad before. I'm naturally a pretty edgy person, but whatever is going around this summer is insane. Went into work a little over a week/week and a half ago and just felt horrendous mentally, felt like I couldn't breathe, fight or flight, whole bit. Next day physical symptoms start, and I'm going into legit panic mode off and on throughout the whole sickness. Finally started feeling better a few days ago with the physical symptoms but I'm still super on edge. Sudden waves of intense anxiety for seemingly no reason at all, out of nowhere that just come and go. Worst part is how it's affecting my sleep which is really putting me off track and hindering my recovery. Doesn't help that I work full time overnight.

Don't know what the hell is going around this summer but I've never in my life had a flu affect me this bad mentally. Super weird. Anyone else? Normally I'm pretty good at just powering through the physical symptoms but the mental aspect is really fucking me over.

Yesterday I get little wet during rain then I got to gym and did workout but after I sleep but felt so much cold in my feet and got fever is it possible to get fever from getting wet from rain cause I heard from the internet that we get sick from bacteria not from rain like if it happened to you please tell

Hi all. I suddenly got a super sharp pain on the left side of my throat near my tonsil on June 11th out of nowhere. It only hurt to swallow food on that one side. Other than that, it was just annoying. 3 days later it is still the same but then i started getting flu like symptoms. Body aches, chills, felt hot, weakness, etc., for one day and the next day I was fine but still had the throat pain.

I went to urgent care a week after this because now my left ear started hurting. I tested negative to strep. They said it was probably viral and sent me on my way. 4 days after that I felt like I had the flu again for only 24 hours but still had the ear and throat pain. I went to PCP and they said it was possible sinus infection and gave me steroids and antibiotics.

Fast forward to today, I am still experiencing left ear pain/ache and the same left sided throat/tonsil pain when I swallow food. I have some post nasal drip going on but it isn’t constant. My PCP made a referral to ENT but the next available appointment is in September, lol. Is anyone else experiencing something like this?? The antibiotics and steroids didn’t do anything and no one can seem to find what is wrong with me, but it is very annoying and very painful that it is now going on for over 3 weeks with no relief.

On Saturday, I developed the following symptoms:

-Fever (it reached 102 F)

-Headache

-Eyes hurt when I look up/down/left/right

-Body aches, especially in back and legs

-Sweating

-Reduced appetite

No respiratory symptoms at all. No nausea or gastrointestinal symptoms. My neck is not stiff. No rash.

I took a combined Covid + RSV + flu A + flu B test on Saturday that was negative. I retested Sunday afternoon and was negative again.

I don’t recall having any insect bites or anything in the past month, but I’m concerned since I’ve never had flu-like symptoms without any respiratory symptoms. I also just feel terrible.

I got very bad sleep on Thursday and Friday night and felt run down. But I can’t think of any other possible cause.

Is this a possible manifestation of a typical viral illness? Or should I be concerned it's something more serious?

My taste and smell has been gone for months I honestly don’t know what to do . I tried zinc , I went to the doctor and nurse and I’ve been eating healthy I hope I’m not stuck like this . Does anybody know a solution ?

hello everyone, I would appreciate any help and would be so greatful for any advice on what to do in this situation.

i was diagnosed with strep throat C in late March 2026 and as my immune system took a hit, it woke up the herpes virus for the very first time which was a major ordeal for me. i had an excruciating ulcer on the palate of my mouth which stopped me from eating, sleeping and sometimes even drinking water for about 10-14 days. I’ve recovered from both illnesses completely. as the month of April went past I wasnt near 100% as I still felt quite “off” however during the start of may I thought I was picking up again back to normality

unfortunately on the 4th of may late at night I had this strange cold chill feeling on my back, arms and legs which would create goosebumps. this feeling hasn’t left me for 52 days. Driving, walking, doing tasks at work make the symptoms go away. the symptoms of feeling the chills have lessened over hours to sometimes 1 day of no flares but return gradually and then hit back hard again. I’ve had all my bloods checked, ECG, ultrasounds for my heart as I was sometimes getting a fast heart rate upon standing or light exertion which has settled over the last month. Thyroid tested also. everything has come back normal. This current feeling is very uncomfortable in my daily life and it seems to become worse in a cold environment which makes sense. It is winter now in Melbourne so very good timing. Any help is honestly appreciated .

Geniuene question

why do flu strains get WORSE every single year

whatever one is circulating now is worse than whatever one was circulating last year

like when i was a kid istg a flu was just like a really bad a cold

it was still miserable but it was nothing special and nothing serious

and would go away on its own after a few days

now in recent years whenever ive caught the flu the symptoms ARE SO. BAD. so geniuenly debilitating. and the last one i had was the worst. the last one i had earlier this year gave me geniuenly the worst lightheadness i have ever had in my entire life and a nurse advice line told me to go to the ER. (i didnt but thats how bad my symptoms sounded lol) i think she said that because i literally like couldnt stay awake and upright to eat or anything it was geniuenly so awful

and NOW i have post viral syndrome for the first time in my life after having that flu WHICH IS SO AWFUL. I got better for one week then came down with a whole slew of GI, cardiac, and neuro symptoms nobody could figure out at first and at one point was severe enough to put me in the ER but now we know is post viral syndrome

why does the flu like mutate and evolve and get worse every single year ??? istg ???

What virus do you have, and what are your symptoms?

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I'm in Camden County. I have no respiratory symptoms, but I feel unwell as the way I felt during Covid. I'll take a test soon. I was curious what was currently going around.

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I have severe fatigue, a headache, constant body aches, skin pain, malaise, lethargy, chills, hot surges, wooziness, nausea, lack of appetite, queasy feeling, sluggish feeling, and near comatose at times. The fatigue is the most severe of my symptoms. Anyone else?

So frustrating I was feeling fine after being sick for two weeks, then today it hit me like a truck and I'm sicker than I ever was two weeks ago

I had a cold 8 days ago that made me REALLY congested and coughing up a storm. It wasn't until 4 days after my fever finally broke but my ears still feel congested. My left ear in particular gets fluid stuck in it since I have TMJ (that I'm finally going to see someone about Friday).

The swelling has definitely gone down, but I can't tell if my sinuses are healed up or not. My cough isn't as frequent now. I still get full ears when I drive. It especially sucks because I have to drive to my job over a mountain every day. So the pressure gets bad. Is it going to take some time for my ears to go back to normal or should I see a doctor? I feel like they're just going to tell me to take something for the mucus since I don't have any hearing loss or pain.

Right now my ears feel fine. I can hear just fine and they don't really feel full. I'm afraid to go outside out of fear of them filling up, though. Please tell me this will get better. Idk if I can live that this.