Viral infection

SueDonim definitely a good sign! My left ear is blocked, so maybe we could pair up and make one good set?

Nfk I will be crossing everything for you. It will be awful if you missed that. {{HUGS}}}

Thanks Wilma. I hope you feel well soon. My younger relatives all bounced back quite quickly. Getting old is such a challenge!

I've now got a full blown cold, sneezing, blowing my nose etc. I am so fed up now!

Hahaha, Wilma!

Fingers crossed for you, Nfk.

Poor you, Kitty.

So many of us suffering from this wretched virus! Wilma I too had no idea you were an MS sufferer. That episode of losing consciousness must have been so very frightening for you. I really hope you have been getting some support from the MS nurses. Please take good care of yourself.
I too have a blocked ear - I hadn't paid much attention to it because I regularly got blocked ears. Now I'm wondering whether this is all part of the virus. Will it ever go? Will we all ever feel fit again?

I am just so bored of myself, with all this. I am much better though I would like to be able to swallow without pain my my throat. A bit more energy wouldn't go amiss, either.

to all in need.

Up at silly o’clock coughing and I looked up flu and cold symptoms. Flu fits. And I had the jab!

DH has had this now since just after Christmas. He has been really bad. We have avoided going to seeking medical attention because I didn't feel he was well enough to sit for ages in either a doctor's surgery or in A&E. However he is beginning to, slowly, improve and has a routine appointment this afternoon, so his GP will be dealing with his acute problem this afternoon instead of the routine checks.

The only thing is, now he is improving, I woke this morning with a stinking cold and feeling like death warmed-up! No cough, or other symptoms, thank heavens, just a streaming cold and that weak, tired and wobbly feeling that goes with it. In fact it sounds like whatayou now have kittylester

Well after two and a half weeks of full blown flu (or flu-like symptoms) my husband is finally on the mend. He actually is managing to get off the sofa now and is eating again (usually a very active 67 year old). Still tired and coughing but definitely improving.
My daughter finally managed to go back to work today after also suffering since Christmas Day. She is exhausted but on the mend. The grandchildren (8 and 4 year olds) recovered after a few days of illness (though still coughing).
What a Christmas!
I hope the Gransnetters still suffering feel better soon. Look after yourselves.

Bad colds, viruses, flu...it IS January , just 2 weeks after Christmas.
Is anybody surprised?

Who said anything about being surprised? We're just a group of people who've been poorly and are finding sympathy with others in the same boat.

I can croak a little bit now, but not for long. Into the 3rd week I'm definitely better than I was, but a long way from anything like normal. I'm glad I'm due to see my GP anyway on Monday.

Maw it's the severity that's a bit different to usual.

Yes, I'm surprised by the sheer number of people I know who've succumbed to really nasty illnesses over the last few weeks, and how long they've taken to recover. I'm sure it's worse than in previous Januarys.

I think I mentioned before that my friend drives doctors to home visits and the out of hours service. It's privatised in my area and she works for the agency that has the contract. She drives agency doctors to home visits and also does reception work for the out of hours service. The people who have rung 111 who don't need to go to A&E but do need to see a doctor, are given appointments at the centre where she works. She told me that they don't remember things ever being this busy and the agency has had the contract for almost 6 years (the original contract was renewed).

It was particularly bad the other week when we had a lot of snow. First of all the doctors had problems getting to the centre which is part of the local hospital. The area covers a lot of villages and the problem was getting doctors to the people living out of the town. We have quite a few residential care homes that are out of the town and a doctor can be in one for ages seeing several patients. My friend has to wait in the car!

Well I've had two nights now with no coughing or wheezing, and no need to use my inhaler. It looks as if I am finally fighting my way out of the woods! It's only been about two and a half weeks, but it's felt like so much longer. This has been one very nasty virus and I can't remember a worse start to a New Year

I hope all my fellow sufferers will soon be feeling a lot better

I'm not coughing so much now but my nose is still blocked and my throat is painful. I peered down my throat with a torch last night - what a mess! It's red and swollen with yellow swellings plus yellow spots on my tonsils. Yuk!

My mum called today. She's feeling much better and is out and about again. She's 90yo and made of strong stuff!

Oh SueDonim that sounds horrible! Have you seen a doctor? It does sound as if it could be tonsilitis. Hope you're feeling a lot better soon.

I think we have all had the same virus but with different symptoms, the main symptom being the cough!. I have not had a sore throat or temperature. I did see my GP last week who told me that it might/could take up to 3 weeks before I recovered.

Relentless cough, day and night.
Horrible phlegm.
Headache
Face pain, sinuses.
Weakness with no energy.
Loss of appetite, sense of taste and smell.

Started feeling unwell on Boxing Day and yesterday was the first day I actually felt normal. Christmas seems like it was months ago and not just 2 1/2 weeks. This morning I very foolishly decided to walk the dog for 15 minutes and could hardly make it due to shortness of breath. I had my scarf wrapped round my face so as not to inhale the cold air but had to stop several times to just catch my breath and felt a million times worse when we got back home. I have been sitting in the warmth well wrapped up but still coughing a lot. I haven’t had anything like this for over 20 years when I can remember having to get out of bed to go and see the doctor and to ask for antibiotics. I did get some but never actually took them because she was so nice to me and asked me only to take them if I really thought I needed them.

The good news is that I have my appetites back and had some cake this morning?. Must try not to eat too much of that or I will put back on the 4 pounds I’ve lost.
Feeling almost normal. Fingers crossed.

SueDonim it does sound like you should get that throat looked at. You've had it for more than a week and the pus could be signs of a bacterial infection that could cause tonsillitis (as Bathsheba says) or pharyngitis.

Antibiotics can stop it spreading to your chest and ears. The doctor would be able to confirm if it's viral or bacterial and give you antibiotics if it's the latter.

My symptoms are almost all in my head now. Can't hear a thing because I'm bunged up in both ears and I can still whistle the national anthem with my throat! I'm still coughing, but since I bought one of those folding things that helps you sit up in bed, my nights have been a little bit easer. I've stopped taking Night Nurse too and just take paracetamol at tea time and before bed. I can croak a bit, but still not for long (using the phone is a waste of time). If I can get the cough a bit better, then my voice will come back. Will be seeing my GP next Monday, so he can check me out.

Gentle {{{hugs}}} to all in need and some too.

I don't feel bad enough to warrant a doctor's visit or AB's, Bathsheba. I'm a bit better each day so I think my body is fighting it off, it's just being too darned slow for my liking!

Agreed, GemmaG! It's all variations on a theme, I suspect.

Still exhausted.

Me too merlot! I think I'm in week 4 (or maybe 5) and I'm fine in the morning but have to sit down in the afternoon then cook dinner, sit down and go to bed. It's slow progress!

And, either my nose or my ears are bunged up - I'd quite like both in full working order.

You poor things- got a minor cold when in UK in November- but it went very quickly- but had to sit up to sleep for 3 nights. Always take ecchinacea at first signs and inhalation, inhalations and more inhalations with Olbas oil- it really helps with sinus infections.

Get better soon all of you.

I have had this lurgy since Christmas week and this afternoon I thought that I was back to my normal self but this evening the cold has returned, my ears and nose are bunged up. I think I will be staying indoors until summer!

The Aussie flu is here and it kills people so stay indoors folks. This is bad enough.

I've just been out for the evening - I'm whacked now!

The blocked ears are so annoying, I feel like I'm hearing everything underwater. Also, I'm getting an annoying itching between my ears and my throat. I want to get a knitting needle and scratch it with that!