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Exhaustion

(90 Posts)
Coughdrop Fri 17-Jan-20 14:14:17

Hello everyone. - just a health question please. My husband and I have both had a horrible flu type bug which started on New Year's Day. We had already had the flu jab so not saying we have had the flu. It's been a horrible bug because even though the other symptoms, such as coughing etc, have gone we both feel like all the stuffing has been knocked out of us. Every day we think tomorrow we might start to feel better, but we don't. Everything exhausts us and we keep nodding off and feel almost too tired to breathe. We are eating ok but the slightest exertion leaves us with legs like jelly and having to sit down. We feel old for the 1st time. Anyone else in the UK had this nasty bug and been left feeling similar after 3 weeks? If so, get well soon. Thank you in advance for any replies. X

vampirequeen Sat 18-Jan-20 10:07:07

We had this bug over Christmas. It took about 2 weeks after the main symptoms stopped before we felt human again. The post-viral part was exhausting. Just go with the flow.

ExperiencedNotOld Sat 18-Jan-20 10:10:52

Both my husband and I had a nasty bug over the holidays and it did take some time to bounce back (albeit I think worsened by having the time to sit around and feel sorry for ourselves). We upped the vitamins (D3 & B12) and have taken a probiotic whilst eating cleanly for the past couple of weeks. It seems to have worked and we’re both back to normal.
We’re perhaps younger then some and luckily are condition-free but have learnt the benefits of nurturing whole body health rather than just treating the obvious current symptoms. There’s an old saying ‘you are what you eat’! Look after your gut and it’ll look after you.

ExperiencedNotOld Sat 18-Jan-20 10:12:35

(Sorry, but I can’t stomach the twee OD, DD twaddle. I’ll refer to mine as what they are).

Candelle Sat 18-Jan-20 10:22:28

We had this or similar: total exhaustion but... with a stonking headache which began just after Boxing Day (so we were fortunate to be able to celebrate but rather wonder which 'small' person was generous with their germs.....)..

It has been suggested to me that as we had early 'flu jabs, we actually had 'flu but without the joint aches and pains. Who knows?

I am a a terrible sleeper and the one good thing about this little gem of a virus was that after clearing the diary, it was easy to just drift....zzzzz off to sleep - until the need for painkillers for the headache woke us up again!

Three weeks for recovery, so don't plan on anything too soon!

My bug then morphed into a chest infection (just about recovering from that now) but my husband recovered faster without any complications.

Wish you better but don't rush it.

ReadyMeals Sat 18-Jan-20 10:24:22

Several people in my area including my husband and I had this last winter. It seemed to take about 3 months to get back to normal.

pamdixon Sat 18-Jan-20 10:41:04

Really hope you feel better soon. These things really knock the stuffing out of you. Have you thought of taking Floradix, which is good supplement. Contains iron and lots of vitamins. Somehing like that might give your body the kickstart it needs to start making you feel better.

Alexa Sat 18-Jan-20 10:42:30

Please also be aware of emotional depression. Low mood after a viral infection is common and probably physical in origin so you are not becoming mentally ill.

Coughdrop Sat 18-Jan-20 10:58:56

Dear lovely people another thank you to all of you who have taken the time to reply to me. I am relieved to know that this constant tiredness is part of the illness and so is my husband. I hope you all get well very soon and I want to wish you all a Happy and HEALTHY 2020. Thank you all again. Love to all. xxx

Temas Sat 18-Jan-20 11:00:58

I am now into the fifth week of this virus. Thought I was getting better but two days ago started feeling really chilled inside and then the horrible cough which had been subsiding re-emerged. I feel unwell and without energy. It’s beginning to depress me. Husband has had it too. I had been thinking ‘are we suddenly old?’ like you.

Craftycat Sat 18-Jan-20 11:06:09

Practically everyone I know has had this bug- us included!
Our doctors are calling it The Caterham Cough but it seems to be all over the country.
It just goes on & on. We came down with it 27th Dec & we are still coughing. We both had the Flu jab luckily or it could have been a lot worse.
Maybe the very cold weather starting today will kill it off.

jennyvg Sat 18-Jan-20 11:13:43

I started with it the week before Christmas, felt really poorly, have been coughing for England, absolutely no energy, but just two days ago I realised that I was walking up the stairs a lot quicker, cough seems to be on it's way so fingers crossed!

Tinker18 Sat 18-Jan-20 11:19:00

I had three winters with more or less continuous viruses so read a book called How Not to Get Sick about cell health, made a few changes and this year (touch wood and fingers crossed) I have been well. Of course this might not be due to anything more than luck but I'm sticking with the changes! I:
Filter my water
Use soya milk instead of cow's milk
Use flax seeds (nearly) every day (good on porridge)
Take a good multi vitamin daily
Less meat, more veg, pulses etc
Walk instead of drive as much as poss

Theoddbird Sat 18-Jan-20 11:28:16

I had a coughing bug s couple of years ago. I would be ok for a couple of days but then coughing and tired. I was on and off work for 3 weeks. A nurse friend told me it was a type of flu virus. That flue jab does not cover every type.

Callistemon Sat 18-Jan-20 11:30:47

Yes, coughdrop and this is going into the 4th week.

I am having to push myself to get on with things, yesterday was busy and today I feel like hibernating again.

Willow10 Sat 18-Jan-20 11:33:26

Gosh, I feel so thankful and fortunate not to have caught this bug so far - it sounds horrendous! My sympathies are with you all. Doesn't it annoy you though when you bump into a friend and they say 'Don't come too close, I've got the flu!' But they are out shopping! Some people don't know what real flu is! Look after yourselves and I hope you all feel better soon.flowers

Callistemon Sat 18-Jan-20 11:34:10

Ps I rarely get a cough but this was a bad cough, at one point I had chest pains and thought it was a chest infection, it wasn't but the cough lingers.

Callistemon Sat 18-Jan-20 11:34:52

It wasn't flu, it went straight into a cough.

GrAnne2 Sat 18-Jan-20 11:45:25

I’ve been the same - below par for 2 weeks then hit like a sledgehammer by whatever virus it is. I have asthma and been grieving for a lost dog and thought I wouldn’t recover. I’m physically fit (practise yoga and have 2 hours dog walking every day) but this has left me weak as a kitten and having shed weight I could ill afford to lose. My (doctor) daughter thinks it was probably ‘flu - just not covered by this year’s jab. My heart goes out to those older, physically weaker or living alone - how do they cope? It’s just miserable and frustrating.

Madmaggie Sat 18-Jan-20 12:23:03

We've had this too despite flu jabs. I was much worse than hubby. Started early Dec then seemed to get better then returned with vengeance. Coughs, sneezes, no appetite, ended up (at chemists insistence) at GPs who diagnosed nasty throat & ears infection. Antibiotics given. (Horrible vomiting due to that
too), lethargy, jelly legs, zombie like. too infectious mix with young grandchildren sadly. Only just coming right now but nodding off more & lacking energy & zip. But hang in there & keep fluids up. I drank lots of water with a slice of lemon.

ExperiencedNotOld Sat 18-Jan-20 12:27:29

Oh, GrAnne2, I so wish my recent bout had caused me to loose weight. In my torpor I avoided cooking for a few days and just ate the Christmas food I’d have mostly avoided when well. Doubly the reason for the probiotics!

Callistemon Sat 18-Jan-20 12:30:22

I didn't seem to lose my appetite either

nipsmum Sat 18-Jan-20 12:35:57

I stated with Flu like symptoms on New years day. I too had had the Fluvac but it has taken until this last 2 days for me to be able to cope. I was exhausted all the time , my appetite was so poor I've lost almost 5 kilos in 2 weeks. I did all the things I was told and needed a course of Antibiotics as I also had a chest infection.

Kim19 Sat 18-Jan-20 12:55:05

My lasting retention from this bug and particularly the debilitating cough from Hell is that I have lost my singing voice completely. No big deal in the grand scheme of things but a huge disappointment and frustration to me as that was an important part of my social activity. At least I got my speaking voice back after many weeks so that was a blessing. Good luck and steady recovery to all who are still suffering.

georgia101 Sat 18-Jan-20 13:13:02

Yes, I've had this since Christmas, and still feel like you do Coughdrop. I have M.E too and thought I was relapsing, but knew really it was a flu like bug as family have had it too. I too had the jab so am glad if it stopped me feeling worse than I do now. I only said a couple of hours ago that I could do with a good 3 months sleep! Hope all of us here that are ill get better very soon.

Gingergirl Sat 18-Jan-20 13:17:06

Many viruses seem to take forever to get over and there have been a lot of them this/last year. A few years ago, my husband was ill for about two months. He even collapsed in the bathroom and I had to call for an ambulance (we are only in our sixties). It was all put down to a virus. Look after yourselves, it does feel like you’ve suddenly aged, but you will get over it....hunker down a bit and look forward to a better springtime.