be well

zinc everyday and it seems to work for me.

within the last 24-48 hours -- could consider seeing a doctor for an anti-viral medication, which could help shorten the duration a little.

.?

Achy body, my eyes hurt. I was in bed all day all with no energy whatsoever. Even getting up to go to bathroom was a major effort.

you work around children, you should be getting a flu shot

lots of liquids and rest......when I am sick I curl up in bed with good books.......if your symptoms keep getting worse, check in with the doc

for almost a month. Get better, relapse. This time he's so down, he's been in bed for the past 5 days. Take care. See a doctor? Take care of yourself.

and if he will just stay in bed and rest until he's well, it might be over. I hope.

helps to take the edge off, but everyone reacts differently to the flu. Plenty of rest, drink tons of OJ and take aspirin.

Since you're asking for advice on a political board about how to lessen the symptoms, it doesn't sound like you've been tested. Even if you are in a community in which one strain is currently circulating, it doesn't mean that that is the strain you were exposed to.

(Not being critical of not getting the flu shot - I don't get the flu shot myself, but I know that on the rare occasion I come down with the flu I have no idea which strain it is, absent testing. The effectiveness has declined each of the last 3 seasons - and has been consistently less effective since the 2013-14 season. The average effectiveness for the 5 years preceding the 2013-14 was 53% better than no vaccine. Since then the average effectivenes has been 35% (and has never topped 50%))

Too late for an anti-viral this time around. But behave yourself (rest, drink lots, don't try to go back to work too soon - both for yourself and for your colleagues you might infect; take tylenol for sore throat (nothing else really touches it - and tylenol isn't good for anything else)). I tend to let my fever control itself until it hits about 101, then I reduce it with advil. If nothing else, I figure it makes me feel worse and I am more inclined to behave myself. It may even be helpful - since there is at least some evidence that lowering a fever slows recovery.

****Since hubby is now coming down with the same symptoms, tamiflu may not be too late for him****

You can't even be sure you actually have the flu if you haven't been tested, much less what strain it may or may not be.

And if you have it, Olina (turmeric) and ginger in hot water till it’s coming out your ears. Honey if you need it.

Works wonders. Though if his tolerance for c isn’t Hugh maybe stick to one tab every 4 hours to avoid the squirts too.

Hot and sour soup, awesome.

But it’s great for the common cold (rhinovirus). I swear by it, and haven’t had a full blown cold in years!

that has zero clinical impact on the severity or duration of the flu.

i had read about it a couple of weeks ago, and bought some Black Elderberry supplements. Supposedly it's supposed to shorten the duration.

I hope you feel better soon.

xmas morning. Doctor gave me tamiflu and anti nausea meds. Still took me a good six days to get back to normal.

It does help. Get well soon

luckily had two packets left. I am drinking now and have my husband the other one.

A small shot of whiskey, then go to bed with a book or some magazines. Asleep in 20 minutes.

Don't know why the whiskey is so effective but if i leave it out the symptoms persist for days.

Doesn’t alcohol weaken one’s immune system? I’m sure it can put someone to sleep, but why would it help a person recover sooner? Perhaps the alcohol kills some bad bacteria? Curious.

is very good.

They also sell caplets, but I don’t think they work as well.

I usually add it to a cup of tea, so the flavor isn’t as strong. It really works well.

Cheese and crackers, coke, and binge watching a series.

If you have the real flu, you look up at the ceiling and moan. Period. I've been there. You don't sit up and you don't watch tv and you lack the energy to even eat.

Felt like my eyeballs were frying, and my bones were breaking.

Friday and Saturday I was in a dead zone.

I swear that the flu hits and drops you with a mallet. It's a terrible misery that has you weak and in bed, not even wanting to turn over it hurts so bad.

"Colds sneak up on you . Flu hits you like a train" One minute you are feeling normal and five minutes later you want to die.

ALso the fever: flu will onset with an unusually high fever spike whereas colds have much less fever.

Antibiotics do nothing for the flu or a cold, but they are needed if you pop up with a secondary infection like bronchitis or pneumonia.

You can pretty much only treat the symptoms and rest as much as possible. Drink lots of water too

I went to work doing tech support for a major company's servers whilst running a 103 fever (and got the entire office sick of course despite Lysoling every surface as I left) because I was the only one scheduled to be in the office at all for two hours. Testing next day said definitely influenza.

Not saying that all I *wanted* to do is stare at the ceiling and moan, or preferably somehow sleep, but I hadn't been at that job a year yet and was paranoid about losing it. I figured I could manage two hours. And it's one way to prove to a boss you aren't inclined to call in for silly reasons...

I asked someone to watch me leave work at 10 am.

And fortunately my house was 5 minutes from work, and because our helpdesk was away from the customer there wasn't a night-shift dress code/expected makeup for female employees.

I had been feeling sneezy for a day or two, it was that evening when my alarm went off for my shift that I had just spiked the fever. But we were already down a person from normal staffing, creating that gap.

They called me Typhoid Moriah cuz it spread, and definitely blamed me because I wouldn't stay home like a normal person but instead felt I had to prove I was really ill.

Such a perfect description of the pain and fatigue. I remember lying on the couch with the TV on but unable to watch it.

I certainly have had the ability to be online - I've run multi-million dollar contract negotiations with the flu (from home in my jammies so I didn't contaminate anyone).

Then, again, I took a break in studying for the patent bar of approximately 30 minutes longer than the surgical anesthesia a few years ago, and last year on this date - at age 62 - was working from home and begging to come back to work after spiral fractures in both bones in my right leg (4 days after the fracture, which was surgically repaired). I WAS back at work, teaching classes, 8 days later. Would have been 7, but I had to convince HR that the ADA was a real thing they had to comply with (they tried to tell me I could not do any work - from home or at the law school - until I could be back 40 hours a week with no accommodations). You'd think a law school would know better . . .

Which may partly explain why I don't get the flu shot. I do stay home when I'm contagious - but I'm still functional. I rarely get it, and when I do it is a pain but it does not knock me out.

I and my kids have both had it in recent years. One of my kids had a laboratory confirmed case, and he was up, running around and playing, eating and drinking, the whole time he was sick.

Every case is different, and a milder case of the flu is still a case of the flu.

I had the flu a week and a half ago. I powered through the days by going to work and would try to convalesce at night, taking Theraflu. At week's end I felt like crap. Saturday morning I was in the kitchen emptying the dishwasher, feeling horrible, when the wife walked in asking about my plans for the day. I asked her what she thought of a trip to the hospital. An hour later I was lying in an ER bed getting fluids pumped into me. I had survived the flu but was very dehydrated.

So, keep getting your fluids would be my advice.

Just saying.

I walked into a sick office and left sick myself.

Just saying.

It's a vicious cycle. Hope you are feeling better.

to avoid the dehydration. I'm usually good for one flu cycle per year, despite getting the shots religiously.

They rejiggered our Sick Plan this year and reduced hours available. Sadly, as a result, I expect our office to be a petri dish each winter.

How do they not see how counterproductive that is? Rhetorical question.

SO is a public school teacher and almost never gets sick, darn him. I got a stomach flu last year - never experienced anything like it. It lasted 12 days. I lost 10 lbs. I, too, drank the equivalent of a lake each day and could tolerate nothing but broth, water and weak tea. I couldn't have worked to save my life (and I'm self employed).

Put half a teaspoon in a bowl of boiling water.
Cover your head and the bowl with a towel - breath five times - repeat five times.
Do this three times a day. You'll be shocked at how well this works.
And it's cheap.

You should blow mucus that really helps clear out virus. The key is to dress very warmly so that you don't feel the cold air on anything but your face. I seldom get the flu, but the two times that I had it bad, the technique cleared it up within 48 hours, one of the cases involved a lung infection.

And stay hydrated, Vitamins aren't enough. Eat lots of soups, especially Asian type soups, I think it's the fish broth or sauce that helps. Carrot ginger soup is also really good as is roasted red pepper soup, and some some bread or something to munch on.

Teas are also good, especially some good herbals, I like lemon/ginger, these two things are your friends.

Stay away from dairy products, clear liquids, except for soups but no cream in them.

Gargle with really warm salt water.

I have killed the flu in 30hrs using all of these things combined, including breaking the fever, but I still lost 15lbs when it was over. It took three qts. of soups mentioned above, I used Hyland's cell salts (there are 12 of them and they are essential to body health), as many as address symptoms and took them every couple hours, teas and a about four gallons of water and as much sleep as I could get. I know everybody's different but that was one way to do it with mostly natural things and sans a doctor.

If you'd asked on the day you started symptoms, there is an antiviral available, but it must be taken within a day or so. Zinc works well, but it also must be taken at the first sign of symptoms.

Sorry you are sick!

(but you're right about taking it at the first sign of symptoms)

If it's the flu, you will just have to wait it out. But don't go back till you are well.

Take care.

.

Take 30 drops 3x a day, or get Lung Tonic liquid gels, if you don't want to taste it.

Also, take DM Max every four hours, along with extra guaifenesin. NEVER miss a dose, even if that means setting alarm for 2AM. You don't want to give a chest infection any chance to re-root itself. Also a Vicks menthol steam inhaler to loosen mucus in the lower part of the lungs. Take slow breaths in and slightly more forceful breaths out to keep the direction of mucus to favor leaving the lungs.


Never go into the hospital without elecampane... never. It's at all good health food stores, Sprouts, etc.

.

Fluids, fluids, fluids, and rest, rest, rest. Sleep is the best cure; our body heals when we sleep. Hugs.

then the length of the flu sickness is basically dependent on how good your immune system is.

After being years without getting sick, when I subbed... got colds and even a fever blister ( lol that was probably stress)

3 to 4 weeks to shake it.
Very discouraging to feel better for a day and then have a relapse.
No energy at all, dry cough aches and occasional fever.
My doc gave me an antibiotic that did bupkiss.
Feel like crap.
Liquids hot cold seem to help a bit
Take care
Hang in there

And keep Tums by your bedside to counteract the heartburn that ibuprofen causes. Lots of fluids. Hot tea. Give it time, you do NOT bounce back from the flu like a cold. I had it 2 years ago and was coughing for a good month.

cover up, plug in "Guardians of the Galaxy". It weirdly seemed to help a few years ago for me.

Love the soundtrack!

so force down fluids. Lots and lots of fluids. Chicken stock. Water. Juice. Tea. Whatever you can get down. Sleep. Vitamins if you can keep them down. And more sleep. Sleep as much as you possibly can.

It could get worse if you do not get treated.

It will take about 3 weeks to feel normal. Vit D3, 4-5000 units a day, Anti-V an anti-viral herbal tincture is good, A couple grams of Vit C, a day, 25,000-50,000 units of Vit A a week helps you shed the infected surfaces faster. Take the D and A with foods with some fat. If you don’t feel well enough to shop, you can order from Swanson’s vitamins online. They’re fast and reasonable. And do many of the things mentioned above. Hope you heal quickly!

has had some great results..

https://www.technologynetworks.com/immunology/news/knocking-out-viral-infections-with-fullerene-324249

Ok so it won't speed up your recovery, but it will make your week to 10 days of sickness more bearable...

... the orange juice is optional.

Nostrovia

I had my flu shot, but I had a cold from just after Thanksgiving until after New Year's Day. It's still lingering a bit.

As other people have said, lots of fluids, herbal teas with ginger are great. I took Mucinex (guiafenisen) to loosen the mucus in my lungs so it would come up (sometimes I was coughing so bad I was choking on it). Soups, especially if they have garlic or onions in them are also helpful.

I used Vicks Vaporub and put hot compresses on my chest which relieved my congestion and Advil/Bio Freeze for head and neck pain. It slowly got better, but very slowly. It was a stubborn one.

Also, Halls cough drops help with the sore throat if you have one and hot water w/ honey and lemon can be very soothing as well, although I am not sure it has any actual healing properties.

Stay in bed as much as possible, I found the more active I was (because I had to go to work most of the time, even though they sent me home a number of those days) the worse it got. The more I rested, the better it seemed to get.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

In three days you'll start feeling better.

Can help make it more tolerable.

Last time I had the flu I drank cup after cup of this concoction. Not sure of its curative powers but it was hot liquid and the cayenne kept my sinuses flowing.

Lots of liquids for all your cells.

I got the flu last year on a cruise. The ship doctor gave me Tamiflu and I was better in 36 hours. Amazing stuff.

the hot pepper helps break up the crap in your chest and head. It thins it out.

I prefer to use the Mucinex w/o the decongestant I would rather have them separate because I can control the doses better Too much sudafed sends me running around the ceiling

throat followed by one day of severe head cold symptoms - then it lingers for a few days.

A powdered vitamin C that you mix with water and drink. Drink lots of it. In my experience it really does help. It also tastes good and will help keep you hydrated.

You could also try Sambucol elderberry extract, and see if that helps.

Hope you're both feeling better soon.

Not just vitamin C, but 1000 mg of vitamin C every 3-4 hours. Vitamin C is water soluble, it doesn't stay in the body for very long as it is eliminated in your urine, so you have to keep taking it. Also, if you have a sore throat, take a nub of ginger root, shred it and make your own ginger tea - the stuff you buy at the store is crap. Ginger tea when made like this has an effervescent quality that coats your throat and tingles.

Back when I was married, I had 3 kids who were always bringing home the flu and everyone in the house would get it, except me, as I always washed my hands alot and took 1000 mg of vitamin C daily. At the first sign of a sore throat, I increased C as I said above, then started drinking juice or water as much as possible. Haven't had the full fledged flu in 30 years.

And instead of just lying in bed, put something on the TV that makes you laugh... laughter is, and always will be, the best medicine.

Hope this helps.

a ton of blankets and sweat it out
works every time

But go to a doctor to make sure. They will test you and figure out what it is. You can take an antiviral even a few days after it starts. I am treating a cold with elderberry tea, this will work for flu or many similar viruses as well. It stops the virus from replicating as much. Otherwise, rest, lost of fluids and otc pain meds as needed.

I am still feeling under the weather but had to go back to work. I come home and basically go to bed. I hate going to the doctor but I am drinking a lot of fluids even when I’m working.

Prolly if the fever broke but I would still try the tea, it works for me anyway for colds etc. if they haven’t gotten really bad. It is not easy to find but some otc meds have elderberry syrup I think. Feel better! I had flu B 4 years ago or so in May and it was awful, it took me a few months to get back to normal.

It has helped me tremendously but I will look for elderberry syrup this weekend.

Well it seems I spoke too soon, my cold took a turn for the worse when I went out tonight, I should’ve stayed home. I am still drinking the elderberry and now chamomile though. But I had to try afrin which only helped a bit.

We had our sons and their families down for the Christmas holiday. The youngest member, 7-year old Jax, brought a nasty virus with him and within a week all the adults were sick (except his mother).

I've only just begun to feel well, after 4-5 days of sleep at the beginning (the Sunday before New Years), no appetite, a ragged cough and major sinus congestion. Went to my surgeon for a followup on reconstruction surgery I'd had a week before Christmas. He gave me a steroid pack and a 5-day antibiotic routine. That did make me feel better but the congestion and coughing remained. Finally, I started taking Sudafed, the Sinus pressure/ congestion, 12-hour tablet. That finally cleared up my head. Only problem? It jazzes me up so I haven't been sleeping well. But I do feel considerably better.

Good luck. Whatever strain of virus that's circulating this year? It's nasty. On the positive side? The 5-8 pounds I wanted to take off are gone. My appetite is still not fully back. But better. Btw, I lived on soup.

my area, if you can tolerate aspirin, it works best for me. Also tylenol and aspirin can be combined. Go to the ER if you can't lower your temp. Feel better.