My First Flu? Next Time Shoot Me.

Here’s the thing, I’m a sickly man. It’s true. I seem to get every sniffle, infection, cold, pneumonia, etc that can afflict a person. Add to that my chronic migraines, and I’ve seen my fair share of bedrest.

I’m pretty sure I have the flu right now. I looked up symptoms (after I tallied all mine, so I didn’t become self-fullfillingly sick), and apparently flu symptoms for adults are slightly different from that of children. (The latter of which I’m familiar with getting the flu, as I’ve held several puking children in my time as a father)

It turns out adults, while they get a fever, it isn’t usually as high as children. Mine is hovering around 100F, regardless if I take medicine or not. For most people, that’s a mild fever, but my baseline temp is about 96.4F. Yes, I’m apparently partly cold blooded. Perhaps my great great grandfather was a lizard. I have also had a headache for 4 days now, which is a symptom of the flu I wasn’t aware of. Yet, apparently it is.

The thing that has had me doubting my self-diagnosed flu was the fact that I haven’t vomited at all. THEN I read that in adults, vomiting and nausea aren’t common indicators. WHICH MEANS that all the other times I assumed I had the flu because I was throwing up really didn’t mean I had the flu at all. I think this might be the first time I’ve had an actual flu in the time I can remember. (11 years, for those counting my memory)

The flu sucks.

For 4 days now, I’ve had horrible body aches, moderate headache, constant fever, no appetite (the one bonus), dizziness, confusion, chills, sweats, and malaise. The flu sucks.

Thankfully, I haven’t had any respiratory problems. I hate to say “yet”, but as I seem to be feeling worse today than any other day, it’s certainly a possibility. I assure everyone, if I start to have problems breathing, I’ll go to the hospital. I won’t argue, I’ll just go. But the reason for this post is not to make everyone worry about me. It’s to say this:

GET YOUR FLU SHOT!

I hate needles so much that I’ve avoided the flu shot like the plague itself. That won’t be the case anymore. While I’ve felt sicker (pneumonia is a doozy, let me tell you), this slow worsening is rather unsettling. So yeah, go schedule your flu shot right now.

I’m going to go drink some more TheraFlu. And scold myself for not getting a flu shot.

5 thoughts on “My First Flu? Next Time Shoot Me.”

  1. You have my sympathy. The flu feels a lot like death warmed over, with a side of getting hit by a truck.

    Take tylenol & advil for your pain–that will help significantly. Check with your doc and see if you can alternate taking ibuprofin & acetomenephin; (you take either every four hours, and if you stagger them, you’re not going to let the misery get ahead of you.)

    No hugs though. Even tho I got the flu shot, better safe than sorry.

    And sleep. A lot.

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  2. Dude, you aren’t safe from pneumonia, yet. The flu weakens your defences against the bacteria, and it’s the most common debilitating sequella from the flu. That’s why I was horking up a lung in the midlle of summer last year – I had the flu right before I left for Scandanavia.

    Keep looking out for signs it’s creeping up on you and go to the doctor right away if you think it is.

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  3. Gee…I had to get a flu shot this year or lose my job, I need my job, well I need my paycheck and my job is a good way to get one. They mandated it this year, but they paid for it too. Anyway I wanted to let you know, you can opt for a nasal spray instead of a needle. I’m not sure where you have to go for it but just sayin…

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  4. I, too, catch every little thing that goes around. I blame the kids, little germ factories. I always had “the flu” until several years back when I got the REAL flu – yes, that 2 day feel bad thing is not the flu LOL. I felt like death for over 2 weeks and it was HORRIBLE, I know how you feel. I also never “believed” in the flu shot. I get one EVERY SINGLE YEAR now. I honestly believe that’s the sickest I’ve ever been in my life. I was dying. Rest, fluids, etc. Take care of yourself, it’s important.

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