Who else has this chest cold flu going around?

[ggreg]

I live on the East Coast, and I have a fever, chest cold, aches and pains, and feel like I want to do away with myself!  Husband had it, and and now I have it, and some relatives who live near me had it recently.  I've had a lot of pneumonia and bronchitis over the years, but this thing takes the cake.  I noticed on TV that some government people had the sniffles.  I don't have as much sniffles, but I do need to blow my nose occasionally.  It's the pain from the fever and the scary clog in my airway that is so worrisome.  Also, I read an article about some folks who are getting a strain of flu that the flu shots don't cover... I don't take those shots, but anyway...  

I just wanted to know if there's a bunch of other people who can reply that they are sick, too.  I would do a poll, but I don't know how that works.  If any of you want to set one up, plez do.  Anyhow, I have been "treating" it with Echincea decaff green tea from the grocery store, with Vitamin C in it, and alka seltzer.  I am lucky, tho, I have some pain medications for other health issues... I usually post over in gastro or neuro becuz of problems I have related to those issues, so the drugs I take for all that help A LOT.  If I did not have those, I really think I would have gone around the bend by now, and certainly would be in the hospital.

Well, I imagine a bunch of people will reply that they're sick with a chest cold, too, and I'm just interested to know just how many folks got this.  I noticed a few other posts of folks who have this same thing, and I'll try to reply to them when I can.  Thanks!

[Keef_uk]

Hiya,
I've had this damn chest cold for ages now.  The worse thing about it is that it seems to go then comes back after a few days of feeling better.  I've had a chest X-ray which just said that I was congested.  I've had everything from antibiotics to over the counter remedies but I havn't been able to really shift it.  At the moment I have the 'chills' with it and now the sinus's are bad.  My doctor said it has been a bad winter for this recurring upper respiratory infection, but he still didn't really have an answer to why it is or what the answer to it is.
mick

[ggreg]

Hey Mick,
Thanks for replying.  Since I got my cold, which was a nightmare indeed, I read where some people can't get rid of theirs, just like you.  Right now, it's a week since I posted, and I've been feeling better for two days now, so I hope I don't get it all over again!  But I do practice "sterilizing" everything I come in contact with, which is I'll clean my toothbrush with alcohol, same thing with the refrigerator handle, doorknobs, water spigots, that sort of thing.  I also wash my hands a lot.

For me, the cough was the worst part, altho recently I've also been blowing my nose.  I did drink Echinacea decaff tea a couple times in the middle of it, it bolsters the body's immune system, and the kind I used put Vitamin C in it.  Could be that helped me, I don't know.  
GG

[jewleyf]

Hi
I have this chest cold too. Alot of it going around here in Washington. I started with a sore throat, then I got the chest cold and now I have the cough. I have had this for about 4 weeks. I went to the doctor and he said my chest was clear and gave me some nose spray to use to dry up my sinuses. I have heard that it can take up to six weeks for the cough to go away. Also I can feel drainage down the back of my throat and I heard that can make you cough. Hope you are feeling better

Jewelyf

[juvarya8]

Hi there,

I've had this god awful flu now for five days. Started with just being totally wiped out and unable to leave the bed for two days with night shivers, sweats, fever. Now it's just an awful cough and since I've been unable to eat, I'm pretty weak. I can't remember what it feels like to be healthy!

Weird thing is, I had this exact same flu - same duration, progression, etc - last year. Is that normal? Wouldn't I be immune having had this same strain of the flu last year?

I swear I'm going to get a flu shot next year. I've now lost two weeks of my life to it!

[ggreg]

All,
I can't believe it's 25 days since my original post and I'm still goofed up.  The cough has subsided, but I'm SO EXHAUSTED.  Yesterday I thought I was going to pass out.  I have read in my local paper and online that this is the flu indeed.  When I used to smoke, I'd get bronchitis and pneumonia, and this feels real similar.  I haven't had a flu shot in years, don't like them.  But they say it helps with all strains of it.  Maybe I'll bite the bullet and have one next year.  Thanks everybody for posting here, it has to be a comfort to those who have this.
GG

[liv2lope]

I've had this God awful funk for going on 3 weeks now and I'm absolutely miserable.  It started off with the worst sore throat I've ever had and then went to my  chest.  After my 2nd different antibiotic, plenty of Gatorade, Neti Pot and a handful of over the counter aids it's still!!  Olny now has decided to attack my sinuses.  I can't breath from both sides of my nose at the same time and it's driving me insane.  My entire head is so stuffy, I can't function right.  What ever this is is some serious stuff and I can't wait to be me again.  I also had the same exact thing if at the same exact time last year and wonder what is up with that.
Lori

[ggreg]

Hi Liv,
Sounds like a different sort of flu than I had, because I didn't have a sore throat.  It began as a chest cough.  Much later, my sinuses did have mucous collect in there, but it drained fine for me.  Might I suggest, therefore, since your sinuses are stopped up, that you get a plain saline nasal spray at the grocery or drug store, and squirt that in there a few times a day, to loosen up the clog in your nose.  ALSO, if you're taking over-the-counter stuff to dry out your nose, like antihistimines, you should consider stopping that, so your nose will also drain better.  I drank just a half cup of decaff Echinacea tea, tastes bad, drank it for three days, and I felt much better.  Had to repeat it a week later.  It helps the immune system fight better.  I know just what you mean when you say this is "some serious stuff," because I nearly went out of my mind.  But there is a light at the end of the tunnel, which I could not believe at the time.  The reason you get this the same time of year, is because the flu season spikes upwards in February.  Hope you get well soon.
GG

[rosereddeb]

I am new here .... 2 1/2 weeks ago I came down with this horrid chest cold !  The worst cough I had  in years .... went to my doc. 4 times, she treated me with Z pac, and 10 days on steroids to open up my bronchial tubes !  I have not been back to work yet, as I feel so weak and tired !!  My bf has it now ..... what the heck is this thing ????  It never goes away .....

Debbie

[Keef_uk]

Well, it's the 12th March and my sinuses are still bunged up.
About 1 in 10 seem to have this virus in my area from what I can tell.
Now my doc has put me on a beconase nasal spray, but a week after starting it nothing seems to be getting better.
I'm just starting my second Sterimar nasal spray which does help with the phlegm, congestion and post nasal drip but doesn't clear it up completely.
My doc is about as much use as a chocolate tea pot.  He means well, and he is trying his best, but with all the advances in medicine he just doesn't seem to have an answer to this. The non medicine methods I have been using ie: steam inhalation, saline nasal spray and sleeping propped up have all come by searching the internet.  Not once did my doc suggest this.  Pffffft
All I read is people saying ' what the heck is thsi virus? It's the worse I have felt in years '
Yet there is a strange silence from the medical profession.  Do they not collate information or are they staying quiet about it?
Wouldn't it be in there interest and the patients interest to come out and say that something weird is going on.
Just read through the posts and see how many people are genuinely worried that these symptoms could be something worse.  If it's just a strange bug that they are not sure how to treat, why don't they just come out and say it!  Pfffffft
The majority of people I know in the UK think that their doctors are condescending to them and treat them as if they shouldn't know what's going on.  Pfffft
That's enough Pffffft for today.
take care all

[ggreg]

All,
Here is a link to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control concerning the flu going around:

www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

It tells a bunch of stuff about the flu in 2009, and as relates to other years of the flu, and they update it about every two weeks.  I don't know if they get their info just from hospitals, or also from doctors, I didn't read the website very closely becuz it had so much hard-to-read info in there.

Anyhow, I am now one month and a few days past when I got it from my husband, and I'm STILL unbelievably tired.  But I am very lucky in that my symptoms are mild, altho I still cough occasionally and blow my nose once in a while.  But the main of it is over.  But while it was going on, it was really awful, first cold/flu illness I've had in 10 years.
GG

[bdb777]

I came across this site while researching about local flu/cold outbreaks. I have to say, there is a terrible chest cold/sinus infection going around here that also causes nosebleeds and fatigue. Right now my entire family has got it, friends have it or are getting over it, and I seen many local people coughing/hacking and sniffling while out in public. It almost seemed as something out of a horror movie. Strange how such a large group of people get sick all at once, which of course what lead me to find this forum. Too bad there isnt a website devoted to the statistics of illnesses in your local area. I think it would be very interesting to study this and pay attention to any kind of viral parterns that may occur, or at least help us to be more aware when our neighbors start falling ill. My chest is burning at the moment, looks like it will be a long night... =o(

[Leew]

I too have been suffering from a cold that will not go away. I continue with a cough, runny nose and fatigue.

Here's a little conspiracy for you; Perhaps we're all experiencing a similar reaction that some people experience after getting a flu shot. This after being inoculated via an agent contained within our food, pharmaceuticals, etc. Maybe such a means is impossible but it would be an effective way to inoculate a population against some biological threat, en-mass (without them knowing...)

Yeah, either that or it's just a really bad cold.

[tomd517]

Our entire office has this stuff going around.  It stared with muscle soreness. sore throat, then coughing, then feeling really bad (no energy), then full blow chest hacking, sinus infection and low fever.  Rest, "Emergen-C" packs, zinc lozenges and finally a Z-pack.  On the 4th day I started feeling better, but the coughing and sinus problems are still hanging around.  Hopefully the Z-pack will take care of that. This must be highly contagious as almost everyone in the office has had it or getting it over that past two weeks.