I am running out of pictures to blog! I had to really search to come up with this one, from our outing to the cemetery with Olga last weekend. Back when I felt healthy and still thought a trip to Florida was happening. Seems like a long time ago, and yet it was less than a week.
I wonder why someone would put a little figurine of what looks like an otter on someone else's grave. There must be a story behind that.
I thought I was getting better yesterday. I felt better, but my fever has stubbornly hung on. I'm taking paracetamol (acetaminophen) and a wonderful British concoction known as Lemsip. I don't know why we don't have Lemsip in the United States. It's a powdered lemony drink mix that you add to hot water and it contains various medicines (including more paracetamol) to control cold symptoms -- and it is fabulous. In the states there's something called Theraflu that's similar, but I'm not sure it's the same. Anyway, I sing praises to Lemsip.
I stayed in bed most of the morning, until one of the juvenile Russians upstairs began bouncing a ball around in the room directly over my head (!). I moved out to the couch. At some point in the afternoon I managed to take a shower, which made me feel better. But then last night I started feeling crappy again, and I woke up at 4 a.m. shaking under my blankets with my fever back at 101º F (38.3º C). So apparently this thing is not done with me yet.
The question remains -- what is it? Dave has suggested going to the doctor but I feel certain they'd just tell me it's a virus and leave it at that. We were both so convinced it's Covid that he bought a new lateral flow test yesterday, thinking that perhaps our tests (which were handed out by our school soon after our lockdowns) were out of date or not sensitive to newer varieties. But I was Covid-negative on the new test too.
I don't think it's flu. As I understand it, flu usually hits hard and all at once, but this was a slow ramp-up of symptoms over a couple of days.
That leaves something called RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, which the CDC says causes "mild, cold-like symptoms." The New York Times created an interactive chart to help readers evaluate their symptoms and determine whether they have Covid, flu or RSV, and it indicated RSV is the most likely culprit in my case. But I would not call these "mild, cold-like symptoms." This thing has kicked my butt. I haven't been this sick in years.
Dave said he has also felt twinges of illness but he's doing much better than I am. He may be having the "mild, cold-like" version of RSV.
I'm just lucky, I guess!
If you have flu you can't walk, even between rooms. So you haven't got flu. It sounds like a very heavy cold to me although the fever is puzzling because that sounds more like Covid but then you would also have a terrible cough. I hope you soon feel better whatever it is. Lemsips are great before bed.
ReplyDeleteYou don’t generally have a temp with a cold.
ReplyDeleteAre you chesty?
Is your sputum dirty?
If so you may need antibiotics
Rachel: I do have a terrible cough!
ReplyDeleteJohn: Without getting into details about my sputum, which no one wants to read (LOL), I'll just say that I don't think I'm at the stage yet where I need to seek out antibiotics. But I'm being vigilant.
I so hope this turns around for you. How miserable. Are you able to phone your doctor's office for advice? A few days of fever is not very common in adults. (Don’t let that catastrophic imagination go wild; I’m just suggesting antibiotics might be needed.)
ReplyDeleteSorry, I don’t want to know anything about your sputum. But I do like the question: Are you chesty?
Should you be taking Lemsip AND paracetamol? I’m concerned you are overdosing. Please read the dosage leaflet and do the calculations. We want you safely back walking Olga to the cemeteries as soon as possible.
ReplyDeleteAn otter is it. I couldn't make it out.
ReplyDeleteWe have or had Lemsip here. I've not heard of it recently.
I'm sorry you feel so unwell, which is a bugger at Christmas. I hope you feel better in a couple of days.
If you ever find out, let us know. My theory has been that it is RSV as well but most of those I know are like you and have pretty bad symptoms compared to a "mild cold". It also seems to stick around for several weeks and sort of ebbs and flows with people feeling better and relapsing many times. I've been fortunate in that I'm apparently immune or just haven't got it yet though many around me have.
ReplyDeleteMitchell: My doctor's office is very hard to deal with. My plan is to get through the weekend and see where things stand on Monday."Chesty" is a good word! LOL
ReplyDeleteVal: A valid question! Yes, I have been spacing Lemsip and paracetamol doses at least four hours from each other. I think I took two Lemsip and two doses of paracetamol yesterday over the span of 24 hours.
Andrew: It is a drag, bit in some ways it's better to be sick now than when I'd have to be at work! At least now I can lie around without any pressure.
Ed: I hope this doesn't stick around for several weeks! Criminy. I might be coughing for a while, clearing things out, but surely the fever wouldn't last that long.
What a way to spend the holiday. I hope you feel better soon, and I hope someone takes the ball away from that kid!!
ReplyDeleteSorry you are still sick. Not the best way to spend your break. Hope you feel better soon and can enjoy the Holidays.
ReplyDeleteDamn. Well, none of us can really diagnose you from this distance but I agree that it does sound like a virus. A particularly nasty one. John is right- can turn to something needing antibiotics. Definitely not a cold, though.
ReplyDeleteThere are new viruses going around and I tend to agree that a doctor will say to do what you're already doing. I'm sorry you're so sick, but gladder than ever you didn't power through the trip. So you're free to rest and moan! Let's hope it will go soon.
ReplyDelete“Val: A valid question! Yes, I have been spacing Lemsip and paracetamol doses at least four hours from each other. I think I took two Lemsip and two doses of paracetamol yesterday over the span of 24 hours.”
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for that. Hope it’s not too long before you feel stronger.
I was so hoping that you would be feeling better. It does sound like a virus. If you don't start feeling better soon, it would be a good idea to see a doctor. Having a fever for many days like this is definitely troubling. Please take care there and GET WELL!
ReplyDeleteDave's right . See your doctor.
ReplyDeleteBe careful about taking paracetamol and Lemsip together. Lemsip also has paracetamol in it. Your daily dose should not exceed 3000mg or it can cause liver damage. We don't have Lemsip but it's Canadian equivalent, NeoCitran.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're feeling better soon.
I just read your answer to Val, so I'm glad to see that you're not getting too much paracetamol. You can take ibuprofen with the Lemsip though. Ibuprofen is excreted through your kidneys and will help with the fever. Take care Steve.
Oof - sorry you're still feeling so bad! And yes, I guess it's better to be sick when you don't have any obligations.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I am sitting over here an ocean away feeling very annoyed at the Russians. What the heck people - simmer down! Ha!
Sorry about the continuing fever and nasty cough. So. Not. Fun. Keep hydrated.
ReplyDeleteHave to admit, I brought some Lemsip back with me from my trip to the UK earlier this year. Will be in London again in April and plan to restock.
RSV is apparently kicking some serious butt. I wonder if that's what I had back when I had the cold that wouldn't quit. But I didn't have a fever. I still think you might have the flu. Well, rest up and get well.
ReplyDeleteThe only good thing about the fever is that it keeps you lying low and resting. If it's like what my husband just got over, expect about 10 days of intermittent fever and fatigue. Glad Dave is not as hard hit.
ReplyDeleteWish we had Lemsip over here.
Chris from Boise
we hope yoo feel better soon!! merry christmas to yoo all
ReplyDeleteI would not call a temperature of 101 as a mild symptom either. My temperature never got that high when I had COVID.
ReplyDeleteRest up and take care of yourself. I'm hoping you get better very, very soon.
Yikes! This thing is not letting go. Good news that it is not Covid, but that's cold comfort when you feel lousy. Get batter!
ReplyDeleteMy older grandson and daughter had RSV last fall and were both miserable. There is really nothing to be done for it except ride it out the way you're doing. :(
ReplyDeleteThere's something about Christmas that seems to bring on illnesses. I remember being home lying on the couch at Christmas when I was 12 years old and recovering from a stay in the hospital for a ruptured appendix. And there seem to have been many other less serious illnesses in my family surrounding the big day. I would be remiss if I didn't draw the conclusion that Christmas just makes people sick!
ReplyDeleteRSV is very bad in the U.S. A lot of people need to see doctors because of it and people are hospitalized, so I don't know how it can be described as mild. Maybe it's a particular strain that's worse and it's going around. Anyway, go to the doctor. Please and thank you and Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
We had a lot of nasty viruses this winter just gone. RSV hospitalised a lot of people. With all the kerfuffle of Covid one forgets that there other just as nasty bugs out there.
ReplyDeleteMy vote is that it's RSV. My daughter and her husband both had it when their 6 month old got it right before covid hit. They agreed it was the sickest they'd been in their adult lives.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get over this SOON! Both of you!
There are some nasty viruses going around here and elsewhere in Canada, and I'm hearing people are taking 10-14 days to get through them. Hang in there. I agree that being sick when you don't have any obligations is perhaps the only silver lining at a time like this! Take care, Steve.
ReplyDeleteBob: The ball bouncing did not continue yesterday, so maybe that's a good sign. :/
ReplyDeleteEllen D: Thanks! I suspect I'll be sick for a while yet, but hopefully I'm past the worst of it.
Ms Moon: Yeah, this is definitely more than a cold!
Boud: I am SO GLAD we had the good sense to cancel the trip.
Robin: I am starting to improve, but it's taking some time!
Red: I'm giving it until Monday. If I'm still sick then, I'll go to the doctor.
Pixie: Thanks for the caution! Yeah, I've tried to be careful about how much I'm taking and to space it out.
Bug: Simmer down! That's the best advice I've heard for the Russians.
Mary: It's a great invention! I'm surprised they haven't tried to crack the American market, but it might be a nightmare to get FDA approval or whatever they need from the regulators.
Ellen: It just doesn't seem like the flu, which I've had in the past and which strikes full-force within a couple of hours. I remember once going to dinner with some friends and feeling fine, and then on the way home feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. Flu happens that fast.
Chris: TEN DAYS! Good lord, I hope not. It's been six days so far.
Gidget: Thank you! And Merry Christmas to you too. :)
Sharon: I never like subjective words like "mild." One person's mild is another person's severe!
Jim: It's weird how it fluctuates. I think that 101º peak yesterday morning might have been a final fever spike, though. It hasn't been that high since.
Margaret: Are they grown or children? Apparently a lot of kids are getting it now because they weren't exposed to seasonal germs for a couple of years in lockdown. Or that's the theory, anyway.
Catalyst: I think Christmas DOES make people sick, but mostly in the head! I didn't realize you had a ruptured appendix as a kid. That's pretty serious!
Janie: Yeah, I wonder if there's a more severe version making the rounds?
Merlot: Yeah, Covid got all the attention for a while but you're right -- there's plenty else out there to make us sick.
Kelly: It's so weird how so many people say RSV made them terribly ill and yet the doctors shrug it off as "mild."
Jenny-O: God, I hope it doesn't take that long. But I'm sure even after my fever is gone it will take days for my system to get back to normal, so I could understand that.
My grandson was 1 1/2 when he had RSV and my daughter was 35. They were both miserable although it took my daughter way longer to get over it, especially the cough.
ReplyDeleteIt could still be covid because the newest strains don't show a positive with a RAT testing kit, they only show positive with a PCR test.
ReplyDeleteWe have Lemsip here in Australia too.
Margaret: Interesting! Well, that DOES sound a bit like me. (Except I'm 20 years older than your daughter was!)
ReplyDeleteRiver: The sources I've read say current tests should still be accurate with new variants. Here's an article from early last month: https://www.verywellhealth.com/can-rapid-covid-tests-detect-new-variants-6824009
Rick got really sick in late November with what he called a very bad cold, but it had every marking of RSV -- maybe you're the same. Anyway, from reading backwards, I'm glad to hear it's clearing up. Nasty stuff.
ReplyDelete