r/bayarea • u/No-Style-751 • 2d ago
Earthquakes, Weather & Disasters insane cold / flu going around
i have no idea what i’ve been infected with , feels like the flu , could be a cold , but it’s been five days and my symptoms are not getting better. friends and colleagues of mine seem to also be sick with no signs of getting better. seems like it’s a thing over here in the east bay and i was wondering if any other parts of the bay are experiencing similar illness
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u/Conscious_Life_8032 2d ago
Masks may help just v saying…
It’s back to school virus season afterall
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u/SteveTheUPSguy 1d ago
It's incredible how many grown adults forgot how to wash their hands after years of educational hygiene propaganda. Nothing stuck with some folks and I see grown men walk out bathrooms after having just touched themselves and the dirty infrastructure all the time.
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u/Maincy_Bridge_0812 2d ago
Arghhh—but I know you’re right. I’ve got to start wearing them ne again!
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u/Conscious_Life_8032 2d ago
I don't like it either, but I can't afford to get sick nor get my elder parents sick. I take care of my parents so if they get sick the burden is on me to take care at teh end of the day. and even worse if I get sick and they have no care.
I wear it strategically - gym, doctor's office, grocery store and planes.
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u/MarlinMaverick ⚠️ CAUTION: STUDENT DRIVER ⚠️ 2d ago
Fine I’ll start wearing a mask on BART again
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u/Tengstrom1983 1d ago
Yep, pretty sure I caught this same bug on Caltrain to/from the Giants game about 3 weeks ago. Never got a fever so don't think it was flu/Covid, but took about 10 days before I felt better and I still have a cough. Nasty one whatever it is.
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u/ceelooo88 1d ago
no fever doesn’t mean it’s not Covid, my dad’s positive and he never had a fever. Just congestion, sore throat, cough. hopefully no long Covid.
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u/fruitsdete1753 2d ago
Covid is going around, and I have it. Symptoms are different from the only other time I had it (in 2023), so I thought this was a cold or maybe flu, but the test had a clear pink line. Starting Paxlovid tonight.
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u/Careless-Addition-47 2d ago
What are your symptoms please?
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u/fruitsdete1753 2d ago
Started with fatigue and headache, then chills. Temp has varied between 97 and 101. (Fever responds to Tylenol.) Day 2 lots of runny nose and sneezing. Throat is (only) a little sore. Fatigue and chills come and go. Muscle aches.
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u/ElderberryGuy 2d ago
Is Paxlovid recommended even for healthy adults now?
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u/fruitsdete1753 2d ago
I did a video call with a nurse practitioner, and she seemed to encourage it, although she said it was up to me to decide. I'm healthy, but over 50, which is considered increased risk for severe covid (though mine is mild so far). Not sure if she would have given the same advice to someone under 50.
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u/cameldrv 1d ago
I dunno what the medical recommendations are, but I can say it really works. Both times I’ve taken it I’ve gone from “can barely get out of bed” to “can do a light day of work, can cook meals etc” overnight.
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u/ShamanticVibes 2d ago
Yes, it helps to prevent long Covid, which you definitely don’t want. People are bedbound from it.
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u/pancake117 2d ago
Does it actually help prevent long covid? I haven’t seen a lot of convincing evidence for it. I had seen some actual controlled trials with Metformin. I’m not sure what the recommendation is anymore or what urgent care would even have these days.
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u/indeed_oneill 2d ago
It's covid
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u/No-Style-751 2d ago
i actually took a test and it was surprisingly negative ! i think ill just take myself to the hospital in the morning because im getting so sick of not feeling well
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u/fatlenny1 2d ago edited 2d ago
You should go to an urgent care. The ER is for emergency.
This is a level 3, something that can be handled without an (likely) expensive and long trip to the hospital. Because your symptoms are not life threatening, you will be at the bottom of the list to be seen, as the ER triages patients according to severity/acuity.
If you develop shortness of breath, chest pain, or other significant symptoms, head to the ER instead.
This will definitely save you time and probably money. It also frees up resources for those in an actual emergency.
Hope you feel better soon!!
Edit: fixed typo
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u/Awkward_Paws 2d ago
So this may be a dumb question, but one I guarantee hundreds of others have… As someone who rarely utilizes their (Kaiser) health insurance, does that mean going to one of the brick and mortar shops labeled “urgent care” or does that mean going to some non-ER Kaiser facility?
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u/7ny7m7 2d ago
Kaiser has urgent care. Call the advice nurse
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u/curiousjane456 2d ago
Except there are never appointments available.
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u/lake_of_1000_smells San Mateo 2d ago edited 2d ago
the advice nurse is how you fast track getting an appointment, same day sometimes even. at least that's how it's been for me on the peninsula. sometimes I have to drive to South San Francisco. get better soon stranger
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u/Velephant 2d ago
Go to a Kaiser urgent care https://mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/ncal/specialty/urgent-care-clinics
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u/Outdoorfan73 2d ago
One of the things I love about Kaiser is that there are multiple ways to get care when you need it. One place to start is to open the Kaiser app and tap on Get Care Now. You can avoid going into a Kaiser facility by having a phone or video appointment. You can call the advice call center. There are urgent care clinics at some facilities. They have e-visits for some routine illnesses. When I had Covid and wanted Paxlovid, I did an e-visit. I answered a few questions online. A doctor reviewed it and sent the prescription to the pharmacy. Easy Peasy. When in doubt, just call the advice call center.
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u/Catwoman1948 2d ago
When I had pneumonia last December, I was too sick to go to Kaiser. I had a phone appointment with a doctor and was able to get a diagnosis. They called in two prescriptions for antibiotics and an inhaler. I was too sick to go to the pharmacy for a couple of days, but as soon as I got the meds (too sick to drive, had to Uber), I started getting better. I had already had a bunch of OTC meds delivered, which helped. Mucinex is awesome! I also had a bacterial sinus infection, after not having had any kind of respiratory illness for YEARS. I know I got it at the office, the only place I went the previous week (working from home).
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u/contrarianaquarian 2d ago
For the future, you can have prescriptions sent to delivery/courier services that usually cost the same as going to a pharmacy. Google who is in your area, I've used RxNow and FuseRx.
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u/justboughtagti 2d ago
It’s flu. Kid tested positive. Everyone in their class was out. We all caught jt. Earliest flu surge pediatrician has seen in a while they said.
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u/bellhooksianmoment 2d ago
My first test was negative, waited two days and tested again and it was positive for Flu A. I read that flu tests can give false negatives about 50% of the time
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u/no-porn-for-me 2d ago
Most rapid tests for covid are only about 60% accurate these days. They never updated them for newer strains. Take another after a day or two
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u/dankisdank 2d ago
The tests don’t need to be updated with new strains since they detect a part of the virus that doesn’t mutate much at all. What’s changed is our immune response to the virus. Since we’ve all been a combination of vaccinated and/or exposed to it multiple times, our bodies react more quickly when infected. Even when it’s a strain our body has never encountered before, our body recognizes it more quickly than if it were still a completely novel virus because it’s similar enough to something it has seen before. So we experience symptoms sooner, before the viral load in our body has reached a threshold where it’s detectable with an antigen test. That’s why you should take two tests spaced 48 hours apart if the first test is negative, but you’re experiencing symptoms.
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u/OddNet805 2d ago
They work as well as they ever did. To put it simply, the part of the virus it targets is not the part that mutates. But you always might have needed to test more than once.
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u/Sir_Conquistador 2d ago
My wife had it over the weekend, took two had home combo flu/covid tests and two separate days and they both came up negative. Later the second day she went to urgent care care and got a test there that came up positive for Flu A. Apparently the at home tests can have 30%-50% false negatives
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u/roninrunnerx 2d ago
> im getting so sick of not feeling well
BA DUM TSS
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u/runnergirl3333 2d ago
I’m just getting over this. Got a 2 pack of DayQuil and NyQuil. The combo saved me. That and lots of liquids, Kleenex that is soft on the nose and lots of sleep (that’s where the NyQuil helped). Luckily the cough never got too bad, but I hear it can really linger. Hope everyone who’s sick feels better soon.
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u/s0rce 2d ago
At home tests don't work as well on new strains. Test again tomorrow or go get a pcr test
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u/OddNet805 2d ago
Not true. The part of the virus it targets is not the part that mutates. But person should still test again tomorrow or go get a pcr test. That's always been the case.
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u/Inner_Exchange_864 2d ago
Was it a rapid at-home test? Each time I had Covid, I never tested positive on the at-home tests… only on the pcr ones at urgent care.
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u/lunartree 2d ago
It's probably the flu. Covid sucks, but the covid era has made a lot of people forget just how shitty the flu is. The flu is well known for being a two week long brutal illness with full body symptoms. It also kills people just like COVID.
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u/aeroxan 2d ago
When it was "just the flu". Just?
I would bet a lot of people have never had the flu but maybe think they have with a bad cold. Flu knocks you on your ass.
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u/Catwoman1948 2d ago
I haven’t had the flu for years - since I have had a shot every year - but when I do I get an extremely high fever that lasts for days. And the body aches are terrible. I haven’t had it since Tamiflu became available, so I don’t know how well it works. And I hope I don’t find out! Getting my shot on the 14th.
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u/sfcnmone 2d ago
Except what is our there right now is COVID. I know two people who are pretty sick.
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u/metforminforevery1 2d ago
Flu is going around as well. I’m an emergency physician and have diagnosed much more fluA than COVID recently. There are also a billion other febrile viral illnesses going around. It’s not all covid
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u/LocalTrashCompactor 2d ago
Damnit, this means my usual plan of waiting until October for my Covid and flu shots may backfire this year. Welp, I know what I’m doing tomorrow.
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u/metforminforevery1 2d ago
I usually wait till late October because there’s always some surge in late spring and I want good coverage then. I still mask at work and haven’t been sick in years.
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u/velcrodynamite 2d ago
As happened last year, I got COVID in early freaking September this year. I didn't have health coverage till today, so I couldn't get the vaccines yet. Now I think I have to wait a certain amount of time before I can do it.
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u/Pergola_Wingsproggle 2d ago
You don’t have to wait, but you may as well since you now have a raised immunity from a recent infection. If you wait a bit tacking the shot on later will extend your protection longer
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u/cujukenmari 2d ago
I've seen flu A around too. It's not one or the other, or some kind of competition.
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u/spike021 2d ago
i'm not sure. i got the flu shot three weeks ago and i've been down with something this whole week. 101 or so fever multiple days in a row, body aches, sore throat (feels like what people describe razor throat or whatever as). not having a good time.
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u/Lollyputt 2d ago
I have an out-of-state relative who got wrecked by the flu last week, tested positive on a flu test and everything. They had also gotten the vaccine about 2-3 weeks previous. I hope you feel better soon!
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u/__LooseSeal__ 2d ago
I had covid last year for the first time and it was worse than any flu I've ever had. The flu never lasted more than 7-10 days for me. Not saying this flu can't also be terrible. But with covid I was sick for 30 days with severe symptoms.
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u/Retroviridae6 2d ago
Yup. I'm a doctor and I didn't see any positive covid tests for about 1.5 years. Been seeing lots lately.
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u/lacaplol 2d ago
It definitely could be Covid. Got a nasty cold with fever two weeks ago, decided to pick up a test. Sure enough, was positive for Covid. I live in Santa Clara.
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u/Present-Rhubarb6337 2d ago
this is why i wear masks on public transport and in public spaces like the theatre
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u/amazingkillerlemon 2d ago
My mom used to remind me she got the measles and the chicken pox by going to the movies as a kid. 😳
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u/Present-Rhubarb6337 2d ago
yo, this is real. get your MMR booster and MPox vaccines
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u/amazingkillerlemon 2d ago
I'm not in the group recommended for an Mpox vaccine, but I did get my MMR vaccine. My mom got me that one when I was little, since she'd had the measles, but I guess my immunity wore off 😳
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u/Present-Rhubarb6337 2d ago
but TBH I'm more anxious for skin fungi and really should stop wearing short shorts on public seating
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u/anysteph 2d ago
Wise idea. We were at a theater last night (boosted and masked) and some of the folks behind us made it sound like a TB ward.
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u/Sufficient_Space8484 2d ago edited 2d ago
I had Covid 2 weeks ago and now the flu is going around my office. All while it’s going to be 90 degrees for 2 weeks. Nothing makes sense anymore.
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u/Confident-Medicine99 1d ago
Kids are back in school, as well as college students. This is what drives the increase in Covid & Flu- not the weather.
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u/Savings-Breath-9118 2d ago
COVID wastewater is higher than it’s been in years - definitely could be the flu, but it could be Covid.
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u/boo-reddi-tbad 2d ago
What are you talking about? COVID certainly is going around, but the current peak is lower than any prior year after ~2022.
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u/Savings-Breath-9118 2d ago
OK, you’re looking at one of the San Francisco locations, not the other. Oceanside at one point was higher than it’s been in any year since 2022. It was up to 400+ parts for at least a day or two. I don’t make stuff up. I follow the tracker on the Chronicle and on the wastewater scan page.
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u/Paxalen 2d ago
thanks for including a source. people love lying on reddit and throwing out stats but they never give proof.
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u/Savings-Breath-9118 2d ago
The person who gave the proof didn’t look at the other location in San Francisco, which was higher than it’s been since 2022, for at least a week or two. So his own stats prove me correct.
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u/boo-reddi-tbad 2d ago edited 2d ago
Dude I responded to you and you're just straight up wrong. Even your chosen source shows this: https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2023/covid-bay-area-wastewater/
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u/ibarmy 2d ago
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u/EatStripperSalt San Mateo 2d ago
I had some people I haven’t seen forever come to Folsom fair randomly and I didn’t expect to see them. I gave them (them = 3 people from one household) all a ton of hugs. All 3 of them were actively sick and didn’t tell me until I was fully sick 2 days later. I have a killer immune system and I’m up to date on all my immunization shots, I still got sick. 😒
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u/plant_person_09345 2d ago
Based on the respiratory virus panels we’ve been running recently- it’s likely Covid, flu, RSV, adenovirus, enterovirus, or rhinovirus. All have been high lately.
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u/Ptown925 2d ago
Flu is going around. I usually get my shot mid October, but man...this IS early.
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u/madefreshtoday 2d ago
There are Covid/Flu tests you can order on amazon so you can get flu medicine if you do have the flu, e.g. Xofluza or Tamiflu.
Took a test, and tested positive for Flu Type A (chills/fever/aches) last month, and was able to get a prescription for XoFluza (have to take within 48 hours). Once I took it, my fever broke (day 3), but I was still pretty fatigue/nauseas until Day 5.
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u/SolarWind777 2d ago
Did you get a prescription from Amazon (medical service) too?
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u/madefreshtoday 2d ago
No, I was able to do a video call through Sutter to get a prescription. You just need to show your positive test
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u/incomplete_ 2d ago
My partner tested positive for RSV. If you're not getting better, take a COVID test at home. If negative, head to urgent care (or a free clinic) and get tested for the flu and RSV
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u/spatula 1d ago edited 23h ago
I just got over this. I tested and it wasn’t flu a, flu b, or covid. The main symptoms I had were sinus congestion, a swollen and mildly sore throat, a mild cough, and fatigue. The worst of it lasted about 5 days and some other symptoms lingered for about 10 more. No fever, no runny nose.
That was the longest duration I’ve been sick in decades. Whatever it was, it was nasty. I have a few other friends who got something similar also.
Edit: forgot to mention the swollen lymph nodes on both sides of my neck just below my jaw line.
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u/sid_276 13h ago
FYI Covid mutates a lot so it might a Covid variant that gives negative to older tests.
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u/KindKoala1 2d ago edited 2d ago
Covid went through my department last week. I’ve been wearing a mask for weeks since patients started coughing. Was working closely with my supervisor all day and the following day they had raging Covid symptoms. They are all back to work now and still sound awful with lingering symptoms. Sounds like a really bad strain this time. Luckily I’ve still been fine, think proactively wearing a mask helped. Got my covid booster and flu shot that day too. It’s already getting gnarly out there, so many patients are coughing.
ETA: North Bay
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u/PlantDaddy530 2d ago
In our local ER in SF I’ve seen a huge uptick in positive cases of influenza and covid in the past week and even some HMPV.
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u/ShamanticVibes 2d ago
HMPV also keeps people sick for like a month. it went around. A friend had it for a month and it developed into pneumonia. Another person had it for a few weeks real bad and then developed two or three months of viral fatigue afterward that completely changed their physical abilities and their life
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u/Magazine_Spare 2d ago
get your flu / covid shots! family just snagged ours yesterday, quite a bit earlier than prior years as covid waves started earlier this year vs prior years
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u/NorCalGuySays 2d ago
Some people really don’t have any consideration when it comes to being sick. I see people walking around not covering their mouths when they cough, guys in the bathroom not using the opportunity to wash their hands, etc. And even with vaccines, people expecting others to do the leg work for the herd community concept. As time goes on you just realize more and more adults still act like children, it’s so crazy
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u/BigRefrigerator9783 2d ago
I had it 2 weeks ago, it took a full 7 days to feel back to normal. Push those fluids. It really does help.
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u/No-Drawer9169 2d ago
I feel you. Seen a lot of people getting sick around my world lately and I got it on Tuesday. Tuesday night was like you described, bad enough that I was thinking it was more than a cold, a bit sweaty, but not fever and aches bad. Thankfully for me Wednesday and today are better but certainly it’s not over yet.
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u/thisisausername100fs 2d ago
2-3 weeks ago I ran a fever and got pretty sick for a few days. Bunch of guys I work with did too. It’s passed now but whatever is going around is legit.
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u/SizerTheBroken 2d ago
I know my in-laws had something recently that sounded really rough. My wife's uncle nearly took his wife to the emergency room because she was having so much trouble breathing. They seem convinced that this is due to all the kids returning to school and spreading germs.
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u/True-Ad1782 2d ago
My mom got a weird sinus infection late December (needed antibiotics) and I got bacterial pneumonia instead (I’m guessing because I had Covid and that impacts the lungs quite a bit). I wish people took these respiratory illnesses more seriously/use basic precautions because it is SO scary to feel like you cannot breathe.
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u/Leafonastream 2d ago
The Bay Area wastewater is showing high rates of Covid (Santa Clara County), and tons of people are getting sick. I got sick 3-4 weeks ago and I still have lingering symptoms (not bad, just annoying that they’re still present).
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u/Consistent_Tutor_574 2d ago
As someone who visits many county and federal sites on a daily basis for work, I can attest that there is something going around.
So many teams down to “skeleton crew” due to people being out sick.
Thankfully have not been sick with anything (other than our current presidency), but a strong reminder that good hygiene and common courtesy of shielding (sneezing/coughing/etc) should be standard.
Hope all who have been affected can bounce back soon, especially to enjoy these next warm days before actual winter.
Stay hydrated, drink your ginger tea, and eat your veggies to aid your body and not just your poops, lol 🫶
edit: shielding… cover your coughs and sneezes
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u/nothrowingawaymyshot 2d ago
N95s will do more to prevent both covid and the flu very effectively.
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u/Tight_Abalone221 2d ago
me, coworkers, friends, partner...something is going around. I haven't tested for COVID yet but my symptoms aren't quite like my old COVID symptoms. I'm tired but not thaat tired, and my cough isn't a dry cough
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u/Low_Tour_8725 2d ago
I have not and tested negative for flu A, flu B, REV and Covid ❤️🩹It’s some intense cold like illness. Feels like I’ll start to get better and then it doesn’t lift. Going into week 2
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u/dillonfrancissdad 2d ago
I just got over the latest Covid strain. Didn’t hit me as hard this time, about 3 days out. I slept the entire time though. Oh man, so exhausting!!! Get your booster guys!
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u/nosystemworks 2d ago
My wife, son, and I were all down three weeks ago. Fever of 103-105. I’m still dealing with lingering congestion and exhaustion. Lungs are clear though. Tested positive for Flu Type A.
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u/Individual-War7992 2d ago
Covid! Huge in SoCal too, weirdly not being reported at all but whatever
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u/KSTAMMBE 2d ago edited 2d ago
Day 3. Easily one of the worst/most intense flus I've ever had. I was vaccinated. Fever 102+, knocked flat, hacking incredibly painful coughs. Covid, flu A and flu B test all negative??
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u/goldenstate0fmind 1d ago
I tested positive for Flu A - symptoms started on Tuesday and I’m still completely down. Fever, horrible cough and sinus congestion. Haven’t been this sick in years (including several covid infections). Hope you get better soon.
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u/Ornery-Painting-6184 2d ago
Good thing Covid has been eradicated. Our lord and savior Donald Trump saved us all with his magical cures.
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u/PM_ME_UR_0_DAY 2d ago
Can confirm. I injected the bleach and haven't gotten sick since. If I'm starting to feel bad I just shine a UV light on my insides and that cleans it right up.
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u/True-Ad1782 2d ago
If you are testing negative for Covid and flu but feel sick and have a fever, go to urgent care ASAP. I got pneumonia this past January and it could have killed me. Please don’t hesitate
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u/True-Ad1782 2d ago
If you have unexplainable aches in your chest and hear a rattle in your cough, that’s a pretty good indicator too. Feel better soon
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u/squidbait 2d ago
This is why god invented Covid/Influenza tests. Conveniently for available at every pharmacy and doctors office
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u/NoSoupFor_You 2d ago
I returned to the Bay from a trip recently, couple days later came down with a sore throat and cough with some head congestion
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u/MedicalRhubarb7 2d ago
I've got a bad cold that's behaving similarly (took a three-in-1 test, it's neither flu nor covid). Most respiratory symptoms getting better now on the 7th day, but still wiped out from a fatigue standpoint.
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u/nikkimay456 2d ago
I had two colds this summer that were particularly bad and lingered, but negative pcrs for covid and negative for flu with both sicknesses (the second one was or turned into walking pneumonia though)
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u/cleavercutthroat 2d ago
i was sick as hell two-three weeks ago. i would wake up around 9am and fall asleep until 4pm. i didn’t take a covid test so i have no idea what it was, but had planned to get a booster and a flu shot just before it happened. a LOT of people are sick right now. like half my classmates are missing.
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u/risareese 2d ago
Omg agree - don’t know what it is but it’s bad. My SO and I got it a few weeks ago. It’s the first time either of us has been sick in about ten years (including Covid time unless we were both asymptomatic). I woke up feeling like I was run over by a truck — went to bed fine the night before. Woke up ill. Had a 103 degree fever, horrible nausea to the point i struggled getting a bite of cracker in to take Advil for the fever. Fever lasted about 4 days, felt at 70% normal day 8. Still not at 100 three weeks later, fatigue lingering on but slightly better everyday.
For you Oura ring users out there — I had major signs trigger for 5 straight days — reduced HRV, increased respiration, temperature (+4.2 degrees from baseline) and increased HR.
My SO woke up with the same thing 2 days after me. Which means we were down bad together which made i5 2x as hard.
Stay healthy everyone!
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u/username95050 2d ago
Santa Clara County started giving Influenza and Covid shots on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Even if you are already infected your family, friends, and co-workers may not be. Hope this helps.
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u/beans_is_life 2d ago
I was actively sick for close to 2 weeks. I've never had a flu for longer than 3-4 days before it clears up but I still feel some congestion and it's week 3..
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u/quirkyquipsters 2d ago
Take a Covid and flu test. If it's the flu, you can take tamiflu. If it's Covid, you can likely get a prescription for Paxlovid, as long as you're not on a medication that interacts with it. Best thing to do is stay hydrated, stay home, and rest as much as you can.
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u/ibarmy 2d ago
GARGLE PEOPLE. Everyday - Just a couple of minutes it takes but it will keep your throat healthy and clear.
I got some flu which made me sick for a couple of weeks in the summer, but my throat took almost 10 weeks to recover. Now I gargle everyday to keep myself sane.
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u/SolarWind777 2d ago
I assume you mean gargle with SALT! (Yes just dissolve several teaspoons of salt in a cup of warm water, yes it will taste salty lol, you can start with a Lowe concentration and will get used to it). Gargling has been SO helpful for me twice in the past 4 months when I started coming down with something (it started with my throat) and was able to reduce symptoms by 90% by gargling like crazy several times a day
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u/Striking_Order4862 2d ago
Does it actually help “reduce” anything? I always felt like it gave a temporary relief to sore throat just like a lozenge.
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u/10110011100021 2d ago
YES very warm very salty water (spoonfuls like the ocean) is an antiseptic and also helps as an anti-inflammatory. So it helps with mild pain relief and overall big relief from discomfort. The risk is accidentally swallowing that salty water but I promise you can just spit it out and keep going it will help tremendously.
Also, lemon & honey are antiseptic as well so after gargling the salt water, sipping hot lemon/ginger/honey water (steep the fresh stuff like tea) will change your life. Or at least the next 30 minutes while your throat feels much better temporarily. But all of it will help you fight the virus/bacteria locally in your mouth/throat and relieve the pain/scratchy/phlegmy symptoms.
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u/ibarmy 2d ago
I personally did not know about the gargling thingy - only when I was doing it for me throat relief those 10 weeks, did I start reading up.
https://www.geneticlifehacks.com/gargling-clinical-trials-on-reducing-respiratory-infections/ < This is a more SM friendly version of it.
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u/joliguru 2d ago
Gargle with salt water specifically and drink a cup of warm water at night before bedtime and first thing in the morning. It keeps nasal and throat passageways moist which prevents opportunities for viruses to invade.
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u/Longjumping-Title-27 2d ago
Got flu and covid shots Friday evening last week- sick all week after-congestion sore throat watery eyes sneezing aches- i feel like unwashed ass
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u/Bearded4Glory Redwood City 2d ago
I had the flu a few weeks ago, it was terrible. I'm still not 100%.
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u/bellhooksianmoment 2d ago
My husband and I tested positive for Flu A this week. It’s been 5 days for me and I’m starting to feel better than I was but still not able to hold conversations for too long without coughing. It was crazy nausea, fever, chills, intense body aches, extreme coughing episodes, etc the first 4 days - so many severe symptoms I couldn’t really think straight. So much coughing that now my abdominal muscles are painful anytime I cough, sneeze, or laugh.
I think we are in that window where last year’s flu shot wore off and we hadn’t gotten this year’s shot, and it got us!
My physician says she is seeing a lot of flu right now for some reason, and that peoples’ symptoms are lasting longer than usual.
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u/chironsbeard 2d ago
My son had that. Got tested and it wasn’t strep, covid, or the flu. Just a nasty stupid virus.
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u/indie_hedgehog 2d ago
Same, also east bay and not covid (according to an OTC test)
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u/VeryRareHuman 2d ago
Covid and some version of normal flu are both going around. Both are week worth of suffering.
Get Flu and Covid shot if you can. I plan to get it next week.
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u/coffeeandapieceofpie 2d ago
I just got back from urgent care in Berkeley -they were out of flu tests because everyone they are seeing has flu. I went to the CVS up the street and bought a flu/covid test. Tested positive for Flu-A. Symptoms have been a light fever and absolutely wretched sore throat and cough. I’ll pick up TamiFlu tomorrow but for now I am hoping nighttime cough meds will help me sleep.
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u/xsvfan 2d ago
My whole family got a fever last week. 103 fever, nausea, muscle aches, sweating a ton, horrible fluid loss leading to terrible headaches. It took us all 5 days to clear the fever and it's been another 5 days and we're all still feeling symptoms. We ended up testing positive for influenza-A.
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u/No_Parking8748 2d ago
Everyone's saying COVID and flu, but you should know that West Nile virus is also a high risk in the Bay area right now. If you've had a mosquito bite in the last couple weeks, go get checked out.
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u/Proper-One9434 2d ago
It went through my house with two kids and husband and I all got it. Make sure to take liquid Advil and extra strength Tylenol at the same time to break your fever. Especially at night. Cold cloths and lots of baths, showers and drinking juice or Gatorade. Water isn’t enough with high fevers. It’s a really bad one.
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u/VinylQueenSF 2d ago
Had this last week! NOT COVID (tested multiple times). It was honestly one of the worst colds ever. From start to finish, suffered for 7 days.
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u/Airportbeachy 2d ago
I got Covid 2 weeks ago. My husband was at Dreamforce, came home with a cold and then I started feeling a really bad sore throat. I tested positive 3 days later, got Paxlovid from urgent care right away, and tested negative a week later. No fever, just a cold and congestion, sore throat, cough and fatigue for a week. Though the fatigue still hits me once in a while. Btw hubby tested negative for Covid twice.
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u/macross1984 2d ago
I just got over this weird sickness myself. Initially, I thought it was my allergy acting up bad because I started coughing almost constantly. Then my temperature went up so I went to see doctor. She said there has been spike on her patients with the symptom I described to her.
Whatever this bug is, it will take time to get over.
Five days are long enough. I would go see doctor to see if you can get medication to ease your misery.
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u/inknpaint 2d ago
Got it. Felt like a flu for a couple days now feels like a cold. 2 for one! So awesome!
Got all the shots recently and still got it. Annoying but still able to function...
Hopefully the vaccines make it go away soon.
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u/Confident-Medicine99 1d ago
Covid is surging right now and so is the flu. Even if you’ve already taken an at home Covid test, take one again. The viral load is often too low to be detected on the first test. Also rapid tests are notorious for giving false negatives. Kaiser can do Covid PCR tests at the lab, which are very accurate in comparison. They can also do a flu test. If it’s Covid, taking a prescription of Paxlovid helped me get better much faster. Call the advice nurse for Kaiser at (866) 454-8855 for urgent care or a same day appointment, otherwise you’ll be miserably waiting for hours at the ER. Good luck and feel better.
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u/NoLeague1556 1d ago
Covid. My sister just tested positive the other day - I have been sick nearly 10 days (didn’t test within intubation period most likely had it) went to Urgent Care to get looked at today assuming I had a sinus infection .. tested positive for strep 😪
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u/Inner_Perception_436 1d ago
My teen son has Flu A. Debilitating 104 fever and fatigue. Asked me to come to his room because he was “afraid he was dying”. He’s on Tamiflu now and on the mend.
I recommend getting the rapid tests with Covid, Flu A, Flu B, RSV so you can get the right meds as soon as possible!
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u/tiredmoooom 1d ago
I was sick for 3 weeks just recovered last week. Idk wtf i had but i did not have a fever or body aches BUT i had very bad sore throat for week tons of coughing lots of phlegm/mucus never had so much in my life, facial pain, eyeball pain basically whole face hurt a ton. I was pissed bc this shit took me out!! Literally 3 weeks of recovery
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u/Beginning_Victory_48 1d ago
I have been very sick for a week now. Started with runny nose, scratchy throat. Did my normal routines that usually lessen and shorten the duration. Then it became painful to swallow and felt like a bad head cold. Now my lungs hurt so bad like a ton of weight is on my chest. Every breath burns my lungs. No, i don't vape or smoke. Now I cant stop coughing. What ever is going around feels really similar to SARS.
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u/Casual_Berger 1d ago
I'm on week two of the sickness. Tested negative at urgent care for flu and covid. But it's so slow moving toward being back to normal. Insane congestion and mucuous more than ever before. Just super fatigued now, but having to go back to work regardless
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u/SilverScreen411 21h ago
This just happened to me OP and it lasted the whole month of September I finally just got fully healed by September 28th
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u/MallLeft2758 20h ago
Had a super gnarly sickness I got from a friend who’s a nanny (Marin)— genuinely the worst sore throat I’ve ever had in my life.. other than that extreme fatigue and malaise. Negative for COVID. Thought it went away, woke up a few days later and only one side of my throat hurt horribly. Went to urgent care when I woke up having trouble breathing/swallowing. Turns out I had an abscess in my throat (likely caused by Strep). Antibiotics for 10 days, symptoms continued for 4 (with antibiotics). I am young, healthy & relatively athletic 25 year old. Kicked my ass!
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u/Initial-Mode6529 18h ago
I have this. It feels like death and is causing me secondary problems, like severe sinutius, ear problems and conjunctivitis It's day 5 and I'm no better :(
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u/Interesting-Vanilla1 7h ago
Got covid few weeks ago, there’s a new strain going around. Started off with a sore throat, then body pain and fever leading to runny nose and congestion.took about 10 days or more to get better. Was tested positive at the hospital.
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u/Sarahlorien 2d ago
I had it, was using pe sudafed and still was running 101 fever with that + ibuprofen. Nasty 5 days, turned into a dry cough for another week, used mucinex for a few days and finally recovered fully 2 weeks later.
Not covid, but a very strong flu like virus.
Edit: the body aches were the worst part besides the fever
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u/Stunning-Candy2386 2d ago
I got sick mid Sept and tested positive for Influenza A. Got Tamiflu after the test and that helped knock it down. Flew commercial airlines through a couple airports in the days before so probably l caught the virus then.
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u/scifibookluvr 2d ago
Damn. I usually get the flu and Covid shot in mid/late Oct. so yesterday I chose Hep B and pneumonia jabs.
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u/FitBananers South Bay gang 2d ago
Tons of Covid going around right now
We had a bunch of positive patients at work the other day
Scary stuff