Have bad case of flu tonight...fast heartbeat

[GirlAfraid23]

I have very bad flu, aching limbs, shivers, sweats, a phlemy cough, headache and even though I've been in a lying down position all day my heart is beating very fast and when i get up I feel short of breath: should I head to a&e? Or ring nhs direct?

[Mountainclimber]

OK dont panic, your fine, you might have a very bad cold. phone NHS for advice would do no harm, drink plenty of water, Take care, and get well soon.

[GirlAfraid23]

OK dont panic, your fine, you might have a very bad cold. phone NHS for advice would do no harm, drink plenty of water, Take care, and get well soon.

It is the flu not a cold. Do you think its bad enough to call nhs direct then? I didn't get hardly any sleep last night cos of the fever. Hoping it won't happen again tonight but i expect I will.

[crystal17]

Try and get some sleep then if you feel the same or worse in an hour or so ring NHS.

[GirlAfraid23]

I cant sleep because of the pain and fever

[crystal17]

Yeah its very bad proper flu, think ive only had it once in 2008 and it was the worst i've ever felt in my entire life, and same as you I couldn't sleep much. I did go to a&e in the end because I couldn't breathe! Luckily at the time I was only living over the road from the hospital so I got there quickly and was seen quickly but my lungs were completely fine and she said it was just a very bad case of flu.

I'm trying to think how I got through it to help you...take some flu medication for the fever if you can - can anyone bring you some? You need COMPLETE rest, going out isnt ideal as it will make you feel ten times worse. The doctor I saw at hospital said the breathlessness was completely normal for flu.

Drink loads of fluids if you can manage it, that seemed to help me cope somehow just by taking small sips of something.

My heart goes out to you because there is nothing you can do to make it go away except time, and it will go soon enough. Watch films to distract you, thats what I did but I know its hard to concentrate when you're in pain and cold and your whole body feels wrong. Sending hugs x

[countrygirl]

It is perfectly NORNAL when having any virus that raises your temperature to get a fast heartbeat this is the bodies way of dealing with higher than normal temp and virus. I know this because like you it always freaks me out big time whenever I get it and i have been told numerous times from Drs that its totally normal.
So your fast heartbeat is nothing to worry about at all but annoying.
If you have true flu you will be unable to get out of bed and will be hurting so much you don't know what to do with yourself.
Paracetamol is the best remedy for flu aches and lots and lots of fluids to help get rid of the virus.
I know how horrible it is I had proper flu 2 years ago and there is a mammoth difference between a heavy cold and proper flu.
There is not much a Dr can do for you other than what has already been advised. IF you were not much better after 4-5 days then I would be calling the Dr especially if you have a bad cough but proper flu can put you in bed for 2 weeks.

[Darwin73]

Hi, I had bad flu a couple of years ago and had similar symptoms, including a permanent racing heart and temperature about 40 for 4-5 days. Are you taking medication(s) to lower your temperature? I had the short of breath feeling too so just had to stay lying down as any exertion made me feel breathless. If you are very concerned aboout your breathing, I would ring NHS direct, but I know that a rapid heartbeat is common when you are fighting flu. Hope you feel better soon

---------- Post added at 21:22 ---------- Previous post was at 21:22 ----------

X-posted countrygirl

[Mountainclimber]

Dont lie down flat when trying to sleep, use about 4 cushions, this should help ya breathing.

[macc noodle]

Hi GirlAfraid23,

Sorry to hear you are feeling so grotty - quite a few people I know have had the same thing and it is horrible.

The best thing you can do is look after yourself - plenty of fluids, paracetomol, tuck up in bed and sleep as and when you can. If you are congested, try steam inhalations this will help too. Prop yourself up on pillows to stop getting to congested with the mucus.

Try not to panic - there is no need for A&E with flu unless you are a high risk patient already on meds for breathing problems etc.

Let us know how you feel tomorrow

Macc Noodle.

xx