Cold or flu???

[motherof3girlies]

I hate the news and I hate google!!! I’m so scared to have my kids or myself go out in public, but I know we can’t avoid it. The flu this year in the US is freaking me out, completely healthy young people are dying from it. My husband had it at Christmas time and it was horrible for him, he ended getting on antibiotics and his cough is finally better but it was scary. None of us have gotten the flu shot and I’m thinking it’s time.

I have what I think is a cold, started with a sore throat on Saturday and now I have the congestion, runny nose and tickely throat. But starting last night, I think I feel a little pressure in my chest. I don’t have a hard time breathing I just feel like there is mucus everywhere and when I lay down I feel like I have to cough. I’m just so scared of sepsis, I had no idea about sepsis until I read about it recently. This healthy kids parents thought he had a cold and then 2 days later he is dead. I am literally freaking out. I don’t have a fever and never had one. I hate this. I’m so scared for my family.

[countrygirl]

You def do not have flu. Having had proper full blown flu 6 weeks ago i can say without doubt if you have flu you will have high temperature. Will barely be able to walk from one room to another and wonder if you will actually survive it! A dr once said to me if you have proper flu you will feel as if you are dying and wish you were. Very apt. So you have a cold. Still make you feel not good.
Sepsis can happen to anyone and be triggered by something as small as a finger scratch to say a urine infection. It is abnormal immune system response. It is still very uncommon when you consider it but it makes the news just like meningitis did 10 years ago.
Of course i understand your worry i have health anxiety too:winks:. Hopefully you can be reassured you seem to have a cold rather than flu and sepsis is as likely as being run over by a bus.

[Carys]

No, as countrygirl said, you don't have flu. Anyone who asks is it a cold or flu, doesn't have flu, it really is an entirely different type of illness. Myself and my family had flu over Christmas for 3 weeks. We had high temperatures, ached, had headaches, extreme exhaustion - with just about the energy to potter to the toilet, no appetite, and then later on some cold like symptoms. You feel weak, and absolutely dreadful. Those at risk, as always are those with a compromised immune system, in old age or with lung conditions. I know its been a bad flu year, it has in the UK also, but there is a lot of scare-mongering going on as the media picks up incredibly rare cases (and lets be honest we don't know the background story of those cases really!). Countrygirl is right about sepsis (blood poisoning), it doesn't come from just flu...in theory any accident, illness or injury can cause it. Yes, its true that it is a medical emergency, if suspected call 999 so IV antibiotics could be administered, but it is so unlikely that your fear of it has become out of proportion with reality. Limiting your life, or living in fear (beyond taking sensible precautions) is not proportional with the risk. If you were to look up statistics you are probably more likely today to break your leg falling off a stepping stool, but I bet it wouldn't stop you using one. Or, you are hugely more likely to cut your hand on a tin and get an infection....bet you still open tins! For the sake of yourself and your family you need to try and get some perspective on the risk.