Is it possible to have a "cold" without upper respiratory symptoms?

April 17, 2018 6:41 PM

I've had a few bouts of illness this year that feel like a cold (fatigue, head ache-y, maybe some minor muscle aches, a bit of brain fog) without much (or any) upper respiratory symptoms like cough, runny nose, etc. or a fever. Is this normal?

The few times I've felt like this, things have more/less resolved within 4-5 days. I'm feeling under the weather again in a similar way, and am curious whether this is normal, likely viral thing that other folks experience periodically, or if perhaps it's something I should talk to a doctor about it?

posted by kylej to Health & Fitness (10 answers total)

IANAD, but sometimes I feel like I'm "coming down with something" but it sometimes doesn't turn into a cold, just goes away after a few days. Sounds similar. That said, feeling that run-down several times this year, this early in the year, makes me a little dubious unless you're in some kind of high-exposure environment (working retail or with kids, for example). Next time you're having it, you might go to a doc about it, and get a blood test, because it also sounds like maybe a vitamin/mineral deficiency, or anemia.
posted by The otter lady at 7:02 PM on April 17, 2018

Mild flu is what that sounds like to me.
posted by DarlingBri at 7:15 PM on April 17, 2018

You might have hypothyroidism. If so, you will feel worse without treatment.
posted by jgirl at 7:16 PM on April 17, 2018

Best answer: I saw a doctor a couple months ago after being freaking exhausted with a minor sore throat for a few days every other month for a year. They said probably a viral thing, maybe so frequent because I moved about the time it started.

They did a blood count to see if anything was off (nope) and felt my lymph nodes (they were fine), but were unconcerned with my symptoms. IANAD, YMMV, you have my condolences.
posted by momus_window at 7:26 PM on April 17, 2018

Best answer: Have you started taking any allergy meds recently? I stopped getting upper respiratory symptoms with my colds when I started taking flonase (inhaled daily steroid) regularly for allergies. It’s extremely weird having a cold without a runny nose and its sequellae but it also makes colds far less awful.
posted by needs more cowbell at 7:42 PM on April 17, 2018

I get things like this every once in a while - lasts a couple of days, feels like it's trying to be a cold but never quite becomes one. I put it down to my body doing its job by fighting whatever virus is trying to make me actually sick and what I should do is help by resting and drinking a lot of tea and watching some dumb TV for a day or two.
posted by rtha at 8:47 PM on April 17, 2018 [3 favorites]

This is exactly how the flu has felt for me this year. At least, I assume it was the flu since it was going around at work. Other people were coughing, but for me it was brain fog and minor aches.
posted by Standard Orange at 12:04 AM on April 18, 2018

Response by poster: Thanks so much for the input all! I have been taking flonase and have had a tough/stressful year so far -- so going to chalk things up to that for now, but may make a visit to my doctor for some blood work if things continue.
posted by kylej at 9:28 AM on April 18, 2018

Best answer: I had this kind of thing for almost two years! My doctor’s response was to refer me to a therapist. Which I thought was bullshit....buuuuut then in fact I stopped having these periodic physical symptoms once I got my general anxiety levels under control. Maybe that was a coincidence, but I do think it could plausibly be related to high levels of stress.
posted by somedaycatlady at 10:07 AM on April 18, 2018

Response by poster: Last time I'll jump in here, but I'm also in therapy -- so working on the anxiety/stress piece as much as possible ha. Thanks again, all.
posted by kylej at 2:52 PM on April 18, 2018