Already saw a doctor, but would like advice
May 4, 2018 9:11 PM Subscribe
YANMD. I have come down with a moderate case of stomach flu... already saw a doctor, but how much should I worry?
I am a total admitted hypochondriac, and whenever I get the flu my first thought is “MENINGITIS!” or “KIDNEY INFECTION!” and now “E. COLI!” So I’ve been feeling horrible with a kind of stomach flu, no vomiting, just diarrhea. I saw the (remote, video call) doctor on Wednesday, who didn’t order any tests and told me that I sound OK and to get rest and fluids, and go to the hospital with distention, a fever spike or dehydration. Of course, I am still paranoid, so I would love to hear that this sounds nothing like kidney/bladder problems (I get recurrent BV but have only had one UTI) and that I don’t need to worry about being a romaine lettuce casualty yet. Just going to list a rundown of symptoms and heir progression:
Sunday: Cramps in legs, sore back but assumed it was from wearing heels all week. Stomach was kind of rumbley but not nauseous.
Monday: Woke up very tired, very sore, but no other symptoms. Feel inexplicably like I was hit by a truck with a vague notion that I had been a bit rundown all week.
Tuesday: Woke up tired, sore, with a throbbing headache. At the end of the day, small amount of watery diarrhea.
Wednesday: Small amount of watery diarrhea like 6-7 times that day, throughout the day. Still throbbing headache, sore everywhere, especially lower back area (where I usually have back pain from sitting at work). Sore neck, joints popping a lot when I move. Achiness radiating down thighs and in all my joints. Super fatigued, did nothing all day. Temperature about 98.6.
Thursday: Temperature at 100.0. Same symptoms as the previous day though perhaps more sore in lower back and leg joints. Left thumb weirdly twitching all the time. Vague sore throat. Took ibuprofen to alleviate headache and body aches which worked very well.
Today: Generally feel slightly better, though lower back (where back meets hip, on both sides) pretty achey. Knees cracking all the time. Upper back and neck not noticeably sore or cracking anymore. Still having diarrhea about 6-7 times a day, usually with mild abdominal cramping after eating or drinking. No blood in stool. Temperature about 99 degrees. Headache still present though noticeably less severe, only really feel it when first standing up. Have a general fluish clamminess but it’s pretty mild, feel decent compared to the rest of the week though obviously not tip top.
At the moment I’m concerned because I had weekend plans (now cancelled) but more importantly, my sister and her wife are visiting on Monday and I don’t want them to catch this while on vacation. Do I sound like I have typical stomach flu, and should I tell them to cancel their plane tickets?
I’m guessing the reason my digestive issues have not been very “productive” is that I’m on a diet and probably don’t eat that much mass in a given day, compared to how I used to. Not sure if it really matters. Also, I’ve already had mono.
So, questions: Should I tell sister and wife to cancel? (They know I’m sick already and don’t intend to.) And does this sound like normal stomach flu? (Why am I not throwing up... )
I am a total admitted hypochondriac, and whenever I get the flu my first thought is “MENINGITIS!” or “KIDNEY INFECTION!” and now “E. COLI!” So I’ve been feeling horrible with a kind of stomach flu, no vomiting, just diarrhea. I saw the (remote, video call) doctor on Wednesday, who didn’t order any tests and told me that I sound OK and to get rest and fluids, and go to the hospital with distention, a fever spike or dehydration. Of course, I am still paranoid, so I would love to hear that this sounds nothing like kidney/bladder problems (I get recurrent BV but have only had one UTI) and that I don’t need to worry about being a romaine lettuce casualty yet. Just going to list a rundown of symptoms and heir progression:
Sunday: Cramps in legs, sore back but assumed it was from wearing heels all week. Stomach was kind of rumbley but not nauseous.
Monday: Woke up very tired, very sore, but no other symptoms. Feel inexplicably like I was hit by a truck with a vague notion that I had been a bit rundown all week.
Tuesday: Woke up tired, sore, with a throbbing headache. At the end of the day, small amount of watery diarrhea.
Wednesday: Small amount of watery diarrhea like 6-7 times that day, throughout the day. Still throbbing headache, sore everywhere, especially lower back area (where I usually have back pain from sitting at work). Sore neck, joints popping a lot when I move. Achiness radiating down thighs and in all my joints. Super fatigued, did nothing all day. Temperature about 98.6.
Thursday: Temperature at 100.0. Same symptoms as the previous day though perhaps more sore in lower back and leg joints. Left thumb weirdly twitching all the time. Vague sore throat. Took ibuprofen to alleviate headache and body aches which worked very well.
Today: Generally feel slightly better, though lower back (where back meets hip, on both sides) pretty achey. Knees cracking all the time. Upper back and neck not noticeably sore or cracking anymore. Still having diarrhea about 6-7 times a day, usually with mild abdominal cramping after eating or drinking. No blood in stool. Temperature about 99 degrees. Headache still present though noticeably less severe, only really feel it when first standing up. Have a general fluish clamminess but it’s pretty mild, feel decent compared to the rest of the week though obviously not tip top.
At the moment I’m concerned because I had weekend plans (now cancelled) but more importantly, my sister and her wife are visiting on Monday and I don’t want them to catch this while on vacation. Do I sound like I have typical stomach flu, and should I tell them to cancel their plane tickets?
I’m guessing the reason my digestive issues have not been very “productive” is that I’m on a diet and probably don’t eat that much mass in a given day, compared to how I used to. Not sure if it really matters. Also, I’ve already had mono.
So, questions: Should I tell sister and wife to cancel? (They know I’m sick already and don’t intend to.) And does this sound like normal stomach flu? (Why am I not throwing up... )
(1) Do you feel well enough to host? If not, cancel.
(2) ...But there's also the "they're adults" thing. Say, hey, this is what I have, I'm almost certain to be contagious throughout the trip (or it's mild food poisoning, in which case I am non-contagious), given that what do you want to do?
posted by flibbertigibbet at 9:25 PM on May 4, 2018
(2) ...But there's also the "they're adults" thing. Say, hey, this is what I have, I'm almost certain to be contagious throughout the trip (or it's mild food poisoning, in which case I am non-contagious), given that what do you want to do?
posted by flibbertigibbet at 9:25 PM on May 4, 2018
The cramps in legs sound to me like salmonella- had it once when I was a kid. Salmonella goes away pretty quick though- noro/rota is probably the cause. And I second flibbertigibbit- you want to cancel monday for sure.
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 9:38 PM on May 4, 2018
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 9:38 PM on May 4, 2018
Also- speaking as someone who has pretty constant UTI's and once had a kidney stone- this doesn't sound like bladder/kidney at ALL. You're prob fine on that score.
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 9:39 PM on May 4, 2018
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 9:39 PM on May 4, 2018
Response by poster: Yea, I’ve had the “hard and fast” 24-hour stomach issues and it was... very obvious something was wrong. This was equally obvious, but with totally different symptoms— very very tired (exhausted by getting the mail), horrible migraine-esque headache, super super achy joints and muscles (like if you worked out for the first time in a year and way overdid it, and you had arthritis). That’s why I was kind of paranoid it was something else!
Thanks for the perspective so far, I feel a little more at ease.
posted by stoneandstar at 10:26 PM on May 4, 2018
Thanks for the perspective so far, I feel a little more at ease.
posted by stoneandstar at 10:26 PM on May 4, 2018
Response by poster: The joint/muscle pain in my back and legs is also very sciatica-like.
posted by stoneandstar at 11:19 PM on May 4, 2018
posted by stoneandstar at 11:19 PM on May 4, 2018
I think the stuff your muscles do during times of GI distress can actually cause your back to go out a little if you're prone to that, so the sciatica-like pain might be more a physical consequence than one related to the underlying malady.
posted by space snail at 8:08 AM on May 5, 2018
posted by space snail at 8:08 AM on May 5, 2018
I think gastroenteritis is a beast and there’s not much more you can do besides sips of clear liquids and advance your diet to bland foods as tolerated.
posted by pintapicasso at 9:43 AM on May 5, 2018
posted by pintapicasso at 9:43 AM on May 5, 2018
Sounds a lot like my last bout of indeterminate stomach flu/food poisoning. Though I had, uh, significantly more incidents of watery diarrhea, and some vomiting. Have you taken anything for the joint pain/headaches? Some acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help a lot in terms of feeling well enough to play host.
posted by yasaman at 4:57 PM on May 5, 2018
posted by yasaman at 4:57 PM on May 5, 2018
The fatigue sounds pretty "normal" for the types of symptoms you are experiencing, for what it's worth. I have some long term lower GI problems, and my doctors have repeatedly told me that anytime things are not working as they should down there, it can cause a lot of fatigue. Your gut and intestines and bowels are under strain and that consumes a lot of your body's energy, it turns out. That can exacerbate any other aches and pains too, I've found.
posted by katyggls at 5:49 PM on May 5, 2018
posted by katyggls at 5:49 PM on May 5, 2018
Response by poster: Thanks everyone! Today I am in a bit of a post-ordeal glow state as the headaches and fever have stopped but still sensitive stomach and various aches... feeling like I just ran a half-marathon and then took a good nap. So feeling much more like an alive human being though still tired.
Since I’m obsessed with poop now: things have formed up a bit, not watery anymore but still kind of... diffuse. So I’m taking that as a good sign. Feel tender and gassy but otherwise ok.
As for the energy to host, we’ve agreed to take it easy (and let them go out as they wish) for the first half of the week and then start to be more active as my energy improves. They said they don’t care and want to risk the contagion so I’m leaving it up to them.
posted by stoneandstar at 7:37 PM on May 5, 2018
Since I’m obsessed with poop now: things have formed up a bit, not watery anymore but still kind of... diffuse. So I’m taking that as a good sign. Feel tender and gassy but otherwise ok.
As for the energy to host, we’ve agreed to take it easy (and let them go out as they wish) for the first half of the week and then start to be more active as my energy improves. They said they don’t care and want to risk the contagion so I’m leaving it up to them.
posted by stoneandstar at 7:37 PM on May 5, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
About your q:
Norovirus is contagious for 3 days after recovery. You have yet to recover. You risk getting them sick Monday.
Rotavirus is contagious for up to 2 weeks after recovery.
Yes, you can have stomach flu with only diarrhea and "belly pain." Temperature of around 100 and headache/body aches are also known with some forms of gastro.
I cannot comment on whether this sounds like kidney/bladder stuff; you may want to call a nurses' line, if you have one.
That said, the contamination risk can be greatly reduced by not sharing utensils or food and regularly washing your hands.
posted by flibbertigibbet at 9:21 PM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]