What was I sick with ?
July 21, 2022 4:53 AM Subscribe
Yesterday I got weirdly sick, but it only lasted for a day, but I have no idea what was going on. Any guesses on what was happening, based the description below?
It was almost flu like, with lethargy and muscle aches, particularly in the stomach and chest area. Felt almost like my muscle were cramping. I put a heating pad on stomach and that helped a lot. Head felt stuffy and balance seemed off. During the night I felt feverish and turned the AC way down to feel more comfortable. Was very sweaty in bed, but slept soundly.
Originally I had thought that some brussel sprouts I had eaten were bad, because they tasted a tad strange.
I took a covid test and that came back negative. Today I feel fine and normal.
Any ideas what was going with my 50ish and male body? Not a big deal, just curious.
It was almost flu like, with lethargy and muscle aches, particularly in the stomach and chest area. Felt almost like my muscle were cramping. I put a heating pad on stomach and that helped a lot. Head felt stuffy and balance seemed off. During the night I felt feverish and turned the AC way down to feel more comfortable. Was very sweaty in bed, but slept soundly.
Originally I had thought that some brussel sprouts I had eaten were bad, because they tasted a tad strange.
I took a covid test and that came back negative. Today I feel fine and normal.
Any ideas what was going with my 50ish and male body? Not a big deal, just curious.
Could have still been COVID, just not enough of a viral load to appear on the test at that time.
posted by nkknkk at 5:38 AM on July 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by nkknkk at 5:38 AM on July 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: I did have to go to the bathroom a lot, but nothing like diaherra, however I've been putting a lot of fiber in my diet recently, per doctor's orders, so that may have been a factor?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:48 AM on July 21, 2022
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:48 AM on July 21, 2022
Test positivity for home tests are delayed with Omicron. If your symptoms were from covid, you may not test positive until today, tomorrow, or the next day. I suggest you mask around others and test again tomorrow.
posted by happy_cat at 6:24 AM on July 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by happy_cat at 6:24 AM on July 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
Yeah, especially if there were poop issues, and with the potentially-sketchy brussels sprouts, it sounds like some kind of food poisoning to me. Norovirus or something similar - the duration and severity can vary a lot. I had an incredibly fast bout once (like, 12 hours tops) after eating grocery store sushi that was, in retrospect, suspiciously iridescent.
posted by mskyle at 6:26 AM on July 21, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by mskyle at 6:26 AM on July 21, 2022 [5 favorites]
Keep taking Covid rapid tests and schedule a PCR.
posted by bluedaisy at 6:34 AM on July 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by bluedaisy at 6:34 AM on July 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
My partner currently has COVID and we are trying to isolate/masking up when on the same floor for 5 days now. I keep feeling like I'm maybe coming down with something, just that kind of "off" feeling you get sometimes. I have had GI issues and moments of imagined fever (never actually showing a fever on a thermometer), on and off sore throat, and occasional muscle aches. Each symptom could be something other than COVID - I literally always have a mildly sore throat from allergies; I've been sleeping on a too-soft pull out sofa which would explain the back aching; the stomach issues could be from eating too many cherries; and "I just feel weird" could be stress/anxiety (as I am very good at convincing myself I'm sick and then not actually being sick, and am under a lot of stress right now). I've tested negative for 5 days running.
I could also be coming down with COVID, or have it/am fighting it but at a lower viral load that is not showing up on home tests -- so I am behaving as if I have it.
Poop issues are a possible COVID symptom, so while it's very possible and even likely it was a bad batch of brussels sprouts, I would keep testing for a few days and if possible, avoid going out in public just to be sure. My partner, who is fully symptomatic and testing positive, says the symptoms come and go in waves. For your sake I hope it was just a quick bout of almost-food poisoning or something similarly benign!
posted by misskaz at 7:10 AM on July 21, 2022
I could also be coming down with COVID, or have it/am fighting it but at a lower viral load that is not showing up on home tests -- so I am behaving as if I have it.
Poop issues are a possible COVID symptom, so while it's very possible and even likely it was a bad batch of brussels sprouts, I would keep testing for a few days and if possible, avoid going out in public just to be sure. My partner, who is fully symptomatic and testing positive, says the symptoms come and go in waves. For your sake I hope it was just a quick bout of almost-food poisoning or something similarly benign!
posted by misskaz at 7:10 AM on July 21, 2022
This sounds like norovirus or another stomach bug/bad food reaction to me. It doesn't sound much like covid, so if you test negative again I would be inclined to trust it.
posted by superfluousm at 8:32 AM on July 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by superfluousm at 8:32 AM on July 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
Sounds a lot like food poisoning, but if the question is secretly “do I have COVID?” you should get a PCR test if that’s accessible to you.
posted by advicepig at 8:52 AM on July 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by advicepig at 8:52 AM on July 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
I'm inclined to think there's a good chance it's Covid, if it wasn't some obvious food issue.
Especially if you've had it, vaccines, or both, so as to increase the likelihood you might have a milder case.
I've yet to manage to get the timing right to show a positive test on myself, though each of the (four total, two severe, two not) times I'm pretty sure I've had it, I was exposed to someone(s) that DID test positive.
The whole testing inaccuracy thing is not helping my frustration.
posted by stormyteal at 11:46 AM on July 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
Especially if you've had it, vaccines, or both, so as to increase the likelihood you might have a milder case.
I've yet to manage to get the timing right to show a positive test on myself, though each of the (four total, two severe, two not) times I'm pretty sure I've had it, I was exposed to someone(s) that DID test positive.
The whole testing inaccuracy thing is not helping my frustration.
posted by stormyteal at 11:46 AM on July 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
Muscles cramping in the chest can also be a heart attack symptom, maybe get checked just in case? Small heart attacks can feel like digestive problems.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 12:50 PM on July 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by nouvelle-personne at 12:50 PM on July 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
But, it could also just be something slightly off for a day, and now it is gone. Got a cat scratch, or anything. Sometimes gall bladder problems will start that way, decide everything is OK, don't let anxiety take.o er. You had a traumatic event this year, and maybe you are adjusting and getting back to normal. You did well taking care of yourself. Just pay attention and if something specific comes up, then observe. Best to you.
posted by Oyéah at 7:28 PM on July 21, 2022
posted by Oyéah at 7:28 PM on July 21, 2022
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posted by jonathanhughes at 5:19 AM on July 21, 2022 [1 favorite]