# Aw damn. I got the flu. Over Christmas. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 24, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913 "2003-12-24T21:42:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/1 "2003-12-24T21:42:45Z")
This sucks. Being sick over Christmas. How do I know it’s the flu versus a hangover? Because [sub]sit down for this[/sub], I didn’t drink last night. This morning I made myself a nice omelet wth mushrooms, onion, pepper, and chese, and about a half hour ago I experienced it a second time. My head is all dizzy and spinny, and even water tastes bad. I hate being sick. 'Specially over the holidays. Tripler Man, I hope I don’t get a stocking full of Benadryl or anything. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/2 "2003-12-24T21:47:56Z")
Damn, **Tripler**. Rest up – hope you get better soon. ---
**Author:** ![Dryfreeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@Dryfreeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dryfreeze)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/3 "2003-12-24T21:51:26Z")
Damn Tripler, that sucks!! Hope you get feeling better by tomorrow morning!!! On a brighter note, I think I have an ulcer! Great! Well take some meds and get some good sleep. ---
**Author:** ![misstee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/4 "2003-12-24T21:52:40Z")
(((( **Tripler** )))) Every year one of my kids gets sick on Christmas. This year it’s going to be misskid3. Last night she woke up with a horrible cough, and was warm. Today she is terribly whiney and a bit warm. By tomorrow, ( keeping with tradition ) she will be puking. Every year one of the misskids gets sick and pukes on Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/5 "2003-12-24T22:12:07Z")
Hm. If you’re an adult and you’re throwing up, it’s probably not influenza you have, but one of the gastro-intestinal viruses. Not nearly so miserable as the flu, and generally not so long-lasting either. It still sucks to be sick, though. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/6 "2003-12-24T22:24:39Z")
Trippler, I feel your pain. I spent yesterday taking 20 minute sleeps, and unable to stay awake between, or sleep longer than that. I finally feel well enough today to get on the PC, and eat something (2 eggs in 48 hours, good for my waist though). To top it all off, the family is coming over tonight, and my throat is in no shape to even speak to them. Hope you feel better, force those liquids down, and plenty of meds! -Butler ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/7 "2003-12-24T23:02:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Qadgop the Mercotan \* > \*\*it’s probably not influenza you have, but one of the gastro-intestinal viruses. \*\* That’s more like what it is. I should have clarified that I meant “flu” in the general sense of “sick”. Still sucks though. After my nap, another part of breakfast came back to haunt me. . . Ick. ☹ Tripler Dang. And I was going to cook myself a nice dinner after Mass tonight. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/8 "2003-12-25T05:11:16Z")
It so sucks to be sick on a holiday, awww. Fluids, **Trip** lots and lots of fluids. My boy’s had the 'flu for just over a week, almost better now except for this nasty sounding habitual cough. He’s the type that’s prone to delirium with a high fever, so that was kinda fun. Sure it sucks to be sick, but conversing with the sugar bowl is just darn good entertainment! I’ve washed my hands so much they’re starting to look perma-pruned, but I’ll likely succumb anyway. Our Christmas Eve gathering at my sister’s house was like some awful Rejects from Pediatrics sitcom. From the 'flu and upper respiratory and sinus infections for the older kids, to diaper rashes and ear infections pestering the babies, seems like we had it all. Add in my eldest nephew’s broken foot (the dork fell off the roof where he’d decided to surprise mom and dad with some extra decorations) and it becomes a family snapshot that I’m sure the grandparents will treasure forever. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/9 "2003-12-25T07:46:50Z")
Best wishes for a quick recovery, **Trip’**. Gotta get well for that New Year’s Eve party, right? 😃 Q ---
**Author:** ![Sweet\_Sota\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@Sweet\_Sota\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweet_Sota_Girl)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/10 "2003-12-25T08:56:35Z")
::raises hand:: I’m here with ya. My dad, too. Although I haven’t lost any of the food I’ve eaten, my stomach has this feeling like it’s floating around my torso. Any time food gets near me, it smells funny and if I try to eat it anyway, it tastes funny, too. Bleh. Here’s hoping we’re ALL feeling better soon! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/11 "2003-12-25T11:14:30Z")
I’m with ya - I’m on my, um, fourth day (I think it’s the fourth day… is today Thursday?..I’m too weak to finda a calendar…) with the flu (yes, REAL flu) and it just sucks sucks sucks… Is it the _worst_ case of the flu I’ve ever had? No, by yesterday I decided it was number three - right after the time I wound up in the ER and the other time I had shaking chills for two days. Icky-POO! ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/12 "2003-12-25T14:34:40Z")
Get well soon, **Tripler**! Being sick over Christmas is definitely no fun! I remember one year when I had a really nasty flu bug and was flat for two weeks; my Christmas dinner consisted of one bite of everything served, just to force myself to eat _something_. (At least it wasn’t the GUI type of flu.) **Queen Tonya** , your family sounds like a hoot! Can I be part of it? ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/13 "2003-12-25T17:49:42Z")
Christmas Update: Well, thankfully Santa didn’t bring me any medicine. But, because I was so sloth yesterday, I didn’t check the mail. So, after finishing making coffee, straigtening up my dining room table, and putting stamps on some letters I forgot to send, I open my apartment door to the hallway and _ho ho holy cow!_. Seems that yesterday, Santa Claus (through Momma and Poppa Trip and UPS) delivered me a holiday package from the Swiss Colony. Weenie tots, a few things of cheese, sausages, and crackers, and the best one of all: coffee! Why is coffee so awesome this year? I can brew it and it helps clear out my head. 😉 So my head is still stuffy, my throat a little gunked up, but at least I can eat a little more food and keep it down. The coffee is helping clear things up. Does this sound like what you have, **butler, 'Sota Girl, and Broomie**? Merry Christmas morning, though! Tripler I have a roll of toilet paper by my keyboard, so I can blow my nose and type at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/14 "2003-12-26T15:53:37Z")
Coffee helps everything! The longest lasting love affair of my life, and the only current one, is with coffee. But wouldn’t any hot fluids probably give you the same sense of relief with the head-clearing issues? **Mama Tiger** you’re more than welcome to join the insanity! Might want to check to make sure you’re up on all your immunizations first, but c’mon over to the dork side. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Broken\_Doll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbce88/32.png) [@Broken\_Doll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broken_Doll)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/15 "2003-12-26T17:01:29Z")
I am always sick over Christmas, it’s like some horrid tradition that must be kept or something. And you know the worst thing about it? It’s the one time of the year that my dad makes his world-famous corned beef roast - and I CAN’T TASTE IT! Curses! ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/16 "2003-12-26T17:10:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Queen Tonya \* > \*\* But wouldn’t any hot fluids probably give you the same sense of relief with the head-clearing issues? \*\* [Homer] Mmmmmm. Hot brandy & apple cider. Mmmmmm . . . [/Homer] Yeah, but like you, the only lady in my life is a good lookin’ gal with a full pot of joe. Not the good lookin’ gal mind you, just the fresh pot of coffee. Sometimes I have an affair with my guns on the weekends, though. Tripler Which I can’t do that either, cause I’M SICK!! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Cyrokk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Cyrokk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyrokk)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/17 "2003-12-26T17:28:49Z")
Good to hear that coffee came to your aid, **Trip**. Monday was my last day of work before vacation. It’s been an extremely stressful workyear, right up to Monday. I was looking forward to sleeping in Tuesday and catch up on the rest of my life… But in the middle of the night I had what I can only describe as a “dream seizure”… I had a dream about work, it bolted me out of bed and with out any support in my legs, I came crashing down on the floor next to the bed convulsing. This is the second one I’ve had in three months, but the doctors cant find anything wrong at this point. The 24-hour headache, nausea, joints and back pain all day Tuesday was a grim reminder of the night before. And then my wife catches the flu late Tuesday night, and very generously gives me a dose of it last night. Yep, this vacation is going swimmingly. Cy ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/18 "2003-12-27T00:14:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tripler \* > So my head is still stuffy, my throat a little gunked up, but at least I can eat a little more food and keep it down. The coffee is helping clear things up. Does this sound like what you have, **butler, 'Sota Girl, and Broomie**? Vomiting is not usually a component of Classic FluTM. What I had was headache, body aches, sore throat, fever, chills, and exhaustion. Like, you can’t finish a bowl of cereal because eating wears you out. I also get the wheezies, but that’s because of having asthma. The flu just irritates it. > [@](#): > > I have a roll of toilet paper by my keyboard, so I can blow my nose and type at the same time. Sounds like my house. The husband and I have been using personalized keyboards for reasons too disgusting to talk about. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/19 "2003-12-27T00:40:51Z")
Damn you Tripler, you SOB, I think you gave it to me. …Well, maybe not. But it seems like I’m coming down with it. ☹ Hope you are feeling better. ---
**Author:** ![danixa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@danixa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danixa)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913/20 "2003-12-27T02:05:08Z")
I know just how you feel, something similar happened to me a couple of months ago : it started with a bit of a sneezy, stuffy headed episode, and then the next day I started throwing up, I had a fever and these awful chills at the same time, and I couldn’t eat anything at all - not because it exhausted me or anything but because I couldn’t keep it down. My doctor said it was a virus of some kind. My advice: just rest, drink heaps of water, n get well soon, ok? 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-damn-i-got-the-flu-over-christmas/220913.md?page=2)