# I pit the stomach flu **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 11, 2013, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390 "2013-04-11T12:46:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/1 "2013-04-11T12:46:11Z")
Ugh, got struck with a bout of stomach flu Tuesday afternoon, and man does it suck. I wouldn’t wish it upon even my worst enemy. Nothing like being stuck on the throne holding a bucket. Everything hurt, the fever, chills, aches, and headache just added to the misery. The UP ended Tuesday night, but the DOWN continued until at least early this morning. I slept most of the time from Tuesday afternoon til now, drinking water and ginger ale between bouts. Over 36 hours of agony - no fun. Feeling a bit better today - no ‘episodes’ yet, fever broke, but stomach muscles hurt, and a slight headache (probably a little dehydrated - going to drink a lot of water today). Fingers crossed that there is no more ‘episodes’ today. And what makes it worse is, my employer was offering overtime this week, and I’m going to miss out on all of it ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/2 "2013-04-11T13:00:29Z")
Ah yes, the stomach flu! If they invent immortality in a few years and I live to be 1000 without ever being sick again, I will never forget the stomach flu. Such memories… of staying up all night because only a conscious effort of will was preventing continual heaves. Of cholera-level diarrhea. Of vomiting back up water, let alone anything more substantial. Of being so hot and so cold at the same time that I had to chill the room to 50 degrees, then lie under three quilts, with a fan blowing on my feet sticking out just enough to regulate my temperature. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/3 "2013-04-11T13:02:45Z")
My sympathies. However, as this \*is \*the SDMB, I am required to note that there is no such thing as a “stomach flu”. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/4 "2013-04-11T13:06:00Z")
The best part is yet to come. Picture the day when you finally make it out and back to work again. Invariably some cow-orker will walk past you and make a quip like, “Wow, you look like you lost 10 pounds! Whats your secret?” It’ll make you want to throw up all over again. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/5 "2013-04-11T13:12:49Z")
Can I widen this to “viruses that strike about two days into a one-week break, take out both me and Mrs M., and the only reason for dragging myself out to the shop this morning was we were out of pain relief”? Not made things much fun for our sons either. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/6 "2013-04-11T13:18:47Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > My sympathies. > > However, as this \*is \*the SDMB, I am required to note that there is no such thing as a “stomach flu”. LOL…I stand corrected - even in my weakened state I see the flaw in my pitting… Can I request a mod to change the thread title to: **I pit gastroenteritis** ---
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/7 "2013-04-11T13:22:51Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Ah yes, the stomach flu! If they invent immortality in a few years and I live to be 1000 without ever being sick again, I will never forget the stomach flu. Such memories… of staying up all night because only a conscious effort of will was preventing continual heaves. Of cholera-level diarrhea. Of vomiting back up water, let alone anything more substantial. Of being so hot and so cold at the same time that I had to chill the room to 50 degrees, then lie under three quilts, with a fan blowing on my feet sticking out just enough to regulate my temperature. What is sad, is a lot that you describe is what I went through…what makes it worse is we now have memories we both wish we can forget… ---
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/8 "2013-04-11T13:28:39Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > The best part is yet to come. Picture the day when you finally make it out and back to work again. Invariably some cow-orker will walk past you and make a quip like, “Wow, you look like you lost 10 pounds! Whats your secret?” > > It’ll make you want to throw up all over again. 😛 Sorry for the 3-shot posts (I’m sick, forgive me) What’s funny is, I joined the weight loss challenge at work, and I was in second place after 8 weeks in a ten week period. I was 2 pounds behind the leader…will she be upset if I zoom past her at the last minute? Not that I would want to be sick to lose weight, mind you…it just hurts too much. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/9 "2013-04-11T14:00:22Z")
Oh, sure, you can pit the stomach flu; but can you stomach the pit flu? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/10 "2013-04-11T14:04:42Z")
Norovirus. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/11 "2013-04-11T14:07:35Z")
> [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](#): > > What is sad, is a lot that you describe is what I went through…what makes it worse is we now have memories we both wish we can forget… No, it’s actually a useful memory. I now have a standard of malaise to which all other sicknesses I’ve had so far come up short. Sort of like if you ever try to eat Dwarf bread you’ll never complain about any other food ever again. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/12 "2013-04-11T14:11:24Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Sort of like if you ever try to eat Dwarf bread you’ll never complain about any other food ever again. Yeah, midgets piss me off too. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/13 "2013-04-11T14:26:10Z")
Mods close and quarantine this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/14 "2013-04-11T18:36:26Z")
When I had the infamous Tummyflu (Trademark yet to be registered), I looked upon it as proof that I was mortal. At some point I recall at least hoping I was mortal, so that it would end one way or another. Is this what mal-de-mer is like? ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/15 "2013-04-11T19:37:55Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Norovirus. Or any of the variations of food poisoning. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/16 "2013-04-11T23:02:41Z")
> [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](#): > > Sorry for the 3-shot posts (I’m sick, forgive me) > > What’s funny is, I joined the weight loss challenge at work, and I was in second place after 8 weeks in a ten week period. I was 2 pounds behind the leader…will she be upset if I zoom past her at the last minute? > > Not that I would want to be sick to lose weight, mind you…it just hurts too much. Q: If you cough on her food to get her sick, wouldn’t that ethically absolve you from any competitive advantage? G’wan, hock a loogey in there just to be sure. Its the Right thing to do… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/17 "2013-04-11T23:05:02Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > When I had the infamous Tummyflu (Trademark yet to be registered), I looked upon it as proof that I was mortal. At some point I recall at least hoping I was mortal, so that it would end one way or another. Is this what mal-de-mer is like? Sometimes, when my dad was really, really sick, and I asked how he was feeling now, he’d reply that he’d have to rally (get better) to die. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/18 "2013-04-11T23:12:56Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > My sympathies. > > However, as this \*is \*the SDMB, I am required to note that there is no such thing as a “stomach flu”. I call it the Crap Factory Meltdown Syndrome! I pit it too. Any illness where diahrrea is a side effect is pittable beyond pitland. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/19 "2013-04-11T23:51:28Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Norovirus. Probably not. The acute illness lasted too long and fever is quite rare with noro. Sounds bacterial to me. ---
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390/20 "2013-04-12T03:38:39Z")
> [@Red\_Stilettos](#): > > Probably not. The acute illness lasted too long and fever is quite rare with noro. Sounds bacterial to me. I can’t quite pinpoint where it came from, and I’m typically a healthy person, rarely getting colds or flus. This came out of nowhere (as is typical for this type of illness), but I’m guessing either: doing work in the yard, and managed to get a bit of dirt in my mouth; from my mother who was sick last week with diarrhea (no vomiting, fever, or achiness however); or it could have been from fruit I ate that I just didn’t wash well enough. If it was bacterial, then the fruit or the dirt may be the culprit. We may never know. Thankfully I’m feeling a lot better now. Going to stay home an additional day, rest up and get some food and more fluids in me to get back to normal. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stomach-flu/655390.md?page=2)