Those living with fibromyalgia may experience the flu in a different way requiring additional tools in recovering. In this week’s show, Donna and I are tackling the flu and helping you get the tools needed to make your bout with the flu less taxing.
{Scroll down for the video of this show.}
Disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post, but these are products I recommend and have verified and/or used.
Fibro Live Cohost
Donna Burch is the co-host for Fibro Live!
Donna is the writer and creator of Fed Up with Fatigue. As a former journalist, her website contains informative articles regarding news, research, treatments and more regarding fibromyalgia and chronic Lyme. She hosts an engaging group on Facebook called What Works for Fibromyalgia. Click here to join the group.
Go away, flu!
It’s the time of year when Winter is halfway over and the flu is hitting communities for the second time this season. In my neighborhood, numerous kids are missing school this week due to being sick with the flu. A few of my friends currently have the flu and even my ninety year old grandmother currently has the flu.
The night prior to this video, I was running a low fever and feeling extremely fatigued. The only reason I considered the flu was because of the fever part. Aside from it, I had all the classic symptoms of experiencing a flare. Increased body pains (which took a back seat to the tired feeling), lack of concentration or desire to do anything, and an iffy stomach. It’s been a few days, and it turned out to be a flare of some sort caused by the recent cold front and rain in our area.
How does the flu affect fibromyalgia?
When someone with fibromyalgia has the flu, their body can react one of two ways: experience a fibro flare or fibro ‘goes away’. By going away, it doesn’t mean the individual no longer has fibromyalgia, but rather the symptoms of it go into remission.
Many of us take longer to recover from the flu as well. Whereas a healthy individual can be over the flu in a mere week, a fibro thriver will take much longer. Sometimes weeks are needed to completely recover.
Donna experiences less of her fibromyalgia and chronic Lyme symptoms when she’s suffering from a cold. She believes her body’s immune system is sidetracked fighting the cold virus rather than fighting her own body.
How does the flu affect you? Let us know in the comments!
Tamiflu for the Flu
What is Tamiflu?
Tamiflu is an antiviral medication, and is used as a treatment method for the flu. While it doesn’t cure the flu, it can shorten the length of the flu by a few hours or even a day or so. It can also ease the severity of the flu symptoms and prevent further complications.
Who can take Tamiflu?
As Donna states in the video, Tamiflu is recommended to those individuals at higher risks. These groups include:
- People over the age of 65,
- Kids five and under,
- Pregnant women,
- Women up to two weeks postpartum, and
- Individuals living in a nursing home.
What are the side effects of Tamiflu?
As with any medications, Tamiflu does have side effects. These side effects include nausea, vomiting, and headaches. There have been reports of delirium and hallucinations, but these are more rare.
Prevention of the flu
For our home, we do the following to avoid the flu:
- The kids take a daily dose of elderberry syrup during the cold and flu seasons. Here’s how to make your own elderberry syrup.
- Diffuse essential oils (here’s a list that help with prevention and other amazing essential oils to help with sore throat)
Donna does the following for prevention:
- Hand sanitizer (here’s the one Donna uses)
- Frequent hand washing (this is a HUGE one!!)
Flu shots and fibromyalgia
There are a lot of questions surrounding the flu shot and fibromyalgia. There is no evidence to support that the flu shot will send you into a fibromyalgia flare. The flu shot does NOT cause fibromyalgia either. Read more about fibromyalgia and flu shots.
Tips to help ease fibromyalgia and the flu
Having the flu while living with fibromyalgia, as said before, can aggravate fibromyalgia symptoms. The symptoms of the flu and fibromyalgia can be very similar. Extreme fatigue is the one symptom that seems to be the most common and can be the longest lasting symptom.
What I do to help ease the flu:
- Double doses of elderberry syrup
- More rest
- Keep needed items close by
- Increased fluids (such as tea)
- Diffuse essential oil blends (contact me for more specific names)
Tips to Surviving a Cold as a Fibromyalgia Parent
Donna does the following:
- Electrolyte drinks (here’s the Power Pak she uses)
- Neti Pot (use for nasal irrigation)
- Ginger tea
- Tissues with lotion
Cold & Flu Survival Guide: 10 Tips for the Chronically Ill
