Tuesday, December 5

Flu


I'm just getting over having Flu. And no before you sceptically roll your eyes this wasn't a cold, but the real awful thing. It came on at the w/e very suddenly, one minute I was having breakfast and the next I was saying to my hubby. ' I think I'm going to have to lie down a bit'. Well that was that for several days because once I was down I certainly couldn't get up again. This is the first time Ive had this with SCI and I hope it will be the last for a very long time indeed. First thing was the pain, utterly unbearable, I think every neuron in my body was firing off and around my lower back area, let me tell you, its no exaggeration on my part to say that giving birth is easier. The pain was excruciating and I couldnt bear to lie on my back for nearly 3 days. I'm pretty sure,... hmmm... let me cast my mind back to those heady days of microbiology lectures, doesn't the flu virus attack nerve endings, hence the amount of pain? Well something like that anyway!

The next thing is that apart from being very very hot, and then freezing cold, I was unable to take care of any of my bodily functions, so my husband had to do everything for me. Normally I would have a complete fit at this sort of thing, but frankly I felt so unwell who cares? So he should be acknowledged for being a super husband and dad. The other thing is I couldn't move. I went from 'incomplete' to complete' very quickly and found that my paralysis increased as a consequence of this virus. Like I said its not something Ive experienced before, but not only my lower body , but also my upper extremities were affected for a few days. So I spent about 3 days chewing on paracetamol as its about the only pain killer I can safely take and crying bitterly at feeling so ill, and grovellingly apologising in a half delirious manner to my poor husband.


I'm up and slowly pottering about right now. I still have glands like golf balls, razor blade throat, have a lot of lower back pain, and from that point of view am still feeling (or not as the case may be) 'complete' in terms of spinal cord injury. I suppose these things takes some weeks to recover from so at least I should have got it over for Christmas this year.

76 comments:

  1. Anonymous16:42

    I'm so glad I found your post. I was looking for a connection between flu and lower back pain and I couldn't find anything until I read your post. This is my second day with the flu. I'm still in bed, thanking God that my constant unbearably horrendous lower back pain has changed to a throbbing lower back pain, that means that out of a whole minute, it only hurst 45 seconds. I'm taking Motrin every 3 hours, the 102 fever is gone, I think, I don;t have the energy to find out where the heck my thermometer is in this messy bed, among a sea of tissue paper. I would really like to know the biology of this. How is it that the pain is concentrated in that area only. I feel very dizzy, yesterday my head was killing me too, but I think that was more related to the fever, since today, I don't have the headache. But my back is still killing me and I really would like to know why. Any posts from a physician, biologist, someone? Thanks...

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous00:09

      I too have had the flu with lower back and severe pain in my legs. It is so painful I can hardly stand it. No one seems to be able to figure it out. Has anyone else had the sme symptoms.
      M

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  2. Common symptoms of the flu such as fever, headaches, and fatigue come from the huge amounts of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines (such as interferon or tumor necrosis factor) produced from influenza-infected cells. In contrast to the rhinovirus that causes the common cold, influenza does cause tissue damage, so symptoms are not entirely due to the inflammatory response.
    Hope this helps. I could go on and on about how the virus works ( I did microbiology at Uni) but dont want to bore anyone to death!!

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  3. Anonymous20:11

    I too appreciate your comment and would even like to know more. I have severe low back pain (in the sacrum) from the flu right now. I could not find anything on the internet to explain this till I saw your post. I was diagnosed with sciatica years ago, but it is mild typically. The pain is almost unbearable now. It feels as though the virus has attacked my most vulnerable spot. Is that even possible? Why is the pain focused there?

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  4. I am very glad to see your post about the connection between flu and lower back pain. I did have a very minor cold or flu for about 3 days. Then, my lower back has severe pain. I am sure I have no any kind of injury causing the back pain. The only possible reason is the virus.
    VLai888@gmail.com

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  5. Anonymous03:41

    I too, am recovering from the flu and lower back pain. The flu was short lived - this past saturday and super bowl sunday. I felt much better on Monday and worked half a day. Monday night the pain in my back started and I thought I must have twisted wrong somehow. I took a hot bath and went to bed. The next morning, I couldn't move. I immediately went to the doctor. He was a bit puzzled by the pain, but not surpised by it, because of the flu. He said there is definitely a correlation. I was completely debilitated for one entire day, laying on the floor in each room of my house. I was given an inflamatory pill and a muscle relaxer. One day later, today, I am 25% better, which tells me that its a virus and not because I pulled something. i can walk a bit without pain and know tomorrow will be even better. To all who have this problem - Hang in there!

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  6. Anonymous21:46

    I just came down with a severe case of the flu and I noticed for the first time that I am also suffering from lower back pain. It is very painful even though I did not lift anything or injure my lower back in any way. This flu took me down really hard and I've been feeling miserable and wanting to die for days. There's definitely a link between lower back pain and the flu!

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  7. Anonymous13:12

    I am suffering from flu & lower back pain, too. I am taking Naprosyn for the back pain, which seems to be somewhat easing the flu symptoms as well.

    I did not know how to feel when I saw others have suffered the same combo. I hope none of us will experience it again.

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  8. Anonymous23:49

    i also have just had the flu and suffered extreme back and also hip joint pain. kept thinking i was going crazy and that somehow must have triggered arthritis but no found this blog but also a website which states that sever back and joint pain often occurs with flu. never had it before.
    http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/tc/influenza-symptoms

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  9. Anonymous08:48

    Thank god for your post. I too have suffered with a severe case of the flu for the last 4 days and felt better today, until my knees swelled up and I started to experience unbelievable pain in my lower back and all my joints, but esp. my back. I'm also having trouble breathing and have this awful headache. Its so scary. I have never experienced this much pain in my life! And the more I read on the internet the more diseases I read about. There are a couple of websites that describe the symptoms of the flu and include "severe pain", but severe is a relative term and hard to gage. Thank you for your website!

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  10. Anonymous01:07

    I'm so happy to have found this post. Recovering from what i didn't know i had was the flu. started on tuesday and stil havent been able to leave the house. The back pain is unreal but since I give birth i've suffered with my back so I thought this was the cause. The headache is so bad my eyes were constantly running!!! feeling much better now and hopefully i'll never get the flu again.! To all with the flu now....hope you get better soon!

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  11. I am so relieved to have found this information, I thought I was crazy. The pain in my lower back was so concerning, it at times travels all the way up my spinal cord, my neck feels like it is in a vice and I have never had such a horrible head ache. Glands are very swollen AND this afternoon my sturnum was on fire, much like the plurasy virus only right on my sturnum! Augh! I am on day one and desperate, 800 mg ibuprophin not really helping. But glad to know I am not crazy.

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  12. Anonymous10:46

    I'm another who's glad she found this blog. My husband came down with a very bad dose of flu a few days ago and has had agonising back pain, making it nearly impossible to lie in bed in spite of taking strong painkillers. Thank goodness his temperature seems to be coming down slowly and he thinks the back pain is easing a little. My mother is staying with us at the moment as she insists her arthritis is worse, but my husband is in much more pain than she seems to be.

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  13. From reading all of your symptoms, I'm pretty convinced that I don't have the flu, merely a cold. However, the past 2 times I have contracted a similar virus, I've had shooting, intense pain in my right hip from the oblique down to the mid-thigh, which also travels to the lower back from time to time. Kept me up all night last night, until it finally subsided just before dawn. However, as soon as I got up in the morning and started moving, the pain returned.

    The first time this happened (a flu I caught in November) I thought it must have been unrelated and was really nervous because it lasted nearly a week (I was thinking it was an aerobic injury initially). Now that it's happened again with the onset of another virus, I'm convinced they are linked. Thanks for the post and feedback.

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  14. I have had the same problem. Ihad the flu (even though i had a flu shot). Fever cough, headache and although most of the symptoms have dissipated i started to get severe lower back pain and pain in my knees. Hope that this goes away soon.

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  15. Anonymous02:53

    I too must have this. I felt sick on Friday morning. Then Friday night was worse. Sat & Sun felt like I was dying, night sweats, sore throat, fever, headache. Monday I still ahve the sore throat and headache but the back pain is unbearable. I could not sleep Sun night because of the pain, lower and upper back pain feels like I am being stabbed every 20-30 seconds.

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  16. Anonymous05:13

    I'm also slowly recovering from a bad flu + bronchitis + excruciating low back pain. The low back pain has been terrible in the past few days when the fever and chill were prevailing that I had to take Ibuprofen round the clock with pretty good effect, or else I would be in excruciating pain from both buttocks down to both legs, making sitting, standing and even lying down all impossible. My family doctor took no notice or interest to this at all when I told her about it.
    This is probably the second or third time I have had such kind of back pain with flu. I felt like toxin being released from my SI joints and my lower part of the body simply being taken over.
    I shouldn't say I am glad to see many people have the same experience but I am glad to know that out there some people understand.

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  17. Anonymous23:42

    Hey thanks for making this blog and for all the posts. Seems like many have this great, agonizing, unforgiving backpain. I first stayed home on Wednesday and on Thursday I was already feeling good, thought I'd be up and going the next day. What a fools thought. The back pain started as soon as I woke up in the early morning and slammed me to the couch. I couldn't walk any further than that. The last 3 days I have been living on and off on painkillers having a little cough too. Now on Sunday I am hoping I will be off this flu in the beginning of the week. I hope this type of unbearable back pain to no one. Get well you people!

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  18. Anonymous01:32

    please help. my daughter has the flu (positive test) and is complaining of VERY severe lower back pain and some pain down legs. i've read these post that flu can cause the back to hurt. *here's the kicker: she has metal in her back for scoliosis and in the past, her metal has gotten infected, requiring surgery to "wash" out germs. So, now, we are VERY gun-shy and worried the metal in infected. is your back pain VERY severe, and how long until your flu cleared up and the pain went away? please eamil me at legalnursing@comcast.net thank you for any feedback: dawn

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  19. Anonymous07:33

    I've had the flu a few times before and was achy, but this was unbearable. i woke ujp this morning feeling just fine, by 3pm i was SICK, then as i was laying in bed my whole body, especially my back began to hurt. The sad thing is, the pain was so unbearable that i forgot i was sick. Well, i got on here and saw all these other ppl goin through the same thing and i'd like to share what i just tried and what appears to be working.

    I smoked some cannabis. I have to say i feel about 50% better. my back pain is tolerable and i can breath a little easier now too. i'm not sure how lasting these effects will be, but it worked better than the motrin. and i actually feel like i could eat something. :)

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  20. Anonymous13:04

    Omg, originally the pain felt like it started in my mid back, then extended down into my lower back, and now after 10 days the mid back pain is gone, lower back pain is still sensitive and it feels like where the lower spine connects to the hips is very tender. Also every time i cough, my lower back responds with shouts of pain.

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  21. Anonymous14:02

    Hi, I too have the flu with horrendous back pain, so bad I was crying yestarday..and no medicine was helping. Gods gift to me for the day was A heating pad!!!! It worked wonders!!!!

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  22. Anonymous10:32

    OKay I have been up all night and it is day five... My back is in incredible spasm and this flu is killing me. Over the counter flu medication stops the symptoms for about an hour but i am finding sleep is next to impossible. I am an early onset parkinson patient and my body needs to sleep. Also I started spotting five days ago-- normal timing for my monthly but it hasn't started. I know the feeling of wanting to cry and could use any advice you can give... sysmptoms are flu and huge hacking cough with major mucus, dehydration, lack of sleep and the most brutal back pain... someone help!

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  23. Anonymous14:07

    I just got over a one week cold/flu and the minute my cold started getting better...the lower back pain began. The cold is now almost totally gone and the back pain has increased. I commented to my wife that the last time I had a cold the same thing happened to my lower back. I remember that it stopped as quickly as it strarted. There must me a connection. The old wive's tale of a cold going to you back must be true!!

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  24. Anonymous20:41

    My back pain was relieved after drinking a lot of water. I think the lower back pain associated with the flu is dehydration. After sweating for three days you must ensure you are drinking a lot of water. Im sure the various medications we take cant be all that good for our kidneys and bladder. Either way.....my 2 cents revolves around drinking plenty of water. Also the next time you have a head ache, dont take pills, drink water.

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  25. Anonymous02:25

    Started to get flu symptoms on Sunday which came on very fast and spent most of Monday in bed until my lower back started to hurt. At first I thought the back pain was caused by to much bed time until the pain became unbearable and found myself on the floor with a heating pad. After 12 hours of this I manage to get myself to the doctor and was prescribed muscle relaxants and anti-inflamatories. Got home to one of each, fell asleep and 8 hours later I woke up and my back pain was gone, thank god! Now I just have the typical flu syptoms to get rid of.

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  26. Anonymous02:26

    Started to get flu symptoms on Sunday which came on very fast and spent most of Monday in bed until my lower back started to hurt. At first I thought the back pain was caused by to much bed time until the pain became unbearable and found myself on the floor with a heating pad. After 12 hours of this I manage to get myself to the doctor and was prescribed muscle relaxants and anti-inflamatories. Got home to one of each, fell asleep and 8 hours later I woke up and my back pain was gone, thank god! Now I just have the typical flu syptoms to get rid of.

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  27. Anonymous13:38

    I'm glad I found this as well. A few nights ago, my 4 year old came home from school - knocked out. Said no to dinner, dessert and even a lollipop (said "save it for tomorrow"). She complained of aches and not feeling well, but bounced back the next day and now seems to have a simple cold. I got it the next night - chills, aches, etc. Now I feel ok during the day (some cold symptons) but at night when I lay down I have enormous pain in my lower back that only goes away when I stand.

    I'll try the heating pad tonight.

    Thanks, MeetingWave.com

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  28. Anonymous14:54

    I came down with the flu on a Thursday and ran fever until Sunday evening. I thought something was wrong internally, because my back hurt soooo bad. Even after the fever broke the back pain has lingered, improving a little each day. Moving around seems to help. I can honestly say I would also choose child birth over going through this again! My neighbor a 35 year old male also came down with the flu. His wife said his back pain was so bad she almost took him to the ER. Clearly this is all virus related. Wish our Dr's would have warned us. Very scary that the flu can morph into this....

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  29. Anonymous09:20

    Oh dear! its been horrible! started with a 24hour severe n constant headache,then a day of nose block n sore throat, now severe muscle pain and my lower back hurts so much, I can't sit, or stand or do anything- even lying down hurts! :(

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  30. Maher17:40

    Hey Everyone,
    Thank you for your comments. I too also had flu like symptoms, that began to wear off on the 3rd day. Developed lower back pain in the middle of the second day, and still have it right now on the 3rd day. I might go to a doctors for a checkup or just wait it out, it doesn`t seem to be getting worse.

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  31. Anonymous23:29

    Thanks for the explanation on this. I have been sitting on or kneeling in front of the toilet all day, having fever and chills, but the absolutely worst, most unbearable part is the back pain. It actually set in before the stomach illness and I thought I might get a massage today when I first woke up. But within a few hours I was barely mobile. I managed to settle my stomach long enough to take some tylenol, so I can move enough to sit at the computer, but that's it. It reminds me of gall bladder attacks that I had a few years ago, just a different location.

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  32. First of all, I thank you ALL for your input here, since I have been suffering for 3 days with hellish, excruciating back pain. My throat is hot and irritated, swollen glands, achy in the neck and shoulders, but NOTHING compared to the debilitating back pain!!!!! I thought I had some crazy infection in my spine, but after reading this, I feel so much better and hope, by now, you all do too!!!! This has been the WORST flu I have had... My brother jokingly said that's what happens when you get to 40.... BOO!! I won't buy that!! The headache and sore eyeballs are no fun either, but I agree with an above post, WHY IS THERE NO INFO ON BACK PAIN ASSOCIATED WITH THE FLU!?!?!?!?! It is truly BAAAAD!!!! Blessings to you all...

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  33. Anonymous22:01

    This happened to me once, I was bewildered as I never hit my back, lifted something heavy or anything like that.
    I was starting to get worried! In the end I had the doctor give me an injection. It's the fastest way to attack a virus.

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  34. Anonymous04:24

    I got swine flu and recovering with Tamiflu but it started hurting my right side under arm so much. I worry it may damaged my kidney or something? Shall I ring 999? I can't bear this pain.

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  35. Anonymous11:48

    well im glad too that i found this....i have the flu right now and im starting to get a headache which im pretty sure will get extremely bad considering i already had strep throat this year with the same symptoms (at least thats how my doctor diagnosed it)but the headache killed me, i would cry myself to sleep until my dad bought me some strong tylonol...but now i have the back pain and the headache. at least now i know im not getting my womanly monthly on top of the flu...i wonder if the back pain is related to our kidneys, cause i find myself going to the bathroom alot and really thirsty..anyone the same?

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  36. Anonymous22:37

    I am also very grateful for everyone's post! I have had the flu for 6 days and while my flu symptoms are much improved, my back started getting stiff on day 3, which I owed to being in bed so much, and it is so bad today I can barely move. I also tried to take a nap and every time I fell asleep, I woke up from pain from trying to twist about.

    Yoga usually helps when my back hurts, as does walking and just in general moving around, so I have been trying that, but this isn't loosening a thing, which scared me and made me wonder if something else was wrong with me. Tylenol (can't take ibuprofen) also isn't helping at all. So I am relieved that this is just part of a bad flu.

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  37. This is definitely what I have, but I am looking for relief! I've been trying to drink lots. Is there something I could put in a bath to help soothe?

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  38. Anonymous14:28

    Thank goodness it isn't only me. I've had flu symptoms for three days now and last night the pain in my lower back was so bad I couldn't sleep and couldn't get comfortable in bed. Ended up with a hot water bottle but even that and pain killers didn't help. Its easing off a bit now but is definately a symptom of flu.

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  39. Hi everyone,
    Thanks for all of your comments. I also have had back pain the last two days with radiating nervy feeling down my legs with the flu. When the flu first started a had very intense left neck pain around C7. I am a physical therapist and tried every mechanical movement or position I could to alleviate the pain.. unfortunately to very little avail. I have avoided sitting on the couch and am sitting in a hard chair with a lumbar support which is currently the best positioning besides walking (which I can't do much of right now). As another person said... I am drinking as much fluids as I can. It was good to hear other comments though because I think as a PT you know too much information and I was starting to worry about viral meningitis. Those with flu like symptoms that do have a very stiff neck especially with inability to bend the neck downward... should seek medical care.

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  40. Anonymous10:57

    hello everyone,
    i've had the flu which seems to be going but the lower back pain is staying with me.doctor told me it was common with flu and told me to take ibuprofen 400mg - which is doing nothing !! pain is bad but not horrendous. i will drink more water to try and get rid of this.

    thanks

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  41. Anonymous22:04

    Blessings on all you wonderful, suffering people! Thank you for sharing your back pain and flu symptoms. I had such severe back pain last Monday,I couldn't roll over in bed. I stayed home from work Tuesday and went back to work on Wednesday. However, by Thursday afternoon I felt the second wave coming. Let me add my voice to everyone else's to concur that this back pain is completely debilitating. In fact I was calling this the "Bone Identifier Flu" as I could tell you where every aching bone in my body is located. I completely missed out on New Year's Eve and have been stuck in bed on on the couch with a heating pad ever since. Most of my other symptoms have subsided (swollen glands, runny nose, dry cough, sore throat, mild fevers) but my back is so stiff that I can hardly get up.
    I had the H1N1 shot, so this is probably the regular flu season's treat for us. The medical profession was hoping that we wouldn't get a regular flu this year due to H1N1's invasion - but I am here to testify that they are wrong! The flu virus is a very smart entity and will find ways to survive; too bad it took up residence in our backs! I'll be glad when symptoms subside.

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  42. DAlex17:27

    Katie PT, I also thought yesterday that things had improved and just a little light yoga work-out would help things along. Not a great choice. The manual I use says, "Don't do this if you're ill.", and now I know why. I'm paying for it today. I got a fair amount of relief with 1G of Vit C every 2-3 hours. Just have to remember to keep taking them. It had often worked well for me as an anti-inflammatory. That and good home-made vegetable soups and trying to control my love of coffee seems to help.

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  43. Anonymous05:34

    So glad I found this website! i too had the worst flu ever with horrendous lower back pain. It started with a mild fever with intermittent stabbing in my lower back for a full week. Once it hit full on, it was so bad i was going to an ambulance to hall me away since it couldnt get out of bed! Dont know what type of flu this was we definitely need a flu shot to prevent this from infecting anyone!

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  44. Anonymous17:28

    Went for annual health check,blood pressure high and had the flu jab.That night legs felt like ice cream and I collapsed.The doc doubled my bp medication the next day.A day later flu arrived with all the symptoms given in the blog but I also felt as I was on wheels.Flu gone and bp medication tinkered with.However a second virus has now arrived with aches in my upper back,sore throat which was missing first time,clammy forehead with sweats and dizzy.Feeling better every day now but this has been seven weeks.

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  45. Anonymous10:43

    feb 14 2010 I got some sort of flu or virus that has gave me dehibilitating low back pain that is unbearable!

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  46. In uk had flu over xmas and new year all the symptoms logged above.Now in February still experiencing viral symptoms upper back pain sweaty forehead and sweating, sinusy and not very often now dizzy.3 months and still suffering.

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  47. Anonymous14:23

    Again I'm someone who is grateful for these comments as I have had horrible lower back pain throughout my flu. I also believe dehydration may be involved especially as I am sweating so much when I take panadol. My dr couldn't understand the back pain so it's a relief to know others have also had it.

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  48. Anonymous20:57

    If I could give one piece of advice to the people here, it would be buy a wheat bag for the pain. I had been writhing around in bed with dagger like pains in my lower back. My wife came in with the wheat bag she had just bought, heated it in the microwave, I put it on my back and within literally a couple of seconds the pain had gone. Truly amazing. And I'm not one for hyperbole.

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  49. Anonymous20:13

    It started with my wife -- she got what seemed to be a cold with a headache, sore throat, stuffiness, and diarhea. I soon got the same symptoms, with a pretty bad cough (itchiness/mucus) to boot. Taking some apple cider vinegar, which kills most colds, helped all the symptoms except the cough. Then she started with the intense back pain specific to the lower left, right above the pelvis. Next day, I had the same thing in the same very localized place. It feels better if I lay on my left side, stand, or sit upright. Laying on my back or right side is worst. I have a pretty comfy chair in my office, so I can work fine with just a mild throbbing. If it is indeed flu, I'm going to try treating it with sauer kraut, colloidal silver, and plenty of water.

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  50. I am only preying that this is the flu...my lower back pain is simply indescribable....as in pass out or etc... went to my chiropractor and he adjusted me and helped for a bit but now same thing....he didn't seem to acknowledge the association of flu with extreme lower back pain but I had this once before, but not as bad.....thanks to all for their input . now I am less scared and hope it will fade

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  51. Anonymous17:47

    Thanks so much for this blog, I am on day 3 of this horrendous back and upper leg pain. Way worse than childbirth and lasting a lot longer. I will keep drinking lots of water and pounding ibuprofen. Glad to know I am not crazy!

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  52. Anonymous12:40

    A co-worker got severe back pain and went to the hospital. He has a desk job and was doing uncharacteristic physical work when he ended up on his back in pain and had to be taken to the hospital. The doctor diagnosed a pulled muscle. My co-worker had felt back pain for a couple of days before his hospital visit. Then I got the same thing a week later. I knew then it was a flu. I am currently 4 days into it. I had a mild fever for a couple of days and a headache for one. I am 59 yrs old.

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  53. Anonymous06:15

    My back pain started about 5 days ago and last night I started coming down with the flu. I am in horrible pain. When I try to sit down, I hurt. When I try to get in and out of my car, I hurt. I am only 36 so the prospect of chronic pain is not desirable AT ALL! I am glad that eventually the pain should stop. I have to be very careful when trying to roll over in bed. In bed is the only time my back doesn't hurt right now (except when I am trying to roll over). I am glad I found this blog.

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  54. Anonymous13:27

    Thanks so much for this blog. I had a day of feeling incredibly tired. Then next day a vague sore throat and sore neck...this turned into a severe stiff neck..like whiplash for no reason and a fever of 37.5 max. I just lay there knowing that if I visited a clinic they would be likely to lumbar puncture for meningitus as I work with kids. I kept an eye on no high fever or rash. So the third day, a full blown flu like symptoms of runny nose and cough and the neck felt less in a vice, but the beginnings of lower back pain...The cough turned into a bronchitus, asthma dn signs of pneumonia as it tends to do for me living here, but the pain down my spine was the worst and last night kept me awake until 3a.m so severe, and I tried a really strong painkiller...which gave some relief...took me into another place but as soon as I turned over or moved it was glass. My husband bought anti inflammatory rub...but as he put his hand on the bed the mattress pressed down slightly and he said he had never seen such a reaction , even to touch...the nerve ending feel on fire. I was ready to fly back to Australia...thinking that something is very wrong and without med or diagnosis here , I was guessing till your site..at last this all makes sense. I will drink more and stay in bed again and try to get on top of this. Thanks so much

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  55. Anonymous06:46

    Oh God, bf had flu and now I got it. Had runs like 20 times in night and now I'm left with bad kidney pain (in lower back). WTH the government not warn us of any of this. I wonder, hmmm...

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  56. Anonymous15:40

    What should I do for my back pain??!!

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  57. Anonymous21:49

    Yey for this blog! Ive been up with the most extreme back pain ever last night, i tossed and turned and just couldnt find a position to recover. fried my bakc with a hot water bottle eventually which helped a bit and was so close to going to hospital. thought it was a kidney stone or something as the pain was only on my right side!
    I always get the flu and this is the first time to get this back pain, plus then my legs started cramping and aching too. Went to the doctor today and she just says i pulled i muscle while coughing. She says paracetamol every few hours and it should be fine. i took 2 and the pain went away for about 3 hours and now i can feel it coming back. just this constant ache so deep inside that i cant even massage it out.really thought it was something serious and cant believe this is just the flu. this is the mother of all flus.Really like a knife in the back...

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  58. Anonymous11:30

    So glad I found this site. I have had 3/4 day bout of flu which has left me with severe lower back pain. I have found the comments not only reassuring that this is a common symptom, but the tip of drinking lots more water a top tip as I have been sweating lots and must be dehydrated. I will certainly up my fluid intake and hope the pain eases. Thank you everyone. Deb

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  59. Anonymous12:58

    I have had this flu/cold going on about five days( which seems like eternity). I also have severe back pain and also joint pain. Its starting to scare me alittle

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  60. Anonymous09:05

    I am grateful to read that I am not exaggerating my flu symptoms. Some twenty years ago, I had viral meningitis without any rash, high fever etc, suffering a mild temporary paralysis that kept me in bed for nearly a year before I recovered entirely. Ever since, I experience a sensitive point in my spinal column, where I had the lumbar puncture, and where it hurts when I develop a fever (in fact I register the pain first before the fever develops). Some two years ago I had a flu accompanied by severe pains in my spinal column, and naturally I thought of meningitis. The pain continued after the flu symptoms passed. I saw a neurologist who could not explain this, and who dismissed me (this is Italy, after all).
    Once again I am ill with flu. Mine began as fatigue one week, developing the next into a heavy cold, with a barking cough (I tend to get bronchitis/asthma with every cold). Prescribed antibiotics (Klacid 500mg 2x per day), the pain in the spinal column set in some 12hrs later, with the result that that I wondered whether I was allergic to this antibiotic. In fact, I worry whether the antibiotics are really necessary, but the doctor here insists. The pain in the spinal column (up to the shoulder blades) is sharp and the back is hyper sensitive. Standing (and moaning), brought some relief, as did a hot water bottle, until I finally started taking1000mg of Acetaminophen (non aspirin). I suspect that like the last flu, the spinal pain will continue for some days afterwards.

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  61. Anonymous20:24

    If you have flu and lower back pain make sure to consult a physician, because it can be deadly if not treated. MY cousin's boyfriend just died from flu and lower back pain complications on Feb, 26 2011. He didn't go to the doctor!

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  62. Wow....can't believe all the comments are so similar. I initally came down with left sided back pain as well. By days end it felt like a vice was squeezing my back muscles into one lump....terrible unusual feeling. Went to the doc and she said that it must be my diverticulitis acting up again. I asked her about the flu but she said that most people are not complaining with lower back pain! Anyway by days end I had spiked a high temperature, extreme headache that no medicaiaton could cure, nausea, lack of appetite, chest congestion, etc. I felt horrible for about 5 days. Didnt move off the couch. I am now fever free on day 6 but I still have the lower back pain. I think the poison has got to work its way out(which now that I am not nauseated I can start back drinking water). I always heard that posion from a fever goes to your back (old wives tale I think)

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  63. Anonymous01:58

    Hi, I have been going through the very same situation, flu, sore throat, stuffy nose, thirst but the worst part was this excruciating pain in lower back. Not any amount of pain killer helped, then my frienD told me to put balm or medicated oil. I tried it out of desperation and its magic. the pain just disappeared. This blog helped me keep my self together through painful couple of days, thts y I wanted to share with all what worked for me and might help some more ppl out there. Thanks for the blog

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  64. Anonymous14:05

    On Tuesday night I did an extra (eliptical trainer). I felt tired all day but that was typical for me, having a young child and working full time. Later that night I started to feel nauseous so I layed down and went to sleep. A couple hours later I woke up and ran to the bathroom to throw up. This continued all night. I went to the doctor and was told I had the flu so the following day I slept most of the day. He perscribed me anti-nausea & anti-diarreia meds which helped) I did push through it and sanitized my house (including washing all floors on my hands and knees and dragging the vacume up and down the stairs). That night my legs hurt really bad. I elivated them above my heart hopeing that would help. The next morning I woke up to terriable low back pain (day 3 of the flu). Its now day 6 and I was very concerned I had something wrong. My flu symtoms are getting better with the exception of my back pain. Its terriable. I plan on returning to work tomorrow and I sit in an office all day. I hope its better by then. I will try a heating pad tonight. I had thought it was my bed so we actually ordered a new one yesturday (to arrive tomorrow - we were over due for one anyways). Hopefully that will help to. I have been using IcyHot cream and that numbs it for a few minutes but wears off quickly. I have not been drinking enough fluids so I will try that also. Anything to get back to normal. I am going to do some stretching today before bed. Also I forgot to mention I never had a fever or any other symtoms other than stomach issues (including vommiting, diarehaa, and adominal pains). Then the leg and back pains started and have now become more annoying and painful each day. Last night my back hurt so bad I cryed. Thank you for the blog. I am glad i didnt go back to the doc. i will wait this out and tough it out like the rest of you.

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  65. Anonymous21:58

    JUST STARTING TO RECOVER FROM THE FLU VIRUS!!
    After catching the virus almost two weeks ago it started as me feeling tired and then sore throat and then headaches and then aches and pains with runny nose and coughing. After the first week got severe back pain in my lower back for which i was unable to sleep, sit or stand up without shooting pains for which i started to worry. Took the usual medication but nothing suppressed the back pain decide to check out something stronger and found co-codamol did numb the pain and combined that with cuprofen 400mg tablets which is a pain relief with anti flammatory seemed to sort my pain out and after 24 hours did manage to get some relief for which got better as i took the tablets at 4 hour intervals.
    The pain from my back has now gone but still have the broncal cough for which is getting less by the day total three weeks.
    I have never experienced back pain from flu and after reading the threads on here decided to try my own safe medication before bothering the doctor and pleased to say that it worked for me!! i am a 58yrs old male

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  66. Anonymous18:42

    Thanks for sharing your flu with lower back pain. I never had this lower back pain with flu before, so when I woke up this Monday morning, after enduring the weekend flu symptoms. I could got out of bed, my back is not moving my legs. But I had to bite the pain to get out of bed to take my daughter to school. I couldn't not bend down to tie my shoes, my daughter had to help me. And getting in/out of the car? I had tear to endure the pain. I am glad that the back pain as part of the flu symptoms and it'll go away in a few days.

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  67. Anonymous10:52

    Lower back pain here as well, espeically when i lie down on my side. Its gotta be the T10 or T11 vertebrae. I worked out my legs and shoulders n back in the 3 days preceeding my flu. So imagine all the regular joint and muscle pains fromt he flue coupled with all the pain fromt he muscles trying to recover but not having any nutrient because i have been puking everything i eat. I am 24 and i honestly have never experienced such unbearable pain. Headache, chills, fever, back pain, leg pain, shoulder pain, nasea, hunger, weakness, diahrea, vomitting, coughs. unbelievable

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  68. It`s strange how little information there is about this. I have also experienced a connection between flu and low back pain.

    Alberto

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  69. It`s strange how little information there is about this connection between flu and low back pain which I have also experienced.

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  70. Anonymous20:24

    December 2011

    A few days after CHristmas I started not to feel well. Prior to that I had a sore throat off and on for week and was on Zrytec. Monday after New Years I started to have the runs for about 4 hours early in the morning. WEnt back to bed and woke in the soaking wet. The pains in my back started after that and on Thursday I thought my colon had ruptured again. I went to the ER on Friday and they comfirmed that I had the feel but could not explain the pains in my pain. Sixteen days later I still am not up to par and still have the pains in my back although they are not as bad. I have not had the flu since I was a child. I am glad to have found this blog I now understand a little more what is going on with the pain.

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  71. Anonymous17:42

    I too, am thankful to find this blog to understand that I am not the only one this has happened to. I can't believe the excrutiating back pain I have suffered over the past 4 days and still have. I had the stomach flu for 2 days with the typical vomiting and diarrhea and the back pain started on the second day! I have done heating pads, ice packs, ibuprofen, and the chiro. It is better, but still not good! I hope it goes away soon, but at least now I have some hope.

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  72. Anonymous19:33

    Glad to have found this blog too. Now here's the clincher, both my husband and I both had flu-like symptoms the few days before, then we both had bad headaches.
    Then yesterday we both developed severe lower back pain, especially on the left side. If it was just one of us, I would have thought it was a kidney stone, but BOTH of us getting the exact same symptom at the same time?
    We didn't do anything physcially strenous to account for the pain. And we don't have other symptoms like nausea or abdominal distress. Just this horrible lower backache.
    It's got to be something catching.

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  73. Anonymous10:52

    Hi!
    I started the flu on Sunday, I went to work felt a little under the weather and by 5pm I collapsed in bed for 24 hours. I have had mega sweats, chills, nausea, a cough and runny nose. My back, buttocks and legs were pretty sore though on day 3 of this thing I have excruciating pain in my knees and buttocks. I have been flinging ibuprofen down my neck which has made no difference, I cannot sleep and have been crying with the pain!

    Thank God I found this blog, I feel like I am not going through this alone. I am going to phone the GP at noon and see if I can get anything for this pain..if I could get rid of this pain I would be a damn sight more comfortable. I have felt like dying since Sunday....yesterday was just awful with the amount of sweating and shivering I didn't know what to do.

    I actually feel like a disabled person...takes up so much energy to move around..my legs actually tremble!! I can't go outside, just trapped in this bed...I even thought about getting a bucket to toilet in as it hurts so much to move!

    I pray the doc can prescribe something for this pain and tightness in the legs....so awful, I wouldn't wish this on my worse enemy!

    Laura

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  74. Anonymous14:12

    Hi all, thank you very much for this blog. I too had quite bad flu with some throwing up and a nose bleed. Today as soon as I started to feel better from flu symptoms the pain came. It started from my buttocks down, my hips are the most painful. Thought I was going mad. Resting in bed didn't help, it is so intense. So far took some Ibuprofen and as advised keep drinking water. So fingers crossed it will be gone soon.

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  75. Anonymous14:36

    I do not have the flu,but rheumatoid arthritis. I have "flu like" symptoms when it flares up from time to time (fever,body aches,chills,headaches) from a few days to sometimes months at a time. I am experiencing one of my flares now with a high fever and extreme pain in my right lower back. No more like debilitating,I can't move or walk right now. It actually began with a stiff neck for a few days and now has moved down to my lower back. I think the neck stiffness and low back pain I see so many posts about is actually a syptom of the actual fever and not just the flu. I experience this particular pain ONLY when I begin to run fevers. Any other time my back is NEVER an issue with pain even with rheumatoid arthritis.

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