What is this contagious Illness?

Hmmm, N7 I was at the University of Pittsburgh on Sat May 6th. I felt fine all day and it was relatively nice out. When I left memorial hall on Saturday night I "instantly" felt horrible. Nose started running and draining down my throat and started to feel tired and achy. By Sunday morning my nose was completely stuffed, sore throat, very tired. Tried all the over the counter stuff for a few days but had to leave for Texas and didn't want to fly with such a stuffed up head and so much stuff that moved quickly to my lungs. She diagnosed bronchitis and prescribed me Levaquin. Took the 10 day script and the chest part cleared up quickly (2 days), although I still cough up some stuff in the morning and have slight sniffling (but I always have spring allergies). This is definitely strange indeed.

You guys probably just have a normal bug floating around your office and you keep passing it back and forth. I worked for a place years ago where we were in cramped quarters. Everytime a cold, flu, bug, virus came around we all got it. One year we kept passing it back and forth for months. I caught it 3 times....

Don't worry. If you're not dying, then relax.

I call it the "comeback cold," It seems to be viral or antibiotic resistant. People feel sick for three days or so, then they adjust and start to feel better. Then it comes back on them twofold in a day or two. It starts with a sickly feeling, followed by headache and severe body aches, then total full fledged flu symptoms. No antibiotic can touch it, thus it is seemingly antibiotic resistant, or viral. Our widespread use of antibiotic producs is slowly making stronger strains of bacteria. Other symptoms or illnesses produced by this sickness are: Laryngitis, strep throat, pneumonia, chest colds, migranes, severe cough, and chills/fever.

I've heard that there are strains of meningitis that have mutated and begin to affect the nerve centers of the body. This is characterized by severe body aches and nerve pain. I have also heard that it is viral.

I have never taken an antibiotic or used anti bacterial products in my household, or at work. I also never get a flu shot. Interestingly enough I was the only one at my office not to get sick. I'm not saying that that is the reason that I didn't get sick. Illness had too many variables to pinpint the perpensity of an illness to be contageous. Illness is also perpetuated by stress, anxiety, worry, fear, and depression. Diet, cigarettes, grooming/bathing habits, use of household chemicals, and sleep patterns also determine the chances of illness.

This thread seems a little old for this "flu" to still be going on. I work in an institutional environment and wear a mini-mate 1500 around my neck to protect me from airborne bugs. It's an ionizer and zaps the little airborne particles like a lightening strike. It's a battery hog but I got a charger to go with mine and that saves a lot of money as the batteries only last 8-12 hours. Good luck, all.

It has definately been here in North Carolina. I have been sick before many times in my life, had the flu several times, including bronchitis. I got sick back in March of this year and it was the worst illness I have ever had. It came on like a monster, I had a fever for the first five days that ran above 103. The congestion made my chest feel like it was on fire, and the coughing fits were so violent that they were almost unbearable. It didnt even begin to suside for ten days, no matter what I took. I still had a cough and lingering effects two and a half weeks later, and due to the coughing fits I lost my voice for another full week due to lyringitis. I said then that it was the worst sickness of my life and I thought to myself that if someone with asthma or emphysema were to get it they would be in big trouble and would possibly die. Bird flu? I dont know, but whatever it was it wasn't the run of the mill cold or influenza. It was horrible.

reply to post by Relentless


I live in Houston and I know at least 3 people, incuding myself, who have had this thing for at least 2 months. I just got it last Friday and am having to work, but I feel awful. Wondering if antibiotics would help?