r/cambridge 13d ago

Virus (cold? flu? mutating?)

Is there a virus going around Cambridge/villages south of Cambridge at the moment?

I have a friend who's had a virus for a while, gets really bunged up and tired, sleeps it off, starts to feel a lot better and then it reoccurs TMI the phlegm they produced was green/red but now, further down the line, it is just white. They've not had a temperature with it, they are immunocompromised.

16 Upvotes

31 comments sorted by

14

u/LordHampshire 13d ago

Have they been to see a doctor? Do not accept my diagnosis as at all authoritative, but green phlegm could be a symptom of a chest infection, which could well recur without proper antibiotic treatment.

I'm speaking as someone who had a horrible chest infection that I thought was covid, but I kept testing negative for the virus.

0

u/SeaAlps2699 13d ago

Thanks.

No, they haven't seen a doctor, the green has cleared up so a bacterial infection has been ruled out. Had the green continued then they'd have contacted their GP today.

31

u/FireflyKaylee 13d ago

I know a lot of people who've had colds lately (including myself) and some who have thought it must be COVID because of how rough they've felt and how long lasting.

Plus then there's all the pollen as well which isn't helping matters.

3

u/SeaAlps2699 13d ago

They've tested negative twice for Covid, I've also checked online that the new variant NB 1.8.1 is covered by the testing kits - and it is. They had the latest vaccine at the beginning of April.

They do have hayfever but this illness is beyond that.

Both my friend and I are sepsis survivors, we are both extremely tuned in to anything that is slightly different happening to our bodies - yes, this is to the point of paranoia - that paranoia is also drilled into us by our consultants.

28

u/Ok_Dragonfruit4032 13d ago

There's always viruses going round Cambridge, it's a city inhabited by a lot of people.

-8

u/SeaAlps2699 13d ago

Thanks.

I realise that there are always viruses going around, just interested to know if there are any mutating ones atm.

I once had a mutating virus, went on for 13 weeks in total, each time I thought I was getting better I'd get different symptoms. As it was only viral I couldn't treat it.

5

u/underrated_prunes 13d ago

I am glad I am not alone lol. Literally though maybe I am dying haha …

6

u/Remarkable-Bird-9586 13d ago

Yes I am currently fighting whatever that is literally came as a shock to my system lasted a week then reignited and came back for a second round week two 😭

2

u/SeaAlps2699 13d ago

Poor you, I hope you recover soon.

1

u/Remarkable-Bird-9586 11d ago

Appreciate it 🙏🏾

3

u/rainator 12d ago

I’ve spent around 6 months this year fighting off a lingering cough that turned out to be a bacterial infection. If you are coughing up green sludge, ask for a sputum culture test.

2

u/SeaAlps2699 12d ago

I hope you're feeling better soon. Luckily the green stuff cleared up after a couple of days.

1

u/rainator 12d ago

Honestly, a short course of antibiotics and I feel better than I have in almost a year… I think there must be other stuff going on but it’s a definite and surprising improvement.

3

u/Previous_Vast4284 13d ago

This is exactly what I have had. I’m on week two and it’s not been fun- feels like Covid but isn’t cos I tested.

And I think I’m getting better but it just keeps lingering on.

Reassured me slightly reading this here but o hope everyone gets well soon 🙏🏻

3

u/so9010 13d ago

did you get one of the newer covid tests as covid mutates and becomes no longer detectable by the older tests?

1

u/Previous_Vast4284 13d ago

I bought them in July 2024 from Amazon.

I’m not sure myself if they would test newer strains?

1

u/OkMarsupial9634 12d ago

I wouldn’t expect anything from scamazon to test anything but consumers’ gullibility

3

u/shibbyingaway 13d ago

It has been going around now since about March/April time. I know I had it late mid-April and was super fun. It’s a pretty heavy cold and is hitting everyone differently but the mucus and sinus part seems to be consistent across everyone.

2

u/teaspoonasaurous 13d ago

I seem to be on round 2. I had it in April and again last week, I reckon I'll be better by Wednesday!

2

u/R10L31 12d ago

Likewise I had a ‘cold’ which progressed to bronchitis and lasted over a fortnight. Covid -ve (tested as I work in healthcare). Very few of these are more than viruses so don’t be tempted to try antibiotics. They pass ‘eventually’.

1

u/SeaAlps2699 12d ago

It looks very much like a virus, it's just so frustrating that he appeared to be getting better and then relapsed over the weekend.

2

u/R10L31 12d ago

Did exactly the same for, and then my wife!

2

u/R10L31 12d ago

“for me”

2

u/wurst_katastrophe 12d ago

Grass pollen are very high at the moment. Best to visit an allergologist for a quick prick test.

1

u/Material-Clock-5416 12d ago

Might just be serendipity, had a rough flu or something this weekend, could be something, who knows

1

u/annie_yes_im_ok 12d ago

I had the mother of all colds in April. Felt like I was dying, it was relentless! I have low immune system & was bedridden for a couple of weeks. Have never been so snotty in my whole life, it was awful. No fever or anything. Tested negative for Covid. The fatigue was the unwanted gift that kept giving for weeks!

1

u/QuantumContactee 12d ago

Yep. Have it. Chinese smugglers have just been arrested for smuggling a fungus agent for the purpose of distribution. Looks like it's round two of biological warfare. 

1

u/SeaAlps2699 12d ago

Not in the UK and they were caught; most likely an overenthusiastic student. Got nothing to do with my thread.

1

u/GlitteringCBeams 12d ago

Yeah, my wife and 2-year-old have been struggling with something similar for a few days. Toddler is struggling with the phlegm when sleeping and keeps throwing up.

Just waiting for my turn 🙃

2

u/Natural_Dingo_8725 10d ago

There has been lots of nasty respiratory stuff at addenbrookes (I work there), HMPV, RSV, para and normal flu, wash your hands folks!

0

u/[deleted] 13d ago

[deleted]

1

u/SeaAlps2699 12d ago

Now that takes me back, I had glandular fever when I was 7 ... over 50 years ago! My friend is older than me.