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What Causes Yellow Skin Tone And Dark Urine While Suffering From Flu?
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
Sorry you are feeling so poorly. By "flu" I will assume you mean "stomach flu" (gastroenteritis) rather than influenza (a respiratory illness with fever and cough).
I am concerned that your skin is jaundiced and your urine is dark. These can be signs of bilirubin from the liver not being conjugated. You may have a form of hepatitis. Sometimes with a viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu) there can be a transient viral hepatitis which goes away after the stomach flu resolves. But you should go in to be seen. I advise that you go in to a clinic or your doctor and be examined, and have a liver panel blood test done. This will check if your liver is inflamed, and bilirubin level, and this can be followed to make sure, if elevated, that it comes down. A complete blood count (CBC) should also be done. If the liver problem is significant, the doctor may also order an abdominal ultrasound to have a look at the liver and gall bladder.
Your dizziness and weakness may be from dehydration and electrolyte imbalance from diarrhea or vomiting. Dark urine can be from a liver problem as I wrote above, but it can also be due to being dehydrated (in spite of your efforts). The doctor you see should check an electrolyte panel and possibly give you an IV if you are dehydrated and have low potassium.
If you go in to the urgent care clinic (or if none is open near you, then to the ER), request that you be seen by a physician and not a physicians assistant (PA) or nurse practitioner (NP). While they have some limited medical knowledge, you need to be seen in person by a physician at this point.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
Sorry you are feeling so poorly. By "flu" I will assume you mean "stomach flu" (gastroenteritis) rather than influenza (a respiratory illness with fever and cough).
I am concerned that your skin is jaundiced and your urine is dark. These can be signs of bilirubin from the liver not being conjugated. You may have a form of hepatitis. Sometimes with a viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu) there can be a transient viral hepatitis which goes away after the stomach flu resolves. But you should go in to be seen. I advise that you go in to a clinic or your doctor and be examined, and have a liver panel blood test done. This will check if your liver is inflamed, and bilirubin level, and this can be followed to make sure, if elevated, that it comes down. A complete blood count (CBC) should also be done. If the liver problem is significant, the doctor may also order an abdominal ultrasound to have a look at the liver and gall bladder.
Your dizziness and weakness may be from dehydration and electrolyte imbalance from diarrhea or vomiting. Dark urine can be from a liver problem as I wrote above, but it can also be due to being dehydrated (in spite of your efforts). The doctor you see should check an electrolyte panel and possibly give you an IV if you are dehydrated and have low potassium.
If you go in to the urgent care clinic (or if none is open near you, then to the ER), request that you be seen by a physician and not a physicians assistant (PA) or nurse practitioner (NP). While they have some limited medical knowledge, you need to be seen in person by a physician at this point.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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