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Are Fatigue, Lack Of Appetite And Elevated Body Temperature Signs Of Flu?

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Posted on Mon, 24 Sep 2018
Question: Im congested, tired, no appetite, achiness, slightly elevated temperature. Should I go to an urgent care facility to see if I have flu?
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Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (50 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
you can wait probably

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Although you can't know whether you have influenza or not without specific tests, a slightly elevated temperature with congestion and the rest of the symptoms are common between various respiratory tract infections. Most of them are mild enough to allow for the patient to wait it out.

Signs of serious infection include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Very high pulse rate
- Low blood pressure
- Confusion
- Shortness of breath
- Pleuritic chest pain (pain during deep inspiratory moves)
- Very low urine production

Patients at higher risk for untoward outcomes when infected with influenza virus are usually those that have serious underlying disorders like heart failure, COPD, chronic kidney disease, bronchial asthma, immunodeficiencies, malignancies, etc. If you belong to a high risk group than visiting the urgent care is recommended.

So in conclusion, unless you develop symptoms/signs of serious infection or belong to a high risk group, you can probably wait it out with simple measures (like acetaminophen/paracetamol for fever and adequate hydration). If anything at all seems to be getting worse then immediate medical assessment would be required.

Hope I have answered your query.
Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis,
Internal Medicine Specialist
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1999

Answered : 3809 Questions

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Are Fatigue, Lack Of Appetite And Elevated Body Temperature Signs Of Flu?

Brief Answer: you can wait probably Detailed Answer: Hello, Although you can't know whether you have influenza or not without specific tests, a slightly elevated temperature with congestion and the rest of the symptoms are common between various respiratory tract infections. Most of them are mild enough to allow for the patient to wait it out. Signs of serious infection include (but are not limited to) the following: - Very high pulse rate - Low blood pressure - Confusion - Shortness of breath - Pleuritic chest pain (pain during deep inspiratory moves) - Very low urine production Patients at higher risk for untoward outcomes when infected with influenza virus are usually those that have serious underlying disorders like heart failure, COPD, chronic kidney disease, bronchial asthma, immunodeficiencies, malignancies, etc. If you belong to a high risk group than visiting the urgent care is recommended. So in conclusion, unless you develop symptoms/signs of serious infection or belong to a high risk group, you can probably wait it out with simple measures (like acetaminophen/paracetamol for fever and adequate hydration). If anything at all seems to be getting worse then immediate medical assessment would be required. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis, Internal Medicine Specialist