I have been running a low grade fever for 7 days now. It's my only symptom (that, and a fever's accompanying side effects: chills, aches, fatigue). I manage it easily enough by taking two Advil first thing in the morning and two in the late afternoon; while the Advil is in effect, I feel pretty much fine, but when it wears off, I feel like shark farts again.
So, using the all-knowing, and of course, trustworthy, powers of the interweb, I have determined that I either have a common virus or I have cancer. Oh, WebMd had 91 other possibilities mixed in there as well: In case you're wondering, a low grade fever is THE most generic symptom you can exhibit, so it pretty much qualifies you to have everything from Lyme's disease to AIDS.
Thus, for you dear readers, who also have all sorts of interweb medical expertise, I have two questions for you:
My one question at this point is this: Should I go see an actual doctor? I keep thinking, "Eh, this is gonna pass in another day. A doctor is just going to charge me my co-pay, tell me I have a virus, and send me on my way." But then another day passes, and I wake up and still feel like warm poo.
My other question, which I may be far likelier to ignore your advice on, is this: Is running right now advisable? Because I'm still running. Not much -- 3 miles a day -- but I haven't let this break my streak (today's run was day #89: I really can't stop now!). Like I said above, with Advil, I feel alright and the exercise is manageable, but it does tire me out, thus, the short duration. I also wonder if I'm doing myself in any favors in shaking whatever I've got by powering through the running each day. Still, if I quit now, and then I suddenly get over this temporary plague, I would KICK myself for breaking the streak!
Any thoughts? Suggestions? Do you think this fever will kill me and that I'll then re-animate as a zombie? Thats' really the worst case scenario, right?
17 comments:
A) Is the low grade fever over 100F? If you've had that for over a week, then it wouldn't hurt to contact the doctor. Since you're not having terrible symptoms though, you might hold off a bit longer unless it gets much higher.
B) If you feel up to it, continue the runs, just take them easy and not do long runs. If you break the streak, and never really come down with a bad fever, you'll regret it.
Shark farts??? I agree with your diagnoses leaning more towards virus!
I'm not one to talk, I just sent my doctor a note about my knee. Only after not being able to walk! OUCH.....
The nasty viruses are taking longer to work their way through (even the common cold is lasting longer the the old "couple days" scenario). I avoid the doctor like the plague but here's my two cents worth.
1) If you can make it through the weekend and rest a little more and the fever persists, go see someone early next week.
2) Mentally, you need to run. Physically, you probably need a day off to rest up. Since I know how stubborn you are, run until you see a doctor and they tell you to take a day off.
If my intuition is correct you will either be in Urgent Care by Sunday with something terrible or you will feel completely well and wonder why you even asked us for advice. It's 50/50 at this point with your vague symptoms.
Sounds like it could be mono. There's not much you can do for it but rest, but a simple blood test would atleast let you know what you're dealing with and a CBC could point to whether it's viral or bacterial. I don't think continuing to run will hurt you, but it may not be helping your body to recover or fight whatever you're dealing with!! Hope you feel better soon!!
James: No, the fever hasn't broken 100. It generally stays in the realm of 99-100. Just enough to be annoying.
I would contact the Center for Disease Control Immediately. I think you have a brain cloud!
I would go... fever = achiness, which is annoying enough to find the cause.
I agree with what Erin said, you need mentally you need to run, but I wonder if you body is trying to tell you it needs a day off.... Maybe keep the streak alive by just doing 1 mile instead of 3.
I'd give it a couple more days and go to the doctor on Friday before the weekend if you can.
Maybe you're teething ;)
Na, if all stays as is, hold off on the doctor for a few more days. Run a mile a day to keep the streak alive and take it easy the rest of the time. I don't know if there's anything to this, but maybe if you avoid the Advil for a day and let the fever take over, it'll bake that bug out of you.
Laura: I had the same thought, but I need to function, and the Advil allows me to do that. Maybe instead of skipping a run, I should skip a day of work, leave the Advil in the cabinet and sleep all day! Perhaps I would call it "Bake in Bed"!
I'd probably see a doctor if it was me - if only for the fact that as soon as I see a doctor, I swear I feel fine the next day. :)
P.S. All this zombie talk has been giving me some very interesting dreams! I had a zombie/fae/human war dream the other night. I was bummed when it got interrupted when I woke up!
so sorry you're dealing with this!
i typically don't go to the doc unless i'm forced to. i rarely get infections, so most of the time it is a virus and there's nothing a doc can do anyway.
being a mom of two little ones (plus teaching!!) is probably making it harder for you to fight this. i'm guessing it's just taking longer than it would if you could stay home and sleep all day. hopefully you can get some R & R in the near future.
as for running, i'd be one to skip it, but you're far tougher than I - so I'd say go for it, as long as you think it's doing some good.
feel better!!
Shark Farts! I love it! I have to tell you that has a former ER nurse the Web is a nightmare for the emergency room! Drink lots of fluids, short easy runs probably won't kill you. If you have a doctor you can talk to then I would, but even as a nurse crazy things start going through my head when I am sick. It won't hurt you to see a doctor. I don't want you to take medical advice from me, my kids tell me I'm horrible because if they are talking then they are fine. Hahaha
GOOD LUCK! Hope you feel better soon!
A rule of thumb I try to use is to run if I only feel sick above the neck. If you feel sick below the neck - chest congestion it can be good to not run. Does that help? I have read this before but who knows?
I also love the shark farts description.
I have no idea but I WebMD myself into having all sorts of random ailments too.
Feel better.
I agree that a doc visit us In order. As for running, well you can guess many advice there.
I agree with running a mile a day to keep the streak, and possibly seeing a doctor at least to be tested for mono. But I seriously urge you to take a day off work and sleep all day. I always feel guilty about taking a day off unless I literally can't walk, but: that is what sick days are for.
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