When ill (cold, flu, covid) - does using fever prevention medication prolong the illness? (infection, sore)

[Need4Camaro]

Lets say you take a Goody's BC to help alleviate a fever, you sweat for awhile and then you feel pretty normal until you grow another fever. Does prematurely ending the fever prolong the illness since an immunity response was prematurely terminated for comfort purposes?

[guidoLaMoto]

I've always told pts NOT to treat fevers because the elevated temp is part of the immune response that's fighting the infection (interferon raises body temp). In fact, I've found that "sweating it out" helps shorten the course of common colds significantly.

Little kids are another story, tho. Their surface area to body volume ratio is much different than big kids and adults, so they can have large and sudden swings in temps, bringing on febrile convulsions.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by guidoLaMoto

I've always told pts NOT to treat fevers because the elevated temp is part of the immune response that's fighting the infection (interferon raises body temp). In fact, I've found that "sweating it out" helps shorten the course of common colds significantly.

Little kids are another story, tho. Their surface area to body volume ratio is much different than big kids and adults, so they can have large and sudden swings in temps, bringing on febrile convulsions.

I've been fearing this. I've come down with either the Flu or possibly Covid .. The fevers have been nigh unbearable along with the migraines and I just can't stay hydrated regardless of how much water I drink but I still have to work (remotely) so I've been treating them with Goody's BC's to make it tolerable but I'm fearing that its only prolonging my misery.

I do still sweat after taking the Goody's BC.. ..is that helping anything?

[blameyourself]

Feel better bud

[CarnivalGal]

I've heard that too. It's my understanding that higher body temps kill the virus, which means a shortened illness. But if you feel absolutely miserable, I would take something to reduce the fever. I'd rather feel kind of crappy but functional for an extra day or two than be bedridden and feel horrible but for less time.

Do you have the flu? It's spreading like wildfire around our area (you're local to me). I am not exaggerating when I say that 3/4 of my daughter's high school band has or had the flu. They're all testing positive for type A. And there are 400 kids in the band, so that's a lot. Doesn't help that they were all just travelling together.

My daughter had it, but between being vaccinated and getting Xofluza on day 1, she was fine within 24 hours. She said a lot of kids at school are out now, not just the band.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by guidoLaMoto

I've always told pts NOT to treat fevers because the elevated temp is part of the immune response that's fighting the infection (interferon raises body temp). In fact, I've found that "sweating it out" helps shorten the course of common colds significantly.

Little kids are another story, tho. Their surface area to body volume ratio is much different than big kids and adults, so they can have large and sudden swings in temps, bringing on febrile convulsions.

[Need4Camaro]

I'm not sure what I have. I was in NYC for the week of Thanksgiving and I also used the MTA trains & busses. I came back home to AUS area the Saturday concluding the week of Thanksgiving and on Sunday I started feeling light symptoms, sore throat, stuffy / runny nose. On Monday it got worse, I have Chronic Bronchitis and it felt like my lungs were inflamed - I took a inhaler shot and it hasn't come back thankfully. It did for a very short time feel like I was losing my taste but it stopped and I never lost it. Tuesday thru Thursday it was full nelson between getting the chills / fever, migraines, but I did manage to beat the sore throat with Honey... the fevers though keep coming and going. For the first few days I was treating them with Goody's BC's but I decided to stop incase that was prolonging recovery and just double sweatered, blanketed, turned heat up to 80*F and rested until I sweated. On Thursday, I ended up having the following items delivered to me: SourSop, Ginger, Tumeric, Garlic, Black & Cayenne Pepper, Manuka Honey, Orange Juice and made a smoothie out of that and had a few cups. That night I felt like hell. I'd have to drink about 5 - 6 cups of water, then rest for about 2 hours, sweat, wake up feeling dry as a bone, drink another 5 - 6 cups of water, rest another 2 hours, sweat, wake up.. ..rinse and repeat.. the following Friday morning, I just suddenly felt normal again. Felt like I was never sick at all.. ..I was thinking it was over, but that Friday evening the fevers came back and it was a repeat of Thursday night.. Saturday (today) I feel sick still, still fighting fevers and doubling sweaters and running the heat like crazy.

My job doesn't really know that I am sick and I am trying to avoid taking a day off (working remotely) as I already took time off for the Holiday that they really needed me in for and I'm pretty backlogged. They are paranoid because they had a few remote workers go awol and missing, never heard from them again and had to replace them. I was thinking of seeing a doctor but I'm not sure they can really do anything for this unless it becomes life threatening?

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

I have Chronic Bronchitis

I was thinking it was over, but that Friday evening the fevers came back and it was a repeat of Thursday night.. Saturday (today) I feel sick still, still fighting fevers and doubling sweaters and running the heat like crazy.

I was thinking of seeing a doctor but I'm not sure they can really do anything for this unless it becomes life threatening?

You have a chronic condition that puts you at higher risk of a secondary bacterial infection. I'd at least call your GP about it. They may be able to suggest a go-no go point.

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

I'm not sure what I have. I was in NYC for the week of Thanksgiving and I also used the MTA trains & busses. I came back home to AUS area the Saturday concluding the week of Thanksgiving and on Sunday I started feeling light symptoms, sore throat, stuffy / runny nose. On Monday it got worse, I have Chronic Bronchitis and it felt like my lungs were inflamed - I took a inhaler shot and it hasn't come back thankfully. It did for a very short time feel like I was losing my taste but it stopped and I never lost it. Tuesday thru Thursday it was full nelson between getting the chills / fever, migraines, but I did manage to beat the sore throat with Honey... the fevers though keep coming and going. For the first few days I was treating them with Goody's BC's but I decided to stop incase that was prolonging recovery and just double sweatered, blanketed, turned heat up to 80*F and rested until I sweated. On Thursday, I ended up having the following items delivered to me: SourSop, Ginger, Tumeric, Garlic, Black & Cayenne Pepper, Manuka Honey, Orange Juice and made a smoothie out of that and had a few cups. That night I felt like hell. I'd have to drink about 5 - 6 cups of water, then rest for about 2 hours, sweat, wake up feeling dry as a bone, drink another 5 - 6 cups of water, rest another 2 hours, sweat, wake up.. ..rinse and repeat.. the following Friday morning, I just suddenly felt normal again. Felt like I was never sick at all.. ..I was thinking it was over, but that Friday evening the fevers came back and it was a repeat of Thursday night.. Saturday (today) I feel sick still, still fighting fevers and doubling sweaters and running the heat like crazy.

My job doesn't really know that I am sick and I am trying to avoid taking a day off (working remotely) as I already took time off for the Holiday that they really needed me in for and I'm pretty backlogged. They are paranoid because they had a few remote workers go awol and missing, never heard from them again and had to replace them. I was thinking of seeing a doctor but I'm not sure they can really do anything for this unless it becomes life threatening?

We were also in NYC for Thanksgiving before returning to Austin. My daughter's band performed in the Macy's parade. The band was dropping like flies. The doctor that travels with the band brought flu tests, and they were all testing positive for Flu type A. She was calling in prescriptions for Xofluza and on about day 2, she literally couldn't find a pharmacy in all of Manhattan that had any left. So, yeah, it's going around.

[Need4Camaro]

Fever and Migraine was almost unbearable tonight so I went to the ER just incase and I tested positive for Covid. They told me my vital signs / oxygen levels / lungs were good. Just got to wait it out I guess.