whats the actual difference between a cold and the flu

[what..the?]

I have been ill for over a week stuck in bed 4 day stuck at home on sofa the rest, still feel bad, can't breath at all. Had lots of aches and pains/symptoms constant coughing. Bf says I have a cold but a cold doesn't sound right when you've been knocked for six for a week and half?

Is there an actual distinction between cold and flu? Is a flu stomach related?

[EvianBaby]

Have you felt that dying would be preferable to how you feel??? If yes, then you have flu.

Anything else is a stinking cold. :)


(I've never had flu.)

[ummmm]

You can't breath at all??

The flu can kill you...a cold can't.

[vodkancoke]

Whenever i have had flu my bones have ached and I felt as though I had been in a washing machine on the spin cycle!
A cold as far as I am aware can have different intensities (sp?)

Sorry it's not much help.I am sure Dr Sqad will be on and he will be far more literate than me! :)

[ubasses]

Flu will often last 2 or 3 weeks but rarely less than 10 days.

[Anneyelland]

Cold - snuffling, sneezing, coughing, headaches, sore throat etc.
Flu - horrendous aches and pains - practically unable to move - often fever- unwilling to eat.Weakness, all previous symtpmos of a cold.

As previous person said - with flu -you tend to think you may die !

''man flu'' of course - if really just a heavy cold.

[Canary42]

Flu not stomach related.

Suggest you dump unsympathetic b/f.

[McMouse]

Men get colds, women get flu.

[RATTER15]

When you have the flu, even your hair and finger nails ache!!

[what..the?]

yeah i've felt like that esp at night when you can't sleep for choking, sneezing, coughing I have never sneezed so much in my life, i'd just sneeze for hours!

[what..the?]

bf is now getting what I have, I will let him decide :D

[Sqad]

vodka......;-)

[murraymints]

Sqad with Cranberry juice...got to get my 5 in !.....make it a double !

[vodkancoke]

murray, I could be classed as a double! lol ;) x

[boxtops]

There is a huge distinction - if you've ever had flu, you'll know the difference. I've had flu twice in my life and it's completely debilitating, I was laid up for a fortnight, couldn't get out of bed except to go to the loo. My definition is, if there's a tenner on the floor, and you've got a cold, you'll pick it up - if you've got flu, you won't care.

[murraymints]

Vodka...stopping my painting for a cuppa...sould murder a bit of that cake you were going to make !!...

[vodkancoke]

I have mastered making a cuppa on crutches...not yet mastered baking. When I have I will give you a shout lol x

[ladyalex]

Other than theawfulpain, debilitation etc as described by other posters, I found that flu came on very much more quickly than a cold.
In afternoon and early evening I was fine. Then started to feel a bit achey at bedtime. By the next morning I was bedridden and hoping for a swift death.

[islasmum]

If you have flu you really can't be on the computer - you're just too ill to want to post anything on any website! I've had proper flu about three times and honestly felt that death was preferable to living for a good week.