# Is there Any Way to Tell Strep Throat From The Flu?



## clovis (May 13, 2002)

I think I have strep throat.

It is going around, it seems.

It feels like I have the flu....I feel awful.

Is there any way to tell, without going to the doctor???

I don't want to spend the money seeing a doctor if I have the flu, and not Strep throat.

One of the most frustrating times in my life was when a doctors office convinced me to come in, "because you dont sound like you have what is going around". The rip-off doctor spent 2 minutes with me, and said that I had the flu..."nothing I can do for you", then charged me $75 for the diagnosis!!!!! 

Thanks in advance!
Clove


----------



## suburbanite (Jul 27, 2006)

Clovis--

what are your symptoms.

For flu, a doctor can offer you:

amantadine or rimantidine
and/or
tamiflu or relenza

These drugs can reduce the severity of symptoms and shorten your duration of illness.

For strep throat, your doctor can offer you:

any one of a variety of antibiotics effective against strep.

Either one of these interventions is best started less than 48 hours after onset of symptoms. For flu this is because it won't dent the duration of illness if started later. For strep, this is to avoid later complications such as scarlet fever or rheumatic fever (which can damage heart valves) if allowed to go untreated too long.


----------



## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Sometimes with Strep you will get white-ish dots in the back of your throat. That might help you tell the difference.


----------



## clovis (May 13, 2002)

My symptoms:

Sore throat, aching and sore body, sinus problems, I feel like junk!!!!

Clove


----------



## clovis (May 13, 2002)

Okay. 
I will try to check for the white-ish dots. Going to be hard to do in the mirror.

Clove


----------



## Becca65 (Jul 13, 2005)

The doctor i work for doesn't give much if you have the flu, unless theres something else going on like Pneumonia..

When I had Strep, I knew i had it.. I felt awful!! I was running a 104 fever, throat was so sore i couldn't swallow and felt like my throat was closing up on me.. glands were like golf balls.. I had a headache, and sick to my stomach vomiting.. it was awful.. 

I know the Flu has similiar symptoms but with the flu you usually have the upper respiratory symptoms going on too, coughing.. fever. some vomiting and diarrhea. 
Hope you feel better, but you'll need antibiotics if it's strep.


----------



## wildhorse (Oct 22, 2006)

It may be that your sinuses are draining and giving you a sore throat.


----------



## Becca65 (Jul 13, 2005)

Yes pus pockets in the back of the throat thats a big indication too!


----------



## clovis (May 13, 2002)

Thank you so much!!!

You all are helping confirm that I need to go see a doctor.


----------



## frugalwilady (May 24, 2005)

Clove,I'm so sorry your feeling bad! DD gets strep 4x a yr and I'm an expert at symptoms...Do you have a fever?! Fever usually within 24 hrs. of onset, have someone look at the roof of your mouth at the back of your throat, there will be little red spots that look like pin pricks, white blisters and mucus. If these are present go get antibiotics. Then for comfort, gargle w/ 1 tsp. salt in 8 oz.warm H2O every 2 hrs, use saline nasal spray to help sinuses(goss,but works great!), drink warm fluids, it helps thin the mucus, and keep hydrated. Hope you feel better!


----------



## BaronsMom (May 22, 2005)

Yes - go to the doctor! DD had strep symptoms and turned out not to have strep but a severe bacterial infection...very serious.


----------



## Jolly (Jan 8, 2004)

Doesn't sound like Strep, if you have nasal involvement. With strep, you get the high fever, malaise, the knife in the throat feeling, but generally not a runny nose or congestion.


----------



## clovis (May 13, 2002)

I dont know if I have had a fever or not. It is hard for me to tell. 

I dont have a fever now.

I remember being really hot on Sunday, but I have some other health issues that make it difficult to maintain body temps...in other words, I tend to have hot flashes. (Yes, I am a guy that has hot flashes, lasting a few minutes or half a day.) 

Clove


----------



## frugalwilady (May 24, 2005)

No thermometer?! With health problems? :nono: Get one!!! Did anyone look at your throat yet? Remember that if you wait, symptoms are worse at night, so see if you feel better tomorrow early afternoon. You can certainly use those home remedies without seeing Dr 1st. Can you take OTC meds, like Ibuprofen or Tylenol(better choice with upset stomache)? If you can, take the recommended dosage every 4-6 hrs will help w/ body aches, keep up the schedule for a day or 2 so your body has a steady amnt in it to avoid ups and downs in ache level. If you are running a temp it will help w/ that too.

Keep us posted, nothing brings out the mother hen in me like someone who's sick! If you were at my house I'd have you down on the couch covered w/ a quilt, dosed w/ home remedies,tea, and OTC meds! Oh, don't forget the "sick" table w/ a cold drink, a clean hanky, light reading, and in the kitchen homemade soup on the stove, jello in the fridge, and fruit juice pops in the freezer! I take it seriously when my family is sick, but they seem to get better fast, too!


----------



## TC (Jun 22, 2005)

I get strep about 2 times a year, since I was 2 years old. I know instantly. You will get a very high fever. Your throat is so sore, you literally can not even drink without almost yelling in pain, no kidding. You can feel your swollen glands on the outside of your neck. If someone asks you how you feel, throat is number one, fever is two....nothing else will matter at that point.

Mine comes on so suddenly that I sometimes progress to scarlet fever , if I can't get to a doctor in time.


----------



## clovis (May 13, 2002)

Okay, I just checked my temp. Normal as can be.

I have a sore throat, but it is not really that bad. A minor irritation.

The glands in my neck feel a little swollen, but nothing major.

Sinus drainage is clear.

Again, thank you all so much!!!!!!

Clove


----------



## Heidi's_Goats (Mar 21, 2007)

Influenza symptoms: sinus congestion, chest congestion (coughing up green phlegm or nothing), incontinence and chest pain from coughing, whole body hurting, fever higher than 102, throat so sore you may be spitting up blood and you can't walk because you feel so weak. You can only be treated with Tami-flu or any of the other drugs if you receive them within 48 hours of symptom onset.

My mother-in-law had to come over for 1 week because I couldn't take care of my children. It took over 3 weeks before I felt "normal". In AK people who had the flu shot are still getting influenza. Most people had to go to the ER because of the symptoms.

Strep Throat: very sore throat, white patches on tonsils and/or back of throat and high grade fever. I learned about 2 years ago that if you've had previous strep throat, that cottage-cheesy stuff that I cough up, is old/dead bacteria. Yuck!


----------



## BaronsMom (May 22, 2005)

NOW DS HAS IT! The doctor told us my DD's infection wasn't contagious, but DS went to the doctor today because he hasn't been able to get rid of a bad cough. Same thing...bacterial infection requiring antibiotics.

I know I mentioned it before, but even the doctor thought DD had strep until they ran the test and it was negative for it. Her symptoms were high fever - 103.8 F (bad for a 17 year old). Severe sore throat (she couldn't hardly eat or drink), sore glands, white spots, cheezy ick in the back of her throat, pussed up tonsils, coated tongue - and she felt horrible. 

The doctor did say they were seeing an upswing in strep going around again - but in our case, something else nasty...


----------



## Jenn (Nov 9, 2004)

BaronsMom said:


> NOW DS HAS IT! The doctor told us my DD's infection wasn't contagious, but DS went to the doctor today because he hasn't been able to get rid of a bad cough. Same thing...bacterial infection requiring antibiotics.
> 
> I know I mentioned it before, but even the doctor thought DD had strep until they ran the test and it was negative for it. Her symptoms were high fever - 103.8 F (bad for a 17 year old). Severe sore throat (she couldn't hardly eat or drink), sore glands, white spots, cheezy ick in the back of her throat, pussed up tonsils, coated tongue - and she felt horrible.
> 
> The doctor did say they were seeing an upswing in strep going around again - but in our case, something else nasty...


Maybe mononucleosis. Big concern if this is it, is to avoid contact sports for a few months to avoid spleen rupture (deadly) if spleen's enlarged. If you have health coverage might want confirmation of mono or at least a spleen (size) check before letting your kids return to full sports with any risk of abdominal trauma (like even soccer or baseball if hit by a ball). If not take very seriously any stomach pain after even mild trauma in next few months.


----------



## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

The worst sore throat I ever had was when I had mono. High fever, feel like crap, no energy to even get out of bed. I've had strep 3 times (confirmed cases, may have had it more) with just a scratchy throat and no other symptoms. We have to look for spotty tonsils because the kids don't have symptoms until they've had it a while. Ds doesn't even get a fever. With the flu you usually get over it pretty quick, 2 or 3 days before starting to feel better. Anything longer than that and around here you go to the doctor.


----------

