Any thoughts on what this could be? Does it just sound like a stomach virus? Hard to get to a doctor because we are getting a ton of snow?

[Anonymous]

My boyfriend vomited twice early this morning. He also keeps saying his body hurts everywhere so badly. And he has a really awful headache. Im mainly concerned because he even said it hurts to breathe. He's been feeling like this since about 5am and it's now 11. Should I be worried? He's trying to stay hydrated but drinking makes him nauseous. He wasn't able to lay down earlier because if he did it made him feel sick. He was able to lay down starting about an hour ago and has gotten some sleep but still feels just as terrible. Any thoughts? Does it sound like just a virus? He said he's never felt this bad before which worries me. Is there anything I should try to do? Any thoughts will be appreciated!

[Anonymous]

With the nausea and body aches it sounds like the flu, I recently had some respiratory stuff going on and it's lasted a week and I still got a nasty cough and chest and back hurt where my lungs are. The best thing I found that helped especially with the breathing was I'd sit in the bathroom and run the hot water and just breath the steamy air and I'd take lots of baths. I would always get very hot and sweaty but was from the fever. The steam will help his lungs but the rest Tylenol will help with fever and body aches as well as the baths should help body aches, needs to sleep and get plenty of rest and drink fluids and maybe eat things like fruits and some juices to help. Does he have a recliner or some pillows he could prop himself up with? When I drink and get sick I can't lay down because it makes me sick so I know how he feels with that just gotta try and stay upright best he can.

[snowangle]

Can you take his temperature? If he has a fever, that would explain the body aches.

Anyway, I'm not sure. It sounds worse than your average stomach bug, and way worse than your average food poisoning. My advice is to just keep an eye on him and tell him to keep trying to stay hydrated. If there's no improvement or gets worse, take him to urgent care, say, around 4-5pm.

[abc3643]

He could have stomach flu or food poisoning. Take his temperature and make sure he drinks water or clear liquids. Keep him warm. If he has to take a shit, DO NOT FLUSH IT. Instead, notice if he has diarrhea. (I don't remember having diarrhea when I had stomach flu, but I did when I had food poisoning). If his temperature is about 103 or higher, see a doctor.

[abc3643]

Also, when he shits, smell it. I don't know how to explain it, but if he has diarrhea, it may seem a bit yellowish green. That likely means there is bile from his liver. When I had food poising, the way I was shitting convinced me that I knew what it was like to piss like a girl. I basically squirted bile and water from my anus into a cup given to me by doctors. It stank of bile and had that color. They then checked the sample and verified I had Campylobacter bacteria indicating food poisoning.
www.cdc.gov/.../