This Is How Long It Takes to Recover From the ‘Super Flu,’ According to Doctors

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It’s one thing to hear about cases of the so-called “super flu” skyrocketing in the country, but it’s another to actually deal with it. If you’ve recently experienced the flu, you may be wondering when you’ll feel like yourself again. Unfortunately, doctors say it can take time.

The flu can cause uncomfortable symptoms like fever, cough, and sore throat when you’re initially sick, but you may also be sidelined with lingering fatigue and generally feeling off after your original symptoms have cleared. “Once influenza grabs you, it can hold onto you for a longer period of time than the acute illness,” William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, tells SELF.

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Okay, but why? And, ballpark, how long are we talking about here? This is how long it takes to recover from the “super flu,” according to doctors, plus what you can do to speed up your recovery.

The flu is no joke right now.

The flu has always been a potentially serious illness. But the strain of the flu that’s circulating right now—which is called subclade K—is a strong version of the virus that is better at evading the previous immunity you might have, whether it’s from the flu vaccine or having had other versions of the flu. As a result, more people are vulnerable to getting infected and feeling horrible for longer than usual when they get sick.

It’s too early to have data on how long most people are sick with subclade K, but Dr. Schaffner says he’s heard anecdotes of this strain causing illness that lasts longer than your typical flu. “The dominant strain out there is part of the H3N2 family, and that usually causes more severe illness,” he says.

You can expect to be laid up for a while with this flu.

It’s tough for doctors to say exactly how long it will take for you to feel better when you have the flu, given that things like your individual immune response and underlying health conditions come into play. But there is a ballpark that you can expect.

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“While the acute symptoms such as fever might abate in a few days, fatigue and [feeling off] may persist for a week or longer,” Amesh A. Adalja, MD, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, tells SELF. There are a few reasons for this. “The virus sets up an inflammatory response—that’s how the body fights off the virus,” Dr. Schaffner says. But after the initial illness starts to fade, that inflammation can keep going and continue to fuel symptoms like a sore throat, dry cough, and just generally feeling lousy, he says. “That undoubtedly can last for a while,” Dr. Schaffner says.

Being dehydrated and moving less than usual (because you’re not feeling great) can also slow down the recovery process, Dr. Adalja says. There’s even something called long influenza syndrome that some people experience, he points out. (Think long COVID, but with the flu.)

Even though early data suggests that this year’s flu vaccine isn’t as effective at preventing the flu, Dr. Adalja says that being vaccinated is likely to help you recover faster.

There are a few ways you can speed up your recovery time.

If you didn’t get your flu shot, there’s no reason to harp on it—that won’t help you now. But regardless of your vaccination status, doctors say there are a few things you can do to try to speed up your recovery time or at least feel better while you ride things out.

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The first is to ask your healthcare provider about taking an antiviral treatment like oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or baloxavir marboxil (Xofluza). “If you start an antiviral early, it reduces the severity of the illness,” Dr. Schaffner says.

There is a caveat to keep in mind that your healthcare provider may flag: Oseltamivir can cause “fairly prominent” side effects like nausea and vomiting, Dr. Schaffner says. “Pediatricians are a little more careful about that,” he says. “But for people in high-risk groups for severe disease, including older persons, those who are immune compromised, and those who are pregnant, we unhesitantly recommend using the medication.”

Beyond that, both doctors agree that staying well hydrated is crucial. “Make sure you keep up with your fluids,” Dr. Schaffner says. “If you let yourself get dehydrated, you’re more likely to get pneumonia.” Not only that, being well hydrated will keep your mucus membranes moist and make it easier to get out nasal discharge, making you feel less stuffy, Dr. Schaffner says.

While Dr. Adalja says you don’t want to overexert yourself when you’re in the initial phase of being sick, moving once you’re in the recovery phase is important. “Sit up, walk around, and start moving as much as possible,” Dr. Schaffner says. “Your body will appreciate that.” At the same time, he stresses the importance of getting a good night’s sleep to give your body plenty of opportunity to rest and recover.

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But while you’re doing all of that, it’s important to keep flu complications like pneumonia on the back burner. “If a person has unremitting fever, shortness of breath, or extreme fatigue that prohibits them from performing their activities of daily living, they should see a medical provider,” Dr. Adalja says. (Dr. Schaffner also recommends being on the lookout for yellow or green phlegm—this can be a sign of pneumonia too.)

“If you’re more than a week out from the acute illness and you’re not getting better or even feeling worse, it’s time to contact your doctor,” Dr. Schaffner says. But if you feel like you’re getting better—just at a slower pace than you’d hope—he recommends being patient. The flu is a serious illness, and recovery can take time.

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Originally Appeared on Self