A concerned mother has come forward to detail the five distressing symptoms she and her daughter experienced after contracting what many are calling the super flu. The NHS is currently dealing with an intense flu outbreak, with statistics from December 11 indicating that an average of 2,660 patients per day were hospitalized with flu symptoms last week. This marks a record high for this time of the year and shows a 55% rise compared to the previous week.

Amid this health crisis, thousands of resident doctors have initiated a five-day strike starting on December 17, which is expected to last until December 22.

The mother described her struggle with the illness as being far from trivial, urging others to take all necessary precautions to steer clear of it.

In a Reddit post, she labeled the flu as “horrible” and shared the severe symptoms she endured, which included a fever climbing above 40°C, intense headaches, vomiting copious amounts of phlegm, widespread muscle and bone aches, and a diet restricted to only ice lollies due to a loss of appetite.

She issued a warning: “This flu is no joke! My daughter and I both caught it, and I swear it’s terrible. Make sure to wash your hands, wear a mask, and do whatever it takes to avoid this!”

After experiencing an inability to “look at the light” and struggling to get out of bed, she was sufficiently alarmed to seek hospital care. There, she reportedly spent “12 hours in a chair” awaiting a doctor’s decision on whether to admit her or send her home. She initially contacted the NHS 111 service, who advised her to reach out to her GP.

Her husband drove her to the appointment, where she described her symptoms: “I had to wear sunglasses with my hand shading my eyes the entire time, I couldn’t stay awake. The nurse said my pulse was extremely high, my temp was 40-something (can’t remember) and the photophobic element was making her very twitchy.”

Following further investigations by a doctor, she was advised to go to A&E and was given a referral letter. She explained: “I was referred to a doctor who after more investigations said to go to AandE, and sent me with a letter. Not my choice at all, but they were apparently initially concerned about possible meningitis due to the pulse rate, temps and photophobia.”

Describing the illness, she stated: “It’s not a bad cold, it’s absolutely evil!” A few days later, the mum is “on the mend” but “still sick”.

In response to this “unprecedented flu wave”, the NHS has issued guidance urging “eligible” individuals to consider getting the flu jab as a preventative measure.

Professor Julian Redhead, national medical director for Urgent and Emergency Care, expressed his concerns: “Today’s numbers confirm our deepest concerns: the health service is bracing for an unprecedented flu wave this winter. Cases are incredibly high for this time of year and there is no peak in sight yet.”

He added: “The NHS has prepared earlier for winter than ever before, but despite that we know that ballooning flu cases coinciding with strikes may stretch our staff close to breaking point in the coming weeks.”

If you suspect you have flu or any non-life-threatening ailments, it’s recommended to contact NHS 111 or utilise the 111 online service for advice on managing your symptoms. Reserve 999 calls strictly for emergencies.

Redhead added: “As always, use A&E and 999 for life threatening conditions and serious injuries, and with just a couple of weeks left to ensure maximum immunity from flu for Christmas Day, I urge anyone eligible to come forward to get their jab.”