Can a sunburn cause flu-like symptoms?

GreatBiscuit

Golden but never flaky
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Aug 20, 1999
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Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. Due to an equipment malfunction / numerous beastly circumstances, my 45 min of yard work planned for the weekend turned into 4 hours. I wound up getting too hot and with a pretty nasty sunburn. That night I felt fine, but the next day I was having Flu-like symptoms: Chills/sweats, Severe muscle cramps, extreme fatigue. But I haven't had any of the digestive disorders normally associated with the flu. I can eat / drink with no problems - the only odd thing is that I've been drinking a ton of water the past 3 days and most of is staying in. 3 days later - same symptoms. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this after sun exposure or if I wound up with a Flu strain that ignores the digestive system.
 
I had a case of sunburn years ago that was like that. I went to my doctor because my skin was so bad and it was so painful. What he said was the skin is an organ that helps regulate your temperature. When it is burned like that it can't function to help control your body heat so you get chills and sweats. Muscle cramps and fatigue can be from the dehydration, which if 3 days later you are still sick it sounds like a good case of that. You might get your family doctor to see you and make sure you don't need something stronger than home care.

If it were me, I would drink lots of water and gatorade, take luke warm baths with Aveeno packets in it, and try and keep the skin comfortable and out of the sun. When I saw my doctor he gave me a burn ointment to put on the worst areas. It helped speed the healing process and felt a bunch better.

Hope you feel better soon - the Texas sun can do a number on you! I was out in it too - just was lucky the shady area was where I needed to be working.
 
Absolutely! A few years ago I went to the beach and forgot to put sunblock on my back and ended up with the worst burn of my life. I felt "fluish" for a few days -- not just pain from the burn, but what you describe.

I hope you feel better soon. Get rest and drink lots of fluids.
 
This happened to my DH when we went to the beach in San Diego one june and he didn't use SunScreen. He was so sick. He stayed in bed while we all went to DL. High fever & chills. The next day he was better (not three days :guilty: ). Still sore but no fever or chills. Hope you are felling better soon.
 
Yes...it is called sunpoisoning!

From http://www.drweil.com/u/QA/QA3879/

"Sun poisoning" isn't a medical term. It is an apt layman's description of the symptoms that can accompany a severe sunburn - nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, headache, and in general, feeling pretty sick. You should seek medical attention if you experience these symptoms.

Almost everyone knows what a sunburn's like - your skin turns pink and feels warm to the touch. This can happen with even relatively brief exposure to the sun - as little as 20 minutes can result in a burn if your skin is sensitive. Discomfort from an ordinary sunburn usually peaks within 72 hours. To relieve the "burning," apply cold compresses - a washcloth soaked in cold water should do the trick. You won't get better relief from over-the-counter corticosteroids, so you might as well save your money.

Severe sunburns don't just make you feel sick, they can blister and lead to infections that require medical treatment. Some doctors treat bad burns with steroids, such as prednisone, but the medical community can't agree on whether or not this is necessary.

In addition to the normal risk of overexposure to the sun, some people are photosensitive. They can develop burns, hives, or blisters after only a few minutes in the sun. Sometimes, these reactions are increased by medications, including certain antibiotics, or herbs such as St. John's wort. Photosensitivity reactions can also stem from the interaction of the sun's rays with perfumes, soaps, and other substances on your skin. More seriously, a photosensitivity reaction can also be the first sign of systemic lupus erythematosus, an autoimmune disease.

Of course, there are simple ways to avoid most of these sun-related woes: Stay out of the sun, particularly from about 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., during the months of April through September. When you are in the sun, always use a sunblock with an SPF of 15 or higher. Be sure to apply it at least 20 minutes before going out into the sun, and use about an ounce each time you rub it on. (Reapply sunscreen every two hours.) Choose a sunscreen containing Parsol 1789, an ingredient that provides effective protection against the ultraviolet A rays responsible for permanent sun damage and deep wrinkling, as well as the ultraviolet B rays that cause sunburn and skin cancer.

Andrew Weil, M.D.
 
I got a severe sunburn while in the Bahamas. I had the chills, I was nauseated, no appetite, I could hardly walk. A few days later I blistered up. Yep, I was one sick pup.

Sunburns are serious business. Hope you're feeling better soon!
 
Yes, it is called heat exhaustion.

Heat Exhaustion

Although partly due to exhaustion -- and feeling like exhaustion, as the name implies -- heat exhaustion is also a result of excessive heat and dehydration. The signs of heat exhaustion include paleness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fainting, and a moderately increased temperature (101-102 degrees F) which, in this case, is not truly a fever, but caused by the heat. Rest and water may help in mild heat exhaustion, and ice packs and a cool environment (with a fan blowing at the child) may also help. More severely exhausted patients may need IV fluids, especially if vomiting keeps them from drinking enough.
 
I hope you feel better soon. DH and I went through this a few years ago when we decided to take a road trip to visit his relatives in MI. He had a convertible then and the first day of driving, we had the top down most of the 14 hrs we were on the road. And no sunblock, because we were STUPID and totally forgot to put it on. Man were we burned to a CRISP, let me tell ya. And we had the same symptoms you're describing for a few days afterward.

We learned our lesson REALLY fast after that. Whenever you're in the sun, SUNBLOCK!

TOV
 
Yep, been there, had that. Please take care. :)
 
As a kid I once fell asleep on the beach, and that was before sunscreens. Had a bad fever, chills, flu like.

And Matt, great to see you. Hope all is well. :wave:

One other thing, after having a bad sunburn, even one, make sure to be vigilant as you age for skin cancer, one bad burn can cause sking cancer MANY years later.
 
You might need to get some salt in your system too. A few saltine crackers or drink a sports drink might help to get your system in balance.
 
It is not fun. I feel your pain.
I would also suggest taking your clothes off and covering up with a sheet or lite blanket. You may go though the chills/sweat for several days until your body balances itself back. You do need to drink TONS of water or gatorade and take Tylenol or similar pain relief. If they symptoms don't go away contact your doctor. Sun posioning/sun stroke can be dangerous.
You will also want to keep your skin hydrated over the next week or two. Your skin is also dehydrated and it will tighten up and eventually blister and then peel. Hydration will help it.
 
Like the others have said, yes, it can. Heat Exhaustion, heat frustration, or Sun Sickness, it goes by many names. If you're not better in the morning, please see your doctor.
 
Yep, I had a terrible sunburn like that once. Fell asleep reading a book on the beach, no sunblock, and was so sick I had to be taken to the hospital by a stranger (I literally went blind while waiting for food in a restaurant!). They hooked me up to an IV drip to rehydrate me quickly. It was not pretty.

I had 3 days of pain (would you believe the ER doctor recommended Preparation H for the pain and burning?!), nausea, fever and chills. Blistered like a hot tar roof on a sunny day. Nasty.

Hope you feel better soon! And stay out of the :sunny: for a few days. ;)

PS: It just occured to me as I was hitting Reply. Do you have diabetes in your family? 3 days of feeling sick, then feeling ok, then feeling sick again with huge water intake doesn't really sound that much like sun stroke.
 
Thanks everyone - I appreciate the suggestions and well wishes. Hey DAN! Good to chat w/you again too. I guess I'll just have to tough it out a few more days - I think I will call the doc in morning though and see if there is a speedier road to recovery!
 
Yep, I had sun poisoning from a really bad burn. I ended up going to the Dr when my skin started swelling everywhere I was burned and I passed out. My legs were twice normal size, I was holding onto fluid too. I thought I would get a water pill from the Dr, but nope he gave me an antibiotic. I had to keep my legs elevated at work, propped on a box under my desk. Anyway, it's not to be dismissed lightly, see the Dr if you don't get better soon. Good luck.
 












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