Malaise

Tweet I've had plenty of bouts of food poisoning and stomach viruses, but never have I had something as sustaining as what I am recovering from just now. It is stomach-related and appears to be a mixture of virus, bacteria and parasite.

Malaise is probably one of the best words to describe this feeling -- feeling terribly uncomfortable -- just plain lousy, but unable to pinpoint it.  In my case, all roads led to my stomach.

It started about three weeks ago with diarrhea and nausea -- next came exhaustion, then a short-lived high-fever, more nausea, more diarrhea  -- and all along the way -- a serious lack of appetite -- which led to a loss of five kilos (11 pounds). Not bad if you are trying to lose weight, but your social life is limited to remaining a few paces from the toilet.

Today, most of the symptoms have gone -- thanks to a variety of medicines and visits to a couple of doctors -- still -- the appetite -- not what it used to be --  which is not such a bad thing.