I have never gone to the doctor when I had a flu. If it had lasted more than one or two days, or if I had a temperature higher than 102, then I would have gone.

I have never gone to the doctor when I had a flu. If it had lasted more than one or two days, or if I had a temperature higher than 102, then I would have gone. But as it was, nobody ever knew that I had the flu except myself and my family. Then perhaps you didn't have strictly the flu, but some other viral upper respiratory tract infection instead. It is hard to judge from symptoms alone (which is why lab confirmations are required for diagnosis), but as a general rule of thumb influenza A infections in adults tend to be much more severe and long lasting than what you describe [1], with distinctively higher malaise, fever and incapacitation than your regular winter cold. It is so debilitating that you probably would have gone to the doctor in any case, I would guess. [1] http://www.influenzareport.com/ir/cp.htm http://www.influenzareport.com/ir/cp.htm