Flu Anyone?

[CC]

Just wondering if others have had it any how bad?

I got it and knocked me out of 3 days at work . Had fever for all that time now pretty weak but back at the terminal.

Bad enough to miss a game for me. No way to tell if it was the piggy flu. They want 200$ to tell you that.

[caneshockeychick]

I know 2 people who've had it, my co-worker (and friend) and her son. She's still out of work, has been all week. It was the piggy flu for the both of them.

I've been lucky so far and have no intentions of getting any shots so..........we'll see. Of course, with all the hand wiping and use of wipes at the HT, my hands are about as rough as sandpaper and are peeling.

Get well!!!

[Canesluver]

We just got word last night that one of our cast members of A Christmas Carol.... our cast 0f 74 adults and children ..... has just been diagnosed w/the H1N1 flu.

Now.. the waiting game begins to see if anybody else gets sick..

:(

[superdave]

Just wondering if others have had it any how bad?

I got it and knocked me out of 3 days at work . Had fever for all that time now pretty weak but back at the terminal.

Bad enough to miss a game for me. No way to tell if it was the piggy flu. They want 200$ to tell you that.

You're a pig and you have the flu, therefore you have piggy flu. Give me my $200.

[CC]

You're a pig and you have the flu, therefore you have piggy flu. Give me my $200.

Sounds like you have bought into health care reform. I will send the 200$ to the UN for you.

LOL

[caneshockeychick]

So, if you wake up looking like this....................



http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/caneshockeychick/Swineflu.jpg


Don't go to work, don't go to hockey games, don't go out period.

Yep...you got the Swine Flu!!!!!!!!


:laugh:

[kermelbar]

Can we call it the Stormy Flu? :)

So far, I don't think I know anyone who has had it, but it seems various things have been going through my circle of friends and co-workers -- stomach bugs, colds, the plain ol' flu, etc. I'm current battling either a sinus thing or a cold.

[cmw00]

Its been fairly heavy around Winston apparently. I was "sick" for a couple days about 3 weeks ago. I started out with a scratchy throat, then I got achy all over and started running a temp. That was a Monday evening to Wednsday morning in total length. Almost as fast as it came it was all gone. However congestion stayed around for a couple weeks later almost.

The scratchy throat could have also been atrributed to the Appetite for Destruction show I went to the Saturday night before.

[cmw00]

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j187/caneshockeychick/Swineflu.jpg


ITS A PIG MAN!!!

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IG81Bvyzi6w&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IG81Bvyzi6w&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[superdave]

ITS A PIG MAN!!!

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IG81Bvyzi6w&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IG81Bvyzi6w&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

That Seinfeld episode was the first thing I thought of when I saw that pic.

Oh, and cc, I'm still waiting for the $200 for the diagnosis.

[Kat]

Its been fairly heavy around Winston apparently. I was "sick" for a couple days about 3 weeks ago. I started out with a scratchy throat, then I got achy all over and started running a temp. That was a Monday evening to Wednsday morning in total length. Almost as fast as it came it was all gone. However congestion stayed around for a couple weeks later almost.

The scratchy throat could have also been atrributed to the Appetite for Destruction show I went to the Saturday night before.

I have had something fairly similar this week. Not awful and I only missed about a half day of work (for a myriad of reasons missing work this week was NOT an option).

From Monday through yesterday... scratchy throat, low-grade congestion, low-grade fever, aches. It seems to be mostly gone now.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

I guess I'm skeptical of almost anyone who claims to/is told they have H1N1 who isn't hospitalized.

Like CC mentioned, it would cost you a LOT to get tested for it and by the time the results came back you'd be almost over it. We can't even get the test back at my hospital for a few days. If anyone tells you they went to their doctor and they told them they have H1N1.....its pretty unlikely that that was confirmed. The MD was probably just guessing.

A co-worker was told she had it Tuesday and was given Tamiflu. On Wednesday her symptoms were much worse and were not indicative of the flu at all so she went to a different doctor.....who did appropriate labs and discovered she had strep throat, which requires an antibiotic. An antiviral for a strep bacterial infection can lead to some complications, too.

There is a TON of nasty crap going around.

[livinthedream]

Well, H1N1 or otherwise, any kind of flu is never fun and can get dangerous so wise not to ignore it.

I'm a big advocate of flu shots. My job involves travel so I'm in airplanes, hotels, or hospitals a good portion of my time, plus I have a kid in elementary school and an after school program. I'm probably a human petri dish. Seems like every two or three weeks I feel chills and body aches and sore throat coming on, but somehow miraculously it hasn't materialized into anything more so far. I really think flu shots are probably the only thing that saves me.

I know a ton of folks who have been sick lately. You're right SHC there is a ton of crap going around.

NOTE TO ALL - Don't breathe on any hockey players please!

[Alicia]

NOTE TO ALL - Don't breathe on any hockey players please!Or any of your disabled friends. Thanks! :)

[sandstorm]

My son missed the whole week of school last week. Piggy Flu. My husband started the symptoms and called his Doc immediately. Both went on Tamiflu. My poor son , however, had a sinus and ear infection to boot. The Kid was feeling better by thursday, school said stay away for the rest of the week. He told me the whole band was sick last week. He is not in band, but has a class in the band room. I never even got a sniffle!

[Shell]

I guess I'm skeptical of almost anyone who claims to/is told they have H1N1 who isn't hospitalized.

Like CC mentioned, it would cost you a LOT to get tested for it and by the time the results came back you'd be almost over it. We can't even get the test back at my hospital for a few days. If anyone tells you they went to their doctor and they told them they have H1N1.....its pretty unlikely that that was confirmed. The MD was probably just guessing.

A co-worker was told she had it Tuesday and was given Tamiflu. On Wednesday her symptoms were much worse and were not indicative of the flu at all so she went to a different doctor.....who did appropriate labs and discovered she had strep throat, which requires an antibiotic. An antiviral for a strep bacterial infection can lead to some complications, too.

There is a TON of nasty crap going around.

Can you please elaborate???? We just got back from the doctor, where they did a flu test. Cole and Ryan both came back positive for strain A, and since it is not time for seasonal flu yet, they said that it meant H1N1.

They also gave Cole a strep test which came back positive so they did prescribe Tamiflu and an anti-biotic. Are you saying that it isn't safe for him to take both Angie??? I have it as well, and my doc did not do a flu test but did test for strep, which was negative so he gave me Tamiflu as well.
Poor kid isn't even a day off of chickenpox, and now has strep and flu.

[cmw00]

^ Yeah somebody on TV here said that almost all of the "flu" cases in NC are H1N1.

The thing that gets me is that it doesn't seem any more dangerous than "regular" flu. I haven't figured out all the hype about it yet.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

They also gave Cole a strep test which came back positive so they did prescribe Tamiflu and an anti-biotic. Are you saying that it isn't safe for him to take both Angie??? I have it as well, and my doc did not do a flu test but did test for strep, which was negative so he gave me Tamiflu as well.
Poor kid isn't even a day off of chickenpox, and now has strep and flu.

Didn't mean to scare you.....as long as you have the antibiotic too with strep, you're fine. Untreated strep can progress to Scarlet Fever. With the antibiotic on-board, you're fine.


Last season, H1N1 wasn't as bad as the regular flu (most of the time). Usually, it gains in severity for the second season (after it hits the southern hemisphere and picks up some extra virulence) but its possible that it hasn't really picked up steam yet.

The only real difference in H1N1 and "regular" flu is that it's something your body has never seen anything like so, you have less natural immunity therefore it spreads faster. It's not necessarily more severe. The hype is because since its a totally new strain younger people will have a stronger immune reaction and may actually have a worse illness with it than the old/very young who we usually see with flu complications. Plus, we didn't have a vaccine before...what....last week? The regular flu could kill half of us every year if we didn't have a vaccine.

Most of the actual flu right now probably is H1N1 but I wouldn't agree that we haven't seen any seasonal flu yet. We've definitely had cases at Wake.

[VandyCane]

Shell, if your child tested positive for Type A flu than there's a 99% chance it is H1N1. If you look at North Carolina Surveillance Site data the only flu that was been seen in NC since late May is H1N1 (a few scattered Type B cases). Those sites are the only places, other than hospitals, that can have viruses subtyped. It does stand to reason though that since that is the only virus seen in NC and really across the nation that we can make an educated guess that a positive Type A is H1N1. Now when seasonal flu starts to show up again, then we will have no way of knowing which is which when we have a positive Type A on the rapid tests. I am not looking forward to those days.

On a personal level, my oldest was sick with it 2 weeks ago. Since she has asthma she was put on Tamiflu within 12 hours of onset of symptoms and was afebrile within 24 hrs of starting the medicine. We kept her away from everyone for a full 3-4 days just in case. Luckily the rest of the family avoided it. We had some sore throat and aching but not the 103+ fever she had.

Edit:Here's the link to the week by week data with the latest update being 10/3/09:
http://www.flu.ncdhhs.gov/epi/gcdc/fluisolates2009.html

[Shell]

ok, thanks guys!! The flu is definitely hardest on the baby. Last night was pretty bad. I didn't sleep at all because I was monitoring him. Even with the Motrin, he was running at about 104 with very loud breathing. I thought for sure we would be heading in but his fever broke at 6:30 and he was completely normal. Now he is back to a temp, just not as high. It's hard to tell with Cole since he has strep too. As for me, I definitely feel awful but probably not as bad as normal flu (hard to say since I never get it).

[SouthernHockeyChick]

And, how did I know my flippant attitude about the H1N1 hype would bite me in the a**? Just developed a fever and horrible cough over night and woke up feeling like refried death and have now had my own physician make the educated guess of H1N1 (she did say that her rapid flus have been about 60-40 A to B, interestingly enough....lucky me, I got an A)....and decide my fever and heart rate were enough to warrant the Tamiflu script. Fantastic.

[caniac369]

Kaitlyn and I went and got flu shots Friday evening since we are traveling this weekend (the 1 time in the last 10 years I didn't get a flu shot I was sick every other month). I wasn't going to worry about getting the H1N1 vac for her but they said it would likely be available when she goes in for her checkup at the end of this month so I figured what the hell, might as well get it for her if it's there.

[caneshockeychick]

And, how did I know my flippant attitude about the H1N1 hype would bite me in the a**? Just developed a fever and horrible cough over night and woke up feeling like refried death and have now had my own physician make the educated guess of H1N1 (she did say that her rapid flus have been about 60-40 A to B, interestingly enough....lucky me, I got an A)....and decide my fever and heart rate were enough to warrant the Tamiflu script. Fantastic.

You too? Not that I know its actually "flu" yet. I couldn't get to my dr till tomorrow am...currently sipping Theraflue and popping Ibuproben.

We'll see.

I have a scratchy throat too though.

[Shell]

well, we were back at the pediatrician today. Ryan's flu is now flu, bronchitis, double eye infection, and his first ear infection. Tomorrow is his first birthday, happy birthday to him :(

[Shell]

question for the pharamcists in here: do you have to finish out the flu meds like antibiotics or can you stop when you feel better? Thanks!

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Finish them.

[shill22]

Shell-happy birthday to the little one-sorry he has to be sick. I had a BAD case of the chicken pox on my 8th birthday-I remember all too well-even tho it was many years ago! hope he gets better soon!

[caneshockeychick]

Shell, sorry to hear about the little one. Hope he gets better soon. I've been sick on my bday before and it was no fun. Of course, I was probably 6 or 7 but still, hard to get excited.

As for me, I tested positive for the flu today. Tamiflu, Tussenex, Crackers and Gatorade. Yippee!!

[ButtersSaysNo]

Shell, sorry to hear about the little one. Hope he gets better soon. I've been sick on my bday before and it was no fun. Of course, I was probably 6 or 7 but still, hard to get excited.

As for me, I tested positive for the flu today. Tamiflu, Tussenex, Crackers and Gatorade. Yippee!!

Go visit the Pens hotel and give them all hugs (and the flu).

[caneshockeychick]

^hmmm...wonder where they'll dine tonight. I am right around the corner from Crabtree....PF Changs anyone?;)

[livinthedream]

LOL go hang out in the lobby of the Renaissance at North Hills. Just don't go to Five Guys. Don't want you breathing on any Finns.

[superdave]

My wife had to stay home from work today because she has the classic flu symptoms minus the fever. She teaches 5th grade so she works in a cespool of germs. If she passes it to me before tomorrow's game there may be trouble. Tomorrow is my fall Ferris Bueller's Day Off where a friend and I take off all day, go to the pregame skate, and tailgate all day. Fun on a weekday but not so much with the flu.

[Kat]

I had the fever, chills, and overally achy meh feeling all of last week. As I spent quite a bit of time with CHC between the two Friday games and a Sunday laptop resurrection, I imagine that I probably had it too.

Due to a rather large upheaval at work lately, I just wasn't able to do anything but truck on feeling like a$$.

Thankfully, after sleeping most of the weekend I feel much better today. :)

[superdave]

My wife had to stay home from work today because she has the classic flu symptoms minus the fever. She teaches 5th grade so she works in a cespool of germs. If she passes it to me before tomorrow's game there may be trouble. Tomorrow is my fall Ferris Bueller's Day Off where a friend and I take off all day, go to the pregame skate, and tailgate all day. Fun on a weekday but not so much with the flu.

Wow, I guess I really am self-centered and selfish, but she wouldn't want me to miss the game and my day off.

She is doing a little better. I don't think she has the flu since she still isn't running any fever, but she still feels like ass.

[caneshockeychick]

I'm sick of being sick now. Waking up this A.M. was the worst. I thought my head was going to explode.

Really wanting this to be over and why is it so dang cold outside?

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Hang in there CHC. It's supposed to be about a three-dayer. I think my second day was the worst. I started late Sunday night and I'm today finally feeling well enough to take a shower without almost passing out. I think the fever broke last night. Maybe you won't have too much longer!

The headache with this thing really is something else, isn't it? Add the cough to the headache and I'm starting to understand why my MD wrote for Tylenol #3!

Hope everyone feels better. And if you're sick...STAY THE HELL HOME FROM WORK until your fever is gone at least. As I mentioned, what's bad about this thing is how contagious it is. You might be OK but the person you infect who has a relative at home with MS or something will be a different story.

[puck_it]

same can be said in an arena of 18,000. thats the place i'm nervous about catching it from.

and the game is in HD :)

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Yep. Lucky me that I'll be 24 hours out from a fever (which is the CDC recommendation and the threshold for returning to work at my hospital) and can make my game or no game decision based solely on how I feel!

Friday night, when I felt fine, is probably when I was spreading it around at the game. Incubation isn't too long, though....wonder if I got it at the game.

[puck_it]

im not worried about you, you're in opposite snooterville :lol:

[Canesluver]

Friday night, when I felt fine, is probably when I was spreading it around at the game. Incubation isn't too long, though....wonder if I got it at the game.

SO glad I didn't hug ya when I saw you on the concourse!!

:p

[caneshockeychick]

I think my fever finally broke this evening. I haven't felt the chills like I was for the past 2 days and this morn. I think I'm just gonna wait and see how I feel in the morning.

Head still hurts and I'm still a little "achy" in places so I don't know. Off to bed...again.

[nccanes]

Can I ask those of you with the flu what your initial symptoms are/were?

I've only had the flu once in my life and it was awful. I woke up in the middle of the night knowing I ached everywhere and was running a fever. I only made it from the bed/couch and back for 3 straight days and ended up throwing up on day 2 somewhere.

Given that that was 1988, I thought I'd ask if the flus that are making the rounds now are the same. I turned on my heat this morning and thought my runny nose/sneezing was related to that (I have allergies and thought the heat/dust in the system was causing the irritation) but now I have general cold symptoms. I presume it's just a cold, but thought it worth asking.

[livinthedream]

I always know it's the flu when my skin hurts and my hair hurts.

[kermelbar]

I haven't had the flu in 7 1/2 years (*knocks on Joni's head* ;)) -- and I've never had the flu shot. The last time I had it, it started with an ungodly backache. I was at work and found an empty office to lay down and try to find some relief -- stretch out a muscle, take pressure off, whatever. The next day, I woke up hurting all over and, IIRC, with a fever.

[caneshockeychick]

For me, it started Sunday with a scratchy throat and general tiredness. I started getting the chills at HT that night.

[nccanes]

Thanks for the feedback!

^^Your post reminds me of another barometer of being "sick"....when I realize that I can't hold my head up with only my neck muscles and find myself propping my head up leaning on my hand/elbow on my desk......and typing really slowly with 1 hand, lol.

[Kat]

E, I am not sure I had the flu this time or not... to me, though, cold is more congestive symptoms, whereas flu is more really tired, fevery, with body aches and chills.

Also, a cold for me usually only has the sore throat on the first day where the flu has the sore throat pretty much until I feel better.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Symptoms of the flu vary a lot person to person and H1N1 varies by severity greatly. And some folks with H1N1 aren't even getting a fever at all. Good example....I didn't have a sore throat at all. Irritated so I was coughing, but not sore.

I've only had the flu once before. This time, I felt perfectly fine Sunday until I started getting some very mild chest congestion and a cough around 9pm. The cough worsened through the night and by the time I got up, I felt like I'd been hit by a truck. Chills, cough, headache, achey all over, fever. The headache was the defining feature of this one for me. The cough was next worse. Head congestion has been very minimal---I'm not sure there's any additional over my baseline allergy/sinue issues.

To me, the number one way I know I have the flu is that there is no coming on slowly. I might have some very mild symptom and think I have a minor cold and then BAM I wish I was dead. It has hit me like a Mack truck with instant severe illness both times.

It looks like Mr SHC has it now (fever of 101.8 this morning) and he felt perfectly fine all day yesterday but noticed his throat was tight and scratchey on his way home from work.


I went in to work for about 6 hours today and it was pure hell. Then, I find out that because I dragged myself in to prepare my superiors for a meeting and not leave them in a lurch, I will be penalized if I don't come in tomorrow (when I have no meetings or deadlines to meet) by having it count as two un-excused absences. It probably won't matter because I never get close to my max but who knows what might happen over the next twelve months! My father has some health issues that are flaring up lately and who knows what time I might need off for him. I'm really pretty pissed about it. I'll just leave them to figure it out themselves next time, I guess.

[Alicia]

Don't think I had the flu, but I woke up last Tuesday (13th) with minor bowel issues & tiredness. By that evening I was throwing up & had to be ambulanced to the hospital...just got home last night. Everything was wonky, from my O2 saturation being in the 80's to my potassium level being too low. Constant nausea that even the drug given to cancer patients & Marinol(?) wasn't touching it. Still don't know what was going on, just glad to be over the worst of it & back home.

[Canesluver]

Glad to know you're feeling better. :)

I got a flu shot yesterday. It was my first one.... ever..... I've never worried about it before, because I very seldom get sick, but this year I figured it couldn't hurt! Watch me get sick, anyway!! :lol:

[SoCalcaniac]

Oh, A.... that sounds awful. I knew someone was missing around here. I hope you're feeling better, and glad you're home.

[livinthedream]

Oh dear, Alicia! So sorry to hear of your recent trouble. Hope everything is okay now and that you're on the mend. We need to make sure all the germs take a big detour away from your house!

[puck_it]

i just got hit with something. doc didnt give me a flu test, just gave me a once over and an antibiotic. what a SCREAMING headache.

[caneshockeychick]

^hate to say it puck_it but that (plus a scratchy throat) is what I started with. a day later, fever.

Hope its not but....try not to breathe in anyone's direction just in case..mmmmmkay?

[puck_it]

left work, and asked if i could work from home (had some stuff to finish). so now i get to do that. yay.

this friggen headache took two vicodin to take down. ugh. now i need like saline spray because my sinuses are so dried the hell out

but, i almost rather get the swine flu and be done with it. wont have to look over my should and be paranoid quite as much.

[Kat]

Maybe it's just me, and the fact that I am 33 and pretty healthy (and have no high-risk people at home), but I have never been paranoid nor looked over my shoulder. It's just the flu... pain in the ass for a few days and then over. It's not like it's herpes or anything and will follow you for the rest of your life?

[kermelbar]

Same here, Kat. Plus, my contact with children and the at-risk groups is not common. I certainly understand those groups being worried and taking precautions, but I'm relatively healthy and have managed to avoid/fight off the regular flue for 6+ years. Plus, although I do recall feeling awful, I'd say that the worst I've felt in my life has been from damage I did to myself. :lol:

[puck_it]

Maybe it's just me, and the fact that I am 33 and pretty healthy (and have no high-risk people at home), but I have never been paranoid nor looked over my shoulder. It's just the flu... pain in the ass for a few days and then over. It's not like it's herpes or anything and will follow you for the rest of your life?

thats fantastic. good for you. but when your best friend is 8.5 months pregnant, you dont want to get her or the baby, or anyone else there sick. so, i've been trying to avoid it, because i'd really like to see the baby when it's born.

[Canesluver]

Woa, there, cowboy. I didn't interpret Kat's note as wishing you stayed sick. I think she was just commenting on the paranoia part of your last sentence.

I'm not paranoid, either. I'm not a germaphobe at all. I eat food that falls on the floor..... I let our dogs lick my lips..... I eat grapes right out-of-the-bag at the grocery store...

... and I very rarely get sick.

[puck_it]

i know what her post meant. and my point was that its fantastic that she isnt paranoid about getting the ****. but given that she doesnt quite know the circumstances, it's a bit ridiculous to say i was paranoid for no reason, since "it's just the flu."

[nccanes]

Your level of paranoia is directly related to your specific circumstance. Puck_it's concern for a pregnant friend and her family is perfectly understandable. Just like my nervousness about my friend on oxygen that has not been able to get her shot. Given that one of my coworkers was out for almost a week with H1N1 (and how he sounded), the idea of her coming out to our bldg and dining in the cafeteria made me a bit worried.

[caneshockeychick]

Yeah, we were all freaked here at work when the 1st person got it. Out of 10 of us, 3 of us got the flu. I was one. Out for 4 days at the FT job and 2 at the PT job.

I honestly can't afford to get sick and miss the PT job. That's how my rent gets paid. Luckily, I did have a slight savings cushion I could use but still, I constantly worry about getting sick or hurt.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

I am the first person to stamp down paranoia over H1N1. But, having had it, it is not just the flu. I do not think I remember ever being sicker. I missed 4.5 days of work and the .5 I came in for then sent me to bed for 14 hours straight. There is no way in hell I could possibly have dragged my butt to work during 3 of those days...not if my life depended on it. And I had a mild case, comparatively....luckily it seems there are quite a few mild cases.

But do not get cocky because you are young and healthy.....that is who a pandemic kills. Your good immune system is what will kill you.

The FDA emergency approved an IV antiviral (specifically for critically ill patients or those not responding to Tamifly) last week that requires a huge process to obtain. We've now got 4 patients on it (since yesterday). ALL OF THEM are under 40. These patients are on ventilators. I only know the details on two of them. They are a 33 and 39 year old women. Both had no comorbidities and were healthy prior to getting "just the flu." The 33 year old is literally on death's door. She's on the most aggressive vent there is and its not working. And she was healthy as a horse before this.

If you have the opportunity to get the vaccine, get it. And stay the f*ck home if you get sick (if you have H1N1 I'm confident you will, lol).




And I'm super glad I got it now before it makes another run through the southern hemisphere and gets even uglier.

[guinevere]

Well said. We have young patients in our ICUs that are just on vents but also ECMO machines to give heart and lungs more of a rest. We are operating on full capacity with all ECMOs being used and are concerned if one of the techs get sick we are going to be in a mess.

Anyone at Duke with flulike symptoms has to be released by employee health to return to work and there is a mandatory time out.

No one wants to alarm anyone. For most people its just a very bad, timelimited illness that makes you feel ubercrappy but for those that it hits hard- it hits quick and it hits fast.

[Kat]

I am assuming I already had it since CHC had it and I spent quite a it of time with her that way, and was then sick the same week. It didn't hit me that hard. Maybe I was just lucky. I had the "regular" flu a few years ago and it was WAY worse.

Again, I was referring to me and my lack of paranoia and specific circumstances. Nowhere in my post did it say that you shouldn't be paranoid, just that I wasn't. Nor did I ever mention the words ridiculous or that you have no reason to be that way. Thanks for taking it the wrong way. Geez.

Also, I don't know this for sure, but I imagine that the "regular" flu also has the horror story type cases as well.

*braces for attack*

[SouthernHockeyChick]

I'm certainly not intending to attack anyone but, I had a very blow-it-off attitude about this whole thing. But all of a sudden, seems like over-night, we have young, healthy people DYING in our ICUs with this. I'm not blowing it off anymore.

Its a shame that there were any cases at all earlier this year. When it didn't turn into full-blown pandemic, I think the general population and even some folks who know better got complacent (myself included).



Also, I don't know this for sure, but I imagine that the "regular" flu also has the horror story type cases as well.


Yep........lots of 80+ year olds or younger folks with comorbid conditions. A young person who is not already sick dying from the regular flu almost never happens....and certainly not at the rate we're seeing it right now.

At least in the years I've been working in hospitals (5ish years) I've never seen multiple patients less than 40 years old, with no underlying disease, in the ICU on ventilators with the flu. We have 12 cases in our ICUs and from what I've heard, none of them are your typical flu-complication cases.

This is absolutely different (and there are at least 3 healthcare professionals in this thread telling you that), it is more dangerous to young healthy people, and it is ramping up. As a young person, ignore that information at your own peril. As I mentioned, I am against paranoia and panic but I am in favor of intelligent caution. The two patients I'm familiar with (33 and 39yo) thought it was no big deal and let it go way too long and are now close to death. It is to be taken very seriously. Wash your hands, get the vaccine when/if you can, and don't be flippant and expose others.

Just to use the example brought up earlier....herpes won't kill you*. And, herpes is a helluva lot easier NOT to get.

*OK, technically, not entirely true as it can but that's like 1 case in a decade, lol.

[Canesluver]

Have you heard this, SHC, about the H1N1 vaccine:

Someone my husband works with just got the vaccine, and his doctor told him that because it's a "live virus vaccine," for the first month after the vaccine, he could possibly actually infect people around him. So... he said his doctor wouldn't vaccinate him, unless he also vaccinated his wife and his 2 kids. Supposedly, it's recommended that everybody living in the same household has to be vaccinated.

Have you heard that?

[SouthernHockeyChick]

The only live virus vaccine is the nasal version. The injectable vaccines are inactivated.

From the CDC regarding the NASAL version:
Unlike the flu shot, the nasal spray flu vaccine does contain live viruses. However, the viruses are attenuated (weakened) and cannot cause flu illness. The weakened viruses are cold-adapted, which means they are designed to only cause infection at the cooler temperatures found within the nose. The viruses cannot infect the lungs or other areas where warmer temperatures exist. Some children and young adults 2 years to 17 years of age have reported experiencing mild reactions after receiving seasonal nasal spray flu vaccine, including runny nose, nasal congestion or cough, chills, tiredness/weakness, sore throat and headache. Some adults 18 years to 49 years of age have reported runny nose or nasal congestion, cough, chills, tiredness/weakness, sore throat and headache. These side effects are mild and short-lasting, especially when compared to symptoms of influenza infection.

In clinical studies, transmission of vaccine viruses [not the flu illness, the vaccine virus] to close contacts occurred only rarely. The current estimated risk of getting infected with vaccine virus after close contact with a person vaccinated with the nasal-spray flu vaccine is low (0.6%-2.4%). Because the viruses are weakened, infection is unlikely to result in influenza illness symptoms since the vaccine viruses have not been shown change into typical or naturally occurring influenza viruses.

People who are in contact with others with severely weakened immune systems when they are being cared for in a protective environment (for example, people with hematopoietic stem cell transplants), should not get the nasal spray vaccine, including the 2009 H1N1 nasal spray vaccine if they will come into contact with the severely immunocompromised person within 7 days of vaccination. People who have contact with others with lesser degrees of immunosuppression (for example, people with diabetes, people with asthma taking corticosteroids, or people infected with HIV) can get the nasal spray vaccine.


Unless his entire family is severely immunocompromised...in which case he shouldn't get the nasal version at all.

[KTinaY]

I have a question for those of you who have had the flu. I woke up this morning with my throat hurting and hurting all the way into my chest. I have a cough and headache. I don't have a fever and only have slight body aches. The sore throat I have is different than any sore throat I have ever had. Does this sound similar to anything you have felt when you had the flu start to come on? I am not sure if I want to go to the doctor since I have no fever so I thought I would ask your thoughts.

Take care,
Tina

[cmw00]

I have a question for those of you who have had the flu. I woke up this morning with my throat hurting and hurting all the way into my chest. I have a cough and headache. I don't have a fever and only have slight body aches. The sore throat I have is different than any sore throat I have ever had. Does this sound similar to anything you have felt when you had the flu start to come on? I am not sure if I want to go to the doctor since I have no fever so I thought I would ask your thoughts.

Take care,
Tina

i was just reading this thread, and was having things with me like puck_it above, now you too :lol:

I didn't think about my sore throat and killer headache being related, just a major PITA of a coincidence....

[sandstorm]

On Saturday, I woke up with the exact same thing as you KT. I had a little fever though. That sore throat was something! Fortuneately for me, I was at work at my store and a regular customer "Doc" came in. He wrote me a script for antibiotics on the spot! Good thing, because this has turned into the Sinus infection from hell! I ended up leaving work about 2 hours later...

[SouthernHockeyChick]

I would say I had an irritated throat rather than a sore throat....if that's what you mean by different? It didn't hurt but it felt weird and taking a deep breath felt weird. The headache and cough sound right. It took about 12-18 hours before the minor-ish symptoms started for my fever and aches to kick in.

There is a LOT going around with a sore throat, though....it could be flu but it could also be bacterial (so you'd need an antibiotic).

[Canesluver]

My doctor's office just got in some H1N1 vaccines, so I'm getting one this afternoon. I figured it was a good idea, since I'm leaving for France on Saturday.

[KTinaY]

I would say I had an irritated throat rather than a sore throat....if that's what you mean by different? It didn't hurt but it felt weird and taking a deep breath felt weird.

Yea, that is exactly what my throat feels like. The chest congestion is really bad. I have never had chest congestion this bad. Body aches are in full force this a.m. and temp is 100. That temp isn't too high for me though. Usually I run extremely high temps when sick. My average temp is 99.. I guess I am going to the doctor today just to be safe. Thanks for everyone's response. I appreciate it.

[caneshockeychick]

Yea, that is exactly what my throat feels like. The chest congestion is really bad. I have never had chest congestion this bad. Body aches are in full force this a.m. and temp is 100. That temp isn't too high for me though. Usually I run extremely high temps when sick. My average temp is 99.. I guess I am going to the doctor today just to be safe. Thanks for everyone's response. I appreciate it.

That's how I was. Exactly!!!! Get thee to a Dr and get some Tamiflu!!!!

[Kat]

Yea, that is exactly what my throat feels like. The chest congestion is really bad. I have never had chest congestion this bad. Body aches are in full force this a.m. and temp is 100. That temp isn't too high for me though. Usually I run extremely high temps when sick. My average temp is 99.. I guess I am going to the doctor today just to be safe. Thanks for everyone's response. I appreciate it.

Yup, that sounds pretty close to mine as well, although it wasn't quite a severe as chc's (since she GAVE it to me!! :lol:). Chest congestion, sore/irritated throat (weird-feeling), body aches, fever. I always run low (96.8), rarely run fevers, and temp was over 100.

Hope you feel better soon!

[nccanes]

I don't have the flu, but I swear after fighting thru colds for way too many years, I finally realized that if I just stay home and go back to bed, it seems to go away so much faster.

I must have sneezed 100 times at work yesterday and had the combo of runny nose/stuffy nose. Took Tylenol Cold and actually slept pretty good, but I decided to stay home from work anyway. Went back to bed at 9am and slept until 1pm! I feel so much better already.

Anyway - my token plug for not trying to fight thru anything - sometimes your body just needs extra rest.

My first sick day used ALL year, so I don't even feel guilty!