Swine Flu

[Bondama]

Has anyone had this hit close to home? Family? Friends? Yourself? My 15 year old was in the ER on Labor Day Monday with a 104.6 fever, nasty cough, runny nose, headache. They diagnosed the H1M1, gave her a bag of iv fluid to hydrate her and sent us off once her temp got down to 100.5. Was very scary. Today, the fever is gone, but she is EXTREMELY lethargic.

Called the office to give our manager advance notice and ask if they wanted me to come in. My boss said "if you aren't showing symptoms, then you need to be here". Manager agreed, so I came in. By the end of the day, our pregnant receptionist had QUIT.

It's been a weird last few days, but I'm praising the Lord for my daughter's recovery.

[KMO_racing]

It is all over Louisiana. It is in our schools. The one thing I noticed here is if one person in the household has been diagnosed. The prescriptions are given to EVERYONE in the house. Only 1 household member needs to go get the test or go to the ER. The outlook is that is going to be a pandemic, supplying scripts to everyone is the best way to control the spread. The meds are $110 per person, thats expensive if you have 4 persons.

[louis finochio]

Super tonic for all flus & plagues.

1 handful of Cayenne Pepper in blender
Cut up 1 ginger root.
1 bulb garlic
1 onion
cut up Horseradishh root
pour Apple Cider Vinegar to the top of above, turn on the blender, run till liquid, drink 6 tablespoons daily. This home remedy will kill all flu's.

[Toccet02]

Oh boy Bondama, how scary! I'm so sorry--but glad she's doing better. We had a local news story lately about how last spring, "800,000 New Yorkers" had swine flu in the city, but they never detailed how that was diagnosed. My doctor and I both are skeptical. But I am being more careful to take the express bus rather than the subway--less contact with people's skin and, uh, fluids Yes I have been sweated upon....NYC subway in summer is gross.

There is one case I know of-- some friends had their 2.5 year old get pretty sick--he recovered, but the mother was 3 mos pregnant and she miscarried at the same time while showing few symptoms herself. I believe it was officially diagnosed as H1N1.

[docjocoy]

My niece and nephew, both teenagers, got it in school in Atlanta. At least 50% of the kids in their class have it. It was actually not too horrible, fever, then cough. But I was having dinner with my brother-in-law and his third child that didn't have it, and I was quite paranoid about eating with them. But after a ton of research I decided to go, and they were both fine. Apparently you are contagious a day before you come down with it, and the next day they were still fine.
But I do have a couple of friends whose college age girls both have it, one at Gettysburg College and one at Cornell. Many of the colleges have set up isolation wards to put all the cases. Seems to last about 4 days. It is worse in the southern colleges because they started back to school earlier than the schools in the north.

[Laurierace]

Has anyone had this hit close to home? Family? Friends? Yourself? My 15 year old was in the ER on Labor Day Monday with a 104.6 fever, nasty cough, runny nose, headache. They diagnosed the H1M1, gave her a bag of iv fluid to hydrate her and sent us off once her temp got down to 100.5. Was very scary. Today, the fever is gone, but she is EXTREMELY lethargic.

Called the office to give our manager advance notice and ask if they wanted me to come in. My boss said "if you aren't showing symptoms, then you need to be here". Manager agreed, so I came in. By the end of the day, our pregnant receptionist had QUIT.

It's been a weird last few days, but I'm praising the Lord for my daughter's recovery.

I am glad your daughter is recovering. For the majority of the people who get H1N1 they claim they feel like a bad cold, not even as bad a the regular flu. It has been proven to be deadly in pregnant women for some reason, not only to the fetus but to the mother as well. I hope you continue to stay well.

[Lucy]

I've got *something* - don't know if it's H1N1, regular ol' flu, or some other random bug, and I haven't felt the need to toddle down to the ER and find out. Still, it's kicked my ass, and I'm one of those annoying types that never gets sick. I've been out of work all week - tried going back today, they sent my sorry kiester home by noon.

Whatever it is, I probably picked it up at work - in a warehouse full of young guys, most with iffy grasps on hygene, it's bound to happen.

[Bondama]

young guys, most with iffy grasps on hygiene

LOL Lucy!! I love picturesque speech.

[Diane]

I had it the first week of July. My MD didn't even test me. It wasn't as bad as I expected. My husband didn't get it then, he got it 6 weeks later, took Tamiflu and got over it in the same amt of time I did without Tamiflu. The worst risk is for the elderly, people with underlying diease problems, plus children and infants.

[Crystal]

middle schooler of a friend of mine in Louisiana got, and got over it.. Tons of it here in NY.. Really just wash your hands, sanitize, and steer clear.

I thought L.A. was going to be my safe haven.. I guess not.

[ak1]

We had it break out this summer at our camps...48 hours of being sick w/ moderate to high fever, upper respiratory junk, cough, some have nausea, other not. Only lasts 3-5 days...much less than regular flu. After 24 hours fever free (w/ no fever reducing meds) CDC states you are fine to go back to work if you are feeling up to it.

Not everyone exposed will get sick! Case in point: one child is confirmed case, then sibling gets sick, then hubby and mom never got sick.

If you think you have been exposed, monitor your temperature so that you can tell your employer "I am fever free".

Here's hoping this flu season is not the terror the media is making it out to be. I'm in the midst of "pandemic planning" and keep reminding folks this is no different than normal flu or strep making the rounds as either of those can be deadly to those with other underlying conditions. However, the media is making this incredibly hyped.

[foothillsequine]

[/quote]Here's hoping this flu season is not the terror the media is making it out to be. I'm in the midst of "pandemic planning" and keep reminding folks this is no different than normal flu or strep making the rounds as either of those can be deadly to those with other underlying conditions. However, the media is making this incredibly hyped.[/quote]

I really have to agree with you on the hype, good grief! I work in both a hospital system and a school system, and the planning has been going on since last spring. I realize the media have a job to do, but frankly, they seem to thrive on fear mongering...

If there is anyone out there who has not researched this, www.flu.gov has some great information.

[Joltman]

This year the confusion about the flu (influenza) will be worse than normal because of the Swine version (H1N1). To wit, people often call other viral infections 'the flu' when the operative virus is not influenza. True influenza is serious business and can be deadly, while the multitude of colds and 24 hr stomach viruses are not influenza, but these are nonetheless mistakenly called 'the flu'.

Here are the symptoms of H1N1 from Flu.gov:

"The symptoms of H1N1 (swine) flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

* Fast breathing or trouble breathing
* Bluish or gray skin color
* Not drinking enough fluids
* Severe or persistent vomiting
* Not waking up or not interacting
* Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
* Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

* Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
* Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
* Sudden dizziness
* Confusion
* Severe or persistent vomiting
* Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough"

The fever, body aches, chills, fever (and in severe cases respiratory distress) are often not present with milder viral infections.

When the real flu season gets rolling H1N1 may indeed take on pandemic proportions and if it does, it will be serious especially for those with weakened systems.

This is a virus - it is not bacterial and will NOT respond to antibiotics.


jm

[foothillsequine]

Very true JM, and let us pray that the worst fears do not come to fruition. It is indeed a scary thought. Funny though how so many people believe antibiotics are the cure all for whatever ails you. In fact that thought is why we have so many antibiotic resistant organisms out there now (in my humble opinion).