A clear and present misery, and to some a danger: the flu.

This is Day 6 of the flu for me and am feeling much better than earlier in the week. Presumably the infamous H1N1, which evidently accounts for the vast majority of flu cases at the moment.

I've never before caught a flu so early in the season.

Think I may have caught it at jury duty last week. I was worried about being in the courthouse all day (five hours in a jury pool for a murder trial) and had antiseptic wipes and took care not to touch any doorknobs or surfaces, but in that confined space with so many people (took 100 jury candidates to get to the requisite 14 and we were all in a room that barely fit us), forget it. I'd like to know what the infection rate of current jury pools is.

Until this bug, I'd been blessedly healthy for 13 months. Hit out of the blue Saturday night with an excruciating sore throat. But I didn't associate that with flu and expected that it would migrate to a simple head cold or sinus infection. By Sunday night my throat was fine (thank goodness, that sore throat's been the worst aspect of this but was short-lived) and a head cold-chest congestion began. Then the aches, fever and chills emblematic of flu kicked in and I was surprised to find that the sore throat was a symptom of H1N1.

Monday - Night 3 - was the worst and the third in a row virtually devoid of sleep. 101.5 degree temp during the night, 101 at dawn Tuesday. I don't keep the digital thermometer in my ear all the time but that was clearly the most feverish night. Wouldn't be surprised if my temp had edged even closer to 102. But no higher than that.

Night 4 was markedly better with several hours of sound sleep. Last night was harder to get to sleep (some wheezing, there is a respiratory component to this flu) but my fever was negligible and this morning I actually felt like I did not have a fever. Walked Gidget for several blocks (avoiding people, coughing into an arm, etc.) and afterward felt a low-grade fever and tired.

Since that wicked sore throat abated, fatigue has been the big thing, typical for any flu I've ever experienced. All in all, not even close to the worst flu I've ever suffered (1994 stands out in my personal flu history - 10 days of abject misery marked by three consecutive nights of 103-degree temp and near-convulsive chills). But bad enough to make you want to take it very, very easy for a few days.

Below are two links that the Washington Post ran in which you take a brief test of your symptoms and are advised at the end whether to consult a doctor or seek urgent care. The answer options are so broad that I'm not sure whether it's going reduce or increase the hospital onslaught. It advised me to rush to the hospital but that was ridiculous, at my worst I felt nowhere near that bad. These tests are nearly identical but not quite.

Microsoft-Emory H1N1 test:
https://h1n1.cloudapp.net/Default.aspx

Federal Gov't version (slightly more involved):
http://www.flu.gov/evaluation/


More info:

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm

Exposure to on set of 2009 H1N1 flu virus?
The infectious period for confirmed cases of H1N1 Influenza (swine flu) is one day before the onset of illness and up to seven days after.

Twenty-seven states are reporting widespread influenza activity at this time. They are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.

Any reports of widespread influenza activity in September are very unusual (the 27 state figure was from September).

Almost all of the influenza viruses identified so far are 2009 H1N1 influenza A viruses. These viruses remain similar to the virus chosen for the 2009 H1N1 vaccine, and remain susceptible to the antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir with rare exception.

Background

As of September 12, 2009, 99% of circulating influenza viruses in the United States were 2009 H1N1 influenza (previously referred to as novel influenza A (H1N1))

If you haven't already, I strongly advise stocking up on flu care essentials. Now. Especially if you live alone. Flu is on the upswing here. A neighbor was in the same jury pool and she, too, is sick.


Kleenex (Puffs with aloe being my fave). I've gone through nearly 3 large boxes in 5 days. I think they need a special Swine Puffs with MORE Aloe.

Soup - for me, nothing soothes a sore throat/cold/chest congestion quite like a steaming bowl of Campbell's Chicken Noodle. Have several on hand.

Liquid - for me that's been constant iced tea and during the 18 hours or so that the sore throat was torture: hot tea with honey.

Juice -- I had a strong craving for orange juice but didn't have any on hand so a friend ran to the store for me. Hit the spot.

Tylenol - for fever and aches.

Sore Throat Lozenges - I might have called 911 if I hadn't had good sore throat lozenges handy. That was killer.

Lip balm - breathing with your mouth open all night makes this stuff priceless.


The good news is this flu hasn't really been that horrible, for me. The sore throat was the most miserable aspect but thankfully was entirely gone within the first 24 hours. I could hardly bear to swallow for 12 hours. My throat was quite swollen.

The 4th night I was feeling much better and slept well. Tonight's the 6th night and I expect to sleep fine though I'm now experiencing a dry cough. But will have water and lemon drops nearby to alleviate that.

And stock up on pet food if you have pets. I haven't had the energy to go anywhere and thankfully haven't needed to.

I have been walking Gidget 4 times a day, two of those walks 8 to 10 blocks each. A nurse friend and doctor have advised that deep breathing can help with fever and so long as I didn't overdue it the walking would be healthy.

It sure helps with cabin fever.

Avoid processed white sugar and things with lots of sugar. As I understand it, sugar has a suppressive effect on the immune system. Candy, soda/pop, many fruit juices. . . long list. Chicken soup is a good thing, not sure where ice tea would fall.

I haven't had the flu in many years.

It's weak tea, no sugar. It just tastes better than tap water (not that I've been able to taste much this week).

I keep iced tea in the fridge in lieu of soda.

I did not know that sugar suppresses the immune system.

I add vapor rub, generally the generic brand. Acts as a decongestant, calms a cough, soothes the throat.

Also when sick I take hot showers. The heat, sweating, seems to help with fever while increasing tiredness so I sleep instead of tossing and turning. The steam clears the lungs and sinuses.

Push water. Even if you have to set an alarm clock to wake you to drink. Water, sugarless tea, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in water, are far better than soda.

For sore a throat gargle with warm salt water.

The interplay between blood sugar and/or insulin and the immune system is complicated and still not well understood, but there is something to it. Too much, as well as too little, blood sugar can negatively affect your immune system, or at least certain parts of it.

I once read about an experiment on mice genetically bred to have Type I diabetes. A transplant of new islet cells into the pancreas can cure their diabetes, but normally that requires using drugs to suppress the mouse immune system. In this experiment, they spike the blood sugar before the procedure, and the mice accept the new cells and don't reject them, at least for a while. Eventually the immune system reasserts itself and starts attacking the transplanted cells, but that's a remarkable result.

I have heard the statement that for an adult, it only takes less than a teaspoon of sugar to maintain normal blood sugar levels. I don't have any soda cans handy, but 4 grams of sugar is roughly a teaspoon. A can of cola can be...about 9 teaspoons, IIRC. I doubt that many of us normally drink, say, a cup of coffee with 9 teaspoons of sugar in it. Something to think about.

And, knock on wood, haven't been sick yet.

I was hit by a terrible sore throat three nights ago, at 11:05 precisely.

On the next night, my nose started to run.

Last night, I was so sick that I when I drove a crew to Seattle, I couldn't get back home on my own. Severe headache, dizziness, nose running like a faucet. I had to leave my van up there and hitch a ride with a local guy to get home (THANK YOU, BOB!)

At first, I thought it was the flu, so as soon as the sore throat started, I started taking taking Zicam. No real effect that I could see.

I am into Day 4, and the funny thing is that I haven't had any fever, so I am wondering if this is 'just' a severe sinus attack working its way into a sinus infection.

I am trying not to use aspirin or similar. I have been reading that a fever is the sign that your body is actively fighting the virus, and taking aspirin interferes with that. There is apparently some indication that using aspirin when you have flu/fever causes your body to take 7-10 days to shake the flu. Without aspirin, only 3-4 days.

We shall see.

Sue

Good luck, Susan! Note below from CDC, not every flu sufferer exhibits fever.


http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm

How do I know if I have the flu?

You may have the flu if you have some or all of these symptoms:

* fever *
* cough
* sore throat
* runny or stuffy nose
* body aches
* headache
* chills
* fatigue
* sometimes diarrhea and vomiting

*It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm

Interesting CDC chart on flu incidence. The red line is 2009 and it is showing an unusual spike in fall cases. Reportedly nearly all the H1N1.

CDC did an update today:

* Thirty-seven states are reporting widespread influenza activity at this time. They are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. [color:#660000][color:#006600]Any reports of widespread influenza activity in September and October are very unusual.[/color]

* Almost all of the influenza viruses identified so far are 2009 H1N1 influenza A viruses. These viruses remain similar to the virus chosen for the 2009 H1N1 vaccine, and remain susceptible to the antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir with rare exception.[/color]

A friend of mine says 3 of his 4 kids are home right now with "confirmed" H1N1. "confirmed" coming from him may just mean their GP said it was H1N1, not that there was a lab test result.

I don't pay much attention to local news but he says the tent-city treatment areas are back up at area hospitals, that the cases are real not just parents worries over the sniffles, and that sampling by the Health Department is showing that locally the vast majority of flu cases right now are H1N1 not seasonal. I haven't verified any of this but it will certainly keep me from any unnecessary doctor visits for a few weeks!

On the positive side, he says his kid's flu is mild as is every case whose parent he's talked to.

Yeah, there was something on the news last night about peds being hit REAL hard this year with H1N1. So my GF is looking forward to that (thick sarcasm), as she's a pediatrics intern this year.

Our hospital stopped using the flu test we have on hand, both b/c 99% of flu currently is H1N1, and because the test can't 'detect' it currently. We're doing presumptive treatment - tamiflu is the only real 'treatment' and that only shortens the course a few days, if started within 48 hours of symptom onset.

Hydrate! Don't forget salt water gargles, humidifiers and saline nasal flushes can help with some symptoms too.

Also FYI, the CDC is recommending N-95 masks for the non-infected in contact with H1N1 patients. Not the normal surgical mask.

Thanks, Dagny! I've never heard of flu without a fever.

Sue

Fever is a defense mechanism. It tries to slow down the growth of the virus. Therefore, a fever is not neccesary a bad thing, as long as your body temperature does not rise to much.

If the fever stays on to long, or drops and rise againg that's offcourse not good either.

If it's that widespread among kids then it puts yesterday's headline of "!! 76 kids die of H1N1 !!" in perspective. It is unfortunate but 76 of a lot of cases is better news than 76 of a small number.

I bought a bunch of N100 masks this summer for me, parents, lazy friends, etc, thinking they'd at least make great Halloween stage props, and that they might become a lot more expensive & rare this fall. I may yet use mine for real...

Lack of fever in some cases is one of the abnormal aspects of the current H1N1 strain and was particularly perplexing in Mexico, when the outbreak first started.

A coworker was out this past week. He had a lot of diarrhea, which is uncommon for regular flu but is one symptom of H1N1. I read a survey of cases from one NYC high school and about half the cases had diarrhea.

Now recovered, I remain fascinated by the H1N1 virus. And so are doctors because this virus is exhibiting some vexing traits. Today's Washington Post has an article stocked with interesting info.

The vaccine effort is proving to be several weeks too late and millions of doses too little.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...l?hpid=topnews


"...being female may itself be a risk factor, for reasons that remain unclear."

"So far, the virus does not seem to sicken or kill people more often than the typical flu. But the pattern of people getting seriously ill is far different than in typical flu seasons."

"...some young adults, possibly especially women, are falling seriously ill at an unexpectedly rapid pace and are showing up in intensive care units and dying in unusually high numbers...."

"..."It's not like seasonal influenza," Nikki Shindo of the World Health Organization said at the conclusion of a three-day meeting of more than 100 experts the WHO convened in Washington to review swine flu. "It can cause very severe disease in previously healthy young adults."

Yikes. That's testament to the power of thought.


:-0

Well, it depends on where you are. The peak may have arrived for regions like the Southeast and Northeast, but H1N1 is just starting to ramp up here out West.

We still have many months left in the typical flu season. It is entirely plausible that we'll have yet another spike of H1N1 in the winter in those regions that are peaking early.

It's interesting that NYC hasn't been hit hard yet. Some speculate that the spring go-around has built up some immunity in the population, but epidemiologists don't think that enough people were exposed last spring to explain a significant herd immunity effect. So that's another mystery from H1N1.

About 3 weeks ago, the Flu "ran rampant" through my child's Elemtary school; but, every case that I heard of was very mild.
My child was sick too, but with mild symptoms that only lasted 2 to 3 days.
The wife and I avoided catching the Flu this time around (I guess that's good, or might be bad in the long run).

On the too little too late observation - remember that traditionally creating any flu vaccine has been a crapshoot of targetting a prevalent strain, and production is hampered by a lack of eligible producers. Its good that there's any vaccine available now. Count our blessings.

One thing that tends to seriously annoy me is getting a vaccination, then coming down with the disease two days later. I know that I was incubating it when I got the vaccine, and it wasn't the vaccine that caused the problem, but I hate when it happens, all the same. Just before vacation is the worst.

Sue

Susan -- are you better now? How long did you end up being sick?

I'm a lot better, Day 10. Still need to take antihistamine, esp before I go to bed, or my head fill up when I lay down.

It seems to be popping up quite a bit around here. One friend is as sick as the proverbial dog, worse than I was. But she's younger, too. Never thought old age would be protection against ANYTHING!

Sue

My son was diagnosed with H1N1 yesterday, high fever and all that sort of thing. The rest of us either had a milder version a week ago, or we're going to get it.

Either way, I really don't care. I'd rather get it now then be sick over the holidays. We all get it every year, flu shots are worthless for us.

The doc's won't give us a prescription for Tamiflu. Said that the CDC wants it saved up for people with underlying problems.

Last week my eldest daughter had the flu, this week my wife and middle daughter have it and my youngest is starting to come down with it. Docs all say that due to how early this flu is hitting they are just assuming that it's the H1N1. Treatment is the same so they are not testing unless hospitalization is needed. The ironic/lucky thing is that I have been on vacation for the last two weeks so I could stay home with the youngest because daycare went on vacation. I can't wait to get back to work on Monday so I can relax.

I don't recall reading any news reports about a lot of problems of parents with sick kids or kids whose schools or daycare have closed due to the flu. Even last spring, when schools were closing left and right, I honestly can't remember reading or hearing much about that topic. Except for the point that many older kids were just getting together at the mall or wherever, totally circumventing the logic behind school closures and social distancing.

Is this a big problem that we just aren't hearing about? Many, many folks don't have paid sick days and can't afford to be sick or take time off to care for a sick family member.

For those with sick children, how long has it taken till the kids are feeling well enough to go back to school?

For us it's been about 5 days out of school/work.

I'm pretty lucky. I'm a municipal employee who's employer is leaning heavily towards not charging sick/vacation time if you are taking care of sick family members. In my case my employer shorted me in vacation time and when it was corrected I had over six weeks of accumulated vacation time on my hands. So I was off these particular weeks anyway. Just lucky.

So far no flu yet, need to get the shot though. If I were to get Type A it's a week, iv fluids and 6 units at a hospital.

Lee
G6PD I know it well.

No flu (yet) but sick as a dog with a vicious, lingering head cold. Add to that driving 1420 miles in the last ten days you'll understand why I haven't been around here much lately.

-Blast

I've got it now. My temps have been in the 101 - 102 range, my son (9 yrs. old) has been hard to keep under 104. The doc told me to give alternating doses of Tylenol and Ibuprofin every 3 hours, that keeps him down to 99 - 100, but it makes for lousy sleep when you have it too.

Sympathies, Sodak. I hope you both recover quickly.

For me, the worst was the first three days. After that I was mostly just exhausted, with a low-grade temp for a few days.

Interesting. Maybe it's because I don't have kids, but I've never heard of alternating those two meds for fever before. I wonder if it's supposed to be more effective? Or is it an effort to keep from overdosing on acetaminophen while aggressively trying to get that high fever down, I wonder?

Still, sucks to be sick. Hope you get well soon!

Ever since our son had a febrile siezure a few weeks back (I wrote about it here) the advice from the pediatrician has been to alternate Tylenol and ibuprofen as soon as he runs a fever. Apparently they have two totally different mechanisms of action, so you can really load a kid up on anti-fever meds without worry of overdose.

I'm not comfortable with doing this for more than a day or so, but it's better than another run to the ER with a siezing kid. . .

YMMV, and no, I am not a doctor, and I have not examined you or your kids, so don't take what I write about this and go and treat your kids without checking with your docs first.

YES the Flu was bad but I've ben sicker.

Wen I was sick I wanted to be as helthy as I could
so I wold have hot broth and sports dranks
and tons of rest in a week it was gone and
I did not have shots.

litlefoot01.

Sympathies for those who are currently ill.

I'm really hoping I caught this back in March, as it was one of the the worst flu bouts I've ever had. Aches, nausea, the works.

As mentioned in a previous thread, a neti pot is really helpful in clearing out congestion...