More flu horror stories from Atlanta .. stories from my brother (a radiologist).

[DemoTex]

A 36 year old urologist was home with the flu. He was found dead at home last weekend. A radiologist that practices with my brother went to the ER with the flu. She was immediately admitted and the ER physician sat up with her holding her hand .. afraid she was slipping away. She is OK after two days in the hospital. A flu patient at the walk-in clinic died in the clinic.

Folks, this is some bad shit. I'm convinced the CDC has a lid on it to keep the public from panicking.

In case you missed my posts earlier this week, my cousin's 10-yo daughter almost died of the flu last week. She was intubated at Eglin AFB hospital and flown by Learjet to Shands Pediatric Hospital in Gainesville, Fl. My cousin, a colonel in the USAF, was flown home from Iraq on emergency leave. She is doing great now, I am happy to report!

My brother had to check the position of a breathing tube (radiologically) in a 3 year old with flu last week. He called down to the surgeon with instructions to move the tube slightly. The child had already died.

[tyne]

1. What are the symptoms of this flu?

[DemoTex]

2. I'm not really qualified to address that ..

Most seem to have respiratory symptoms with high fever, and some suffer gastric symptoms too. If you are sick, a simple test will determine if it is the flu. Then an appropriated course of therapy can be started, that might include Tamuflu to ease the severity of the symptoms.

[here_is_to_hope]

9. Yep, I had it last week, came on within two hours...

I was out surfing and suddenly didnt feel well. Drove the ten minutes to home and by the time I got cleaned up, my fever was at 101.6.
The next day, my fever had climbed to 104.3 and off to the hospital I went.
I have never experienced such a quick onset nor such a high fever with a flu.
Nasty stuff.

[DemoTex]

30. 104.3-F ???!!!

Jeeze-O-Man! That's cookin'!

[here_is_to_hope]

36. My bones still ache and my muscles are still cramping up.

I have a little trouble focusing my eyes. It was the worse flu I have ever had.
The Dr. said I would feel the effects of the fever for a month.
I was actually a little scared:scared: ...
I wouldnt wish it upon any one and I really feel for the kidlets who get it.

[Echo In Light]

35. I had flu in early Jan, and then AGAIN in early Feb

The first case was typical upper respiratory illness, fever, aches and pains, sleep for a few days. It dissipated quickly. The second strain really t-boned me hardcore. 104.1 temp, slept for a week, aches, pains, totally out of it. Went and got checked to see if I could get that medicine you can give to your family members in case they get it, but my tests came back - for either A or B. Thank god our daughter never got that sick with it!

[DesertRat]

3. That is very scary

But I wonder why health care professionals didn't get the flu shot? I'm considered at risk because I teach young children so I always get the flu shot.

Is this some other strain of virus other than the "flu" for which we received shots a few months ago? :scared:

[DemoTex]

4. They did. My brother had the flu three weeks ago. He had the shot.

The 2007 flu shots only covered about 40% of the strains that are making people sick now.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. So they missed the usual lottery

hmmmm

[mzmolly]

15. Supposedly if you've had the shot, you have a lesser case of flu?

I've seen conflicting info on this however.

[backscatter712]

39. Depends on the strain.

As mentioned, this year's flu vaccine missed most of the nasty strains of flu going around, so it's likely it won't be much help in terms of decreasing the severity if you get it.

[mzmolly]

45. The claim is "no matter the strain" you'll have a lesser case if you get the jab.

I don't buy it, I've not seen convincing evidence that it is so. I agree with you, it's not likely to be of help.

[knitter4democracy]

8. The flu shots weren't as accurate this year.

To make them, they have to predict which strains are going to be the most prevalent and most dangerous. Some strains never really make it to the States while others that weren't on the radar get really nasty. It's a gamble every year.

[femrap]

12. This year's flu shot did NOT contain the

strain of flu that has erupted.

Every year the scientists and medical community do their best to figure what flu(s) will likely hit the public...and this year a strain that was NOT included in the vaccine decided to spread.

This happens on occasion.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Flu can be bad, but a healthy 36 year old usually does not get that

sick

Pulling out for my histprian's hat....

The last time we saw that pattern was.... the Spanish Influenza. If it was that, we'd have quarantines already as well as other things

I hope I am wrong, but the pattern is not your usual flu, which usually gets high risk... who are high risk?

Kids

Elderly

People with diseases that make their immune system act more slowly, such as Diabetes, Asthma and others

So your nose is right... there MAY be something going on. And if there is, the CDC would have released data to ERs...

Ask your brother if they have gotten a CDC notice for the ER

[knitter4democracy]

7. Flu or adenovirus?

There's a horrible strain of adenovirus going around that causes pneumonia in a day or two, not a week or two like normal--and even then, not in most patients. Hubby's been up to his ears in pneumonia this winter.

[distantearlywarning]

10. My whole workplace had that a few months ago.

Several people came down with pneumonia because of it.

I was lucky and avoided the pneumonia, but I was pretty sick for a week or so. I was in bed for a few days straight and completely lost my voice. It was once of the worst colds I've had in the past decade.

[knitter4democracy]

32. It seems to have blown through here.

January was just plain terrible, though. Hubby had so many admissions, and the hospital was full. Just plain awful.

[mzmolly]

14. And, pneumonia "deaths" are tallied by the CDC with "flu deaths" which I find odd?

Not to change the subject. ;) We've been very ill with a virus or the flu, not sure which? High fevers, head aches, muscle aches, respiratory symptoms, horrible cough etc...

[knitter4democracy]

33. Careful with that cough--I broke one of my ribs with mine.

After the flu the kids and I had a few weeks back, I had the worst, most uncontrollable cough. I broke the same rib they cut for my kidney surgery, though the first set of x-rays didn't show it. One good sneeze last week blew it wide open, and it hurts quite a bit.

[mzmolly]

46. Oh goodness, I don't doubt it a bit. My husband tore a muscle.

So sorry knitter. Get well soon :hug:

[rox63]

11. My mom was in the hospital with a virus over the weekend

She's doing fine now. But it came on very quickly, with severe abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. Within just few hours, she was very dehydrated. They kept her in the hospital for 2 days on IV fluids to get her rehydrated. She's 69 and diabetic, so they decided not to take any chances. Her blood sugar goes wacky when she gets sick.

[mzmolly]

13. So glad your cousins daughter is better!!! We've had all flu symptoms here.

But none of our docs cultured for it? My husband was prescribed inhalers to breath, this stuff we have is so nasty. We're into our fourth week of illness.

We all had a crushing feeling in our chest area and felt short of oxygen at times as well as high fever etc.. I wish I knew if we'd had the flu or not.

[halobeam]

17. can't you go back and get tested for flu and for adenovirus?

My family was tested for both by our request. All came back neg. But I'm still wondering b/c the test they test for, is for three flu strains; are they the same strains they thought we might get that they included in the shot? It may be one that isn't recorded. Just a thought.

[mzmolly]

18. I asked the clinic, they were supposed to call me back. I'm not sure how long we have?

We're in our fourth week with this sh*t now and are still sick, though not AS sick. You could be onto something with the flu test. I think I'll look into that soon? ;)

[DemoTex]

20. Insist on the test.

I would.

[mzmolly]

31. I may, but I fear going to the clinic and getting the flu if we've not had it.

LOL I think I'll call tomorrow and ask how long we have. :hi:

[madrchsod]

16. my wife works with severely mentally and physically handicapped

this crap has been ravaging these people..it`s a horror show when she goes to work..i`ll spare you guys the details. what gets me the company she works for acts as if this is just a common cold and everything is fine...but it is`t.

my 22 year old daughter is still fighting this after missing 5 days of work,my wife has missed two days so far,and me since i`m not working take care of them when they are home. i`ve been sicker with other strains of flu but this one seems to go right into a secondary infection...

well i`ve got to take a shot of codeine cough syrup and pop a 800mg of ibuprofen..if i get sedated enough i`ll go to gd/p!

[mzmolly]

19. Pop some zinc too, it's supposed to prevent pneumonia.

And, it's supposed to speed healing if one has pneumonia?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=222&topic_id=15472&mesg_id=15472

[DemoTex]

21. I cannot tolerate codeine or acetaminophen, but I found a good OTC cough product with neither.

It's Delsym. Basically dextromethorphan polistirex.

[distantearlywarning]

22. That was the only OTC cough syrup my doctor would recommend.

I believe her statement was something like, "All that other stuff wouldn't knock the cough out of a gerbil!"

[windbreeze]

42. Delsym....I always have on hand...

since I can't take codeine....this is the one the Doc told me to get...and now I have on hand, both in grown up and child's formula...wb

[lonestarnot]

23. snort!

doing alot of that tonight! snorting that is! :rofl: By the time I got sedated enough to go there, I'd be damn passed out! :rofl:

[Medusa]

24. Thank God warm weather is on it's way

that seems to help knock out a lot of the flu viruses going on. People--if you get sick--get to the doctor as soon as you present with symptoms. Tami-Flu is great stuff, saved my ass last year in fact.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

25. I've had something or other for the last week and a half.

No fever. Mild sinus drainage, cough and mostly serious fatigue. I think I have a secondary bacterial infection in my lungs which is trying to break up.

[flashl]

26. More info ...

Flu epidemic rises as expected

The USA's flu epidemic continued to grow last week, with cases mounting in every state and a dozen new deaths among children, the government's leading flu expert said Friday.Altogether 22 children have died of flu so far, with widespread flu activity reported in 49 states, up from 44 last week, says Nancy Cox, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention influenza division. Only Florida is reporting regional flu activity for the week ending Feb. 16th, according to the CDC."Influenza activity has continued to increase, but not quite as dramatically as over the previous two weeks," she said in her weekly flu update. "We're within the normal parameters of what we'd expect for an influenza season."

Keep it Real

---

Health officials keeping eye on drug-resistant flu strain

Ten Chicago-area patients have tested positive for an unusual type of drug-resistant influenza, prompting concern and increased surveillance by local and federal health officials.

The strain of flu can be treated successfully with some drugs, but it does not respond to Tamiflu, the most common anti-viral medication for flu. The Illinois Department of Public Health issued a health alert to doctors and hospitals Thursday, suggesting that flu patients who are in intensive care receive a combination of drugs until their virus can be analyzed.

Officials said eight of the Tamiflu-resistant infections came from an outbreak at a single Chicago health-care facility, the name of which has not been released.

Nationwide, 4.6 percent of flu samples tested have shown signs of drug resistance this season, said officials with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In previous years, resistance to the drug hovered below 1 percent of all cases.

"We have seen this before, though not at this level," said Dr. Joe Bresee, chief of epidemiology and prevention in the CDC's influenza division.

Chicago Tribune

[ileus]

27. a flu pt coughed in my wifes face today....

[backscatter712]

28. Had it a few weeks ago.

Fortunately, I'm relatively healthy, so I was able to fight it off. It cost me three sick days, had me laid up with a fever for a while, ate my vocal cords and left me with laryngitis, and left me with that damned hacking residual cough that stayed with me for weeks. The doctor did give me some antibiotics, that made the cough diminish for a while, then it came back. At least now, it's mostly gone away. I guess my immune system finally locked onto the bug and made enough antibodies to kill it.

[Dorian Gray]

29. So scary...

I don't know anybody who got the flu this year. We're lucky, I suppose.

[Blackhatjack]

34. Many of the Universities here are raging with outbreaks of the flu...

... if you do not have to be in large crowds you should avoid them. Movies, inside sporting events, etc. Also flying has its own special hazards since extended confinement in a closed container is an excellent environment for spreading flu.

[LeftCoast]

37. I work in a hospital here in SF

I've only seen one case of the flu this year, so far. Very happy about that too. I don't wanna get it, and the isolation precautions are an utter pain in the ass to deal with.

[Samurai_Writer]

38. My boyfriend and I had it.

I got it first, but it was diagnosed as bronchitis and sinusitis. We both went through two rounds of antibiotics, which, of course, didn't really help. After having the flu for six weeks, I ended up in the hospital with bigeminy (irregular heart rhythm) and low blood oxygen. I have a genetic lung disorder and asthma, so that contributed to how sick I was, too. After 3 days in the hospital on oxygen, I was better. But now I have to have oxygen at night, when I never had to before. I think this flu actually caused more permanent lung damage than I had already.

[NightWatcher]

40. there is some weird shit going on at the CDC

I worked as a security guard there for two days and was scared out of my mind back in 2004.

Whatever happened to the guy who had medical resistant TB(?) and his father in law worked for the CDC?

That place reminds me of the first five minutes of Stephen King's "The Stand".

[bean fidhleir]

41. We'll be seeing more of this kind of thing as the planet continues to heat

I think it's generally accepted that hot places are the incubators for all killer bugs.

[LanternWaste]

43. impossible to keep anything like this a secret

"I'm convinced the CDC has a lid on it to keep the public from panicking."

I worked in the medical field for almost six years and my (limited) experience tells me it's pretty much impossible to keep anything like this a secret in a metropolitan hospital districts Too many independent experts (epidemiologists, etc.) would recognize severity and then report.

[hunter]

44. We were slammed hard by it in our house.

My kids missed a week of school and they are still dragging.