Saw the other post and don't want this info to get buried. Influenza symptoms are:

1]VERY rapid onset
2]fever and chills
3]Chest congestion--may be substantial
4]cough

less notable:

5]headache
6]myalgias--bodyaches
7]some with nausea and vomiting

It is NOT the same thing as the "stomach flu". This is a respiratory virus and is wicked as hell in most people.

Prevention:

1]Avoidance, good hygeine. KEEP YOUR HANDS OUT OF YOUR EYES--always good advice, anyhow.
2]vaccination -- if you are elderly; have heart, lung or other health problems you should get the fluvax. So should smokers. I recommend it for everyone, FWIW. Even with vaccination, you can contract the virus for a variety of reasons but it may lessen severity and duration.
3]Taking antiviral meds(see below) if you are in known contact with an infected person will prevent contraction of the illness for most or at least lessen duration and sensitivity

Treatment (get in early!!) :

1]Rimantidine --best for flu A. Also Amantadine but this doesn't work .as well
2]Tamiflu--for flu A or B
3]Relenza inhaler--flu A or B. Not terribly impressive but I have used it myself in addition to other oral meds with beneficial effect. This is not the recommended way to use but this is my experience as my own guinea pig. No studies on such that I am aware of.
4]symptomatic treatment.  I will tell you that decongestants, tylenol, advil, etc. don't do shit for influenza. Narcotic cough syrups are useful for comfort.

This is looking to be a bad year for influenza for several reasons and even on good years people die from this virus

It is one of the few viruses we can treat, BUT TREATMENT MUST BE EARLY TO BE OF MUCH BENEFIT as antiviral drugs DO NOT work like antibiotics.
Additionally, there is a relatively high rate of secondary bacterial pneumonia after influenza and this is especially common in smokers. This would require antibiotics were it to occur.

Anyone who has called me a quack, idiot or chiropractor in the past week is more than welcome to not take my advice. In fact, I would prefer so

I agree especially with the part about getting treatment immediately.  If you don't, my past experience has been that it can be a very long time to get back to normal.  It seems like it takes forever for the medication to begin reversing the situation.

I'm going to keep bringing this one btt until I get tired of doing so.

Too late doc my whole family had or has it. Our schools let out for thanksgiving two days early because so many students and teacher are sick with it. And you are correct this is some very nasty stuff! Thanks for the information about the meds. Colorado is really getting hammered by this crud.

I am still getting over it.  I was running a 104.5 fever for a few hours the other day.  

I was puking, felt like someone beat me with a baseball bat, freezing cold, no energy, the works.  This flu is horrible.  It came on quickly.  I went to work, got off at 3:30 and by 5pm I was in bed.  This is the first day I have been up since Monday.

I wouldn't wish this on anyone.  

BTW, the doc called in a RX for Tamiflu.

A week ago last Sunday I started out with a sore throat. It went down hill from there. But I never felt nauseous or achy. Never had a temperature. It was all a bad cold.

Don't know if it was a very good immunity system or weird timing. But several of my friends had kids that were sick from the flu. In fact, our Middle School had 180 kids gone last Friday. That's equivalent to an entire grade in our schools.

Going to get alot worse after Thanksgiving.

I had my flu shot last month. Now I hear they misjudged the virus and the shot won't be effective. I'm screwed!

Not only did they do the vaccine incorrectly, but there are some serious side effects being reported.

I'll take the flu over paralysis or coma, thanks.

My company hired a nurse to come in and give everybody one.
No side affects yet, is 4 days long enough?

I had my shot......If anything...got to be Ebola. [:)]

Most people get some wierd virus and think it is the real Inluenza virus. The real flu lasts about a week with a fever that can last for days. I had it one year and had to go to the hospital because my fever hit 104 and I starting tripping out. It is major shit and it gets in your lungs. I had a fever on and off for 4 days and felt like shit for 10 days. I lost 15 pounds in that 10 day period.

If you are puking or feeling crappy for a few days only then it is not the flu, the real flu knocks you on your ass and keeps you bedridden.

my biggest fear for this winter is getting this flu because i'm sure the caughing fits will knock the retina in my other eye loose

Most people will call bullshit, but if you want a homeopathic remedy that actually works for flu and cold, here it is...Colloidal Silver. It is basically mineral water and the mineral in it is silver. Silver kills all viruses, bateria and fungus on contact. i have bad asthma and a couple years back I got bronchitis that I could not shake. The doctors had me on 7 prescrips at once and they did not work. I discovered this stuff and breathed it through my nebulizer and within a week my bronchitis was gone! And that was after 3 months of going to doctors! You can also ingest it by taking a teaspoon a day under your tongue. You can buy it at GNC and it works.

Arsenic will make you feel better also, but just like Collodial silver,it has some nasty side effects.

Ever see the "Blue Lady"?

Collodial silver is some bad stuff, but like snake oiul form the 1800's, some people take it, get better and credit the collodial silver.  They will then swear by it.  Placebo effect is also noted in most cases.

Again, do yourself a favor and forget about the CS.

stan jones: [img]http://a.abcnews.com/media/US/images/ap_blue_skin_021003_nv.jpg[/img]

montana libertarian party candidate


before [img]http://silverfacts.netfirms.com/images/jonesforsen.jpg[/img]

That is a fluke, that blue lady is one in a billion. I am telling you, it really worked for me. Antibiotics have a hard time knocking out bacteria in your lungs, but breathing the mist kills the shit on contact. You need to do very heavy doses to actually build up enough in your system to turn blue. People take it daily for years with no sides. And if you think you are better off with presription drugs you are crazy! I was on prednisone for my lungs and it caused me to blow a disc in my back which caused me to have back surgery. And I know a guy who is 25 and had to have double hip replacement after taking prednisone because it ate his hip cartilage. And that is only one drug, think about the shit you put in your bodies made in a lab! And silver in nontoxic.

I a, sorry for your illness, but it is not a fluke, far from it, more like a 1 in 1000 gamble.  NEJM had a lengthy journal article on it, most homoepaths are now arguing against it's use.

Glad you got better.

one in a billion?

i've found pics of two people on the net in a couple of minutes


[img]http://homepages.together.net/~rjstan/pre_dermabrasion_half.jpg[/img]


mmmm the operation to "fix" her skin: [img]http://homepages.together.net/~rjstan/operation2.jpg[/img]

How much were they consuming?

You're right. I'll call bullshit on Colloidal Silver.

Silver salts have been known to be harmful for quite some time and they don't protect you from anything including virii and bacteria.

[url=http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/PhonyAds/silverad.html]quackwatch.org[/url]

I am telling you, after 4 months of meds, silver was the only thing that worked. The docs don't want you on it because then they don't make any money! I did not get sick one time last year.

I have previously crusaded ad nauseum AGAINST colloidal silver. Not going to say it all again. If you want to take that shit it is your business as this is america and you have a right to do stupid things but [b]PLEASE do not give that shit to your kids[/b].

Influenza is not subtle, as dogcatcher describes. It comes on very fast and you become very ill.


The fluvax often misses the exact strain but may still be somewhat helpful. If you contract influenza get help ASAP--that is what this thread is about as there are antiviral drugs that work for influenza. The longer you wait the less it helps. Hours make a difference.

Hielo,
Influenza is far more likely to kill you than the vaccine.

I never said influenza was subtle, reread my post. It  knocked me on my ass and I was in the hospital for it 2 days after getting it. It came on strong out of nowhere. I had a fever for a week straight and lost 15 pounds.

All I said is lots of people think a bad cold or viral infection is the flu, when it is not. I bet lots of the cases reported in CO is not actually influenza.

I am in complete agreement with what you said concerning the symptoms and course of influenza. Reread what I stated in that context and I am sure you will catch my meaning.

Treatment is another story, of course.

I don’t understand the admonition about keeping your hands away from your eyes.

I always kind of assumed you got the virus by breathing it.

Do your eyes act as a portal for the virus to enter your body?

(Admittedly, I’m also tagging this in case I need the info a bit later!! [:D])

You may get it from inhalation of droplets, or from touching contaminated surfaces and then introducing the germs into your mouth, nose or eyes. The eyes are a much underrated portal of infection. The nasolacrimal ducts drain tears from your eyes down into the nasopharynx. This is why your nose runs when you cry!! In any event, the eyes are a phenomenal portal for infections.

Resp viruses get in thru any of these sources and invade/take over the cells they infect. Viruses cannot divide they must use a host cells machinery to replicate new viruses which are then released, often killing the cell(depends on the virus). Viruses are often species specific and even cell type specific. Some can infect many hosts however, often very different. For instance, Influenza infects humans, swine, birds and birds are a frequent source of new strains which often get going in the Asian open markets.

Bacterial infections which cause pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, tonsillitis, conjunctivitis are frequently the same ones. They simply set up shop wherever they can gain a foothold and then multiply. All these portions of the respiratory tract are connected.

btt

I get sick about once every 5-10 years.  This last week I had a sore throat, some congestion and cough but was not terribly sick.  The wife ended up with pretty much the same thing.  Relatives and friends reported much the same.  It was definitely viral but don't know if it was the "flu".  The sore throat is still hanging around in a mild way.

We've had this crap going around for a month.
Wife, 2 kids, then me.
I've been off work for 2 WEEKS.
Heavy infection in the lungs.  Taking Prednisone(sp.) and CIPRO...
Was taking a Codiene cough syrup and Biaxin antibiotic.  
Not driving a Bus, that's for sure!
Already had the high temperature; incessant cough; body aches; sleeping for 2-3 days; etc.
The respiratory stuff is bad enough.

Then, the kids come down with the pukes/shits.
Other family members are trading one for the other, too.
BAD YEAR for bugs.

Sounds like just a cold. Control your post nasal drainage and you may get some relief for the throat. Otherwise ibuprofen if there is no reason not to, and throat lozenges. If you take a turn for the worse you need to be seen but I would expect you to do fine.

A month ago was pretty early for influenza but never say never. Been plenty of acute viral bronchitis caused by parainfluenza(not related) which also causes croup in kids--seal barky cough, worse at night etc. Might explain why you are not responding to antibiotics. The smokers and those who live with smokers are doing much worse with this bug by the way. Hard to say over the 'net so do what your doc is telling you. You should be over the worst by now anyway.

Once you get run down you are more susceptible to other microbes. Stomach flu(gastroenteritis) is spread by fecal oral route so good bathroom hygeine is imperative and people can excrete virus in their stool for up to 6 weeks! Not a time to have company obviously. If there is blood in your stool, fever or dehydration you need to be seen. Monitor urine output as it is the best indicator of hydration status.

Fluids: 7-up, powerade, pedialyte for young kids. Not water--it will make the diarrhea worse and increase risk of dehydration. Up until about a decade or so ago about 3 million children a year died world wide from dehydration due to dysentery. Education about fluid management worldwide has dramatically decreased that number. Has to do with the way your intestines absorb fluids--requires glucose and sodium.

Control vomiting: Meds can help if this is a problem and it frequently is.

ibuprofen for abdominal cramping

Immodium AD for diarrhea. You have to take it with each loose stool. One time won't do it.

Bland diet. If you don't eat much, no biggie. Fluids are the main thing.

Hygeine: Clean bathroom with a 5% bleach solution periodically.
Also, as a general rule keep hands out of face and eyes, hand washing, don't share utensils or straws, etc. Not kissing sick kids unless you like being ill....Hard one to convince Moms of.
My 3rd year of med school was when we hit the hospitals. One kid went into gradeschool another into daycare. What a mix. I was sick for an entire year. Last week my wife started to cough and got mad at me because I wouldn't kiss her. Too Bad!

I've had the flu described, it's pretty nasty. Took me about five days to get over the major effects, but I've had the cough for about two or three weeks since. Anyone know if this is normal or not?

Pretty much normal with bronchitis or influenza. Provided you are gradually improving I wouldn't sweat it too much but if you worsen at some point you should be seen for possible pneumonia. If cough is very persistent you might alsoneed to be tested for whooping cough(Bordetella pertusis) as we are seeing some this year. Kinda rare since vacinations for it...
For cough much in excees of 3 weeks I generally do treat with macrolide antibiotics unless patients really check out pretty damn good.

i caught something nasty about two months ago


i ended up in bed with a 101 - 103 fever for four days and lots of caughing and nose blowing, aches, and dead tired. took about two and a half weeks after that for the nose blowing and caughing to go away.


how fast is "very rapid onset"? i know exactly when i was exposed to the one i got. it was a saturday at noon. by sunday evening i had a fever.

Would the good Dr. care to describe his medical qualifications?


AFAIK, you could be a chiropractor! [;D]

for influenza, about 2 hours from feeling fine to feeling like you've been hit by a Mack truck. Fever, shaking chills, plenty of chest congestion and cough, body aches. Loads of fun...

Sounds like you had [i]para[/i]influenza. Not related BTW. Not much fun either. Could've been something else also including Pertussis. Fever is not too typical of viral upper resp infx's in adults though it does occur, of course. Fever is typical with influenza(viral) and most bacterial infections depending on their severity.

People here have accussed me of that! [:D]

76-80 Marines
81-85 BS microbiology/chem--Magna Cum Laude
86-90 Mayo Clinic as a microbiologist. Primarily Virology and Parasitology
91-94 Medical College of WI--MD
94-97 Family Practice Residency
97-2003 Family Practice, Urgent Care, some ER work. Now do urgent care.

btt for those who missed it

I figure that if he was a chiropractor, he'd be recommending the collodial silver [:D]

When is someone who's had the flu contagious? Are these suckers who missed a few days of work because of it and are now feeling well enough to come back in spreading it around?

Quick test to see if you're too sick to work/go to class/whatever:

1) go to pre-ban's BOTD

2) if you don't feel like tearing one off, you're too sick to work.  

Ever notice that most of the folks who have gotten sick with the "flu" are the ones who've had their flu shots?

WARNING/WARNING WILL ROBINSON WARNING/WARNING

Take in excess Silver will also turn your skin grey and it's more or less permanent.

yesterday at about 10 am i noticed a slightly sore throat. by 1300 i felt like i had been hit by a mac truck.

2130 i woke from a deleriouse slumber feeling like i was going to puke. had mom call me out of work. very dizzy, aches all over, headache, all in all  the mac truck grew into a fully laden freight train..

didn't really sleep the rest of the night, but i wasn't awake either. my whole body felt like it was being disasembled and rearranged on a melecular level..


i am currently on 2000MG tylenol extra strenth as well as cephalexin 500MG ( this for an infected ingrown tonail.) still dizzy, sneezing (lots of phlem), headache, subdued by tylenol, but feeling a little better.


if it aint the flu i have, i don't want to even know what the flu would be like. in either event, this fucker is nasty.