My H1N1 (Swine Flu) Experience (pain, flu shot, congestion, doctor)

[stillkit]

My daughter is getting over it now and so is her son. They got the diagnosis confirmed and got a prescription for Tamiflu. The next day, they were both blowin' and goin' in high gear.

I really don't see what the panic is all about.

[Mattie]

Originally Posted by stillkit

My daughter is getting over it now and so is her son. They got the diagnosis confirmed and got a prescription for Tamiflu. The next day, they were both blowin' and goin' in high gear.

I really don't see what the panic is all about.

I don't know anybody who is panicking. The concern is because over 1000 people have died already, and the majority of them are not the demographic that usually falls into the yearly flu death toll. The concern is because the vaccine is in short supply.

[Positiveone]

Shouldnt panic, be prepared! This is no regular Flu! It strikes everybody different! Your lucky, feel for others. Never have i seen a flu of this powerful strain in my life until now! This is the first time i l know people who have died of the Flu, me personally that it. Good luck and God Bless all!

Originally Posted by stillkit

My daughter is getting over it now and so is her son. They got the diagnosis confirmed and got a prescription for Tamiflu. The next day, they were both blowin' and goin' in high gear.

I really don't see what the panic is all about.

[WilliamHarman]

Originally Posted by Positiveone

Shouldnt panic, be prepared! This is no regular Flu! It strikes everybody different! Your lucky, feel for others. Never have i seen a flu of this powerful strain in my life until now! This is the first time i l know people who have died of the Flu, me personally that it. Good luck and God Bless all!

This is very true. For some all they get is light body aches, mild fever, maybe a sore throat. For others its a life and death scenario. Most people fall somewhere between these two.

I am the OP, and I'm in this about 10 days now and still sick. I broke my fever a few days ago and had that "recovery on the way" feeling, but then is came roaring back. Fever, chills, lungs filled. I am a healthy 40 something male. I have not had the flu or cold or any other illness for about 12 years until this. This sucker is nasty and avoid it at all costs if you can. It lingers, subsides some, then comes back again. It seems to be a drawn out illness and if one had a weak immune system, this could really reak havic on you.

[yayamyers]

I don't know what to think about this swine flu. I think my kids had/have it. I'm just not sure. The week ending on the 18, around mid week my oldest complained of body aches, had a low grade fever, and was a little stuffed up...he's usually very dramatic so I didn't believe he was as sick as he said he was feeling. I sent him to school wednesday and thursday, but friday he was looking really miserable so I let him stay home. By sunday the 18, he was feeling fine and has been fine all this week.

On sunday night, my 2 yr. old started with the low grade fever as well, she don't go to day care or anything, so must have picked it up from my 8 yr. old. She got a really nasty high fever (104.5) by around 4PM Monday, so we rushed her to the ER. After getting some tylenol and stuff, she started feeling better...the docs told us that she might have the swine flu, but didn't bother to test her or give her anything for it...they just told us to make sure she stayed hydrated, keep her on tylenol and motrin to control the fever, and bring her back if she got any worst. She has been sick all week. By friday she looked better, was running around and only took fever reducing medicine early in the AM. She looked fine all day and night, until yesterday morning, she woke up with the high fever again, looked very lethargic and tired. All she wanted to do was sleep. We keep giving her gatorade, apple juice, forcing soup on her too to keep her hydrated and nourished. Last night, around 8 PM she started feeling better again, and has not had fever reducing medicine today and is running around again. Hopefully this thing is gone for good now, cause if its not, I guess I will have to take her to the doc again this week.

My 5 yr. old also seem to have gotten this thing as well, but he has recovered as quickly as the 8 yr. old. He started with the fever on Wednesday, was burning up all day wednesday and thursday, and friday he only had medicine once, and was running around by early evening. Yesterday and today he look like he returned to his old self. All that lingers now on both, the 2 yr old and the 5 yr old is a little bit of a cough, and stuffy nose...that is it.

I guess we are lucky... I'm just now waiting for when its going to hit me...I don't ave any symptoms of it yet...I'm pretty healthy, so hopefully us adults will be ok.
Again...I'm not sure if we had the H1N1 as we didn't get the kids tested, but we made sure to keep everyone well hydrated and nourished to give their immune system the best fighting chance.

[harry chickpea]

Originally Posted by WilliamHarman

I see lots of questions on the forum asking if anyone has had the Swine flu yet and how bad was it.

Well, I just had it and it was not the normal run of the mill flu, at least not for me. I feel this flu is potentially very dangerous and might just be a trial run for what is to come. It was deceiving and demanding in a strange way.

The thing notable for me, was how it wavered in the beginning before slamming into me like a freight train. I was tested later on in the process, and confirmed to have caught the swine flu.

1. The very first symptom I noticed was fatigue. The night before I knew something was up, I was very tired, but no fever or other symptom. I could feel that overly tired "Something might be coming" feeling.

2. I woke up sneezing and with a stuffy nose a light sore throat. No big deal. This lasted for 2 1/2 days and did not increase nor decrease in severity.

3. On the 4th day, mid day I got diarrhea. Bad diarrhea and it came out of nowhere. It came on so hard and fast, I missed the bathroom on my drive home. Gross, but fact. I knew something was up by now.

4. The 4th night the whole package came. Fever, chills, night sweats, more diarrhea, my lungs and nose stuffed up instantly. I mean in a matter of hours I went from clear to feeling like someone poured concrete down my sinus and into my lungs.

5. 5th day, I went to local clinic, weak, shaken, fever chills trouble breathing and was given a quick test, confirmed swine flu. I was given tamiflu.

6. 6th day was the worst, I was guzzling down flu medicine, decongestant and more. I felt like I was loosing the battle. The diarrea was weakening me and my lungs were tight and I was weezing. This night I broke into a burning fever and was so sick, I could not even muster up enough energy to go to the ER. I knew I should go, but was literally burning so bad, I felt like just dying and ending it. I actually did have some thoughts of death.

7. 7th day my fever broke and I began to feel better and figured the worst was over and it was.

8. Now still lingers a sore throat and sniffles. I am able to eat and drink.

This is not the normal flu. I fear if these keeps in circulation it will become more sever. Avoid this virus at all costs. I can see how anyone who is weak, or has other health issues could very easily die from this. It's horrible! I'm still sick, but getting better each day.

From my reading, due to my body having fought it and won, I should be immune to it. But if I had to do over, I would wear a surgical mask each time I went out of the home. I could careless what others would think. I did all the precautions and have absolutely no idea how or where I picked it up.

I fear this virus is going to continue to spread and circle the globe and worsen as it does. Something did not feel right about it to me. Just a sense I got, for whatever that is worth.

I would be willing to bet that you had the statistically unlucky joy of having the H1N1 and then getting what is commonly called "food poisoning" on top of that. That would explain the diarrhea and weakening of your system so that the flu affected you even more strongly. Your immune system is now so ratcheted up it is likely to be able to take on the Incredible Hulk and Superman combined.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by stillkit

My daughter is getting over it now and so is her son. They got the diagnosis confirmed and got a prescription for Tamiflu. The next day, they were both blowin' and goin' in high gear.

I really don't see what the panic is all about.

I agree with the rest of those who said this affects everyone differently. And it's a crap shoot. You don't know if you're going to be one of the ones it knocks out, or one who has a mild case and is back to school/work in 3 days. Get immunized if you can!

[camrynh]

Originally Posted by WilliamHarman

This is very true. For some all they get is light body aches, mild fever, maybe a sore throat. For others its a life and death scenario. Most people fall somewhere between these two.

I am the OP, and I'm in this about 10 days now and still sick. I broke my fever a few days ago and had that "recovery on the way" feeling, but then is came roaring back. Fever, chills, lungs filled. I am a healthy 40 something male. I have not had the flu or cold or any other illness for about 12 years until this. This sucker is nasty and avoid it at all costs if you can. It lingers, subsides some, then comes back again. It seems to be a drawn out illness and if one had a weak immune system, this could really reak havic on you.

Not to be an alamist, but if you've felt better and are now feverish, etc, again, you should go to the dr. Everything I've been reading has said that it's not actually the flu that is hospitalizing/killing people, but secondary infections (pneumonia) and if you have it, feel better, and then get a fever and feel bad again, you should be seen again.

We're dealing with nastiness here, too. My 6 year old came home from school on Thursday with a fever, that he said came on quite suddenly. He also complained of a stomach ache, and had a dry cough. Friday, his temp was very low grade, and still had the dry cough. Saturday morning he woke us up before the sun was up, hysterical because he felt like he couldn't breathe. His cough sounded frightening. My husband took him to the ER where his temp was 100.x and they did the nasal swab for the flu, and x-rays for pneumonia. Both were negative so they diagnosed him with an upper respiratory infection/common cold. They sent him home with an albuterol inhaler and xrays, and told us to follow up with his dr on Monday. Today, he woke up with a temp of 102.3, a crackly chest, and that horrible cough worsening. Really? All this from a cold? I just don't buy it.

[yayamyers]

Originally Posted by camrynh

Not to be an alamist, but if you've felt better and are now feverish, etc, again, you should go to the dr. Everything I've been reading has said that it's not actually the flu that is hospitalizing/killing people, but secondary infections (pneumonia) and if you have it, feel better, and then get a fever and feel bad again, you should be seen again.

I completely agree with you, this is what the doctors at the ER told us. They also told us that they are running out of the vaccine and WILL NOT give it to most healthy people. They are now giving it only to people at risk for complications. They also said that the antiviral meds are also starting to be exhausted and most are going to be reserved for cases of people that end up in the hospital.

[yayamyers]

Originally Posted by camrynh

My husband took him to the ER where his temp was 100.x and they did the nasal swab for the flu, and x-rays for pneumonia. Both were negative so they diagnosed him with an upper respiratory infection/common cold. They sent him home with an albuterol inhaler and xrays, and told us to follow up with his dr on Monday. Today, he woke up with a temp of 102.3, a crackly chest, and that horrible cough worsening. Really? All this from a cold? I just don't buy it.

At least they tested yours...my 2 yr. old was not even tested, and she had a 104.5 fever when we got to the ER. I don't know, maybe its the hospital here, but they seemed to be running out of meds.