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I had flu that went into a respiratory infection. I was given Tamiflu initially, which probably shortened the duration a little, but missed Christmas and lost eight pounds in eight days - the only things that tasted good were halo clementines.
I made sure I drank enough to keep hydrated, and took ibuprofen, cough syrups (one expectorant for day, the other suppressant so I could sleep at night), and went through lots of cough drops and peppermint candy canes. I felt exhausted when it finally relented - it included a racking cough that was non-productive and wore me out, along with fever of about 101 1/2, a sore throat, and chills. The sore throat and deepening cough led to a Z-Pack three or four days into it, which took care of those symptoms but which upset my stomach. Not fun at all, and the timing was terrible! I hadn't been this sick in over twenty years.
Over 25 people have died from flu in my state, many of them elderly. A doctor friend reports the nursing homes he visits are filled with flu patients, many of whom are over 85 or 90, leading me to think this is a virus which has morphed into something for which few, if any, people have existing antibodies.
So get your flu shots - even if they are only 25-30% effective this year - and if it hits you as rapidly as it did me (had lunch with a friend, was sick three and a half hours later), seek Tamiflu immediately, take whatever OTC meds your doctors suggest, go to bed, force fluids, keep warm - and don't emerge until you're well. This is a bad one...
If you are relatively healthy, just do what you're doing. As always if you are a toddler or over 60, have auto immune disease, cardiac etc... they recommend tamiflu.
Got the flu shot in early October, two days later got the flu, yes I know it was not from the shot, must have been exposed to someone with the flu prior to getting the shot.
Now in January, have the flu for a second time, must be the mutated strain.
I've got it bad and wondering what people do to treat this?
I've given cans of chicken soup and Alka-Seltzer Plus. I'm drinking lots of water.
Thanks.
I had it over the Christmas holiday and it was really weird. Very intense for four days, couldn't hardly get out of bed. I just slept and slept (didn't have a choice) and all of a sudden it eased up. However, there has been a bit of an aftermath where I tend to tire easily.
I have found Mucinex to be very good for congestion and I like Oscillococcinum, a homeopathic. Wikipedia is very harsh on this preparation and thinks it is quackery. It may be a placebo effect, but it works for me.
If you are relatively healthy, just do what you're doing. As always if you are a toddler or over 60, have auto immune disease, cardiac etc... they recommend tamiflu.
BS about that over 60. We aren't all clones of one another.
My prayers to anyone who has the flu this season. However, I've had the flu twice in the past 20 years and neither time was I well enough to get on the computer, even to ask for advice on meds. Both times I was too busy trying to get through the worst of the illness and not to die. I could barely crawl on the floor to the bathroom. So I presume that those who are posting on this forum for flu advice are either in the later stages of the illness or are experiencing a milder version than I did.
I've been sleeping mainly and eating campbell's chicken soup and I'm starting to feel better now. I called my doctor's office and his waiting room is loaded with people sick with the flu they said and I've been told by a family member my local hospital ER is overloaded with people with the flu. So I will just stay here at home and wait it out.
Never had any stuffy nose with this for some reason. Just a bad dry cough so this might just be a bad cold and not the flu?
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