Influenza H1N1, I can't believe it's happening.

[thomasortega]

This crap reached my city. Well, Iguassu receives thousands of tourists from everywhere plus the borders with the poor Paraguay and the rich, but very affected Argentina.

Yesterday afternoon I started feeling the first symptoms, after a quick trip to Curitiba and doing everything they recommended (avoid crowded indoor areas like shopping centers, use masks almost 24/7, wash the hands more than 20 times a day and use alcoohol gel, spraying lysoform on door knobs and avoid any kind of personal contacts like handshakings, hugs and kisses)

Of course I went to the closest hospital immediatelly and only two hours after the first fever I got the first dose of Tamiflu. The doctor said it could be and ordinary flu or the H1N1, just in case, the doctors are instructed to don't wait for the test result and consider all flu cases as H1N1.

My city is know by it's reference hospitals, they are much better than other areas in Brazil, which public hospitals are very poor, a total chaos and thousands of people die while waiting for a doctor. What I couldn't believe was the efficiency of the emergency plan created by the county government. I saw more than 600 people waiting for a doctor (my number was 623) and everybody got atention in less than an hour.(completelly acceptable considering the epidemy).

The most interesting of all is that here in Iguassu, all the 6 public hospitals were designated to flu cases only and all the private hospitals and clinics are offering public (and free) atention to all the other cases.

By the way, now it's 3:40 pm, amost 24 hours after the first atention and I feel 50% better (but still isolated in my bedroom and I'll be here for more 10 days)

And how's the situation in your area? Is there any other member infected by this virus?

 

[cleanteamofny]

I just hope it is a 24 hour bug and not the flu!
Get well soon Thomas!

Larry

 

[rp2813]

It's supposedly the calm before the storm here in the northern hemisphere. My doctor said the advice here is not to prescribe "Tamiflu" currently because the virus could become resistant to it, presumably before the real flu season hits.

That's the latest I've heard. I think there have been like two cases locally within the last month or so.

Ralph

 

[ronhic]

In Oz

Basically, H1N1 presents as a mild Flu in many people and is considered a 'moderate' Flu overall. The people at risk are generally those at risk every flu season -

- elderly
- those with suppressed immune systems
- very young
- pregnant

This is no different to any other year. Much of the hysteria is due to the out-of-season occurance in the Northern Hemisphere. For us, it has happened at the appropriate time - winter.

There is no isolation policy here. Common sense prevails from a practitioner point of view. If we are sick with the flu, we stay home from work which would be the case with any style of cold/flu. People with ill family members are not isolated and continue their normal lives. If they end up with flu, then they stay home...

There is nothing different in these processes at all compared to what a 'normal' (you risk the definition) person would or should do if they were ill.

Here is the linky to the New South Wales dept. health notes on how to manage the flu this winter. This is updated every year as we have a 'flu season' every year - every country does.

Emergency preparedness - Emergency preparedness

NSW Health encourages everyone to be prepared for emergencies that can affect their health.

www.emergency.health.nsw.gov.au

 

[rp2813]

I never used to get the flu, but I've probably had some sort of flu thing once or twice since turning 50. I make it a point now to get a flu shot every year.

I agree that this may be a very normal flu season here with the usual more flu-prone groups getting hit worst and everybody else just having your average flu symptoms.

My doctor also said he's dreading the flu season this year. The media hype is going to have everyone running to their doctor instead of just getting something for the symptoms off the shelf at the drug store and riding it out at home.

 

[autowasherfreak]

I heard that someone in Iowa died from it.

 

[ronhic]

Iowa is a big place though....

How many have died this year from non-H1Ni flu in Iowa?

Of the 24 deaths in New South Wales, 23 were already ill with other medical conditions and the 24th is being investigated.

 

[brisnat81]

I think Australia has around 10,000 confirmed cases of which there have been approx 30 deaths.

If my calculations are correct, that means a 0.3% Mortality Rate.

My Mum works in pathology and those stats are no different to any other flu season, the at risk are always at risk, and everyone else wont have a problem.

We've had one person in the office with H1N1, he was made to work from home for a few days and then was back in the office. Nobody else has gotten sick, and other than the usual winter cold and cough season, we're all just getting on with it.

Media Hype as usual.

 

[a440]

EVERYONE NEEDS TO TAKE VITAMIN D! READ ABOUT IT!
TAKE VITAMIN D!!!!!

BRENT

 

[jonv112]

I was sick for a week or two in June and I am 99% sure that it was the H1N1 flu. Around that time a letter was sent to all students in my school stating there was a student with a confirmed case. The letter stated he was sent home but his identity was not revealed. The day before I got sick my friend who sat beside me in my chemistry class wasn't present, so I guess she had the flu too any probably passed it onto me.

I missed 2 days of school, but I didn't bother going to visit my doctor, since I knew there was really no point seeing as she couldn't give me drugs or anything, just lots of fluids and rest. On the 3rd day I wasn't completely better but I went back to school seeing as I couldn't afford to miss any more classes. I just found it weird that I got sick in the middle of June. Then again, it was a pretty chilly June here in Toronto, and this flu does target young adults more than the seasonal flu.

 

[ronhic]

Jon

Without trying to dennigrate that you were ill, if you only had two days off school, I would doubt that you actually had a proper flu.

Often we tend to refer to a bad cold as 'the flu', but if you had actually had 'the flu', you would have needed more than two days off school.

Common flu symptoms can be:

-aches in the muscles and joints
-tiredness
-chills
-cough
-sore throat

...and you would probably need a good week to fight it off.

 

[jetcone]

I'm pretty sure I had it in June

We had two strains going around here then, a regular flu and H1N1.
I was never so sick in my life on the 3rd day death looked attractive to me and I am not joking.
My friend across town was a week ahead of me into it and we both ended up with a paralysed leg for many weeks after.
I remember in the late 70's it came around and my Dads secretary got it and she ended up with her arms paralysed for several weeks. I looked it up in the literature and it is rare but not uncommon with infuenza so take your Vitamins!
7 weeks later and I can bend my ankle and toes again and have feeling back in them.
One good outcome was on that 3 rd day I coughed so hard I wrenched my back in bed, man did that hurt BUT my sacrem had been out of joint for 30 years and painful everytime I stood up NOW for the first time in all that time I have full mobility and no pain. What a relief! So it was not all bad, just one of life's bizzare experiences!

 

[jonv112]

I had all 5 of those symptoms you just listed (albeit they were relatively mild), in addition to a 39 degree fever and just overall feeling like complete crap for a couple of days. The first few days day I took some Dayquil/Nyquil and I felt a lot better, but not good enough to go to school until the 3rd day. I would have liked to stay home longer, but seeing as exams were coming up I couldn't afford to miss any more class. I fully recovered after about 10 days, and I just hope I didn't get anyone else sick in the process (but I probably did anyway lol).

 

[fltcoils]

Cytokine Storm

The H1N1 is supposed to be similar to SARS and the 1918 flu.

Those were mostly fatal to people with good immune systems, the young children, the very old and depressed immune people were most likely to NOT be harmed.

The reason is because these flu types trigger an overresponse of the immune sytem, a Cytokine Storm. That is the deadly part of this type of flu. It tricks the immune system into an over reaction in the pulmonary system, inflaming the lungs with your own T cells. A less than healthy immune system does not storm, and so those people survived the 1918 virus.

That's what people are afraid of. Its the youthful healthy who....

I've always wondered if this might be the basis for the Tarantella dance.

There has been some success with research into preventing/inhibiting the cytokine storm thru drugs.

Cytokine storm - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[sudsmaster]

Ftcoils said it for me.

Fortunately with prompt modern medical care, the fatal effects of a cytokine storm can be avoided.

One of the few consolations of being in my 50's is that I probably won't die from the swine flu, lol.

I got a bad case of the flu in April. Missed work, had a hacking cough for a week, then plugged up ear for a month. I don't know if it was swine flu, but I have my suspicions.

Last Thursday I came down with another URI (upper respiratory infection). With this one I also missed a day of work (a Friday, and I wouldn't have worked the next day except it was a Saturday anyway). But no fever so probably not the flu. By Sunday I was feeling much better and I could work (albeit exhausted by the end of the day) on Monday.

Latest in the news is that it will take THREE flu shots this fall to protect one against seasonal and swine flu. If you can find them.

 

[alr2903]

If the CDC was really serious about tracking this and determining what flu it really is, they might consider a walk in testing lab, walk in give your specimen and walk out. If you wait until your regular pcp gets around to it... or you get into the office to be examined, id think the results could be flawed. Same for west nile.