Wondering if I have the Mexican Swine Flu

[Kylyssa]

Bleah - I've had the flu for like two weeks now.  My lungs have finally stopped rattling and gurgling and I haven't used my emergency inhaler yet today so things are looking up.  Now it just sounds like sad little animals are whining in my chest when I exhale.  Still coughing up alarming quantities of green phlegm, though.  

My partner was hanging around with a friend who recently traveled to Mexico a few weeks ago.

Since many Americans have no health care and often no means to pay for doctor visits - how would we even know how many Americans caught the swine flu?  And those without health insurance are often the most pressured to go to work when ill.

Don't most people take Nyquil (or Dayquil) and just go on about their lives if they think they have the flu?  I imagine a doctor would just charge you $50 to tell you to rest and drink lots of fluids, wouldn't they?

Anyway, I'm over a week from my doctor appointment.  I guess if I'm still sick by then, I'll squeeze in a question about the flu.

[joeactor]

I hope you don't have it, but it does seem to be spreading.
Only way to tell is to get tested.

Better safe than sorry in this case.

I'm just hoping we aren't seeing the start of a new pandemic.

Get Well!

Rest, fluids, Dr visit,
JoeActor

[curiosityandthecat]

"Doctor, I think I have the flu."
"Okay. Rest, drink fluids, and rest. That's $30, please."

Stupid viruses. Last thing I saw, CDC confirmed 40 cases, 28 of which are in NY. When it was 20 cases, only one had been hospitalized. So, while there's always a possibility you have it, sounds like you'll be okay.

You should probably get checked, just in case, like Joe said. Wanna catch Cap'n Trips early, you know.  

[MommaSquid]

My 11 year old niece in PA has been sick with a fever, sore throat and body aches.    She went to the doctor today and he didn't think it was the flu, but I'm still concerned.  

Take care of yourself, Kylyssa.

[Kylyssa]

No matter what version of the flu I have, I'm quarantining myself to prevent spreading it.  It's a nasty strain I wouldn't wish on anyone - coughing, high fevers, wicked sore throat, body aches, stomach and intestinal disturbances, sinus drainage and vile phlegm.  I labeled my apartment "The Plague Zone" and made liberal use of Lysol and soap the entire time we've been sick and we've skipped a few social gatherings.  And of course we're covering our orifices when we cough or sneeze.  Unfortunately, the roommate got it anyway but I've urged her to not visit her elderly parents until she's better.  Of course my partner had it first, he seems to be mostly recovered after being sick since the Tuesday before Easter.

I've used nearly a whole inhaler in the last two weeks.  Not fun.

[Whitney]

It's probably just a bad flu.  Plus, wouldn't you treat the Swine flu in the same way since you really can't take medicine for a flu?  Since you think you are getting better, I wouldn't worry unless you start to get worse again.  Of course, I also tend not to go to the doctor unless I think I need a Rx or something tested.  So, my idea of when to go to the doctor might not reflect what you should do.

[VanReal]

Well according to my mother, who is a respiratory therapist and made us spit our mucous into cups for her to exam when we were kids, green phlem usually equals bacterial infection so you may be in luck and not have a virus which means there are antibiotics that will help!  Unless you've been drinking green koolaid, then you are on your own  Viruses are the worst because you just have to wait them out.  (Unless you find a doctor that will give you antibiotics for them which is ridiculous and a whole other horrible issue.)

The swine flu is a big scary because it's killed people in Mexico.  Reminds me of when SARS headed our way a few years ago.  They closed a school down here today, and a day care because one child has it at the elementary school and some kids at the day care have siblings in the school.  I did get a letter sent home with my son today about it, so that's interesting, and our communications department sent out a publication to parents and employees as well.  Geepers, they try to scare the pants off of you when there are much worse things out there.  No one died yet in the states and people die every year from the regular good-old fashioned flu.

Hope you start feeling better, that's a long time to be sick with the flu and must be just miserable.  Hang in there!

[Will]

The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm

If you have a demonstrable connection with Mexico (if you or someone has been in Mexico recently) or if you're near a verified case and are showing symptoms, there's no harm in seeing your GP to ensure that you're safe. It should be noted that while this particular strain has lead to fatalities in Mexico, there are no fatalities yet in the US. To add to that, you can take very simple stepsâ€"washing hands, covering your mouth when you cough, eating a healthy diet that includes citrus, and avoiding people that are sickâ€"to avoid catching this particular bug.

[SSY]

A medical student down my corridor has brought up his emergency stash of Tamiflu. He aquired it when the whole bird flu thing was going on, but looks like it may be useful again. All I have to do is convince him to share.

More realistically though, I reckon there are going to be a lot of people going to their doctors with "swine" flu. I think the media hype is by far outstripping the real danger posed.

Rest, drink plenty of fluids ( that'll be $30 dollars please).

[Ninteen45]

So, has this hit Madagascar yet?

[Kylyssa]

Apparently I've only got the regular flu combined with strep throat and bronchitis.  It's just seemed really rotten because I have asthma and lupus.  It sets off both conditions.

[jrosebud]

glad to hear that you went to see the doc so hopefully you can get to feeling better soon.  

[VanReal]

Apparently I've only got the regular flu combined with strep throat and bronchitis.  It's just seemed really rotten because I have asthma and lupus.  It sets off both conditions.

So glad that here you "only" have those things.  I imagine you are taking a lot of medication and sitting around inhaling albuterol right about now.  Hopefully you'll be feeling better soon, or at least back to normal.

[Kylyssa]

Yep, buckets of albuterol, not the crappy American stuff, either, man - I got the good stuff from India that still uses CFC propellants and shoots out of the can with force.

[MommaSquid]

Yep, buckets of albuterol, not the crappy American stuff, either, man - I got the good stuff from India that still uses CFC propellants and shoots out of the can with force.

That's right.  Screw the hole in the ozone layer!  Kylyssa needs to breath!  

[cartman] Seriously. [/cartman]

I hope you feel better soon.