Flu not what it seems?

I've had a similiar issues to some of the posters here. I am as well someone who hasn't had the flu or even a simple common cold over the last decade+, even if someone who's sick is breathing down my neck. However, this year, my aunt brought home the flu with her and got me sick, and I got her sick twice through re-exposure.

However, for some strange reason, my grandmother; a person who is super vulnerable to viruses and common colds, she did NOT get the flu. She got a small case of the sniffles, and nothing more-- this is really odd as well, because she was around my aunt and I nearly the whole time. Whether it was in the kitchen or in the car.

Though, maybe she was just lucky and I got unlucky this year. I did have my flu shot this year as well, not like it really helps much anymore though.

originally posted by: Sillyolme
a reply to: threeeyesopen

I have been very lucky. I am 60 soon 61 and I've never had the flu. My brother has never had the flu but two other sisters have. None of my children have ever had the flu either.
Could some people just have natural resistence? Given all the strains? I seldom get colds either. Actually I hardly ever get sick at all. I do get spasms in my back that just spontaneously occurs every few years that lays me up for a week or more and I get ear infections occasionally but I swim so it's swimmers ear caused by bacteria in the ocean.

I do believe some people have a natural resistance due to each individuals immune system, it's really just something that is different for everyone. Some people have more resilient immune systems, others aren't so lucky. Seems to run in families too from what I've noticed. It varies from each person as far as I know.
As for the swimmer's ear. I totally get that, I love to swim laps. I used to be on a team. Anyhow...

I very rarely get sick.
I got walloped with a bug last December.
Put me out of commission for a solid week.
Two people I knew died.
Bad stuff.

a reply to: skunkape23

I'm sorry to hear that, my condolences. This last Winter was a bad one. Hopefully, this coming one will be better.

So... Commander Cunningham is working on a secret mission?

since i stopped working i never seem to get the flu or a cold. I guess it's because i dont cross so many peoples paths. Flu can only last a few hours out side it's host. If you live on your own and avoid human contact and such the flu wont get ya. simple.

a reply to: JimNasium

Please don't take antibiotics for flu. Please don't take antibiotics at all if you can help it and only use them in extreme cases.

The reason is that especially with the flu, the illness is Viral, not Bacterial. Anti-BIOTIC means it kills bacteria but if the flu is viral, it won't have zilch impact on the cause but a negative impact on your own ability to fight illensses.

Every time you take antibiotics willy-nilly you are getting one step closer for antibiotics not to work on you any longer!

That means if you ever have a life threatening illness that can be cured by antibiotics, it is entirely possible that because of overuse and misuse it won't work for you.

Last but not least I sincerely hope you finish every course of antibiotics to the last tablet.

This is mega important, because if you are fighting bacteria, the course is designed to kill every single last one of them so that there can't be any left who now 'know the secret formula of the anti-biotic' [aka they become immune]. They all need to die.

If you don't finish the whole course and hence not all bacteria have been killed, I have to say 'congratulations, you have just single handedly raised bacteria that are now immune to the antibiotic you have just used on them. They'll be happy to oblige and procreate with the new information you let them have for free. The next person that is affected by your bacteria will not be able to kill them if need be. If that person is weak that could be disastrous.

Do not ever treat antibiotics as a 'cure all' and don't use them util you know if your illness is viral or bacterial. Always finish a course; but basically only use them when you really need them for a dangerous infection. For your own good and that of others.

originally posted by: rickymouse
Zinc lessens the duration of the flu. It is essential to our immune system. Taking one of those bigger iodine supplements for a couple of days when the flu comes around can cause an increase of iodine in the mucus and Iodine kills most flues and bacteria. If you have a bacterial overload, it can possibly make a massive dieoff. so watch it, maybe taking a smaller iodine supplement in a mineral complex or multivitimin might keep the microbes at lower levels. Iodine also kills microbes like candida, I do not know why the medical industry does not mention that. Some people can get a problem from too much iodine, starting low dose is preferential. Some people who are intolerant to ocean fish might actually be intolerant to iodine, but that is rare.

Adults 19 years and older require only 150 mcg per day of Iodine and 1 cup of milk and 1 egg gives us around 52 mcg per day, so far that is say 100 mcg and while most of our other foods are salted with iodized salt, you can see that we pretty much meet (or rather exceed) our daily iodine requirements. So, I'm not looking at iodine supplements as the answer.

As for Zinc, adults 19 years and older require 8-10 mg per day, not to exceed 40 mg per day. Cooked beef/pork (2.5 oz) gives us from 2-9 mg per day, cheese/milk 1-2 mg per day, pumpkin/squash seeds and baked beans from 3-4 mg per day.
So, again, meeting one's daily Zinc needs seems easy to do.

I am looking elsewhere for immunity weakness in fighting a flu. And, for me, that would have been 'NOT' getting the flu shot previously. Since getting the flu shot again, but making sure the H3N2 marker was in the shot, I have not had the flu now for three years and I am out and about among crowds of people frequently. But I have to add, I have been washing my hands very frequently and keeping them away from my face.

a reply to: Hecate666

You make it sound like we have a choice in this. To get antibiotics in the UK your doctor has to write a prescription for it i.e. you cannot just walk into a chemist to buy it.

I can't even remember the last time I had the flu. I get a very mild version that lasts maybe a day or two at most when the wife gets it. It must be nearly thirty years ago since I had even the mild version.. I have had bronchitis and pleuracy, but when checking back that only happened when I was on beta blockers for my heart.

I got the flu shot twice, I got sick as hell. Cytokine storm. The first time I was around twenty, the second time was about thirty five years ago when I got married, my wife talked me into it. For the last thirty five years Doctors have told me to stay away from the flu shot and some other vaccines, I can't take the DTAP either, but I can take the DT or plain tetnus.

I get the common cold every three or four years, and that sucks, no fever, no soreness, no flu like symptoms. I also get sinus infections. I used to take triaminicin for those, but they quit making them. I just have to eat some fresh pineapple or take a bromelain tablet to break those up. For thirty five years I was getting the triaminicin tablets. When they quit making them we found six boxes of them at the drug store on clearance, we bought all six, between us and the two daughters they lasted only about three years.

When you get a cold or virus, your taste goes, things taste bland. The zinc is being utilized by your immune system and for processing energy to fight the disease. When you are healing, you also need more zinc, the enzymes used to heal need zinc. The RDA is for a healthy person, not for someone who is in need of more because of extenuating circumstances like illness or not enough stomach acid or other enzymes to make the zinc accessable. You need to study this more, do not just look at RDAs, they apply to overall normal healthy individuals. If the levels are decent in your blood and body, then you will have more energy to fight off getting the disease, but zinc is a water soluable mineral which is often excreted if not used too, so if you get the runs, then it goes out, if you drink coffee or do diuretics, levels can also fall.

I do not take much of a supplement of zinc, but when we get the first sign of something flu like or cold like, we take some cold eeze or some other lozenger that the wife gets from the coop. If food does not taste much we also take some zinc or do one of those lozengers. It keeps us healthy and free of viruses.

There is information of the action of iodine on the mucus on the net from doctors and other research. We use sea salt, and we do not live near the coast, we try to get more local foods if possible, the iodine content is lower here. Our water is harder, not much salt or iodine in it here, if you go other areas you will find salt minerals in the veggies grown. I have had goiter, so has the wife. So we know now to subsidize a little iodine. The iodine they used to use in salt was worthless, now they have fixed that, but because chloride knocks iodine off the thyroid, salt is not a good solution. Also, we eat cruciferous veggies, they block iodine absorption and also the Isothiocyanates in them bind to iodine sites on the thyroid and also some other cells in the body. When they designed those iodine guidelines, the majority of people did not eat much cruciferous veggies or goitrogen foods, think about that. Also, the nutrition people are telling people to cut down on salt when they should actually say sodium containing chemistry other than salt. Even sea salt contains some iodine, but much less than needed. How can people get iodine from salt if they hardly eat any?

All I know is when I get sick like this the only comforting thing I can find is a scalding hot shower or bath, think like 1st degree burn type of stuff.

originally posted by: w810i
All I know is when I get sick like this the only comforting thing I can find is a scalding hot shower or bath, think like 1st degree burn type of stuff.

I read, from more than one source, that taking cold baths and cold air baths is the best way to go get the blood rushing to the body's core, then when you warm up again, the blood rushes back to the extremities, which supposedly boosts the immune system.

www.shen-nong.com...

originally posted by: silo13
a reply to: w810i

In my opinion - 'they' - are systematically killing us off.

Why?

Back when social security came into play the life of an average American was 67.

If you retired at 65 - not much to pay huh?

Economically it seems to make more sense to get people to live as long as possible until they run out of 401k/IRA/Retirement Savings/Assets. Pharma-culture (pharmaceutical company culture) is big business because people spend their whole lives working to save for retirement, which is when the medical bills really kick in. Also, when we get older and run out of money, there's that younger working generation of children (even grandchildren) who feel obligated to pony up to keep elder family members alive as long as possible.

originally posted by: chelsdh
This flu epidemic doesn’t have to be altered in a lab to act this way. The Spanish Flu from 100 years ago was a natural mutation- and we are due for another pandemic.

True, and lab created viruses would certainly be more effective and efficient. Influenza tends to kill itself off over time. Humankind would create something less likely to have a minimal efficacy.

It’s Mother Nature thinning us out.

Sounds like you've got a crush on her, but once you're in a one-on-one relationship, you may find her breaking your heart both literally and figuratively.

originally posted by: Slimyrat
I do believe some people have a natural resistance due to each individuals immune system, it's really just something that is different for everyone. Some people have more resilient immune systems... Seems to run in families too from what I've noticed.

Nailed it here. It's a mix of time, place, genetics, environment and all sorts of variables. As a biochemist, troubleshooting basic problems with antibodies and enzymes is no easy feat even though all data and history say you're supposed to get a very specific result.

originally posted by: JimNasium
a reply to: w810i


I'll type You what.. I had this "Flu" and it had been 24 years since I had anything more than a cold or if it was 'more than a cold' I'd take some antibiotics, usually the ones from the Vet (they are the same) This time I started getting sick on Super Bowl Sunday, by Thur. I wasn't feeling any better and had taken all the green/blk. antibiotics so off to "Quick Care™ concierge doctoring, so the local E.R. doesn't get swamped. I finally started feeling better 10 days later and AFTER taking all the Tamiflu™.

The absolute worst part was My older 'bitch' (the only time this word is appropriate) laid by My side while I was sick and She too wouldn't eat and only took water, now Her kidneys are shutting down and the only thing We can do is feed Her fluids via an IV..


I have absolutely NO DOUBT that in some lab. BigPHarma™ is cooking up next year's batch of 'Flu'..

Remember 'Ebola' and that even came w/a neon green/shocking yellow combo color-- Think I'm kidding? Bing™ or let "THEM" read Your crap and Google™ "Ebola Green tee shirt" and see what pops up..

This year has a flu strain that is resistant to Tamiflu (great). Not only that, it is presenting symptomatically in ways that are atypical. Not only THAT, but there have also been many false negatives for the flu test. So even if you test, it can come up negative and they send your butt home. And then you've missed your 48 hour window where Tamiflu is going to do anything for you anyway. Miss that first two days and you might as well not waste your money.

As an aside, in case you didn't already know (you probably did) antibiotics will do precisely jack squat to help with the flu.

a reply to: scubagravy

Same here. I don't think there is any harm in posting this, however, of course, feel free to say you don't want to answer. But do you know your blood type? I am A+. My Dad is a transplant patient - also A+ and despite being on anti-rejection meds, never gets the flu (or mosquito bites). I don't think I can tell you the last time I have been bit by a mosquito or gotten more than a mild cold - virus-wise. This is despite living in a very humid climate and being outdoors at night for sports most of spring/summer...

a reply to: nicevillegrl

Thank you for your reply,
A+ huh, that is a rare one.... I am O+ , which is pretty common so i wonder what else we may have in common ? It is strange, i have spoken with mates about this and we sorta cancelled blood as the reason. I have wondered about this my whole life, so stay in touch and if either of us find out .....

The flu virus is constantly mutating, we can't cure it so we use vaccines and antibiotics to try and stop it, the more of that rubbish we use the more the virus mutates, it's only a matter of time till a strain will wipe out millions maybe billions of people like in the Steven king story the stand.

originally posted by: YarlanZey
a reply to: Hecate666

You make it sound like we have a choice in this. To get antibiotics in the UK your doctor has to write a prescription for it i.e. you cannot just walk into a chemist to buy it.

OP said that he takes the ones from the vet as they are the same apparently and he doesn't have to go to the doctor. That's why said that. Furthermore I personally have refused to take antibiotics for middle ear infection because I see no point, it went all by itself only took a little longer. You can say 'no'.

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
The flu virus is constantly mutating, we can't cure it so we use vaccines and antibiotics to try and stop it, the more of that rubbish we use the more the virus mutates, it's only a matter of time till a strain will wipe out millions maybe billions of people like in the Steven king story the stand.

Oh, c'mon on, we are able to target the DNA of them critters.