"I don't usually get sick...." - Swine flu paranoia?

OK I keep hearing this so I thought I'd start one of those supermarket threads where you see people comparing 'sicknesses' by the pharmacy aisle and each one has "had it worse" than the other....

On a serious note it might be good to keep track of 'oddities' and perhaps find a pattern etc etc.

I'm not talking about your usual cold / flu / blergh feelings that you would normally get..... I want to know about strange, odd, unusual for you or your family illnesses...

OK I'll start.... I am prone to getting one cold a year, usually around October time... nothing major just a snotty beak and a cough job. Apart from that I do get the odd cold-sore if I let myself get too run down or if some dirty git hasn't washed the cups up right in a cafe !! If the children bring tummy bugs home from school I am super duper sympathetic and banish them to their bedrooms with a bucket with lavender oil splashed in the bottom, a bottle of hand gel and strict instructions to not come anywhere near me or anyone else until things stay inside their bodies... *shudder* I DONT do vomit!! Anyway because of this I very very rarely get poopy-voms.

Lives: England - South
Season: Spring / Summer [well meant to be]
Home: Edge of town with population of 160,000
gender: A lady!
Age group: 30 - 40 [39 ]
Allergies: Dust
Works: At home with one other [husband]
Last travel: None since summer 2008, but did have friend from Mexico over for the day in April before he flew back, he is/was healthy.

[Not sure if anything else would be good to have listed.... children? I guess.. cause they go to school so would bring in nasties? I have 5]

Odd sickness:

I have had for the last 5 weeks an on/off sore throat... my tonsils vanished after years of tonsillitis as a child / teen but yet my tonsils feel raw, soft pallet feels rubbish, sublingual & submadibular glands keep swelling up for 24 hours then going down for a day or two then swelling back up.

This isn't normal for me at all.. not for May... it feels like I am on the edge of getting a bad cold then it goes. As you can see above I don't have allergies apart from dust but since living in this new house we have no carpets or curtains so no dust...

I would say this is strange for me... the rest of the family are fine although every so often hubby will say "I think I'm coming down with a cold" and then nothing happens... a few days later he says the same..

OK.. not sure if the thread is pants or perfect so I'll sit back and watch! lol

I really wish people would get over this "Swine Flu", to me it is not existent and I do believe it is just becoming paranoia!

reply to post by yzzyUK


have you been under a significant amount of stress recently - can cause weird, recurring flu-like issues.

Originally posted by chillpill
reply to post by yzzyUK

 

have you been under a significant amount of stress recently - can cause weird, recurring flu-like issues.

LOL I dont have flu like issues.. and no... no stress... ever... I'm too chilled

Originally posted by jmanjump
I really wish people would get over this "Swine Flu", to me it is not existent and I do believe it is just becoming paranoia!

Ahh cool... phew.. thank goodness you posted.. I was seriously worried, boarded up my front door and everything.

Thanks

reply to post by yzzyUK


Well for crying out like, how you been to a doctor atleast?

reply to post by yzzyUK


It sounds to me as though you're taking a rational approach. You know your body, how to treat it, etc.

On the thread where we have discussed illnesses, many of us posted that we were quite ill in Feb/March and early April, with odd, flu-like symptoms that were different from normal seasonal bigs. One of the more interesting commonalities was a lower body temp than normal, and a tendency to feel well, sick, well, sick, etc., for some time. I had it for 3 weeks- whatever "it" was.

Keep track of your symptoms and those of your family. If it's stress or fear, they will abate. If it's not, you will know to go to hospital.

Keep your system strong and your mental state positive, and trust your instincts. We are all our best docs, I think, so listen to your body and look out for oddities- then you'll know.

I hope you are well soon!

Originally posted by CultureD
a lower body temp than normal, and a tendency to feel well, sick, well, sick, etc., for some time.

that's what I've got now. Day 10 of this 'sick' period.

Instant sore throat, headache, congestion, and LOW body temp.
Also instant broncitis and a deep cough.

I get sick a lot, but not in May/June/ July.

And this 'whateveritis' is acting differently in my body then every other cold I've had. My colds follow certain patterns. This one is totally different.

I doubt it's swine flu. I think you get a high temp with that.
This thing gave me a low temp.

reply to post by FlyersFan


That's the conundrum- so many people- here, my friends, etc., (me!) have had the on and off symptoms with low body temp- and I KNOW mine was some sort of flu because I didn't have the strength to bathe in three weeks-
I think more than one or two strains are out and about and symptoms are varying based on genetics, pre-existing conditions- the lot.
A 16-month old child died this am in NY from flu. He went in to the ER with a fever and died in a few hours.
Let's all watch each other, ourselves, closely...

reply to post by FlyersFan


Hi FlyersFan-

I'm sorry you're sick- hope you are well soon

I've found that ten or so people on a few different threads have reported lower body temps than high- perhaps a viral mechanism to prevent fever (which would kill the virus!). Later in the infection, people who are hospitalized tend to spike a fever but most of us who have posted having been ill, or being ill currently, have reported chills, fever-like aches, but low temps. I'm beginning to think it's a way for the virus to take hold and multiply before a fever kills it.

When I was sick I told my family I had never had flu like what I had- 3 weeks ofbeing CONVINCED I had a 103 fever- but it was at least a degree, and often more- lower than 98.6. I had chills, mild delirium/almost hallucinations, violent body aches, no appetite, couldn't sleep, zero energy- but no real "symptoms" like cough or headache- I just felt like I was half-dead. I'm farily sure I had "it".

Watch yourself- I drank water, cranberry juice, orgo chicken broth and took loads of CoQ10, Slippery Elm, Feverfew, etc. I got better, though- and I was only 3 months post-op from surgery, so if I were to be one of the cases with underlying condtions, I'd have been in hospital.

And- if the strain doesn't mutate, we'll be safe(er) this fall....take good care of yourself.

I really do hope with all the strange symptoms you are all having, that you're at least being seen and checked out with a doctor??? This is how things like this spread, they don't want to go to the Dr's. Well, thanks to people like that, I have been exposed to many illnesses but luckily I haven't gotten sick very often. I was pretty upset when a young girl came to work with the flu in March, I told her to stay the hell away from me, she took offense to that but did not come near me. She could barely walk!! I was thinking, what the heck are you doing at work anyway? Luckily, I did not get the flu from her, she looked like crap!! Now when I am at work or when I come home, i constantly wash my hands, so i don't bring any germs in my house. So, I guess my ramblings have to come to an end, if you're sick and you're not usually sick, please for the love of God go to the Dr's!!! Please do not spread it anymore, and if you're spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, is not sick send them out to get things! People like me, who have kids do not want to get sick!! Thanks!!

Originally posted by mysticalzoe
you're at least being seen and checked out with a doctor???

I went to the doctor. She said it was broncitis. When I asked about swine flu she chuckled and said 'if it is, then it's a mild case'.

I'm on day 16. I'm feeling better but I have a goopy cough and am still using the inhaler. So I'm still trying to stay away from people. We were going to go to Gettysburg for the parade, but I'm still too sick to be around people. (I'm trying to be polite).

I'm much better... but still have enough of a cough to stay away from folks.

Well, the worst thing you can do (unless you want to live in a bubble) is to hibernate your own children when they become sick. Not only is fresh air good for them when they aren't well but you honestly should be catering to their every need--in person, yes, even TOUCHING them, god forbid. What next? Don't tell me, if they vomit from that stomach bug they clean their own?

Honestly, how dare you. You Isolate your own children if they are sick to not come near you, but you come HERE to a website all concerned about your own health?? Do your own children have access to the internet to ask about their wellbeing or do they ask you via text messages? Do they clean their own vomit????

Toss out the anti-bacterial, you have bigger issues and should have thought of your fear of bodily functions before you had children that you can neglect in their time of motherly-need.

No pity here! Suck it up...like your kids have to (alone).

[edit on 25-5-2009 by suzque66]

[edit on 25-5-2009 by suzque66]

blah... useless

[edit on 25-5-2009 by yzzyUK]

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Originally posted by mysticalzoe
you're at least being seen and checked out with a doctor???

I went to the doctor. She said it was broncitis. When I asked about swine flu she chuckled and said 'if it is, then it's a mild case'.

I'm on day 16. I'm feeling better but I have a goopy cough and am still using the inhaler. So I'm still trying to stay away from people. We were going to go to Gettysburg for the parade, but I'm still too sick to be around people. (I'm trying to be polite).

I'm much better... but still have enough of a cough to stay away from folks.

Good I am glad you have a good head on your shoulders and you're being checked out. I am sorry you have bronchitis though. I do hope you get well, and back on your feet. I have never personally had bronchitis, or pneumonia, or any of the lung problems. My husband had bronchitis once, and it was the worst thing to hear when he coughed. I babied him, and helped him get well. He was grateful for that. That same year i ended up with severe laryngitis, and pink eye, and he helped me out as well, as I was the stay at home mom.

Anyway, I unfortunately have come down with a cold, just a cold. So I am trying to stay out of the public for awhile, taking my dayquil and cleaning my house, so it won't spread. I hope for anyone who is sick, I hope you all get well!!!

Originally posted by CultureD
reply to post by FlyersFan

 

Hi FlyersFan-

I'm sorry you're sick- hope you are well soon

I've found that ten or so people on a few different threads have reported lower body temps than high- perhaps a viral mechanism to prevent fever (which would kill the virus!). Later in the infection, people who are hospitalized tend to spike a fever but most of us who have posted having been ill, or being ill currently, have reported chills, fever-like aches, but low temps. I'm beginning to think it's a way for the virus to take hold and multiply before a fever kills it.















That's really weird, yesterday I came home from work with the chills, and when I checked my temp. it was 97.5, which is kind of low. The symptoms I had at work were kind of like this, i don't have a fever though. I had body aches from my toes up to my head that kept rotating, and I had stomach pains, and feelings of blah! I did take my meds at work and brought in some tea. I stayed away from people, and didn' touch anything but clothes. I had my purell with me and put it on constantly. I ended up leaving work an hour early, because everyone said i was turning white, and I looked ill. When I got home I surprisingly felt much better, but then again at night my body aches came back, and so did my stomach pain. I went to bed early with my husband. Today I am up and feeling much better. I am not going to workout but stay home and clean my house, and hibernate, some more. I am still very cold. Oh and by the way I have had lack of appetite, and only wanting to drink warm fluids, like tea, and hot cocoa. Same with foods, only want hot food like oatmeal, and soup. that's it!

reply to post by mysticalzoe


Don't worry, Mystical- I stayed home, then went to the doc, who told me I had seasonal flu and sent me home (!!!!!!!!!)

I'm just like you- furious when someone goest to work sick, etc. It's repulsive when people expose others to illnesses.

My husband and I slept in separate beds for 3 weeks- thank god some of us are responsible!!!!!

Well posted and well said

reply to post by suzque66


damn, that was solid, SuzyQ.