Have YOU had Swine Flu?

[sueandkent]

I too am concerned regarding our upcoming trip. Just DH and I, no kids around in the home so that does help reduce our chances of getting sick. We got the seasonal flu shot a week ago and starting next week we can get the H1N1 shot which we will do. My plan for the plane and parks is to wash hands frequently and carry some hand sanitizer and hope for the best.

 

[Calgary DISHeads]

We were at both the Calgary south hospital and children's hospital last night with DS15 (dislocated shoulder and fracture) - both emergency waiting rooms were filled with people in masks - it was pretty scary. They have an idea identified for "isolation" but it is in no way isolated - you walk to into emergency and sit on either right or left hand side, no separtation. Left was considered "isolated". Luckily we didn't wait at either place, got straight in at Calgary south then were sent by ambulance to childrens hospital. Sure feel sorry for people who there for anything other than the flu, you're almost guaranteed to get it.

 

[dennise]

Got my seasonal and H1N1 shot today. Arm for H1N1 is quite tender,but otherwise no ill effects. I usually don't even get the seasonal shot.

 

[Tiger926]

I have not had it but my ds6 came down with it on the last day of school in June. Headaches, very high fever, very lethargic, red eyes. I took him to Childrens Hospital here in Calgary to be tested and they refused to do it because they said "everyone had it" and they were not randomly testing kids. Well I looked at the triage nurse and said I am not leaving this hospital until you test my son. She looked at him and said "there's nothing wrong with him". I then reminded her I was not leaving. We were finally put in a room and he really was not well. She took zero precautions in case ds6 did have it. Five hours later a doctor comes in and turns all the lights on and he was so lethargic he wouldn't open his eyes. She looked at me and said I think we need to test him. So they did and sent him home. It took 5 days from the day he was tested for the results to come back positive. Ds6 has asthma and they still sent him home. Symptoms wise it really seems like a mild case of the flu. As a Mom you just know when your kid needs to go to emerg. The symptoms I gave are the ones to look for. The red eyes is a symptom specific to this flu and is a really good sign though not all kids may get it. Once they suspect you have H1N1 you are on isolation and no one enters or leaves your room without protection. So basically we spent the first part of summer holidays on isolation in our home.

After it was all said and done the doctor exchanged words with the triage nurse on how we were handled. The nurse said in this syrupy 10 year old voice to the docotor "Ooooh are you mad at me". I wanted to kick her in the shins

What a tool she was.....the end!

P.S I forgot to add that ds15 is home with some sort of flu right now and he has severe asthma. He seems to be ok so far. Cough, fever, chills etc. Dd13 had flu symptoms last week and is doing fine now.

Can you please explain more about the red eyes? I have done a ton of research on this, get all CDC emails, etc. and I hadn't heard of this until I read this. My DS2 has been sick all week - went to emerg with 105.2 fever that wouldn't come down, red eyes, minimal coughing (not much at all), clear chest, very stuffy nose and lethargic. They said it was a superbug virus that is going around here - no H1N1 as they said his lungs were clear, and they did a bunch of bloodwork as well.

I am very intrigued by the red eyes as he had red and sore eyes, but he was sneezing and very stuffy nose, so they said it was from the virus.

Thanks, Tiger

 

[KerriMc]

We have all been sick in our house for the last two weeks. Both girls started right after Thankgiving and the youngest was quite sick with a fever that continued for just over two days, plus achy body, stuffy nose and sore throat. Then when the fever stopped she had a lot of stomach cramps. My older daughter had a chesty cough and was very tired and a bit achy. Of course after they had it I got it! I had it exactly like my youngest. I dont' think that is the Swine Flu though. It is a run of the mill virus that is going around like crazy in our area right now. If it was the flu we'd be knocked out cold feeling like we'd been run over. I think we are all just on such high alert now.

My class (a SK/Grade One split) is full of germs!!! We do as much as we can (handwash and sanitizer) ... but they still sit and pick their noses or have their fingers in their mouths. What can you do??? AHhhhhhhh!!!

Kerri

 

[Mom of a *Princess*]

We were at both the Calgary south hospital and children's hospital last night with DS15 (dislocated shoulder and fracture) - both emergency waiting rooms were filled with people in masks - it was pretty scary. They have an idea identified for "isolation" but it is in no way isolated - you walk to into emergency and sit on either right or left hand side, no separtation. Left was considered "isolated". Luckily we didn't wait at either place, got straight in at Calgary south then were sent by ambulance to childrens hospital. Sure feel sorry for people who there for anything other than the flu, you're almost guaranteed to get it.

Totalloy agree with your comments. I was at the Children's on Wednesday with my my 4 year old DS and was in shock to see all the children, including babies with masks on. Although they were "isolated" they were not. We were there for much of the day so I'm hoping we didn't pick it up.

We'll definitely be getting the H1N1 shot, we tend to get the flu shot every fall anyway. Its a personal choice for everyone, but I read that after a shot it will take about 10 days for you to have full immunity. Kids under 10 need to get 2 shots, 3 weeks apart. So if you are planning to go away on vacation and plan to get the shot, you should keep this in mind.

 

[tink1969]

While I was never tested for it....I'm almost sure I had the H1N1 in August while we were in Disney. The day we left, my throat started to REALLY hurt and I was dry coughing. Then on the third day, I couldn't keep up with the rest of the family. I was so weak and hot. I just wanted to plant myself on every bench I saw and sleep. Problem was.....Florida is soooo hot in August, I just figured it was from the humidity!
On the fifth day, I started to feel better but my niece started to get the sore throat. On our last day in MK, we took her to First Aid centre and the nurses took her temp and it was 104 degrees! Poor thing. They gave her Tylenol and freezies and laid her down. Her temp came down thank goodness but she was still very sick.
From all I've read about the symptoms, it sounds like we may have had the H1N1 flu. But like other posters have said, it is a flu and most people don't seek medical help for it. There is nothing doctors can do. They send you home to let the virus take it's course.

 

[laura001]

Our area is being hit right now with the H1N1, they are not going to test at all now (here anyway), but are going to assume that you have it. I know quite a few people (including my niece) that have it, it ran its course within 7-10 days. My neice is on day 3 right now and is feeling really rotten.
The recommendations that we were given in my office last week (I am a nurse) were that if you have it, stay home, take tylenol and decongestants (flu and cold meds) and STAY home, unless you are experiencing abnormal symptoms (not being able to breath etc.) do not go to the doctor or hospital. The suggestion from our health unit was to stay home 7 days after onset for an adult and 10 days for a child.

 

[slg]

Here in Victoria we have to wait until mid to late November to get the H1N1 shot. I'm jealous that you can already get it.

 

[Calgary DISHeads]

Started with fluey symptoms Sunday but really hit Monday. Stuffy nose, chest congestion and cough, achy, chills, temp. which spiked over 42degrees. Stupidly I went into work on Monday am to "clean up my desk" knowing I would be out for a couple of days heading home around noon. Symptoms escalated along with breathing problems (I am ashmatic and my puffers weren't controlling it) so headed into emergency. The ONLY reason I went was because of my breathing - I would not have gone for flu symptoms alone - all it does is expose you to a lot of other viruses while in an immune suppressed state just to be sent home with a prescription so stay home in bed and drink lots of fluids. Anyway, they did chest xrays, ruled out pneumonia took a swab for H1N1, upped my puffers and gave me tamiflu. Not really feeling any better yet, kind of go in and out of feeling rotten. I was told my symptoms were mild to moderate - can't imagaine what strong moderate or severe would be like. I'll know by this weekend if I have the swine flu which will then rule out the need to get the vaccination.

 

[formill]

Four of us home with what appears to be H1N1- 14 year old daughter had breathing trouble so she went to the ER- our doctor refused to see us for the flu. At the hospital they said she most likely has H1N1- did not actually test- gave her chest x-ray which was clear and tamiflu. All had to wear masks at the hospital. Wait was 3 hours to see doctor. We all have similar symptoms-they came on SUDDENLY- fever, chills,dry cough, sore throat,achy body. It is day 5 for one daughter- seven years old- she now does not have fever- still coughs and yesterday was still on the couch all day. We all sleep unbelievable amounts. Sure wish the vaccine had been out sooner we would have had it!

 

[Calgary DISHeads]

I wonder why they didn't test your daughter? When I was checked I thought it was a precursor to getting tamiflu so they could check as to whether the medication was being given out appropriately?

 

[formill]

I thought she might be tested too but she was not- would have been nice to know for sure then she could have avoided the H1N1 shot when it is available to us. My sister works in a hospital and said they only test a certain amount a day. On the news they said we just don't have the labs that can handle all the testing since there are now way too many that have it. Tamiflu was "free" too- government covering cost.

 

[Calgary DISHeads]

To be honest, I'm the only person I've heard of here in Calgary that has actually been tested. I had to pay for the tamiflu but I was just so happy to get it that wasn't a concern. The cost wasn't bad - just over $50. My puffers were more expensive. We are lucky, between the two of us we have 100% coverage.

 

[Tiger926]

Four of us home with what appears to be H1N1- 14 year old daughter had breathing trouble so she went to the ER- our doctor refused to see us for the flu. At the hospital they said she most likely has H1N1- did not actually test- gave her chest x-ray which was clear and tamiflu. All had to wear masks at the hospital. Wait was 3 hours to see doctor. We all have similar symptoms-they came on SUDDENLY- fever, chills,dry cough, sore throat,achy body. It is day 5 for one daughter- seven years old- she now does not have fever- still coughs and yesterday was still on the couch all day. We all sleep unbelievable amounts. Sure wish the vaccine had been out sooner we would have had it!

How are you all feeling today?

Just wondering about the chest xray - I see you say it was clear, yet hospital said she more than likely had H1N1. I'm confused? My DD6 was very ill for about 9 days, and her chest xray came back negative too. Docs didn't even consider H1N1 as she was only minimally coughing, but her chest xray was good - it doesn't make sense to me how they think your DD has H1N1 with a clear chest xray? H1N1 is influenza, which is respiratory, which would mean the chest xray would not be clear? What am I missing?

Tiger

 

[formill]

Today is Day 5 for the seven year old-she had no fever today and I gave her no medications-she moved off the couch a few times and did not sleep as much and actually ate- not normally but some- still has dry cough. The 14 year old that went to the hosptial still feels very bad and sounds laboured breathing-it was my understanding that the chest x-ray would show maybe pneumonia or fluid and that would signal bacterial not just a viral infection?? So having a clear chest x-ray should not rule out H1N1 is my understanding. The other 7 year old still has a fever but she is a day or so behind her twin sister. Me- I felt much better and I am on Day 3- still needed a few naps and have terrible coughing fits but the body aches.....GONE!! Can hardly wait to feel normal again. Spending a few days on the couch reading and doing nothing always sounds so good......till you are actually doing it! So far it is looking like we should be out of this within a week for all of us.

 

[tigger2on]

We now have to wait as 5 out of 6 in our family were exposed to H1N1 and came down with some severe flu. I have 3 under 5 that have it now and it is painful as myself and hubby have it to. The cough hurts sooo much that it feels like your chest will collapse, and it is really tight. Extremely high fever.... 103+, muscles and joint ache like you need to be oiled and chills that give you goosebumps even when yu are under 2 heavy quilts. I also had the worst headache of my life yesterday.... we have NOT been tested for H1N1 as the results take longer than the duration of the symptoms but are being treated as such. My one year was sooo irritable and floppy yesterday .... scared the bugs outta me... could not get his fever down and almost took him to emerg but when I called they said stay home if he was conscious and drinking....
This is NOT something I would wish on my worst enemy and I have had the flu before.
__________________

 

[snickerboo]

tigger2: hope you all feel better fast. A friend here called her doctor's office about diagnosing her dd with swine flu and they said there's no other flu going around so if it's body aches, fever, chills, sore throat, etc.....it's swine flu.

formill: glad to hear they're slowly but surely improving. Hope your oldest starts to come around soon. It's my understanding a chest x-ray is not used to confirm H1N1 but the presence of fluid in the lungs to indicate bacterial pneumonia. You can certianly have the flu without fluid in your lungs!

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

DD's school had an outbreak a couple of weeks ago, and they sent home a note saying it was influenza A (not H1N1) - upper respritory inflection.

So, other things are going around.

 

[snickerboo]

That's funny. Maybe that never hit here? That's what my friend's doctor's office told her and she's not planning on giving her dd the shot because of that. I'll have to tell her.