Planning Just In Case - WDW & Flu Season

[Qwackertoo]

I am planning on taking my son to the doctor tomorrow for a slight cough that just started this a.m. and was going to try and get him to write a couple of prescriptions for Tamiflu to take with us. Was curious IF I could get an out of state prescription filled in FL? Would I be able to catch a taxi to the nearest drugstore? Any drugstore type place on Disney property or Downtown Disney? I'm sure this is a relevant topic this month so I hope it is ok to post on the strategy board.

I've already gone to the store to purchase bottles of Dimetapp, cough drops, Triaminic, etc. Usually I don't worry like this but with the flu hitting early and hard across the US, and my husband saying the past two weeks "I sure hope none of us get sick" has me planning for just in case. We're staying eleven nights so with the Tamiflu IF one of us became ill, we could spend a couple of days in our room and still have a nice trip. Also stocked up on several small bottles of Purell hand washing stuff and individually packaged antibacterial wipes. Also been having the family take a chewable Vitamin C tablet a.m. & p.m. Usually we're all only sick maybe once maybe twice a year but now is NOT the time!!!

 

[Melynny]

There are pharmacies that deliver to Disney Property. But, they would probablly have to have the original written prescription to fill it. You can call the front desk and they will have the name and phone number. I have had my Dr. call in to the local pharmacy ( we use walgreens since we travel alot) and they just fill it and my insurance still covers it. Disney also uses a clinic near Down town Disney for most illnesses CENTRA CARE. We have used them 2 times in the last 2 years. Once for DGD ( ear infection) an once for me (pneumonia). They are friendly, well staffed and efficient.. the waits can be long but it is nice if you are ill while on vacation. They also have a van that they will dispatch if you are without transportation. They also took my insurance so it only cost the co pay. I thought it was a great deal!

 

[DisneyKidds]

Sorry, can't help with the prescription question. We always have a car and when needed we drive to Eckerd. We have always had a prescription form a local doctor (via ER visit).

A quick note about medical facilties should you need one. Check to see what facilities are covered by your insurance, and do it before you go if you can.

We were at WDW last week. The kids got sick, and my DS needed treatment. CentraCare is the closest walk-in clinic..............but they don't accept Aetna Insurance (we have an HMO), so a visit there would have required payment in full and a likely battle with Aetna once I submitted the claim on my own. The morning we needed to take my DS to the doctor I spent about an hour determining that an ER visit was the closest/best option for us if we wanted our insurance to cover the visit. Sand Lake Hospital is the closest to Disney property.

Since you are trying to be prepared just in case, see if you can iron out where you will go in the event you need treatment so that you don't have to waste the time when you are ready to go.

 

[kashagal]

I'll hopefully help with what I can... I am a Pharmacist in Pennsylvania but a lot of states have the same rules for non-controlled prescriptions filled out-of-state...you should be fine in getting Tamiflu filled since it is a non-controlled, providing that all of your doctor's info is clearly on the script -name, address, license number. This will be esp. needed if you are using insurance to pay. But be aware of the following... your doc may not give you a script for various reasons incl that Tamiflu may be in short supply if this flu hits hard and they may not just pass out scripts for those who are not cultured and verified as influenza, Tamiflu also has possibility of nasty side effects resembling the flu like baaaad headache and achiness and, not to burst your bubble about the antibacterial wipes, but none of those work against viruses, including influenza and the common cold and the stomach flu; they only work against bacteria. Hope you don't need any of this and have a great time !!!

 

[kashagal]

Also...best defense against anything... keep your hands away from your face and WASH WASH WASH your hands often!!!

 

[Muffy]

Start pushing the Enchincea. My family swears by it.

 

[Lesley]

You could also try Oscillococcinum. Its a homeopathic remedy (available at Publix near WDW...saw it there in October) that works wonders for the flu.

We caught the flu in Jan of 2002 at WDW and the oscillo had us back on our feet in 24 hours! We make sure we always have a few doses at home just in case...and always carry it with us to WDW.

Also, keep taking your vitamins, wash your hands often, don't touch your face, avoid touching railings, and avoid sugar...sugar depresses the immune system for several hours after eating it.

 

[MINNIEBOWSER]

I would also bring a can of lysol. We always spray all the rooms, doorknobs, bathroon floors, tubs, toilets, etc. You never know if the people that used the room before you were sick.
GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[WhispyPixie]

Got back from WDW a few weeks ago! Had 2 out of the 4 get sick, but we doctored them up spiffy and only missed a day of touring.

Lysol wipes are wonderful things! We used them on everything and washed..washed..washed those hands! I think you will be fine, just stay on top of things!

Pixie

 

[SueM in MN]

not to burst your bubble about the antibacterial wipes, but none of those work against viruses, including influenza and the common cold and the stomach flu; they only work against bacteria. Hope you don't need any of this and have a great time !!!

As kashagal mentioned, antibacterial wipes don't work very well. The antibacterial wipes are not usuaaly wet enough to give a good "dose" of the product. They are best used for removing soil, not disinfecting.
If you read the Purell bottle, it says it is effective against bacteria, so many people think it is not effective against viruses, but that isn't true. For some reason, the FDA does not allow claims about effectiveness against viruses to be placed on the bottles of hand sanitizers. The active ingredient in Purell is alcohol, which is very good at killing bacteria and viruses and also kills them very quickly.
This is probably not of interest to anyone but Infection Control people like me (we enjoy strange things) , but here's a link to a comparison of various hand hygiene antiseptic agents.

So your best prevention against flu is good hand hygiene (whether using the alcohol hand disinfectants or old-fashioned hand washing with soap and water), keeping your hands away from your nose, mouth and eyes (best not to give any flu germs a free ride to the part of your body they want to get to. Also, if you are coughing or sneezing, cover your coughs and if you do take antiviral agents like Tamiflu, keep in mind that even though they may make you feel better, they don't keep you from being able to pass the flu on to others.

I do have one warning about Purell. I had this really neat little bottle attached to a key chain hanging from my purse. All of a sudden, I noticed my arm getting splashed with something. Then I noticed an alcohol smell and I saw the bottle was open and leaking on me. After using it a few times, the flip top didn't seem to stay shut well anymore. It was a neat idea, but I stopped using that keychain!

 

[westjones]

If you are talking about a cold, have you tried Zicam? I learned about it on the Cruise Board and it is the BEST thing that has happened to our family in a long time! It has ended 4 colds in our family since I learned about it in October.

Now we have only used the nasal swabs, they now have chewables and I don't understand how they would work. The nasal swabs have worked great for us.

I believe the website is: http://www.zicam.com/site/home_flash.html

We bought ours at Walmart, but I have seen them at other stores too.

I hope everything turns out alright!
DJ

 

[Qwackertoo]

I bought some Zicam today along with some Lysol for disinfecting our room. I don't know why I'm obsessing about this on this trip as we've done December before twice with no problems. I guess all the media hype has stirred me to take preventative measures. I just know other people cough on you and take sick kids to the parks and figured with early flu this year I should take precautions! Not to mention that re-circulated air on airplanes! The one and only ear infection my 9 yr. old has was when she was about six months old after flying to and return from Texas that summer and I "think" that re-circulated somehow is more "germy". My kids are usually pretty darn healthy, but we missed last December and I'd hate for this December to be less than "perfect"!

Thanks everyone for all your tips!

 

[Efastpitch]

Originally posted by Qwackertoo
I am planning on taking my son to the doctor tomorrow for a slight cough that just started this a.m. and was going to try and get him to write a couple of prescriptions for Tamiflu to take with us. Was curious IF I could get an out of state prescription filled in FL? Would I be able to catch a taxi to the nearest drugstore? Any drugstore type place on Disney property or Downtown Disney? I'm sure this is a relevant topic this month so I hope it is ok to post on the strategy board.

I've already gone to the store to purchase bottles of Dimetapp, cough drops, Triaminic, etc. Usually I don't worry like this but with the flu hitting early and hard across the US, and my husband saying the past two weeks "I sure hope none of us get sick" has me planning for just in case. We're staying eleven nights so with the Tamiflu IF one of us became ill, we could spend a couple of days in our room and still have a nice trip. Also stocked up on several small bottles of Purell hand washing stuff and individually packaged antibacterial wipes. Also been having the family take a chewable Vitamin C tablet a.m. & p.m. Usually we're all only sick maybe once maybe twice a year but now is NOT the time!!!

What is Tamiflu?

 

[southernwingz]

Tamiflu is an anti-virul medication used to treat the flu. It generally shortens the duration of your illness. It definitely works. My co-worker was ill with the flu for two weeks, when I got it, I went to the doctor the first day of symptoms, started the Tamiflu, and two days later, I started to feel better. The flu comes on quick.....I woke up one morning, perfectly fine, and by that afternoon, I was just completely miserable. It's pertinent that if anyone feels as if they've gotten the flu that you see your doctor within 48 hours of first symptoms, otherwise, you can't be treated with Tamiflu.

www.tamiflu.com

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

Also, Tamiflu can be used by well family members to protect them against getting the flu should one family member have it.
I hope our shots work! We got them in Oct. as always.
Flu is spread in the air typically, so washing hands may not prevent it. But it does not hurt as it DOES prevent lots of other viruses.

 

[DebbieB]

Just got back. We saw/heard so many kids with hacking coughs. It will be a miracle if we don't get sick. A little girl on the safari in the row ahead of us coughed through almost the whole ride.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

Also know that people with the real flu will not be in the parks. It is so bad they would not be able to get out of bed. The flu makes one feel like a truck rode over them. Every muscle aches, high fever etc. So unless they are about to get it or getting over it, sick flu victims will be in bed! Now you may encounter people with colds etc. in the parks.

 

[CALaurieA]

I'm also stressing about getting sick while on vacation. Our trip is scheduled for 1/1 to 1/9/04. I asked my son's pediatrician in November about getting the flu shot but he said not to unless there was a health reason i.e. asthma, etc. Now I'm worrying mostly about contracting the flu on the plane. I've checked and our Dr's office is out of the vaccine and if they do get more it might not be in time to cover us. Also, I've heard that one of the problems is that this year's virus has mutated and is not the same strain they predicted for the vaccine to cover. We've had at least three deaths so far in our state and one was a 13 year old in our town at my son's rival school.
I'm thinking about getting medical face masks to wear on the plane. I know we'll look stupid, but maybe they will keep us healthy? What do you think?

 

[A1A1]

I was thinking the very same thing about the face masks. I can't stand the tight quarters on airplanes as it is.

I don't watch tv at all, so all of this flu business has escaped my notice. I am starting to panic myself. I want to keep my daughter home from school.

She went to a birthday party today. This one little girl was hacking, and hacking. What is wrong with these parents!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just want to harm people like that.

No courtesy or consideration for anyone else. Had I known the hacker was going to hack all over my dd at the party, I probably wouldn't have let her go. It was a tiny little room.