The Flu 2017

[TGO David]

I'm just curious:  Who here's had the flu in the past couple of weeks?  And who of you that did, also had gotten a flu shot?

I came down with it last Saturday and was incapacitated for the first three days, and have worked from home since, dealing with the remainder of it while it claws and fights and tries not to leave.  I'm still not "over" it.

My wife and daughter both caught it pretty quickly after I did and neither of them are as far along in recovery process as I am.

[Wingshooter]

I had something on Christmas day and the week following. I was in bed for 2 days straight. I'm not sure if it was the flu though. It seemed more like a cold, but I did have a fever and some stomache issues. It waas either a mild flu or a heavy cold, but it knocked me off my feet and the whole week was spent trying to get better. Took about 10 days to feel 100%. I did not get a flu shot.

[Clark2748]

I got mine about a week ahead of Christmas, went to a VB Walk in clinic, got cough pearls, anti biotics, and a round of steroids for the chest cold. Ran a good fever for a couple days. Almost got over it but right now I have a loose cough from sinus stuff. I did not get a shot.

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[Jamie Jackson]

BTDT David.

Mine went from viral to bacterial and therefore required antibiotics...and my "flu swab" was negative, and I had the influenza vaccine in 2016 for the 1st time since 1975...because it was mandatory for my workplace. (Emergency Room).

We've seen quite a few people with obvious influenza. I would guess that 75-80% had the flu vaccine. Not all of them "popped positive" for our flu swabs, which is not unusual. Our physicians will generally, usually, treat them based on symptoms and examination, and if within the first 24-48 prescribe anti-viral medications (as most folks know, antibiotics do not work against viruses.), but a virulent virus can weaken the immune system and allow a bacterial infection to set in...therefore requiring antibiotics...it's a conundrum my friend.

 

fwiw in the over 40 years that I have not had the flu vaccine, I also have not had the flu...

 

Even the CDC will admit that the flu vaccine is only effective about 50% of the time,even though they tout that the effectiveness is close to 90% at other times...it's not even near 90% from what I've witnessed over the past decades. Not even close...

Physicians are hesitant to prescribe antibiotics without sound cause, and for good reason, as antibiotics have been so over-prescribed, or inappropriately prescribed, for so long that we are running out of effective antibiotics to treat some pretty virulent bacterial infections. That said, if you are hacking up green phlegm, febrile, and have an elevated white blood cell count...well, antibiotics might just be in order...

 

Disclaimer...this is not medical advice, just and opinion and observation. 

[RED333]

The last "flu shot" I had was over 30 years ago, made me sick for a week. I do get sick 2 or 3 times a year, I stay home because of a fever. Takes about 3 days to feel better and have no fever before I go back to work. Till more is done to up the percent of prevention I wont be taking the "flu shot". I know some will be upset at this thinking I should do more to stop the spread, well I am, I stay at home with a fever. I am a firm believer in building up the immune system naturally. I was playing with cars in the mud as others were play in their room staying "clean". Getting sick is a good thing sometimes.

[Sam1]

No flu for probably 10 years.  I get the flu vaccine annually.  Worked in a hospital now for almost 2 years, so I am constantly around sick people like prag.

[R1100R]

I got the shot in AUGUST as required by the military. I have been down starting on day three with what the Doctor told me was bronchitis. Gave me a antibiotic, cough pearls and Flonase. I think its the flu. Nose will not stop running therefore no sleep. My wife is at the pharmacy now to see what she can get for my nose and sleep. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. I'm the only one in my house of four that is sick.

I have gotten the shot every year at least for the past 20 years that I can remember through the military(required). The last time I had what I thought was the flu was maybe 13 years ago.

[TripleGGG]

Mine started about a week before Christmas.  10 days of antibiotics and pearl cough meds. Still can't shake the cough completely. I did get a flu shot and pneumonia as I do every every year. I don't think mine was the flu. 

[bersaguy]

• Mine started on the Sunday before Christmas. Woke up with scratchy throat, and runny nose, Took some antibiodics and got neighbor that was going out to get me a few boxes of Kleenix. Woke up Monday morning and it had spread to my chest which was burning and cough got worse so cough Pearls began to be required. Never a fever at all. Never stayed in bed and did not really feel all that bad after a couple days seemed to be about over everything except the extreme runny nose and nagging productive cough. I'm keeping Kleenx in business as I have gone through no less than 15 boxes since Christmas and still have boxes all over the house and will need more soon. I did get a flu shot and don't think I had the flu, Just a bad cold............. 

[Randall53]

I don't want to interrupt the flow of the thread as my wife and I have not had the flu (yet...knock on wood) and have not had the shot, but I've never heard the term "cough pearls". What is this? 

[Jamie Jackson]

7 minutes ago, Randall53 said:

I don't want to interrupt the flow of the thread as my wife and I have not had the flu (yet...knock on wood) and have not had the shot, but I've never heard the term "cough pearls". What is this? 

I believe folks are referring to Tessalon Perles (Benzonate 100mg).

It's an antitussive or cough suppressant medication that's prescription only (to best of my knowledge) for short term use. I've given it to a lot of patients and it seems to work well for them.

I've never taken them myself, but my wife has used them with good results.

https://www.drugs.com/cdi/tessalon-perles.html

[Wingshooter]

2 hours ago, ggwilde said:

Mine started about a week before Christmas.  10 days of antibiotics and pearl cough meds. Still can't shake the cough completely. I did get a flu shot and pneumonia as I do every every year. I don't think mine was the flu. 

I've had an occasional, yet persistent cough since I was sick on Christmas also. I feel fine, but it still nags me.

[Wingshooter]

1 hour ago, Randall53 said:

I don't want to interrupt the flow of the thread as my wife and I have not had the flu (yet...knock on wood) and have not had the shot, but I've never heard the term "cough pearls". What is this? 

Careful! The power of the jinx...

 

 

[Randall53]

2 hours ago, prag said:

I believe folks are referring to Tessalon Perles (Benzonate 100mg).

It's an antitussive or cough suppressant medication that's prescription only (to best of my knowledge) for short term use. I've given it to a lot of patients and it seems to work well for them.

I've never taken them myself, but my wife has used them with good results.

https://www.drugs.com/cdi/tessalon-perles.html

Thank you sir. I've never taken them and was completely unaware of them. 

1 hour ago, Wingshooter said:

Careful! The power of the jinx...

 

 

I know right?....LOL.  I pecked myself on the head.  It was the only wood around at the time!! 

[NextExit]

I've never had a flu shot.  Now, flame me all you want but, if I'm around people that are sick, I'll take echinacea.  I've been told "that stuff doesn't work, it's all in your head."  Well if my mind is that powerful then so be it.  All I know is I'm not at the doctor getting Tamiflu and whatever else. (knocking on laminate wood and particle board ) 

[Wingshooter]

2 hours ago, NextExit said:

I've never had a flu shot.  Now, flame me all you want but, if I'm around people that are sick, I'll take echinacea.  I've been told "that stuff doesn't work, it's all in your head."  Well if my mind is that powerful then so be it.  All I know is I'm not at the doctor getting Tamiflu and whatever else. (knocking on laminate wood and particle board ) 

I take Airborne until it's gone at the first sign of a cold or sickness. I've been doing that for about 10 years. I used to get really bad colds and flu a couple times a year (to the point of loosing my voice). Ever since I started using Airborne, it seems the cold never happens or it's much shorter in duration and intensity. There may be nothing to it, but it sure seems like it works to me. I would loose my voice every year, but that hasn't happened once since I started using Airborne). I think echinacea is similar. This last time I got sick, I didn't take it right away because I didn't go to the store on Christmas day, and the cold seemed worse than normal

 

[Erik88]

I typically get sick once a year but not with the flu. I haven't had a flu shot in at least 15-20 years that I can remember. My wife doesn't get the flu shot either and tends to only get stomach bugs(which can really suck).

[A.J. Holst]

Flu like symptoms beginning Christmas day, no flu shot (ever)

Diverticulitis with a perforation has similar symptoms, had that treated the following Thursday - Saturday with antibiotics via IV (as opposed to emergency surgery, praise God)

While enjoying the hospital, I did not inquire if I had the flu, was told my white count was "elevated"