Poll: Flu 2017/18 Season - Flu and Shot

[RunningBum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sengsational According to this poll, 11.7% of the responses got the flu. If the respondent did get the flu shot, the chances they had the flu was 12.5%. If the respondent did NOT get the flu shot, the chance they had the flu was 9.3%. According to us, getting the shot does more harm than good. Now, there's an obvious flaw in the methodology. The point of this post is to get your critical thinking skills going. Why would this unexpected result arise?

See my post #38 earlier in this thread. People who are less prone to get the flu for whatever reason (better health, not exposed as often to flu conditions, etc) tend not to get a shot.

[tmm99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RunningBum See my post #38 earlier in this thread. People who are less prone to get the flu for whatever reason (better health, not exposed as often to flu conditions, etc) tend not to get a shot.

That may very well be the reason why it looks like flu shots are giving the flu shot recipients the flu.

I never got flu shots until I turned 50.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

[Brat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meadbh Just for clarification: pneumonia is infection of the lung(s). It can be viral (most common), bacterial (common) or even fungal (rare). The influenza virus, like many other viruses, can cause pneumonia all by itself. And pneumonia due to the influenza virus can be fatal. The “pneumonia vaccine” you refer to is pneumococcal vaccine, which protects against infection with pneumococcus, a bacterium that commonly causes pneumonia independently of the flu. Sometimes, other bacteria, for which there is no vaccine, also cause bacterial pneumonia. When a person who has the flu develops pneumonia, it may simply be an extension of the viral infection into the lung(s). Sometimes, the mucus and airway swelling associated with a viral bronchitis can cause blockage of copious secretions, with collapse of the alveoli (air sacs) in one or more areas of the lungs. The air sacs become inflected and inflamed by the virus. This is viral pneumonia. Pneumococcal vaccine won’t prevent it, and antibiotics won’t treat it. Some flu patients, who happen to have bacteria within their lungs, will develop secondary bacterial pneumonia when their airways are swollen and blocked. These people will benefit from antibiotics. Distinguishing viral and secondary bacterial pneumonia can be confusing, since symptoms are common to both. The severity and timing of the symptoms, the X-ray findings, and the white blood cell profile may help. If there is sputum production (which often begins as the airways are beginning to open up), sputum can be analyzed for bacteria in the lab.

Thanks for a great explanation.

The member of my family I worry about is my SIL who has advanced pulmonary fibrosis. I believe he is teaching online classes this term to minimize his chance of catching this flu. The kids, of course, could bring it home.

[harllee]

I woke up this morning with sore throat, coughing, runny nose, temperature of 101. (yes, I did have the flu shot). So I go to the doctor, have the rapid flu test (nose swab), comes back negative and the doc tells me I just have a cold. This seems a lot worse than the cold, I never run a temperature with a cold and I feel like I have been run over by a truck. I guess other than Tamiflu a cold would be treated about the same as the flu. But it feels a lot worse than a cold to me.

My question is what is the accuracy of the rapid flu test, does anyone have any knowledge on the rapid flu test? And does it really matter if I have a cold rather than the flu so far as treatment goes?

[DROPOUT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harllee I woke up this morning with sore throat, coughing, runny nose, temperature of 101. (yes, I did have the flu shot). So I go to the doctor, have the rapid flu test (nose swab), comes back negative and the doc tells me I just have a cold. This seems a lot worse than the cold, I never run a temperature with a cold and I feel like I have been run over by a truck. I guess other than Tamiflu a cold would be treated about the same as the flu. But it feels a lot worse than a cold to me. My question is what is the accuracy of the rapid flu test, does anyone have any knowledge on the rapid flu test? And does it really matter if I have a cold rather than the flu so far as treatment goes?

Could be Strep

My wife, son, and myself all just had it. Low grade fever in the 99-101 range. It was rough, but I'm sure nowhere near as bad as the flu.

[harllee]

Dropout, what is the treatment for strep? Is there a test for strep?

[MRG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harllee Dropout, what is the treatment for strep? Is there a test for strep?

Well in 1969 they swabbed your throat and gave you antibiotics. I'm guessing it's still a swab but antibiotics?

[mamadogmamacat]

Still antibiotics as far as I know.Several friends with children who get it at least once per school year (kids and usually at least one parent get it) always are prescribed antibiotics.

[happy2bretired]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbs...rate-cdc-says/

[happy2bretired]

Sorry naked...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the quick tests are only 50 to 70 percent accurate. They're the most common flu test performed at hospitals and clinics during flu season.

[harllee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy2bretired Sorry naked... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the quick tests are only 50 to 70 percent accurate. They're the most common flu test performed at hospitals and clinics during flu season.

Well, that's scary! So I could have the flu even though the quick test came back negative. Well, I feel a tiny bit better today and my temperature is not quite so high so maybe I do just have a cold. Even though I have a very bad sore throat I don't think I have strep because I do not have any of the other strep symptoms, like swollen glands or throat rash. i had a cold a few months ago and it turned into a sinus infection and it took 3 visits to the doctor over a month's time to get the antibiotic that finally cured me.

I am getting sick too often in my old age (age 66), maybe I need to do something to boost my immunity.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harllee Well, that's scary! So I could have the flu even though the quick test came back negative. Well, I feel a tiny bit better today and my temperature is not quite so high so maybe I do just have a cold. Even though I have a very bad sore throat I don't think I have strep because I do not have any of the other strep symptoms, like swollen glands or throat rash. i had a cold a few months ago and it turned into a sinus infection and it took 3 visits to the doctor over a month's time to get the antibiotic that finally cured me. I am getting sick too often in my old age (age 66), maybe I need to do something to boost my immunity.

I haven't had the flu for over 40 years, but IIRC the characteristic symptom (for me, anyway) was feeling like you had been literally run over by a truck. Absolutely zero energy, aching everywhere, and much more miserable than with a cold.

I am not getting sick nearly as often in my old age (age 69) as I did when younger, but that is probably because I enjoy my home so much - - I do not spend much time in other places, where I could be in contact with sick people. Mostly I just stay home.

There were a few years in my life when I was in university and my daughter was in elementary school, and we were all sick as dogs constantly because of the exposure to various illnesses.

[harllee]

Some of the reason I catch colds so often may be because I am out and about and get exposed to everything. I live in a college town, go to events on campus most days, volunteer, am around young children(I try to avoid children, but there they are). I guess I could stay home more, but that would not be fun to me and not how I want to spend my retirement.

[JoeWras]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harllee I am getting sick too often in my old age (age 66), maybe I need to do something to boost my immunity.

Drink Kefir, preferably home made.

[happy2bretired]

This is the first year since I retired that I have been sick several times instead of maybe 1 or 2 ordinary colds once in awhile. My daughter and her husband have a new baby. My lovely granddaughter appears to be a bundle of microbes. She goes to daycare and is very good with sharing everything with us.

My daughter and granddaughter did test for type A flu...I didn’t. Mine was probably a sinus infection and I did get antibiotics.

[harllee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy2bretired This is the first year since I retired that I have been sick several times instead of maybe 1 or 2 ordinary colds once in awhile. My daughter and her husband have a new baby. My lovely granddaughter appears to be a bundle of microbes. She goes to daycare and is very good with sharing everything with us. My daughter and granddaughter did test for type A flu...I didn’t. Mine was probably a sinus infection and I did get antibiotics.

happy2beretired, the last time I had a cold it developed into a sinus infection. My doctor would not give me antibiotics after I had been sick for about 2 weeks because I did not have a fever and "was not sick enough". I want back to the doctor after another week, getting sicker all the while and I finally got antibiotics after I told the doc I was not leaving his office without a prescription for antibiotics. After 2 days on antibiotics I was well (but I did finish the rest of the pills). After asking around among friends I have found that getting antibiotics for a sinus infection in my area is almost impossible. happy2beretired, how long were you sick before you could get antibiotics for a sinus infection and was your doctor hesitant to give you a prescription?

[happy2bretired]

I was sick for one day before I went to a urgent care clinic. I did have a fever and the chills. I really thought I had the flu so I expected to get Tamiflu.They gave me a 5 day antibiotic that I have never taken before called Z pac..I guess that’s a slang term for Azithromycin. It’s doing it’s job well.

[happy2bretired]

Oh also the side effects of that antibiotic can be c diff...so I’m loading up on probiotics right now.

[harllee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy2bretired I was sick for one day before I went to a urgent care clinic. I did have a fever and the chills. I really thought I had the flu so I expected to get Tamiflu.They gave me a 5 day antibiotic that I have never taken before called Z pac..I guess that’s a slang term for Azithromycin. It’s doing it’s job well.

Wow, no way in my area could you get antibiotics after being sick only one day...after being sick a month, maybe.

[ivinsfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy2bretired I was sick for one day before I went to a urgent care clinic. I did have a fever and the chills. I really thought I had the flu so I expected to get Tamiflu.They gave me a 5 day antibiotic that I have never taken before called Z pac..I guess that’s a slang term for Azithromycin. It’s doing it’s job well.

Z pac are for bacterial infections...were you diagnosed with pneumonia?