Oh No Husband Just Diagnosed with Influenza

harllee said:
For the person whose son went skiing with the flu, I am glad your son got along so well. But DH is age 68 with a lowered immune system due to Humira so his situation is much more serious. Plus, I think someone with the flu needs to stay home for some period to avoid spreading the virus.
Click to expand...

I'm glad you said it.

From the CDC:

People with flu are most contagious in the first three to four days after their illness begins. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick.
Click to expand...

Back in my flying days, if you were sick, you couldn't fly (especially with a cold). So, the crew schedulers would put these sick fools with folks that weren't sick in the simulator (aka a very small confined box) for two days, 4 hours each day. How do you think that worked out? :mad:
 
I'm on the other side of the country, so it may not even be the same flu bug, but I got sick last Friday with the flu. The first 48 hours were the worst with a *lot* of sleeping and fatigue and super sore throat. Since then it's been gradual improvement but still pretty weak overall.

OP, given that your DH is 68 and with a weakened immune system - and I'm sure you know this - but you need to be monitoring him. If he gets worse, he may need more than home care.
 
SecondCor, thanks about the reminder to monitor DH. I am keeping a close eye on him, right now he is up in a chair reading his emails, complaining about politics and is looking better and temperature is down, all good signs. I asked the doc about how to know if someone needs to go to the ER with the flu and he said--trouble breathing, really high temperature, if someone can not drink liquids and is dehydrated. I am hearing that the local hospital now has so many flu patients that no beds are available and they are limiting visitors.
 
Sounds like you're doing all the right things. I'm sure your DH appreciates your efforts.
 
FIREd said:
I started to have flu symptoms last Wednesday and I am only starting to feel better. Fever, muscle aches, coughing, congestion, sore throat, the whole nine yard. I just stayed in bed for 3 days and kept hydrated. I also took some acetaminophen to control the fever.
Click to expand...

I could have written this post! I'd blame you on giving it to me, but I'm no where near France. ;) I'm taking a break from vacuuming as my stamina is still not what it was. I've felt like I couldn't catch my breath for days.

We both had flu shots.

Good luck to the OP and everyone else dealing with this right now. Feel better soon.
 
I had a flu shot. Instead I get the creeping crud five days before our vacation. Four days into the trip and $600 later I racked up doctors visit, X-rays and prescriptions. Still hanging on after three and a half weeks. Ready to head home so I can heal up in the cold?
 
OP here, DH's latest complaint is that he cannot smell or taste anything. Is this a side effect of the flu or maybe of Tamiflu? Any with any experience in losing sense of smell and taste? (And I cooked all morning on the homemade soup and now DH cannot taste it!). DH is pretty thin and I don't want him losing any weight while he is sick because he cannot taste.
 
harllee said:
OP here, DH's latest complaint is that he cannot smell or taste anything. Is this a side effect of the flu or maybe of Tamiflu? Any with any experience in losing sense of smell and taste?
Click to expand...

I get that with even a bad cold. Taste and smell go hand in hand out the window. It's one of the signs I'm in the mend, when they return.
 
DW has had something nagging along for the last 3 weeks but she didn't seem sick enough at the peak of it for it to have been the flu but hard to say as she is a rock. I got my shot, she didn't. Next year she will I bet!

Turns out that Tamiflu isn't very effective and probably not effective at all in preventing complications of the flu like pneumonia. Newspaper article summarizing the findings of the Cochrane Collaboration. Another cautionary tale. Big surprise.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/apr/10/tamiflu-saga-drug-trials-big-pharma
 
OP here, well I now have tested positive for the flu also. I was doing fine until around lunchtime today, suddenly felt awful, started running temperature. Went to the doc, I tested positive for flu. I feel like I have been hit by a truck. I know Tamiflu is not very effective but the doc strongly recommends it since I am over 65 so I will give it a try. I am concerned about DH since I am not really feeling well enough to take care of him right now. Neighbors have offered to help. I thought we did everything right--took the vaccine, wash hands constantly, do nettie pot, and when DH got sick we wore masks, I cleaned everything with bleach cleaner. All for naught.

Prayers would be appreciated.
 
Last edited:
Rats! It comes on very suddenly. Hopefully you will turn healthier again very rapidly.

I was offered Tamiflu and turned it down, but I am 50 and the doctor was ambivalent. I think in your situation it would be a good idea for you (probably too late in terms of timing for your DH).

Take up the offers from your neighbors! You need to take it easy and conserve your energy.

Prayers sent :)
 
SecondCor, thanks for the prayers. DH has been on Tamiflu since the first day he was diagnosed.
 
Do people really go to the doctor when they think they have the flu or a bad cold?

I suppose if you are at risk for something related or want to give tamilflu a try it might be worth it, but otherwise why go?
 
Because as you age flu can go into pneumonia. 1/3 of all pneumonia cases start as flu. Pneumonia can be a killer when you're older. My mother-in-law died from pneumonia.
 
OP here. Why wouldn't you go to the doctor or urgent care and get the easy fast flu test so you can confirm what you have if the flu and not just a cold. If you know you actually have the flu you can take precautions and stay home. I think I read today that more people die of the flu than car accidents.
 
MissMolly said:
Because as you age flu can go into pneumonia. 1/3 of all pneumonia cases start as flu. Pneumonia can be a killer when you're older. My mother-in-law died from pneumonia.
Click to expand...
My DM as well. My GGP both died from the flu, albeit long ago.
 
mpeirce said:
Do people really go to the doctor when they think they have the flu or a bad cold?

I suppose if you are at risk for something related or want to give tamilflu a try it might be worth it, but otherwise why go?
Click to expand...

Personally I went because I had had chronic sinusitis for the previous 4 months and my symptoms could have been either a return of the sinusitis or the flu or both or something else. If I needed to be on antibiotics, I wanted to start those ASAP. I went, it was the flu, I didn't need to be on antibiotics, and I could do the appropriate home treatment for the flu. I could also stop worrying about a bacterial sinusitis getting out of control.

Another reason for people to go is if they are high risk. Flu can and does kill people, as people have posted above.

Normally I don't. I've been retired for 3 years and other than my annual checkup have only gone to the doctor six times during that period. Five of those visits were related to the sinusitis; the other one was for the flu.

I also don't worry about or judge what others do. It's a mostly free country, and if they want to go to the doctor, they can.
 
I never go to the dr for a cold, but if I have a flu I might, and I check my temp to decide. Trouble is, by the time you realize you might have the flu you don't to go anywhere. Last time I had the flu it was mostly over the worst in about 2 days and I mostly slept it off. I stay home for either. If I'm not well, I'm not going out, regardless of diagnosis.

But I'd still get the flu shot. They aren't 100%, but they do reduce a lot of the risk.
 
OP here, There is a big difference between the flu and a cold. I was fine one hour, the next hour I felt awful and was running 102 temperature. I have never felt this bad with a cold. 80,000 people died of the flu last year. The flu is serious.
 
I'm sort of surprised that the physician didn't prescribe Tamiflu for harllee when hubby came down with the flu. The way Tamiflu works is to prevent flu viruses from attaching to one's receptors. So once one has flu symptoms, then it is probably too late to use it.

Being vaccinated against influenza even if the wrong strain can be helpful to reduce the symptoms and shorten the recovery time.
 
Last year when I got the flu I lost 14 lbs in a week and my insides hurt for weeks.
 
LOL! said:
I'm sort of surprised that the physician didn't prescribe Tamiflu for harllee when hubby came down with the flu. The way Tamiflu works is to prevent flu viruses from attaching to one's receptors. So once one has flu symptoms, then it is probably too late to use it.

Being vaccinated against influenza even if the wrong strain can be helpful to reduce the symptoms and shorten the recovery time.
Click to expand...

When DH was diagnosed I asked if I should go ahead and take Tamiflu to ward off the flu. I was told they were no longer recommending that for healthy people like myself who had had the vaccine. Lesson learned. If DH ever gets the flu again I am going to insist on Tamiflu for myself.

I feel better this morning, no more temperature and I had a good night's sleep so maybe I am going to have a mild case.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
Does a SNF require social security numbers?
Replies
14
Views
550
MarieIG
M
T
I Can't Believe I Got a Tick Gardening!!!
Replies
22
Views
850
ITTN
I
F
I have COVID and need help. I am in panic mode
2 3
Replies
56
Views
3K
F.I.R.E User
F
M
Choosing a new doctor - MD, DO, PA, FNP?
Replies
7
Views
923
Act2
A
B
New cardiologist not care about my cholesterol
2 3
Replies
57
Views
3K
Koolau
Koolau

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom