Poll: Flu 2017/18 Season - Flu and Shot

[tmm99]

Amoxicillin. Went to urgent care this morning as I was concerned about the sore throat...it was really bad last night and this morning. They took strep culture but don't think that's it. The fast and furious test came back negative and they're growing culture. Dr. thinks it is another viral infection, arghhhh. Says they're seeing people get infection after infection with many sick for five to six weeks. Says he himself was sick more than a month in Oct.

Make sure and eat before you take Amoxicillin. My gut couldn't handle amoxicillin. YMMV.

 

[Moemg]

I am nearing week three of the flu . I had a sinus infection or bronchitis before it but I was not sick just coughing at night . I then caught the flu and was doing so-so until the flu changed and I got part two . I ended up spending 4 1/2 days in the hospital . I am home now and recovering but that was scary . Take this flu seriously !The hospital was so loaded with flu victims that it was mixing them with regular patients which I could not believe.The wait time in the ER was over 4 hours.

 

[DEC-1982]

Have you tried online grocery shopping (from your local supermarket) with delivery? I have, and it’s great. I even let them pick out my Christmas turkey breast. I think the professional shoppers have access to the freshest, just delivered produce, because it’s usually better than what I would have chosen myself.

There will soon come a time when you won’t have to leave the house at all!

Yes I have thought about it but have not got there yet. Right now it's a trade-off between avoiding sickness and social interaction.



Coming back to the flu thread, American researchers say the current flu shot is only 33% effective. Canadian researchers says 17% effective, and Australian researchers say 10%. These numbers don't give me a whole lot of confidence in the value of a flu shot, although I could change my mind in future years.

"In most adults, the study suggests the shot would only prevent 10 percent of H3N2 flu cases. So if 100 in 1,000 unvaccinated people develop flu, the number would drop to 90 in 1,000 among vaccinated people — a very small difference in flu risk between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. And more than 80 percent of confirmed US flu cases have involved H3N2."

"Plus, in Australia, where the flu season peaks in August and H3N2 struck as well, early estimates suggested the shot was only 10 percent effective there too."

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/2/1/16960758/flu-vaccine-effectiveness

 

[REWahoo]

I am nearing week three of the flu . I had a sinus infection or bronchitis before it but I was not sick just coughing at night . I then caught the flu and was doing so-so until the flu changed and I got part two . I ended up spending 4 1/2 days in the hospital . I am home now and recovering but that was scary . Take this flu seriously !The hospital was so loaded with flu victims that it was mixing them with regular patients which I could not believe.The wait time in the ER was over 4 hours.

Yikes!

Hope you recover soon.

 

[ivinsfan]

I am nearing week three of the flu . I had a sinus infection or bronchitis before it but I was not sick just coughing at night . I then caught the flu and was doing so-so until the flu changed and I got part two . I ended up spending 4 1/2 days in the hospital . I am home now and recovering but that was scary . Take this flu seriously !The hospital was so loaded with flu victims that it was mixing them with regular patients which I could not believe.The wait time in the ER was over 4 hours.

Wow, glad you are back home and starting in feel better.

 

[TrvlBug]

I am nearing week three of the flu . I had a sinus infection or bronchitis before it but I was not sick just coughing at night . I then caught the flu and was doing so-so until the flu changed and I got part two . I ended up spending 4 1/2 days in the hospital . I am home now and recovering but that was scary . Take this flu seriously !The hospital was so loaded with flu victims that it was mixing them with regular patients which I could not believe.The wait time in the ER was over 4 hours.

It's scary reading some of the stories. Glad to hear you are on your way to recovery. I was getting really worried being sick so long, thinking maybe there was something wrong with my immune system and that I would be ending up in the hospital close to death.

DH just got back yesterday from a trip to Europe...his throat is sore .

 

[W2R]

I am nearing week three of the flu . I had a sinus infection or bronchitis before it but I was not sick just coughing at night . I then caught the flu and was doing so-so until the flu changed and I got part two . I ended up spending 4 1/2 days in the hospital . I am home now and recovering but that was scary . Take this flu seriously !The hospital was so loaded with flu victims that it was mixing them with regular patients which I could not believe.The wait time in the ER was over 4 hours.

Oh my!!! I just saw this post. That flu sounds terrifying and I am so glad that you are home and recovering by now. Best wishes and I hope that soon this flu will be just a bad memory for you.

 

[Moemg]

Thanks everyone ! That was a scary experience but it was also a wake up call to take my health more seriously . I do exercise regularly but I intend to really ramp it up and next year avoid flu season like the black plague. I am on the mend and so thankful !

 

[ivinsfan]

Thanks everyone ! That was a scary experience but it was also a wake up call to take my health more seriously . I do exercise regularly but I intend to really ramp it up and next year avoid flu season like the black plague. I am on the mend and so thankful !

Great, but remember it's not your fault you got hit so hard, it happens.

I'm so confused by the recent spate of flu stories and numbers. Our town of about 15K serves the entire county with it's urgent care clinic. It's Monday at 9 and the wait time is 10 minutes at UC. In fact every time I've looked at it for the last 3 weeks it's been between 10 and 60 minutes. The 60 pops up on Mondays sometime, but that's pretty normal for this area.

I have shirt tail family I visit at the local nursing home and I haven't been going because of the flu stories and the fact my DH is going in for cardiac surgery in a few weeks and we really can't afford to get hit with a bad flu.

We haven't done anything remotely entertaining including church for the last month and it's getting old I'm not complaining, I'd rather stuck at home avoiding the flu then stuck at home with the flu.

I'm just confused by the doom and gloom in the press and can't figure out if it's really that much worse then a regular winter. If in fact the news saying the flu is so bad panics people with colds to go the ER, or people with light cases of flu to rush to UC for Tamiflu because they are worried they might be gravely ill.

 

[Moemg]

When I was in the hospital at night all you heard was coughing . It sounded like a tuberculous center . The two sickest people on the floor I was on were in their 20's .If I were you I would stay avoiding people especially with your husband's surgery coming up. I would also carry disinfectant wipes everywhere.

 

[Brat]

I may have mentioned this before but listen to this week's TWIV (This Week In Virology) podcast. They interview an influenza researcher. He said that altho this year's shot isn't on target for the flu circulating right now but statistics have shown that those who have had the vaccination and catch the flu have a lower death rate.

The lack of vaccination effectiveness isn't just related to a bad match, it is related to how vaccine is produced. The current flu virus can't be grown in eggs. Vaccine production needs a complete revamp.

He also said that most adults do not regard the flu as dangerous as most have had a flu and recovered. As result the inoculation rate is low and they are slow to seek medical attention.

As I recall he mentioned that we will see another influenza virus circulate in the spring.

 

[Taxman59]

I need to change my answer on the poll. I just returned from a cruise and trip to Disney. 18 days of fun in the sun . . Halfway through the trip, I got the Flu! A mild case (mild due to the shot according to several sources). I had 2 days of miserable, and now a week of a lingering cough. DW came down with it after I did, and she was miserable for 3 days but her cough is not as bad as mine.

 

[W2R]

I need to change my answer on the poll. I just returned from a cruise and trip to Disney. 18 days of fun in the sun . . Halfway through the trip, I got the Flu! A mild case (mild due to the shot according to several sources). I had 2 days of miserable, and now a week of a lingering cough. DW came down with it after I did, and she was miserable for 3 days but her cough is not as bad as mine.

I'll change your vote in the poll, then. Sorry that you got the flu!

 

[HFWR]

He also said that most adults do not regard the flu as dangerous as most have had a flu and recovered. As result the inoculation rate is low and they are slow to seek medical attention.

Not to mention bovine excrement such as this making the rounds on social media...

http://www.neonnettle.com/news/3758-doctor-blows-whistle-on-flu-shot-it-s-designed-to-spread-cancer-

 

[REWahoo]

Not to mention bovine excrement such as this making the rounds on social media...

+1 The chiropractor masquerading as a medical expert.

Conventional wisdom says civilization will be destroyed by:

- Nuclear war
- Global pandemic
- Super volcanic eruption
- Artificial intelligence
- Extreme climate change
- Asteroid strike

Looks like social media is going to get there first.

 

[Ally]

I must change my answer, too. My husband and I both have flu and returned from the doctor yesterday with several medicines, plus I have to use the nebulizer for wheezing in my lungs. We don't know where we got it, but we did have our shots.

 

[Calgary_Girl]

Have gotten the flu shot every year for the past 20 years and I can’t remember the last time I’ve had the flu.

 

[Brat]

Knock on wood...

 

[JPatrick]

Have gotten the flu shot every year for the past 20 years and I can’t remember the last time I’ve had the flu.

The worst thing you could possibly say.

 

[ugeauxgirl]

My kids and I got the flu shot. Husband didn't. Youngest son and I and husband all got the flu. DS and I were sick for 2-3 days. I have never seen DH as sick as he was this year. He had a fever for 8 days and was absolutely miserable. I was grateful I had gotten the flu shot even though I got sick.

 

[ivinsfan]

My kids and I got the flu shot. Husband didn't. Youngest son and I and husband all got the flu. DS and I were sick for 2-3 days. I have never seen DH as sick as he was this year. He had a fever for 8 days and was absolutely miserable. I was grateful I had gotten the flu shot even though I got sick.

This is what the media seems to overlook when talking about how "crummy" the flu shots worked this year.

 

[JoeWras]

DW and I had a good friend pass from complications of the flu this last week. She had severe COPD and was in her 70s.

She had the shot, but apparently got a very mild case of flu (no fever). Never the less, the small amount of lung irritation was too much and she passed. There was just something about this flu that made it really nasty to those with pre-existing conditions.

 

[Sunset]

I also need to change my answer: We both got the flu shot before going on a cruise (the thought of being confined with 2,000 others coughing was scary) and no flu so far.

 

[mystang52]

Baring my soul here: Flu is no laughing matter for anyone, but for those of us with compromised immune systems it can be fatal. So, I'm terrified of getting the flu and am religious in getting the shot each year.
It can be tempting to stay home for the entire 6 month or so flu season but instead I take precautions when I'm in crowded areas. Avoided the flu this season so far, although I did get a nasty chest cold 4 weeks ago - maybe "pre-flu"? - that I'm still recovering from.

 

[Marita40]

Never get a flu shot. Never get the flu (literally).
Knock on wood, of course.