OMG! If I have the flu, I am going to freak out...

[VisualOddity]

Here's the thing; I don't get the flu. I mean, at all.

I haven't had a flu shot since I was probably 13-15yo because I don't need them. When my wife and kids have had it, I stay home and take care of them, eat and drink after them sometimes, etc, and I just don't get the flu. Apparently, my immune system/body rocks, because I also heal pretty quickly when I get hurt. Since I don't get it, I don't go near the shot... usually.

Well, last Thursday I got he flu shot. Because it is (predicted to be) particularly bad this year, my wife convinced me to get the shot as added protection for my kids. My son is 7yo, and my daughter is 2yo, so if they get it, the results *could* be devastating. Thinking of my kids, I went ahead and got it.

Fast forward... As of last night (maybe earlier), my nose has been runny and I have been a bit stopped up. This morning, I was really stopped up, sneezing, and my head felt "tight" (I can't think of another description?). I am the on-call for work right now (Fri-Thurs), and last night I was woken up at 11p for an issue, went back to sleep at 11:45p, got a call at 12a, finally went to sleep at 1a, then up at 5:30a for work. My point in telling you that, is that I thought part of my feeling bad this morning was because of rough sleep last night. Well...

As of now; I'm all stopped up, sneezy, headache + head feels "tight", and now my arms and legs are aching/hurting/sore. That aside, I generally feel horrible... :ugh:

So, on to my big point. I have managed to NOT get the flu for as long as I can remember while leaving the defense up to my own natural bodily systems. It will be VERY frustrating if I get it 3-4 days after getting my first flu shot in probably 14-15 years (or more)!!!


:ugh:!!!!!




(And just for the record, I am not apposed to vaccines. My kids get them at the appropriate ages, and they also get/got the flu shot. This is not me hating on shots/vaccines in general, but still, it's pretty freakin coincidental if I have it...)

[kenw]

you may have just been lucky in the past, but the various flu types have been evolving while you've, well, just gotten older. The way you build immunity is thru exposure. If you are never exposed, you never develop resistance. Part of the reason the experts think this one will be pretty widespread is that so few have been exposed to it historically.

And if you get a "flu" shot, it totally depends on which one you get, there are many types of flu around and the shot can only immunize against some of them. H1N1 is getting all the publicity, maybe you made the swine mad and they sent the avian to get even with you....it happens....but I'm not sure if you had enough time to let the vaccine work, that was less than a week from shot to sneeze.

A blood test will make sure.

Just don't sneeze on your keyboard or you'll expose all of us to it.....

[VisualOddity]

hahahahaha! And good points... :)

[lscottpht]

Well, at least it doesn't sound like H1N1. I just got back from the doctor's office about an hour ago and both my sons have H1N1. My son had 104 fever in the middle of the night. The one good thing is that unlike a lot of doctors, my doctor does prescribe Tamiflu for children older than 2; so, they will be starting that in just a bit. If you have H1N1, the symptoms come on quickly, fever is usually around 101 or higher, you have a headache, and a dry cough. My kids have also had stuff noses associated with it, but it really brings you down, big time. My most active son just layed on the doctors table and fell asleep there. He's really out of it.

[VisualOddity]

Originally Posted by lscottpht

Well, at least it doesn't sound like H1N1. I just got back from the doctor's office about an hour ago and both my sons have H1N1. My son had 104 fever in the middle of the night. The one good thing is that unlike a lot of doctors, my doctor does prescribe Tamiflu for children older than 2; so, they will be starting that in just a bit. If you have H1N1, the symptoms come on quickly, fever is usually around 101 or higher, you have a headache, and a dry cough. My kids have also had stuff noses associated with it, but it really brings you down, big time. My most active son just layed on the doctors table and fell asleep there. He's really out of it.

Yea, I'm way out of it. I walked into a door like an hour ago because I missed the handle (in front of work people too .ugh.). I'm tired, way tired, but that could be because I didn't sleep much last night. I have felt hot all day, but I don't have anything to check my temp at work. To be safe, I am staying away from people as much as possible. Luckily, I don't really have to be right up close and personal for my job. I can sit off in my office (read: cube) all alone and work... I am eating a cough drop right now too... :)

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Hayfever-ragweed-ain't Flu!

[lscottpht]

Ugh, you should get tested. Unfortunately, a lot of doctors won't give you Tamiflu, anyway, but if you can find one that does, it needs to be taken pretty quickly after you get it to be effective. Then, if you take it and you feel better a couple of days later, you need to watch to make sure your temp doesn't go up again (get a thermometer). If it does, there's a good chance you could have pneumonia which is what is causing all the serious issues and deaths. It also spreads pretty quickly, so it's best not to go into work. Since most docs won't prescribe the Tamiflu b/c of CDC guidelines, they are telling people just to take Tylenol/Motrin and get rest. I hope you feel better soon! I know my sons will be out until at least Thursday. Oh, and they can have the results right away if it's H1N1. Regular flu is Type B and H1N1 is type A. My sons have type A. The test they do is not a blood test. It's a nose swab.

[VisualOddity]

Thank You. If I still feel bad tomorrow, I will go to the doc and get tested. I hope this goes away by then...

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

HAYFEVER REACTION TO RAGWEED will run until the first hard frost-almost Thanksgiving, unless you did what I just did and GET OUT OF THERE to where there is no Ragweed (in my case Northern New Mexico)-I hate heading back to Dallas!

[kenw]

Originally Posted by lscottpht

.... The test they do is not a blood test. It's a nose swab.

that's good to know. I've been known to pass out when I get the cholesterol checked......

[lscottpht]

hahaha!

lscottpht added 2 Minutes and 53 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Originally Posted by VisualOddity

Thank You. If I still feel bad tomorrow, I will go to the doc and get tested. I hope this goes away by then...

Hopefully so!

[VisualOddity]

lol!

Where would I get ragweed? Would I need to be around it? I live in Elgin, but work in N. Austin in an office building. It's gotten worse quickly over the course of the day at work... My stomach also feels "off" now... :(

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Ragweed Pollen can travel several HUNDRED miles in it's journey and airfilltration systems won't stop it (clean rooms will). I suffer badly from it and when I can get away during the season I DO!

Check with the Austin American Statesman website and see if they give a pollen/ragweed count-bet it is HIGH right now (300+ is HIGH-Dallas can hit 600+ on some days)

[VisualOddity]

Originally Posted by DEMDeepEllumMusic

Ragweed Pollen can travel several HUNDRED miles in it's journey and airfilltration systems won't stop it (clean rooms will). I suffer badly from it and when I can get away during the season I DO!

Check with the Austin American Statesman website and see if they give a pollen/ragweed count-bet it is HIGH right now (300+ is HIGH-Dallas can hit 600+ on some days)

Rag-weed is at "74"...

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

that is high enough to get a good reaction- Dallas has some of the highest counts in the US at times- when it is below 50 you usually don't get reactions.