This year's flu is pretty rough

biosurfer1 · 03-14-2019, 04:49 AM

I'm usually pretty healthy and don't get sick often. I don't know if it's good genes or getting the flu shot every year but often times I skate through the flu season unharmed.

Not this year and it was a doozy.

Woke up Tuesday morning and felt a little achy but nothing too abnormal and headed off to work. About half way there, I knew something was wrong so turned around. Crawled back into bed just in time to start 36 hours of "fun".

Never did throw up, but just felt completely exhausted and wiped out, but so achy I couldn't lay still long enough to fall asleep. If I did sleep, it was for 45 minutes and then it started all over. I've eaten 3 crackers in the past 48 hours now and I think I'm just about over it, but we will see.

First time in my career I've had to take 2 sick days in a row.

If someone in your office looks under the weather, RUN the other direction. This year's flu isn't playing around!

onewhippedpuppy · 03-14-2019, 07:46 AM

My wife, youngest son, and daughter all had it. The daughter was diagnosed with influenza, my wife and son got better quick enough that we didn't sweat the doctor visit. All were pretty much as you described, 24-36 hours of feeling like total crap. I just drink more bourbon when they get sick, it kills the germs.

rattlsnak · rattlsnak's Garage

Last season was really bad but I havent heard anything about this season at all. (news etc..) Been pretty quiet..

Brando · Brando's Garage

I got it too, took nearly 12 weeks to get better (last week). Started with Flu, turned into a sinus infection. Cleared up, got the Flu again, turned into pneumonia. Then another sinus infection... Finally getting over it as of last week.

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

There is no "good" flu.

I have lived in OKC for 41 years now. I have had the flu back in 1978 when I first moved here. That was tough because I was single, and living alone.

The last time was two years ago. It was still tough but easier with a wife around to heat up soup and provide moral support and comforting words like "Stay away from me, go sleep in the guest bedroom, and wash your hands and don't touch me, is your PIN the same for your debit card?"

We managed to keep her from getting it so she let me live. And today is our 27th anniversary!

biosurfer1 · 03-14-2019, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rattlsnak

Last season was really bad but I havent heard anything about this season at all. (news etc..) Been pretty quiet..

I haven't heard as many people getting it either, but seems like when they do, the symptoms are worse. My usual sequence is rough 24 hours, followed by a recovery day and third day i'm back to normal.

this time it was a very rough 24 hours followed by a average bad day, and today is recovery. Hopefully tomorrow is business as usual, right before the weekend

Hugh R · 03-14-2019, 10:18 AM

You all don't get a flu vaccine? With my insurance, its free to me, or should I say included in my premiums.

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

Flu vaccine is a bad joke, ineffective more often than not

biosurfer1 · 03-14-2019, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tobra

Flu vaccine is a bad joke, ineffective more often than not

and on top of that, it's almost like I said I DO get the flu shot every year in the second sentence...because I did

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

We get the flu vaccine every year, and never had the slights problem with it. We will continue to get it every year.

Porchdog · 03-14-2019, 12:19 PM

I have never had the flu shot. I can't remember the last time I had the flu.

I live in a rural/suburban area, rarely go to cities or fly commercial, pretty much never use public transportation, don't deal with the public at work, don't go to schools much.

My wife used to get the shot when she was teaching. My son is in the Marine reserves so he gets it every year. He hates it.

jyl · jyl's Garage

My son got the stomach flu pretty bad this year. Rest of us have been lucky so fast. However, I'm feeling run down and fighting something now.

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

Stomach flu is often norovirus

I had the flu when I was a kid, got pretty sick. Had the flu vaccine twice. First was in boot camp, sick for a week. Second was 3rd year med student, sick for a week.

I have had food poisoning a few times, but that is about all in the last 25 years. Sickest I have ever been in my life that was not food poisoning was the last time I got the flu shot.

Porchdog · 03-14-2019, 01:06 PM

Pennsylvania is reporting 65,000 flu cases this year (above the level for a declared epidemic). Population is 12,750,000. So 1/2 % chance of contracting the flu.

A little less than half the population gets the flu shot, so if we make the generous assumption that all the flu cases are people who didn't get the shot, you have about a 1% chance of getting the flu.

They admit to 1% -2% complications from the shot = so about the same as the chance of getting the flu.

My calculation - since I'm already in a low-risk of infection population and I'm healthy, I'm better off without the shot.

BeyGon · 03-14-2019, 02:56 PM

I get the flu shot every year and haven't had a problem with it or the flu. I had a Pneumonia shot and my arm did hurt for a day. Insurance pays for them so I get them. The only shots I remember giving me a pain was the Gamma Globulin shots, I think 10cc right out of the refrigerator.

sammyg2 · 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh R

You all don't get a flu vaccine? With my insurance, its free to me, or should I say included in my premiums.

no flu shot for me, I heard it causes the A word

Super cerial: I haven't gotten the flu since 2007, knock knock.

Porchdog · 03-14-2019, 03:04 PM

I took a look at another statistic - the CDC claims 40% to 60% effective.
So your chances go from 1% to 1/2% if you get the shot.

Again - I get it if you have risk factors. For me? Not worth it.

RKDinOKC · RKDinOKC's Garage

Tip...

When achy all over drink some chicken broth. The achy feeling is actually your white blood cells going all over your body to fight the flu virus. Something in chicken broth (or soup) helps the white blood cells concentrate on the location of the virus which takes the achy feeling away. There is something to them old remedies.

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

Also stay well hydrated, get plenty of Vit C and Zinc

Jims5543 · 03-14-2019, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

My wife, youngest son, and daughter all had it. The daughter was diagnosed with influenza, my wife and son got better quick enough that we didn't sweat the doctor visit. All were pretty much as you described, 24-36 hours of feeling like total crap. I just drink more bourbon when they get sick, it kills the germs.

Helpful.

I knew there was a reason I like drinking bourbon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammyg2

no flu shot for me, I heard it causes the A word

Super cerial: I haven't gotten the flu since 2007, knock knock.

I really hope I am not jinxing myself.

My wife recently found a photo of my son and I working through the flu at the same time. We were both camped out on the living room floor watching TV together, I think I was sleeping.

My son was about 3 years old, he is 26 now.