OT: H1N1 Flu virus

[Tamadude]

Sorry to start a bummer thread, but I'm starting to lose sleep over this. Should I get vaccinated? Should I not? There are so many opinions on it, I don't know what to believe. Young healthy people are dropping dead from this now. I've got 3 kids, so naturally I want them to be protected, but at what cost? The vaccine was unveiled in a big hurry, and that worries the shit out of me. It hasn't been tested properly. It hasn't been analyzed over time. What if there are serious side effects that we don't know about yet? Some side effects take time to show themselves. I cant recall which disease it was, but earlier in the 1900s the same kind of thing happened. They rushed out a vaccination that wasn't tested for a long enough time, everyone got vaccinated but they hadn't anticipated the mass birth defects it caused.

Yesterday an ex-politician said on her radio show something to the effect of "if you don't get vaccinated and someone you've been in contact with dies, you should be charged with murder". That is the kind fear that is being spread. The fact that I just saw "I am Legend" with Will Smith the other day doesn't really help either.....

Is anyone else struggling with this?

[alex]

Not me. In fact I'm a little sick and tired of all the false hype the media is putting into this. I read that if every Canadian was exposed to this that about 65 would die. Hmm, kinda sounds like a heatwave, or a normal flu.

[thedaner]

Honestly, I wouldn't. Just take care of yourself. Wash your hands often, drink plenty of liquids (including vitamin C), get plenty of rest, etc. The media is totally building this up in their own, fear-based way. This is a different strain of the flu virus, but not a terrible killer like they want us to believe. People die every year from the normal flu virus, but the media: a) doesn't report it and, b) the people who died more than likely had other medical conditions that contributed to their deaths. Same goes for the "swine" flu. Most (if not all) of the people that died had pre-existing medical conditions.

The flu vaccine is just a live strain they inject in you. The last time my wife had been vaccinated for the regular flu she felt worse, so she's stopped getting shots. I can't think of the last time I had a flu shot. My niece just got over H1N1 and she's fine. My nephew currently has it, and he's being treated as if it were the normal flu.

[Tamadude]

I've never had a flu shot. Never really had a cold bad enough that it put me out of commision. That's why the alarming thing about this one is that it's killing young, healthy people. A thirteen-year old hockey player in Toronto died this week. At least two NHLers are currently quaranteened from thier teams. I do, however, agree about media sensationalizing.

If I were given a choice between having a live strain of something injected into me or get a "normal" cold, I would take the "normal" cold in a heartbeat. But H1N1 seems far from normal, though.

Fuck.

[HalcyonLisa]

the UK feels like it is swamped with it, we are getting thousands of new cases reported each day and we have a National helpline set up for people with Swine Flu.

My sister-in-law has had it and so have several of my friends (apparently).

Government here has given up trying to control it and it is apparently rife.

However, the reported deaths are few. I have friends who are health professionals who tell me that normal Seasonal Flu is killing the same amount of people if not more.

The same friends are recommending to me not to have the vaccine. Most nurses in my local hospital have opted not to have it. I'm also being told not to take Tamiflu.

Half the problem here is that they have stopped testing for the virus and are diagnosing over the phone after asking people a set of standard questions. Trouble is if I had a streaming cold, a sore throat and a slight fever and I was about to go and see a Police concert would I tell a health professional that I felt ok? hell yes! if I had the same streaming cold, sore throat and slight fever and I had to go into work.... yep, I'd tell the health professional I felt like shite.

I'm not worrying about it, my job takes me into peoples homes everyday, we also have Winter Vomiting virus rife in my county so all I do is wash my hands a lot and use hand sanitiser alot, take vitamin C and keep a positive attitude and hope and wish and pray

[Michi]

If is useful for you, my doctor said that the vacune is dangerous. I know people that pass the flu and is nothing very bad.

[conroy]

It's not really the swine flu that's killing people, but the secondary pneumonia infection that is doing the killing. The influenza is like the first wave of an attack that weakens the body and makes it more vulnerable for the secondary pneumonia attack. And there is a vaccine against that although I never really hear them recommend it for healthy people.

I definitely agree about washing your hands and not touching things like door knobs or phones that could have been potentially handled or touched by an infected person. I'm practically neurotic about that and practice it religiously. I hardly ever get a head cold. And for god's sake, I can't believe how many times I've been out shopping and seen people coughing without covering their mouths or coughing into their sleeves since the swine flu began to strike. Their coughs are very hoarse and rough. No wonder its spreading like wildfire.

[smudge]

Tamadude - if I was a parent I'd be worried about this too. I'm not, but I do understand the worry. Mate, I'd talk to your doctor some more. We can all chip in here and give opinions (and they're valid, sensible views), but none of us are experts. It is flu. Untreated, with complications from other conditions, it can kill. That goes for any flu strain that you haven't had a close relationship with. None of us are able to judge the safety or effectiveness of the vaccine.

In your shoes, I'd eschew the shot unless the health service recommended it, but if I (or anyone in my family) became rapidly feverish and unusually unwell, I'd call for medical advice and assistance pronto. Same as I would with any nasty virus.

It is just flu. But flu kills people all the time. This flu just has worse PR than previous years.

[samburusunset]

I've been intending to get my seasonal flu shot but haven't gotten around to it yet. I'm hesitating about the H1N1 though for many of the reasons you all have mentioned. I think there are probably just as many people who die from the seasonal flu, but they're not being reported by the media.

I have been ramping up on an Airborne (the immunity supplement, not the music - sorry Stewart-) routine figuring it couldn't hurt. They passed out bottles of Purell to everyone at work and I'm washing my hands alot. I have to stop touching my face, though. I tend to rest my chin in my hand when I'm at my desk. I may even bring in anti-bac wipes to keep by the files and fax machine just because sooo many people are all over them all day long. And, with Halloween coming people are going to be bringing in treats. There's more than one reason now to stay away from common dishes of food now! Maybe H1N1 will keep me out of the candy dish!


Dunno what to tell you T'Dude. I don't have kids, but I got THE.SICKEST I've ever been from my middle nephew when he was two. I had flown out to help my sister when my youngest nephew was to be born. But, God love the little germ bag, he got me and I was out for a week. I had pink eye, fever, sore throat, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't sleep, I went thru boxes of tissues and bottles of Gatorade. The worst part was that I couldn't help my sister with the new baby.


How old are you other kids? Has anyone in the family had flu shots?

[Divemistress of the Dark]

I was kind of keeping this on the downlow, so people I knew wouldn't panic and go all to pieces, but I had what my doc is pretty sure was H1N1 about six weeks ago. Yeah, it sucked, but honestly it wasn't at all the horrendous experience that some have reported. I had the fever, sore throat, nausea, etc., but mostly was just really tired. I did keep myself in lockup until the fever'd been gone for 48 hours - to lessen the chances of contagion. But then, I also use Purell like crazy, keep antibacterial Wet Wipes & etc. on my person, so I think I'm pretty good in general about not spreading my funk around. Luckily now I've probably got a bit of immunity to it.

(Got it from my mom, who works on political campaigns - no telling where she got it. Typically I don't get hit too hard, due to all the Purell, but Mom had the worst of it while I was in Britain, I didn't see the symptoms, so I wasn't careful enough around her. My 70-some-year-old aunt also had it. We're all fine. Hubs didn't catch it.

I realize it can be horrific - and fatal - for a lot of people and I am NOT AT ALL trying to minimize that. Just saying that with this, as with so many things, your mileage may vary. Worst part for me has been trying to play catchup on all the stuff I missed while I was sick...)

[sockii]

I'll poke vespapod to chime in with his medical 2 cents on this tomorrow morning. I'm sure you'll get an earful.

I'm not sure what to say at this point. I just flew back from Italy with some nasty symptoms which vespa was warning me to keep on the downlow at the airport in case I got pulled off the flight, which was the last thing I wanted! I also had a nasty infection flare up over my eye like I've never had before...god knows what caused it, but it's simmered down after a few days at home in isolation.

I'm still feeling kind of shitty but who knows. There can be a lot of unnecessary hype, but there can also be a lot of stuff out there that no one wants to report about in full detail as well...

[Mrs. Gradenko]

Here in Texas they were going to give all prisonders the shot, even though most of the population, and children have not yet gotten it.

[Madgrad]

I understand your concern, Big T, especially with the newest little Wookie at your house. We've been seeing a fair bit of it here in NC-- lots of school kids, my daughter's teacher. . . So far, it doesn't seem to be TOO bad (knock on wood). Still not sure what I'm going to do vaccine-wise if we're given the opportunity. . .

[luddite lady]

I totally understand your confusion and concern T'dude. There's a lot of conflicting information out there.

I'm going to get the shot though. And most years I get the seasonal flu vaccine too. Here's why. Each day, I teach about 160 different kids in 7 different classrooms. My students range in age from 7 to 13, and their personal hygeine practices vary drastically from the kids who cover themselves in Purell to the ones who cough on me, right down to the little guys who pick their noses and then put their hands all over me and my stuff. I can't be using hand santizers and Lysol every minute of the day, so I assume that I'm going to come into contact with every bug out there. I've built up pretty amazing immunity over the years, but this flu (and each year's seasonal flu) are different from anything else out there. Most people who get sick have mild cases. (I'm glad you're feeling better, Dive!) I'm pretty healthy and would probably weather this thing well, but I'd hate to be the one who passes illness on to somebody with underlying conditions who ends up very ill. Such a case scenario is highly possible as I'm in contact with so many folks daily. In my situation, I feel a certain obligation to get vaccinated. However, mine is a somewhat exceptional case.
T'dude, you have a teeny one and two other fairly little ones at home, not to mention a likely worn out new mom in your Mrs. T'dude. You've got a lot to consider. Like smudge suggests, take advice from your family doctor. Of course, the problem is everybody is seeking medical advice, swamping doctors' offices and government health phone lines.
I've never had an ill effect from the seasonal flu vaccine that I get. The H1N1 vaccine has been in the works since last spring and has been tested at least as much as the seasonal vaccine, if not more. In my case, I think the risks of flu are higher than any risk posed by the vaccine. But everyone's situation is different, and one has to weigh their particular risks and benefits before deciding.

[Grace]

Looks like a topic that we have all been contemplating.
Personally, I intend to get the vaccine but it has less to do with me than with those around me. My Dad's health is pretty precarious and since his heart attack I have been spending a lot more time with my folks. Suddenly, I am keenly aware that they are "getting up there".
That being the case, I wouldn't want to risk that I might infect someone else to whom it would almost certainly be fatal. I would never be able to forgive myself.
I am waiting for a week or so in order for the "priority" people to get their vaccines and hopefully some of the lineups will ease off at that point as well. Then I'll be in there like I'm on fire.
It's a tough choice T-dude. Wishing you the best either way.