I think I had swine flu!

[AllieBaba]

No kidding! Around the middle of June I had a horrible headache one day, started getting a sore throat and was feeling achy the second day...and woke up the third day with the worst sore throat I can remember ever having (and I get strep all the time), complete with white stuff all over my wildly inflamed throat, swollen glands. I didn't get out of bed for two days, I felt like I had been run over by a truck. I was nauseous, too, which has only happened with me and illness when I get struck by food poisoning (happened once, very unpleasant) or stomach flu, which lasts exactly 8-24 hours, then you're fine.

On Monday (after two days of rolling helplessly in bed aplogizing to my little boy because I just couldn't move) I went to the clinic, and they assumed (as I did) that I had strep. So treated with amoxycillin.

No effect. Finally on the 10th and last day of amoxycillin, my throat felt slightly better (and the white spots did go away) but on the 11th day, the first day without amoxy., the raging sore throat was back.

After a couple more days, I went back to the clinic and said listen, we need to try a different antibiotic or something, I'm still dying here. They assured me that if it was strep the amoxycillin would work, so it must be mono, because that was going around.

So they drew blood, and I went on vacation and got better, slowly but surely.

I assumed then that I had had mono...the whole back/side thing is symptomatic of the spleen enlarging (a mono thing).

Guess what? It wasn't mono. It wasn't regular flu, it wasn't strep..and there have been some cases of swine flu around here. Not in my town, but within a few miles. And I work with people from all over, very closely.

I'm a celebrity! In my own mind, of course. I had swine flu! And thank goodness the kids didn't get it. I'd rather have swine flu than mono...I read up on that stuff and it's flipping scary. You keep getting it throughout your life once you have it. Who knew?

 

[Kalam]

Yep. I had it and experienced almost exactly the same symptoms. You had Swine Flu.

 

[AllieBaba]

I guess this means we won't be dying from it, then. I'm hoping my kids got enough of the virus I shed to immunize them a little.

 

[geauxtohell]

No kidding! Around the middle of June I had a horrible headache one day, started getting a sore throat and was feeling achy the second day...and woke up the third day with the worst sore throat I can remember ever having (and I get strep all the time), complete with white stuff all over my wildly inflamed throat, swollen glands. I didn't get out of bed for two days, I felt like I had been run over by a truck. I was nauseous, too, which has only happened with me and illness when I get struck by food poisoning (happened once, very unpleasant) or stomach flu, which lasts exactly 8-24 hours, then you're fine.

On Monday (after two days of rolling helplessly in bed aplogizing to my little boy because I just couldn't move) I went to the clinic, and they assumed (as I did) that I had strep. So treated with amoxycillin.

No effect. Finally on the 10th and last day of amoxycillin, my throat felt slightly better (and the white spots did go away) but on the 11th day, the first day without amoxy., the raging sore throat was back.

After a couple more days, I went back to the clinic and said listen, we need to try a different antibiotic or something, I'm still dying here. They assured me that if it was strep the amoxycillin would work, so it must be mono, because that was going around.

So they drew blood, and I went on vacation and got better, slowly but surely.

I assumed then that I had had mono...the whole back/side thing is symptomatic of the spleen enlarging (a mono thing).

Guess what? It wasn't mono. It wasn't regular flu, it wasn't strep..and there have been some cases of swine flu around here. Not in my town, but within a few miles. And I work with people from all over, very closely.

I'm a celebrity! In my own mind, of course. I had swine flu! And thank goodness the kids didn't get it. I'd rather have swine flu than mono...I read up on that stuff and it's flipping scary. You keep getting it throughout your life once you have it. Who knew?

If it was swine flu, it should have had a postive test for Flu A.

 

[AllieBaba]

Only if they tested for it. Which I doubt they did. I'll check tomorrow.

 

[AllieBaba]

It's a government clinic, btw.

 

[geauxtohell]

Only if they tested for it. Which I doubt they did. I'll check tomorrow.

I just bring it up, because I had a classmate that got a massive case of flu A that knocked them on their ass for about a week the symptoms were that bad.

They typed it as Flu A, but they didn't type for swine flu. However, based on the severity and timing of the thing, it's a safe bet.

 

[AllieBaba]

I want to believe I had swine flu. Otherwise, I'm just a big baby. And the way I have handled difficult births and various and assorted pains and ailments tells me I'm not a wus! So please, no bursting of the Swine Flu Pride bubble.

 

[geauxtohell]

I want to believe I had swine flu. Otherwise, I'm just a big baby. And the way I have handled difficult births and various and assorted pains and ailments tells me I'm not a wus! So please, no bursting of the Swine Flu Pride bubble.

LOL.

Actually, I was thinking more along the line of:

If it's Flu A and your kids start to display symptoms, you should consider getting them into a Dr. within 24-48 hours of the symptoms to see if he thinks they need tamiflu. Make sure and tell him that you had flu A recently.

tamiflu is only effective w/in 24-48 hours of the onset of symptoms.

 

[AllieBaba]

Thank you. I will.

 

[bodecea]

There was a particularly bad strain of cold going around here this last spring...with really bad sore throats. Mine morphed into a killer sinus infection while most I know dodged that particular bullet. But no one complained of nausea.

 

[Ravi]

I believe you, Allie. You've been snorting and rolling in the mud for the last couple of months...there is no doubt in anyone's mind you caught the swine flu.

 

[Phoenix]

No kidding! Around the middle of June I had a horrible headache one day, started getting a sore throat and was feeling achy the second day...and woke up the third day with the worst sore throat I can remember ever having (and I get strep all the time), complete with white stuff all over my wildly inflamed throat, swollen glands. I didn't get out of bed for two days, I felt like I had been run over by a truck. I was nauseous, too, which has only happened with me and illness when I get struck by food poisoning (happened once, very unpleasant) or stomach flu, which lasts exactly 8-24 hours, then you're fine.

On Monday (after two days of rolling helplessly in bed aplogizing to my little boy because I just couldn't move) I went to the clinic, and they assumed (as I did) that I had strep. So treated with amoxycillin.

No effect. Finally on the 10th and last day of amoxycillin, my throat felt slightly better (and the white spots did go away) but on the 11th day, the first day without amoxy., the raging sore throat was back.

After a couple more days, I went back to the clinic and said listen, we need to try a different antibiotic or something, I'm still dying here. They assured me that if it was strep the amoxycillin would work, so it must be mono, because that was going around.

So they drew blood, and I went on vacation and got better, slowly but surely.

I assumed then that I had had mono...the whole back/side thing is symptomatic of the spleen enlarging (a mono thing).

Guess what? It wasn't mono. It wasn't regular flu, it wasn't strep..and there have been some cases of swine flu around here. Not in my town, but within a few miles. And I work with people from all over, very closely.

I'm a celebrity! In my own mind, of course. I had swine flu! And thank goodness the kids didn't get it. I'd rather have swine flu than mono...I read up on that stuff and it's flipping scary. You keep getting it throughout your life once you have it. Who knew?

Which was worse? Your (assumed) swine flu or mono - in the moment, I mean, not long-term.

I had mono about 15 years ago and have had some issues cropping back up from time to time. Wondered if there was any connection.

 

[Anguille]

I believe you, Allie. You've been snorting and rolling in the mud for the last couple of months...there is no doubt in anyone's mind you caught the swine flu.

 

[Paulie]

I actually think I may have had it too. Back in March I had multiple flu symptoms that were the worst I've had in probably 15 years.

There were times I felt like near death, usually at night when it was time to try and go to sleep. Waking up in the middle of the night with cold sweats, probably the worst cough I've ever had, and I probably sneezed more in a week and a half than the total amount in my whole life otherwise. The only symptom I didn't have was vomitting, but I never vomit. I haven't vomitted from ANYTHING since I was a kid, probably.

I wouldn't wish what I went through on my worst enemy. In hindsight, I hope it WAS swine flu. Obviously there were no REPORTED cases around the country at the time, specifically not in my state, but then, no one was really looking for it back then either. So who knows.

 

[xxxorcoxxx]

I had similar symptoms but the doc said swine flu usually is accompanied by fever and without they weren't considering swine flu, sounds like you had a nasty cold.

 

[AllieBaba]

No kidding! Around the middle of June I had a horrible headache one day, started getting a sore throat and was feeling achy the second day...and woke up the third day with the worst sore throat I can remember ever having (and I get strep all the time), complete with white stuff all over my wildly inflamed throat, swollen glands. I didn't get out of bed for two days, I felt like I had been run over by a truck. I was nauseous, too, which has only happened with me and illness when I get struck by food poisoning (happened once, very unpleasant) or stomach flu, which lasts exactly 8-24 hours, then you're fine.

On Monday (after two days of rolling helplessly in bed aplogizing to my little boy because I just couldn't move) I went to the clinic, and they assumed (as I did) that I had strep. So treated with amoxycillin.

No effect. Finally on the 10th and last day of amoxycillin, my throat felt slightly better (and the white spots did go away) but on the 11th day, the first day without amoxy., the raging sore throat was back.

After a couple more days, I went back to the clinic and said listen, we need to try a different antibiotic or something, I'm still dying here. They assured me that if it was strep the amoxycillin would work, so it must be mono, because that was going around.

So they drew blood, and I went on vacation and got better, slowly but surely.

I assumed then that I had had mono...the whole back/side thing is symptomatic of the spleen enlarging (a mono thing).

Guess what? It wasn't mono. It wasn't regular flu, it wasn't strep..and there have been some cases of swine flu around here. Not in my town, but within a few miles. And I work with people from all over, very closely.

I'm a celebrity! In my own mind, of course. I had swine flu! And thank goodness the kids didn't get it. I'd rather have swine flu than mono...I read up on that stuff and it's flipping scary. You keep getting it throughout your life once you have it. Who knew?

Which was worse? Your (assumed) swine flu or mono - in the moment, I mean, not long-term.

I had mono about 15 years ago and have had some issues cropping back up from time to time. Wondered if there was any connection.

I think surviving the swine flu is probably better than having mono. Unfortunately, mono rarely kills and swine flue can, and it's really quick about it.

Mono is like shingles...it can carry life-long consequences. It enlarges your spleen...your spleen can actually BURST! (I researched it after my idiot PA said, "Oh, it's probably mono, it's been going around."

WRONG. It wasn't MONO going around, it was SWINE FLU which is why 90 kids finally were diagnosed with it at a camp in Antelope and sent home, and the CDC & Health Department showed up and camped out for weeks trying to get a handle on it.

Anyway...MONO =

"Mono is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) . It is most often seen in adolescents and young adults. Children can get the virus, but it often goes unnoticed because their symptoms are mild. Adults usually do not get mono, because they have immunity to the virus....

"As soon as you get over mono, your symptoms will go away for good, but you will always carry the virus that caused it. The virus may become active from time to time without causing any symptoms. When the virus is active, it can be spread to others.

"The most common symptoms of mono are a high fever, a severe sore throat, swollen glands and tonsils, and weakness and fatigue. Symptoms usually start 4 to 6 weeks after you are exposed to the virus.

Mono can cause the spleen to swell. Severe pain in the upper left part of your belly may mean that your spleen has burst. This is an emergency.

How is mono diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms and examine you. You may also need blood tests to check for signs of mono (monospot test) and the Epstein-Barr virus. Blood tests can also help rule out other causes of your symptoms.

How is it treated?
Usually only self-care is needed for mono.

Get plenty of rest. You may need bed rest, which could keep you away from school or work for a little while.
Gargle with salt water or use throat lozenges to soothe your sore throat.
Take acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen (such as Advil) to reduce fever and relieve a sore throat and headaches.
Avoid contact sports and heavy lifting. Your spleen may be enlarged, and impact or straining could cause it to burst.
In severe cases, medicines called corticosteroids may be used to reduce swelling of the throat, tonsils, or spleen."

Bing Health Article - Infectious Mononucleosis

I went back after I finally got over it, and not hearing from the clinic, to ask if the blood draw had shown me positive for mono.

Nope.

And it wasn't a cold. My nose never ran, my eyes never teared, and when I get colds, I'm not on my back in bed with hideous back and leg pain....my throat might get sore after a few days of hacking and snorting, but this came on incredibly fast, which is one of the symptoms of swine flu. And it started with a headache, then a sore throat..then the rest.

SWINE FLU:

brb