N1H1 - Advice on symptoms and what to do if you are exposed...

[munitalP]

As we all know, N1H1 (or swine flu) is becoming a real problem. People are dying on a weekly basis and its starting to filter down the ranks from the sick and weary to the fit and healthy.

I'm up north and have been all week to be with one of my work crews who have been doing a project "in media focus" with the requirement for senior management to be on site - at least for the first few days.

On Monday, I noticed that a couple of my staff were ill, they were hacking and coughing and generally not well. I sent them to a doctor (duty of care) however, they were turned away at the counter with a coment similar to "if you have swine flu, we will have to shut this place down - so go away please!". I will be getting legal advice on this so can't name the town nor the clinic - where's their duty of care?

They then went to the hospital A&E and once again were turned away - not an accident nor an emergency. They both settled for Day and Night and left it at that...

Wednesday, one of these gents was so sick, he couldn't get out of bed - managed to see a doctor who immediatley started treating him for N1H1... I placed a quarantine on the crew - stay away from public places, food handling, close proximity to each other and others - I also cancelled flights.

Thursday, my whole work crew bar 1 were feeling off colour (including myself) and we had all developed a sore throat - overnight nearly. The second bloke who was originally ill had started to look better and said he was feeling OK.

Friday, the second bloke collapsed vommiting and feverish, was rushed to a doctor who immediatley diagnosed N1H1. The remainder of the group complained of aches and pains and general feeling of 80% good but cant place the 20% bad (if that makes sense). I personally woke with a hangover (I didn't drink the night before) and I couldn't shake it all day.

Friday evening, as a group we went to the doctor who examined each of us, blood pressure, temperatures, listened to our chests, backs etc... then we were diagnosed Tamiflu 75mg each - not because we had N1H1, but because all of us had close exposure to known victims as well as the sore throats etc...

From first exposure to my known victims, it is six days later now - the virus has a 5 day incubation period - at six days, the doctor said that if you are not down with it now, chances are you wont get it at all.

My next post will be a fact sheet on H1H1

In summary...

1. If you are feeling ill, chances it is not swine flu
2. If you can match any 3 of the symptoms, dont wait, get to a doctor and get medicated
3. Have respect for fellow travellers and workmates - if you do suspect you are exposed to N1H1 - place yourself in quarantine, help stopping the spread of this terrible flu
4. I can't wait for my 5 days of Tamiflu medication to be over so I can crack a good bottle of chardy!

Mr!

:shock:

 

[munitalP]

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms described below, please consult your doctor.


SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of swine flu are like regular flu symptoms and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Many people with swine flu have had diarrhea and vomiting. Nearly everyone with flu has at least two of these symptoms. But these symptoms can also be caused by many other conditions. That means that you and your doctor can't know, just based on your symptoms, if you've got swine flu. Health care professionals may offer a rapid flu test, although a negative result doesn't necessarily mean you don't have the flu. Only lab tests can definitively show whether you've got swine flu. State health departments can do these tests.


HOW IS IT SPREAD?
The new swine flu virus apparently spreads just like regular flu. You could pick up germs directly from droplets from the cough or sneeze of an infected person, or by touching an object they recently touched, and then touching your eyes, mouth, or nose, delivering their germs for your own infection. That's why you should make washing your hands a habit, even when you're not ill. Infected people can start spreading flu germs up to a day before symptoms start, and for up to seven days after getting sick. The swine flu virus can become airborne if you cough or sneeze without covering your nose and mouth, sending germs into the air. The only way to get the new swine flu is from another person.


WHEN IS A PERSON MOST CONTAGIOUS?
The swine flu in humans is most contagious during the first five days of the illness although some people, most commonly children, can remain contagious for up to ten days.

 

[russ]

I appreciate your intent in publishing this, but I do not take medical advice based on unsourced postings on the internet!

The Australian government Health Emergency website Health Emergency - Home has an "Advice for the Public" PDF which differs from your advice.

You state that "If you are experiencing any of the symptoms described below, please consult your doctor" (my emphasis) whereas the Health Emergency advice states that "People who are otherwise healthy and have mild influenza symptoms are asked to ... stay at home."

For reference, I quote from that PDF:

3.5 When should someone seek medical care?
A person should seek medical care if they experience shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, if concerned about symptoms, or they become worse. For parents with a young child who is ill, seek medical care immediately if a child has fast or strained/ laboured breathing, continuing fever or convulsions (fits / seizures).
If you have any of the following, you should definitely seek medical help.
• shortness of breath
• difficulty breathing or chest pain
• you become confused
• inability to keep liquids down because of vomiting
• you become dehydrated (dizzy when standing, passing much less urine than normal)

I suggest that if people are concerned, they call the Call the Commonwealth Health Hotline for pandemic (H1N1) 2009: Ph: 180 2007. My wife has called them and they were most helpful.

 

[munitalP]

I appreciate your intent in publishing this, but I do not take medical advice based on unsourced postings on the internet!
...
"People who are otherwise healthy and have mild influenza symptoms are asked to ... stay at home."

I was going to get into you russ about not understanding the post, about the fact that right at this minute i am living the N1H1 issue, your first statement - are you not doing exactly the same as my post - offering advice, but you know, i just cant be bothered.


Mr!

 

[straitman]

russ,

I am not going to offer advice other than to say that in a perfect world your statements are appropriate and correct. Having said that however I have seen first hand where the clinics and hospitals don't actually abide by the published guidelines :!:

munitalP,

Your experience is more along the lines of the reality that I have seen.

 

[oz_mark]

You state that "If you are experiencing any of the symptoms described below, please consult your doctor" (my emphasis) whereas the Health Emergency advice states that "People who are otherwise healthy and have mild influenza symptoms are asked to ... stay at home."

Many employers will require a medical certificate for your days off, requiring a consultation with the doctor.

(I think we should also be rather thankful that the H1N1 is not a really nasty bug, given the rather poor performance of the authorities in dealing with the issue)

 

[IainF]

I am currently on a (self) quarantine due to swine flu.

I have been travelling a lot over the last few weeks and on last Monday, I ended up driving from Brisbane to Sydney via Inverell to see a client.

For those who don't know me, I work for a medical equipment/pharma company that supplies to Plastics. I spend most of my time in surgeries and hospitals.

I am NOT a person who gets sick often.
I am a person who is well aware of the consequneces of contracting swine flu.
I arrived in Sydney some 12 hours after leaving Brisbane and was rather tired.
I checked into the Sydney Marriott and woke up on Tuesday morning aching all over and had a massive headache... I put this down to the long drive.

I went to breakfast, then upon returning to my room, I threw up....

I rang my mother who is a GP, she had seen 70+ swine flu cases over the weekend at an after hours clinic, and knew that my symptons were pretty consistent. She faxed a script of tamiflu to me and I got straight into it, along with Codral cold/flu and nurofen plus.

I rang my wife (who is also my boss...really) and told her I was going to be out of action for a few days. We made the decision that as I had to be in Sydney the following week for a meeting, I would just lock myself in the room and ride it out.

I notified the hotel management and they agreed that my room should not be serviced for a few days until I was better. Room service would leave food outside my room and I got them to serve it on takeaway plates so they can just throw all of the stuff away.

This isnt my first real flu but it is my worst... made all the more unpleasent by the fact I am locked in an 8x3 box and not in my own home. As much as I would like to be at home, it is my late FIL's birthday on Sunday and the family are meeting for a dinner. This includes one pregnant SIL and several elderly ladies who are "high risk" for flu.

I have been drinking heaps of water and an feeling a bit better after 4 days, but am still not great.

The bottom line is that if you are fit/heathly then it will be a bad flu, but not a killer.

 

[russ]

I was going to get into you russ about not understanding the post, about the fact that right at this minute i am living the N1H1 issue, your first statement - are you not doing exactly the same as my post - offering advice, but you know, i just cant be bothered.

The difference between our posts is that I gave source information so people could read the official advice rather than relying on unsourced and undated information that is circulating randomly around the internet.

Sorry to have upset you, I hope you get better soon. I have been living with it too, you know!

 

[straitman]

The difference between our posts is that I gave source information so people could read the official advice rather than relying on unsourced and undated information that is circulating randomly around the internet.

russ,

Why do they even bother to publish this advice though when they don't abide by it themselves :?:

 

[k_sheep]

1. I can't wait for my 5 days of Tamiflu medication to be over so I can crack a good bottle of chardy!

Mr!

:shock:

Tamiflu doesn't interact with alcohol - go nuts!!

(was the first question I asked my pharmicist - when mr k_sheep had his nasopharangeal swab and announced to the room he was nasally raped! He needed a stiff scotch, stat).

 

[auriga]

Most places will not have any rapid flu tests.

In NSW, GP's are discouraged from doing tests ( swab) for this flu. If you have flu like symptoms, you can get Tamiflu, but try to get it as early as possible, as it needs to be taken within the first 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.

 

[Evan]

Ideal 24hrs but upto 48hrs Tamiflu can work. This is why i have a box with me when i travel and at home. Its not just for pig flu, its for any flu.

I have had dinner with somebody who had the flu and been around them and i did not get it, it seems its really not that contagious except through fluids/touch. So keep very washing those hands people

About 3 or 4 weeks i think and counting down till those CSL supplied 21 million doses of vaccine start to be available (For Australians)

 

[JohnK]

This is starting to get worse by the day and is starting to scare me and more importantly worrying about my father on my upcoming trip.

I dd not know but a couple from work returned from England last week. He was sick and she came into work on Monday and Friday but was missing Tuesday-Thursday. They are both at work today. I overheard a conversation, couldn't help as they decided that right behind my desk was the time and place to have a conversation :shock:, and apparently he had swine flu and she was asked to go home and not return until the end of the week.

I know they try to keep things under wrap so people do not panic but I am extremely disappointed that we have not been told that someone is diagnosed with swine flu and someone in close contact with him came to work. Luck I was "sick" last Monday and missed most of the commotion but I would be extremely disappointed if I ended up with swine flu and my upcoming holiday was spoiled. It is bad enough when people with flu like symptoms come to work and cough and sneeze their way through the week.

Yes I am selfish....

 

[munitalP]

...Yes I am selfish....

Not selfish - a realist


Mr!

 

[Mal]

I believe I have been exposed to Swine Flu over here in the UK as someone I spent time with had a suspected case... it's rampant everywhere at the moment, but they are no longer swabbing patients to be sure if it's Swine or not. Plenty of TamiFlu being given out though.

My general belief with Swine Flu is that it's over-hyped. People get new flu's all the time (hence why people do get a flu approximately once a year or every few years), and I believe it is better for society to build up resistance to this one naturally.

So have I had Swine Flu and not known it? I don't really know. I havn't really had any major flu symptoms, but individually have had some. Will I get it sometime soon if I havn't had it? Quite possible based on close contact with many people in the tube, lots of upcoming travel and similar dense population exposure.

I don't live in a plastic bubble, so unfortunately these types of things are part of my life and society.

 

[kpc]

It is bad enough when people with flu like symptoms come to work and cough and sneeze their way through the week.

Unlike you John, I think I get exposed to the Swine Flu everyday when I go to work:shock:

Couple of suggestions: Whilst the regular seasonal flu vaccination (I have had mine) is said to not protect against the Swine flu, a lot of people (including the Infectious Disease specialists) where I work feel that it may offer some protection against the Swine flu or result in a milder ilness...so it is worth getting this for yourself, and your dad should already have got one from his GP assuming he's over 65!

If you are really concerned, get your GP to prescribe you Tamiflu to take on your trip as well. When I went to Japan recently, I brought some face masks, but didn'r really wear them, but if someone sitting near you is coughing, sneezing, looking unwell etc, I would certainly wear it. Wash hands, wash hands, wash hands....the virus can be passed on if an infected person touches their nose area, then touches an object (or sneezes or coughs on it), and then you sunsequently touch it and touch your nose area etc..

More info. from the NSW Dept of Health site:
H1N1 Influenza 09 : this winter flu season - NSW Department of Health

 

[NYCguy]

I've had the Swine 'flu - the diagnosis was made with some sort of fancy test I paid a bomb for - and I am still alive. Yes, I felt like s*it for 5 days. Yes, I had a filthy cough which has taken 2 weeks to resolve. Yes, I had a fever and my nose ran like a tap and I spent a couple of days wishing I was dead.

Death, however, did not come. According to my physician, it was unlikely that I was going to be told "there's a Mr Death at the door, dear". The same physician reminded me that thousands people die all around the world from influenza every year, year-in, year-out, and it is her opinion that the whole swine-flu hysteria is just that - hysteria.

 

[JohnK]

Unlike you John, I think I get exposed to the Swine Flu everyday when I go to work:shock:

Couple of suggestions: Whilst the regular seasonal flu vaccination (I have had mine) is said to not protect against the Swine flu, a lot of people (including the Infectious Disease specialists) where I work feel that it may offer some protection against the Swine flu or result in a milder ilness...so it is worth getting this for yourself, and your dad should already have got one from his GP assuming he's over 65!

Luckily I have been having the flu vaccine since 1999 and have only had influenza twice in that time. My parents have been having the flu vaccine a few years longer than me and dad also has the pneumonia vaccine.

My bigest concern is that this person was suspected/confirmed with swine flu and everything was kept quiet and his wife sent home only to return a few days later. Generally I do not care about contracting influenza but this strain is a little more resilient and all the hype about is starting to worry me a little. It also does not help the confidence much as I am on immune suppresants and dad has asthma and is a diabetic.

 

[simongr]

I am fairly confident I don't have Swine Flu but this morning waking up with a sore throat and an already sick baby, I elected not to go into the office today - to save me the 1 hour commute each way on crowded trains and to help prevent infecting my team...

 

[Flashback]

I've never had the flu shot, nor have I ever been sick with the flu... guess I'm healthy after all