I've seen some tests via private Gps for about £125 - tempting! Don't know whether they're above board but some of them seem to be.

pigswithfludontfly - I agree. Now I am feeling better and it really doesn't matter healthwise if I had SF or not last week. But part of me just would love to knpw!

I can imagine!

It's quite infuriating not knowing whether it was SF or not isn't it.

I have also now found out of some local confirmed cases where there have been no fever. I had thought this was crucuial to a flu dignosis, but it seems not to be the case with SF in some cases.

So maybe last wee when I was ill it may have been SF after all.

That is interesting - thank you

Ohyubadkitten - this is a very interesting site

Hope all poorly ones are on the mend. We have an unconfirmed case of swine flu in our school. Most concerned about myself due to asthma and dd2 who's colds always go to her chest. We'll see if/when we get it.

pigs. I'm not at all medically trained - just had a long standing interest in emerging and pandemic viruses. Didn't actually really think that my interest might pay off. bit of an embarrassing interest really now!

Your ds does sound like he may meet the criteria, as growingup says some people do get it really mildly or even asymptomatically.

HPA say 'The clinical diagnostic criteria are:
* Fever [pyrexia ≥38°C] or a history of fever,
AND
influenza-like illness (TWO OR MORE of the following symptoms: cough; sore throat; rhinorrhoea; limb or joint pain; headache; vomiting or diarrhoea) OR
*
severe and/or life-threatening illness suggestive of an infectious process'

But saying that, you can't be really sure because the usual colds and germs that are always around still are around.

Some people have it very very mildly, pigs: I know of someone who was swabbed as positive and didn't even have a temp.

OYBBK you seem to be very well-informed about this (as well as being my fave MN weather gal!) which is fantastic.

Do you think my ds had it or not - he was diagnosed with it by the GP over the phone on the basis of:

- high temp
- he was saying he was achey occasionally
- very slight runny nose occasionally
- had had contact (brief though) with someone with it recently and we are in a hot spot

BUT he really wasn't that bad and was totally normal within 48hrs and didn't have the tell tale cough....

Greeny, you've had it a long time now. If you are starting to feel worse again then you should phone your gp. Secondary infections are not uncommon in flu.

I think kids in general are amazing when ill. I know dd2 has been bad but still not as bad as I think I would be with the temp she has had etc. Childrens ability to bounce back always leaves me in awe!

Aww poor you greensleeves

My Gp told me that the older you are the worse you'll feel.

Does that sound right to those of you that have had adults and children get it?

I would have thought the children would have been worse as their bodies are smaller and can't fight it so easily.

aww greeny hope your better soon, must admit I am feeling grotty today and chest is burning.

I have just got back from doing a bit of shopping after dropping kids off at school, was planning to text fennel and meet her

but spiked a massive temperature and nearly collapsed in a shop amid FILTHY looks for the vile coughing and sneezing I was doing

not quite sure how I managed to crawl home

am going to sleep until lunchtime

[dejected]

Ds(5) diagnosed with it Friday - his started with a upset tummy on Thursday evening, and complaining of a sore mouth. Friday morning he woke with sore throat, cough and fever.

Luckily he only has a mild case, and is quite bright in himself. Just that his fever is up and down and his cough has got worse.

DD (9) has stared with symptoms this morning, cough, sore throat and a slight fever.

It's very sad- it is DD's last week at Lower school this week, and they have a lot of fun things and trips planned for them. She was also due to receive an award at the Governors assembly this morning.

On a good note though- we are due to fly off on our Holiday on Sunday, so hopefully both will be recovered by then. Our Gp is saying it's ok for us to go.

Dp and Myself are ramming Echineacea down our throats as much as we possibly can

Really Fennel, OMG cool! (about the research, not you being a shape changing disease vector!).

Glad to here your DC didn't get it Littlelamb, mine are fine too atm. Hoping they stay that way.

I just got an email from dissertation tutor telling me in polite terms to stay the fuck away from uni! :s He said I am the third of his dissertation tutees to have, or suspect they have it!

Maybe he is another carrier!?

Incidentally if you are doing online research on pro obesity sites we should talk, I know a lot about that sort of thing, it's similar to what I'm mainly working on at the moment.

I am like those evil shape-changing aliens on Torchwood, everyone who meets me falls suspiciously ill yet I stay surprisingly unaffected.....

Sorry to hear you are all ill now. It must be spreading everywhere.

Ds and dd2 both had nightmares when ill so must be a side effect..lol
DD2s temp is back up again today but big dose of nurofen and tamiflu and she is playing with dd1!

Incidentally, when I was ill last week, I had a kind of blase attitude. I went out to Tesco to get some food in, and I felt absolutely terrible on the way back. I had to sit down to try and stop myself from shaking. I had trippy dreams and hallucinations too. I'd try and take it as easy as possible. Seems to have gone now though, and neither dc got ill

I think Fennel is a carrier

Hey all, I seem to have swine flu according to NHS direct too! Having said to Fennel at the beach that I would like to get it over and done with if I am going to get it, it has kind of screwed up things with my diss meeting this afternoon. I emailed him asking if I could come in anyway, I am desperate to get my ethics forms in and start my online research of the pro obesity world! No reply from him yet...

I kind of think I can't REALLY have it???

Glands were like tennis balls (gone down now) neck hurt and stiff beyond reason (to the point I thought maybe I am worrying about swine flu but have meningitus!) fever, earache, eyes all yuk, and just a little bit sneezy. So, idk, not EXACTLY the same symptoms (but OMG I AM having wierd dreams, but I do love to trip out ), the chilled out women at NHS direct said it sounds like swine flu, there is a lot of it about atm, and TRY to avoid people but in a kind of not to worry really way. I didn't believe her at first and went to work :s Then felt worse. Now feel a lot better and want my diss meeting. Still no reply, fuck it, what if he never gets back to me Also supposed to be having a jumping lesson tomorrow (on a horse that is), I don't want to miss it but am feeling a tad feeble

I felt crap last week, headache, achey, night sweats, leathargy, nausea. I get some odd symptoms anyway so it can be hard to tell what's a symptom of the illness I have and what's something else.

I've had the nightmares with it too, v weird

On my first feverish night, Friday, I dreamed that dh was leaving me for someone with a great job who was really good at keeping her house tidy

Dcs don't seem to have any sign yet, thank god

Thankyou all so very much.

hazeyjane, sounds very much like it tbh. If your dds inhalers aren't helping then she does need to see a doc.

it sounds like swine flu to me Hazey

it's identical to what we had and the NHS direct person said ours sounded exactly like swine flu

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you all. Minadex is good stuff, it's a tonic so will perk them up afterwards.


It's ds's last chance to sit the exam tomorrow as the school breaks up on Wednesday. I hope he's feeling OK when he wakes up.

Sorry to hear you are still feeling crap Greensleeves.

We have been stuck inside for nearly 10 days now! Dds had it first, then dh and i started being ill on Saturday, although i have had a sore throat for longer. We have all had

temp
d&v
sore throat
stuffed up nose
lethargy (like my body is filled with lead)
sore eyes

But of course we still don't know for sure whether it is swine flu!

I am worried about dd1 because she has asthma, and she still seems under the weather to me, coughing badly, and tonight she started to get wheezy. I will phone the dr tomorrow, because it seems to have gone on so long.

Keep and eye on your ds's temp Fluffy, at the beginning our dd's went from ok to poorly and then back again!

Nemo - I know someone whose dd had a confirmed case but her brother and parents didn't get it so maybe your dd will escape.

God what a nightmare for all of you. Ds's friend's dad just sent me a message to say his dd has a fever so I hope she isn't getting it too.

I really wish I could find out if ds did have it or not as it doesn't sound quite the same as some of you/ your dc's illnesses.

Get well soon all of you.

crumbs Nemo. Well hopefully you are just fighting it off better than your kids, so that is something.

Greensleeves - am sorry its being so crap

DS is absolutely fine apart from an irritating cough.
DD2 is not well but better than yesterday thanks to her temp finally breaking and no longer throwing up but she has lost her voice and is coughing constantly and generally sleepy etc.
DD3 is very snotty but hoping that is about all and dh and I have bad colds. The only unaffected so far is dd1 who is the one who concerns me with her asthma as she is usually first to get everything so she has either escaped it or we are in for a bad week..

growingup - what a horrendous time you've had. I really really hope that everyone makes a swift recovery now.

mine started with a high temp

and lethargy and dead legs

the coughing etc started a few days later

followed by the gluey eyes, nighmares and gastric trouble

I really really hope it misses your ds Fluffy

but could you rearrange the interview at the school, if he's ill? They must know children get ill a lot, it shouldn't reflect on him

I am trudging along to the doctor tomorrow because the chest infection/coughing/snot just WILL NOT lift - it's about 2 weeks now from first onset of symptoms, I've missed a whole week of work and I work in a nursery so this coming week is my last chance to see the children (including the darling little boy I do on-to-one with) as many of them will be leaving

I might not be able to go in if it doeasn't improve before Tuesday

feel like shit, am bored and miserable and wish it would just fucking go away now

At least they will be immune. It's scary though. How are you all now?

fluffy would check again in morning as agree that temp was high. Know how you feel I am asthmatic as is dd1 who is 3 and also have 4wk old so still hoping and praying they are not affected but wont know for a week or so really

He's asthmatic, I have MS so I really hope it misses us.

Sorry to nick the thread.

No fever, he's asleep, no coughing either.

Yes, prob a good idea to recheck. Don't be too blase, though, my DH spent ages saying "of COURSE I'm not really ill" before he admitted it.

I don't think it was a fever, I'll pop back up and check it in a minute. Damn!

I'll see how he is in the morning. He wasn't ill otherwise.

You can't really judge that, Fluffy, it seems to be very different in different people. 38.7 sounds quite a high fever to me, especially if you were taking it in the ear.

I'm not sure what's going on with the temp. The thermometer worked OK in my ear, within a 10 seconds his temp went from 36.6 to 38.7, his ears are manky though.

He's got an entrance test for a new school tomorrow. I hope it is a cold.

Thankyou Nemo.

fluffy with ds it took a day to get going as such but with dd2 it was very quick she went from being fine to high temp sleepy and cough within a couple of hours.

Hi, I'm not sure if ds has a cold or this, he started coughing tonight and has a very slight fever. How quickly does it develop? No one will answer my thread, sorry to ask here.

blimey, it sounds like a nightmare trying to get treatment

hope you are all feeling better soon

<looks self in house until it's all over>

suspected swine flu here too..tis fun
DS[5] started first with temp,d+V and cough, on and off for a week so were told it wasnt. Took him back in to school on fri am to find that a third of his class were off with similair.
DD2[2] started with temp on thurs night and then vomitting by fri. Sat we were told by locum it was swine flu and likely ds has had it. He still has the cough but is otherwise fine. DD2 been given tamiflu and temp has gone but otherwise is still ill. Have a 4wk old dd3 and dd1 who is brittle asthmatic so keeping an eye on them.
DD3 is very snotty but otherwise ok. DH and I have very bad colds but no temps.

Bloody hell growingup, that sounds awful.

I've been working on swine flu exclusively for the past 2 weeks and the level of blase-ness (is that even a word) in the general public is astonishing - it's a really nasty condition and extremely virulent.

Hope everyone on this thread, and their poor ill DCs gets well soon

Growing up you poor thing. I hope your boys start to get better soon.

We have suspected swine flu (recap) so the boys and I have been given retrovirals. Sat am, my DH and DS2 both worry me, DH is on the asthma inhaler a LOT (v. unlike him) and coughing up a lot of phlegm, DS2 also coughing up phlegm and starting to wheeze (he gets recurrent spasmodic croup so big danger signal).
I call NHS Direct who REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE A SWINE FLU CASE and essentially tell my DH to pull himself together, he's just got a cold. Right, I say, in that case we're eligible for the NHS Walk-In centre and DS2 needs to be checked out NOW.
So I put the boys in the car and go to the Walk-In centre. When I explain we're on Tamiflu, the doctors first put us in a private room then refuse to see us and tell us we have to leave the building. I lose my temper (in a very polite and restrained sort of way) and tell them they will be leaving us without access to urgent medical care. Eventually a saintly nurse arranges for a home visit later in the day.

Get home, put DS2 for his nap, he does as I feared develop severe croup and is transferred to hospital by ambulance. We are there for three hours (oxygen, steroids, etc) until his blood oxygen levels are normal and he is allowed home.

When I get home the out of hours GP is at the house. He diagnoses a chest infection for my DH, who promptly starts to have a serious asthma attack. GP tells me to drive him straight to A and E ("if I do it then it will take forever to get past the SF protocols"). So I get two family hospital admissions in the same day.

Now DH is at home, and DS1 has developed a rattly chest and coughing up yellowy/greeny phlegm. I think he needs antibiotics, but frankly I can't face the idea of going through that access hell again. So he may have to wait until Monday unless he gets worse.

Oh, and NOW my DH's workplace have confirmed that they have swine flu, so it is even more bloody likely that that is what we have. Grr.

Oh, we've been to hell and back. Wait a mo, I'll cut and paste my story from the thread where I put it.

How is everyone now?
Ds had whatever he had for about 36 hours so who knows if it was swine flu or not.

Greeny - are you all better now?

Well ds seems almost totally better this morning. So I don't know what's going on. Could he really have just had it from Thurs eve to last night?

Or must it have been something else?

Hope the rest of you/ your dcs are getting better.

Poor you Greeny - how long has it been going on now (I know I could just scroll down and look at the start of the thread )

Ds still has a temperature - it was 39.0 earlier. It seems to come and go a little and he has phases where he's perkier and then more tired phases.

Anyway he was diagnosed as having it over the phone, based on the fact he has a temp and a slightly runny nose and has been in contact with someone who has had it recently.

I've been to collect the Tamiflu but am holding off from using it as I think ds isn't that bad and the doc said to use my discretion.

It was quite funny at the Tamiflu collection centre as the other three people and myself were all clearly trying not to get too close to each other. One woman walked in and went to sit next to me, was almost sat down and then did an abrupt change of mind and went and sat on the other side of the room in the empty bit!!

PSML at leaky

lol, ds is PEAKY not leaky

thank god for small mercies

how is your ds feeling pigs?

my ds is OK today, still pale and leaky and coughing but OK

I am getting really demoralised now, I have been stuck in this miserable git of a house coughing and snuffling for AGES now and it isn't going away

I am considering hacking off my head with the breadknife

My view is better safe than sorry. Oh, and if you get Tamiflu then stock up on chocolate milk to dissolve the crushed tablets in....

four....he's not that bad...will call doc though just in case

How old is he? If under five then yes definitely call doctor as he SHOULD be prescribed retrovirals. If over five, well there's less point unless you are worried about him.

OK gals ds has a temperature. Had a slight cough night before last, slight runny nose and a bit tired. He doesn't get ill often and has had contact with someone who had swine flu (she had been back at school two days though and about 9 days after her symptoms started)....should I call the doc or does this sound different to swineflu?

fennel

Oh how ridiculous, greensleeves. And how unfair. We have my DH ill with the obvious symptoms, and the doctors have been brilliant - he doesn't get Tamiflu but I and the boys have both been given medicine because I am pg and they are young. Seems that the policy varies very widely - my DS1 is 4 and as soon as I said he and DS2 had a temp. that was it, they rushed off to get a prescription for all of us.

Do you think she ignored us all and went back to work?

can you imagine all of us and all the greenies on an overland train to Italy?

Yes, how's the virus today? I hope you are feeling a bit better.

Fennel, next summer then. I'll find a nice sanatorium by the sea, you can take the greenies with you too.

checking in
glad sanity has triumphed over The Protestant Work Ethic

How's the house of plague today Greensleeves? (and haven't you been tempted to revert to your special swine flu name you were using a while back?)

Are you all taking it easy in the garden?

Franca, I am going to come to Italy, sometime. Just keep delaying on the basis that the girls get easier all the time. I had this summer sort of planned but suddenly we might change it all and go to the wilds of Scotland instead. all to do with helping DP's siblings looking after his alzheimery mother. they are bad at communicating and organising so we get stuck waiting for their decisions. when they can be bothered to inform us.

My mum had a grommet in her sixties. Her ear was damaged by measles as a child and as she grew older she has increasing problems with it.

my mother had a grommet fitted in her late fifties [snigger]

loads of kids have them though, they don't hurt or anything - I think it's a sort of tube that drains fluid away

I wonder if ds2 has a gluey ear? He certainly has a gluey nose

and I have a gluey brain

Oh I see.
I'll be all fashioned and say: "she needs a holiday in a warm country". come fennel, come...

i am going. just a bit reluctantly.

not sure what grommetts are franca, something they put in a child's ear that make it hear better. maybe a tube?

'I try and be good about smear tests but I don;t like them. and, as I was an uptight nonsmoking teen who was scared of sex I feel that I should have that in my favour, in terms of cervical cancer risk.'

Nobody likes smear tests, but nobody likes cancer, either.

Please read the thread, there are a couple of people on there who were very low risk who developed cervical cell abnormalities or cancer.

What are grommets?

Maybe cos some of them are quite robust 4yos, which is a bit different from a newborn. but I don't think GPs and the NHS in general have worked out their position on swine flu, they just don't know yet, so anything they decide for sure could end up wrong at this stage. it's an unknown quantity.

Hope you and DS2 are feeling a bit better Greeny.

I am a bit confused about all this. The NHS website linked to early on in the thread says that vulnerable groups include

"Young children under five years old"

and then says that

"It is vital that people in these higher-risk groups who catch swine flu get antivirals and start taking them as soon as possible."

Soooo, why does no-one on this thread seem to have been taken seriously when their under-fives have been ill?!?

She failed 2 tests, then had the cold/ear infection which rendered her really deaf, then went today to the hospital (with DP who forgot. the idiot, after waiting ages for the appointment, I had to text him and he had to rush and they were about 1/2 hr late but they managed to get seen.

but anyway, yes, glue ear. reasonably serious, she can hear but is impaired. we aren't surprised though, she's always been a bit on the edge of things, but it's hard to tell if that's just being the youngest in a very, ahem, verbal household. I thought she was a bit slow on the language fluency and cognitive reasoning, as you know, but maybe it is partly due to not actually hearing what's going on a lot of the time.

so she gets grommetts, probably. loads of kids have them don't they?

I try and be good about smear tests but I don;t like them. and, as I was an uptight nonsmoking teen who was scared of sex I feel that I should have that in my favour, in terms of cervical cancer risk.

eeuough, smear tests

I have never had one, I know I should

fennel has your dd3 had another test? Or is she still deaf post-ear infection? ds2 has got to have "further investigations" but I don't think he's deaf, I think he just has selective hearing like his father

poor old ds2 is in a bad way, he seems to have gone right back to square one I wish I had put my foot down and kept him off today now.

and I am still coughing and snorting like an old tramp [self-pity]

If you don't like being a patient, you really won't like having cervical cell abnormalities.

I can promise you a trip to the colposcopy clinic is going to take way more time away from work than the smear test.

Please get it sorted asap, there's a poster on here who had to have a hysterectomy in her early 30s after her smear found her cancer.

But if she hadn't gone when she was due, it's not an impossibilit that she wouldn't be here with us anymore.

hmm, I have been once in 4 years, for something trivial. Am avoiding the smear test reminder but will do at some point when work calms down. I don't like being a patient. am a very bad one, grumpy and opinionated (there's a surprise).

dd3 is officially deaf. At last, a Middle Class Excuse for her being so dopey, she's not dim, oh no, she's deaf...

Sparkly, sorry to hear your family has been hit by swine flu too.

It is pretty much the same here in Italy too fennel. Women usually see a gyn once a year. We like our doctors

Hi, we have swiney flu too here..

DS2 went down with it first, the GP said it wasn't swine flu, and he had to ride it out, he was so poorly..
Me and DH have it now, I'm ok apart from my chest hurts so much, and the cough is driving me mad.. DH is been hit hard.
DD1 has it and has been given Tamiflu because she has cerebral palsy

Ds1 and DD2 are ok atm...

School run has been 'interesting' I am dropping Ds1 and DD2 at the carpark and DS1 is taking Dd2 up to her class, I have park up in the carpark (no other parents are allowed in the carpark, I am as DS1 and DD1 have cerebral palsy) and wait for the kids to come out of the office with an adult at the end of the day, except they forgot today and DD2 was waiting for me... I ended up walking towards the office, keeping distance from all the parents and kids and waved at them....

You get an annual exam and they do an internal exam (to check for any abnormalities in the shape of the organs), a visual inspection (for moles, cysts, tumours and the like) and a smear test.

It takes next to no time.

I have never quite worked out the American GYN thing, do women in the US spend a lot of time having their vaginas personally examined by their personal GYN? And why? when UK women don't bother?

I'm one of those who has no qualms about stripping off, either. Big surprise!

Maybe it's having been married to a German - he had no problem with nude beaches, baths or the like.

Maybe it's that, well, they've seen it all before and I'm nothing to write home about.

I did have a really dishy GYN, however, whom I knew was gay (I worked in the same department as his partner), but whilst giving me an interal said, 'You have a really long vagina. I'm having to go pretty deep here.'

I once had to see a gynae in the UK and was to be given a blanket to cover with... Not a done thing here in Italy where you are expected to undress in a little corner and walk to the bed half naked being blase'.

my dh would rather die than denude himself in front of strangers

the first time we spent the night together in Oxford he tried to get into bed with his jeans still on (don't EVER tell him I told the internet you that!)

kids would be starkers all the time if left up to them though, ds1 thinks clothes are a stupid idea

well I'm the most modest in this household, the rest of them are far worse.

lol fennel, any excuse to get yer kit off

I had suspected mastitis too and the hot young GP suggested he had a look, and I whipped off my tshirt too quickly, I think, he looked quite taken aback. When I checked with dsis (a gp) she said that most patients are a bit reluctant and need a bit of coaxing, you're not expected to just strip off too willingly.

thank you scummy

I am going to make my GP eat dirt tomorrow

I am really grateful for this thread, I thought I was going mad there for a while...

Yay to nice boss and yah boo sucks to crap GP who is clearly wrong wrong wrong. Hope ds2 and you feel better soon.

I had to see a locum at our surgery once about something rather cringeworthy and personal

I was HORRIFIED when I walked in and saw this bronzed athletic torso bursting out of its sexy semi-buttoned shirt and even more horrified when he greeted me with a gorgeous South African accent

the whole room smelled of pheremonesgorgeous manly fragrance

I really think it should n;t be allowed, doctors should be paunchy sexless uncle types with comb-overs and halitosis

luckily my GP is a smarmy git with a face like a welder's bench (as well as being a numpty)

I could never go to them with something embarassing though. The Horror. I had to get an emergency appointment last year when I had mastitis and one asked if he could have a feel. I was like this>>

I have fancied an embarrassing number of hot youngish male gps too.

We're all so predictable.

Oh Fennel, my GP's surgery must have a 'fitties only' employment policy- there's not one old or ugly one there

Oh this is awful. Flu is horrible (not experience of swine flu, but had really bad flu twice. First time I relapsed after one week of feeling okish, I flew to London and ended up ill in bed for the whole week holiday).
Rest, rest, rest.
And ring the surgery back, tell gp that ds is ill again.

oh greeny don't feel bad, you all have swine flu, stay at home and take it easy. Noone wants swine fluey people around in schools and workplaces.

My colleague has just cancelled meeting tomorrow as her boys have swine flu too.

just called my boss and she was really nice, told me to write the rest of the week off [phew]

You do have flu I reckon and your gp is a poo.

Am so sorry you feel so rotten.

his temperature is 39.5

the plot thickens

I sent ds2 back to school today after being pressganged by GP, ds2 and dh

he threw up in the queue at hometime and now feels awful and can't go to school tomorrow

so that means I have to ring my work back and say "I know I said I would be back tomorrow, but unfortunately I won't be"

also I have slept most of the day, my chest is worse and I am having those shitty nightmares again - I woke up at one point to find myself standing in the middle of the room having ripped all my clothes off (please don't laugh)

arse fuck arse bollocks cuntbubbles

I love my GP- she signed me off for a month the other day (am 8 months pregnant and had a bleeding scare). I got over the "omg! But I'm totally indispensible and only I can finish off everything I need to do properly!" thing far far quicker than I thought I would, I must say... I really do think I am indispensible, actually- only because we are so short staffed atm that everyone is- but somehow it took only minutes to adjust. Wah! And I like to think of myself as dedicated. Hope you're feeling a bit better, greeny. You are clearly a true dedicatedskins and therefore will be my new role model when I return to work after 10 blissful months of maternity leave!

lol Franca, the only time I have been to a GP in Exeter, once in 3 years, I did fancy the GP too. I did think I should start going more.

My gp surgery was lovely, I can recommend (I actually had a mild crash on one of the docs, but I tend to fancy doctors, as I'm so petit burgeois...)

GS, I think your GP is just wrong about swine flu, there are loads of reports of people having it, but often mildly, and recovering in a few days:

www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/03/swine-flu-london-symptoms-experiences

He just doesn't know. Is he like this in general? Have you considered changing GP? to a younger friendlier one (assuming from the picture you're giving that he's a grumpy old golf-playing git - can you sign up for a young idealistic friendly one instead. we generally have those. (maybe there are lots more of those in inner city Manchester where I know most about GPs though, it attracts that sort. And I avoid the GP here so don't know what they're like).

but he's wrong. hope you are taking the day off and not feeling guilty about it. noone expects you to soldier on with swine flu. stay at home!

Greensleeves, i hope you and your family are feeling a bit better today.

I've been watching your thread with interest, because we are in a similar position with our dd's (3.4 and 2.2). They were really ill from last Thurs (althoug whingy and out of sorts for a few days before that). They were vomiting, temps of 39.5, nasty cough, lethargy, nightmares and dd1 especially was a kind of pale green colour! Dd2 was ill like this for a couple of days and then fine (although still coughing like an old man now), dd2 was ill for ages, and i was worried because she gets asthma. NHS Direct said it sounded like swine flu, but we were too late for the antivirals to make much difference. My GP said that swine flu didn't really involve vomiting (which I was surprised about because all the info I could find on swine flu said vomiting was a symptom).

Yesterday i went out with the dd's for the first time in 5 days, and within half an hour of being out dd1 looked pale and ill again, so i got her home. She has just thrown up a load of phlegmy crap, so it looks like another few days being stuck in worrying about what the best thing is to do.

I can totally understand your indecision, on the one hand if you have a normal virus people expect you to soldier on, on the other if you mention swine flu it is like you have the plague and shouldn't go out for at least a month!I wish it was all a bit clearer! You are not alone in the murky world of (suspected) swine flu

'I am a prat about not being believed though, I blame my mother (predictably enough) for her "Oh give over, it's nothing" attitude to everything short of a detached limb'

No need to apologise! Your mother and mine are long-lost sisters. Even now, I'm always exaggerating, apparently. I've somehow even gotten doctors I don't know to fuel my exaggeration. Things like dyspraxia, they're just a product of my over-active imagination .

Needless to say, I don't have a lot of long conversations with my mother, then she wonders why. 'I always say the wrong thing.' Newsflash: responding to someone's every confession with disbelief generally makes you someone they're not going to trust.

Even with DD1, I got, 'I'm sure it's something else.' Even after DS got the call from public health. It was shock all around chez Mama.

I must have made all that up, too.

I just found worms, wriggly ones, in my musli (sp?) How's that for drama?

I think everyone is allowed to get in a bit of a flap over swine flu. it's an unknown.

That's nothing, on the histrionics front. I'm moderating my self harm website again tonight, now that really does have histrionics and drama on it.

thanks you lot, you've made me feel much better

I just got in a terrible flap about it all

you are right, it doesn't matter a hoot whether it was swine flu or some other lergy, we were ill and that's that. And it's up to me when I send my ds back to school, and whether I am OK to work or not

if I make this little boy ill at work, it won't matter what the name of the virus is, will it?

I am a prat about not being believed though, I blame my mother (predictably enough) for her "Oh give over, it's nothing" attitude to everything short of a detached limb

sorry for the histrionics but you are all used to my bullshit by now (that's what I tell myself )

that was meant ironically, that "expertise" but am writing fast as getting distracted, never mind, am not making sense tonight.

He probably just doesn't know, this GP, how would they know when they are only beginning to work out what swine flu is and how long it might last and how quickly it might spread.

2 days and then recovery sounds fairly swine-flu-ish - from my expertise on this, I read the paper, I watch the news, that's the sort of thing they say.

I believe you, too, Greeny. When DD1 fell ill, she was also fobbed off by out-of-hours GP. But I knew, somehow, what it was.

It was only when DS fell ill, a week later, that I waited until Monday (they both fell ill on a Saturday) to see our real, competent GP.

He sent him for testing.

He came himself to test the rest of us on Wednesday after DS had already gotten a positive.

We all had it.

That was 10 days after DD1 had fallen ill.

She still tested positive.

Please don't feel bad about this Greeny. Swine flu or not swine flu you've been hit by a really nasty bug. Which legitimated you to stay home, which is what people do when they are very sick. And it looks like you've been (and still are not 100%) very sick.
People got ill before swine flu too!!! (and btw it does sound as if it was swine flu!)
This winter I had "normal" flu and had a high temp for 5 days, and I couldn't leave the bed.

you haven't upset me, my gp has upset me

I just don't see how he can say that without even having seen us

it has robbed me of my sense of legitimacy in being off work and keeping ds2 off school

and I am overreacting and being a drama queen, I know, but that is because I take Very Fucking Badly to not being believed

I don't know what to say to work now, how can I say we had swine flu when my own doctor says we didn't?

Sorry, I am going round in circles and being a prat

oh and we were told that ds2 can go back to nursery as soon as he doesn't have any symptoms any more. So he went back today, 5 days after he was ill.

sorry my dear
i can see it isn't funny in this situation
it isn't 'wrong' whatever you do
no-one is judging you and gavelling
you should just make the best decision you can based on advice from SENSIBLE medics ie not your gp, and what is best for you / your family / the staff and children you work with

sorry i didn't mean to upset you

GPs and other health professionals are often wrong, or busy, or irritable. often best ignored. they make snap judgements.

well our gp has said that my ds2 and dh have just had it. They did have raging fevers, sore throats, aches etc , but it went very quickly for both of them. ds2 had a temperature full time for aobout 24 hours, and then off and on for a couple of days.

the gp was pretty sure they both had it, and said that some people will get it even more mildly than that.

well we have just been undiagnosed by our own GP, he says it can't have been swine flu as ds2 would have been ill for longer

he was really really patronising

and without sounding snippy, the "trust you to get it first" thing isn't helping

whatever I do now will be wrong

"I can quite believe that your household gets it first of everyone we know, it's absolutely the sort of thing you would get."

Fennel funnily enough similar things have been said in F&Z household

greeny if you don't feel well you should not be going back
you aren't just contagious at beginning of illness
the school would have a fit i would think if they knew you had been diagnosed with swine flu and were coming in

[growl]

well we are both going back tomorrow, as on the advice of our GP there is nothing wrong with us

he hasn'r even SEEN us [growl again]

Well I believe you greeny, I can quite believe that your household gets it first of everyone we know, it's absolutely the sort of thing you would get.

Im convinced DS had it last week, but noen of the rest of us have had it, so maybe its unlikely as surely one of us would have caught it?

I can't believe the arrogant twunt said "it's just a bug, send him back to school" when he hasn't SEEN either of us for several months

I am really fed up now, I hate being disbelieved

and frankly I still feel like crap, even if it is "just a normal cough"

Feeling like you too! Am not sure if we have/had it either. Funnily enough though, DTs were both shouting in their sleep at the weekend (when they had all the syptoms). I just thought it was one of those things.

Seems like the health professionals aren't singing from the same hymn sheet. We have been told chest infections, but I think that was the outcome for my asthmatic DCs of whatever bug they had. They have NEVER had chest infections like that before!

We shall probably never know (unless we all get another illness, get swabbed and confirmed, then we shall know we didn't have it!)

I think DD had it at the weekend. Fever, cough, vomit, sore throat, tummy ache. But better within 48 hours.

I think the school I work at has it now too. 7 teachers out today. 15 kids off sick. 4 got sick at school.

It's some kind of bug anyway. Doesn't really matter what sort really though does it. Lot of media-hype. Yes people have died, but people always die from flu it's just it doesn't usually hit the media in waves.

anyone else know anyone else who has got/had swine flu yet? am really starting to wonder whether I made the whole thing up

I AM listening, honest

but I rang the school this morning to ask when ds2 should come back and the woman said it was up to me, and to phone my GP for advice

so I phoned my GP (who was on the golf course away during the whole illness and hasn't seen either of us) and he said he though it was very unlikely that we had had swine flu as ds2 had recovered so quickly, it was just a bug

and he said if ds2 hasn't got a temperature he can go back to school whether he is coughing or not

so now I feel like we are fraudulent, we have NOT in fact had swine flu and I am keeping him off school and skiving work illegitimately

I also feel less happy about being off sick and keeping him off school, because clearly we don't have the GP's backing and he thinks we weren't even very ill

[miserable and frustrated]

ARE YOU LISTENING TO SQUEAKYWHEEL GREENY? hmmm???

How are you today Greeny? I've had no more D & V thank god, my main problems now are a sore throat, temperature and very wooly head. I have never had an hallucination before, but this morning I watched calmly as the floorboards swallowed up a nappy so I guess I have now been initiated. The feeling in my head is what's bothering me most, and my eyeballs are a nice shade of yellow, so I think I am going to insist on seeing a doctor in the morning

This is from a CDC page:

"How long can an infected person spread this virus to others?"

"At the current time, CDC believes that this virus has the same properties in terms of spread as seasonal flu viruses. With seasonal flu, studies have shown that people may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to 7 days after they get sick. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods. CDC is studying the virus and its capabilities to try to learn more and will provide more information as it becomes available."

and from further down the same page:

"CDC recommends that people with novel H1N1 flu avoid contact with others as much as possible. They should stay home from work or school for 7 days after the onset of illness or until at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer."

I imagine NHS ones say something similar, that just came up first when I googled how long children shed influenza virus for. Anyway if your ds is still coughing then he'll still be spreading the virus now. Maybe even for longer but at least once he stops coughing it'll be harder for him to spread it.

www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm

have called in sick for today

am plagued by schenanigans re: ds2 going back to school

phoned his school and explained that he's OK in himself but still coughing

they said they don't know what the best thing to do is, I should ring the doctor and check whether he is likely to still be contagious, as they have parents keeping children off because they are worried about them catching it

so rang doctor - engaged for 25 minutes, then got through to secretary and explained, she said somebody will ring me back

in the meantime dh has taken ds1 to school and will have to come back to find out the verdict on ds2 - which of course he is really chuffed about, because he should be at work

fuckity fucksticks

good decision greeny, but it might be best to take rest of week off and return next week instead
in fact i hope they suggest that
<steps round slop on floor>

<tries to imagine greeny's convo with doc>...

"no, I am not sure that is the best idea, really"

"are you farking mad woman?"....

Good decision on work. Are you both feeling much better today?

and I know you weren't belittling me or my job Franny, sometimes it's hard to hear the truth, but real friends tell you anyway [more slop]

no, we weren't offered any tamiflu or anything else

in fact the doc on the phone was proposing that I put my vomiting feverish childin a taxi in the pissing rain and take him to the walk-in centre

needless to say I quickly disabused her of this notion

I won't go to work, I'll ring my boss in the morning and apologise profusely but say that I will aim to return to work on Thursday - having read everything people have said on here of course I can't go in and risk children getting ill, especially not the little boy I look after who is very frail anyway.

I just hate letting people down, that's all.

LOL avi
there you go greeny
if you say that and they say "yes please come in we need you" THEN you are allowed to go in

and btw, did you or any of your family take Tamiflu?

Ring them up - say "I have got swine flu - I may still be contagious, shall I come into work?" That will sort it, no?

nono i wasn;t trying to belittle any of that
but really, you CAN be covered for, and they will have to
you're ill

no, not irreplaceable - but a lot of time and work goes into building up a close relationship and trust with a SN child which enables him to enjoy being at nursery

I make written reports of each session and liaise with the rest of his care team

and it isn't like working on a checkout and someone having to swap shifts to cover you

but I see your point

have started MN Jury thread to see if anyone will say "oh, it's ok, go back" but so far nobody has

greeny, fab as you are, you are not irreplaceable

you know how I worry about my job though

I let them all down on Friday when we were meant to be doing music for the open day

and arranging cover for an inclusion worker is really difficult at short notice

what if the cough etc doesn't go away all week? I can't just stay at home

maybe I should ring NHS Direct and ask about infectiousness etc

ds2 is still coughing too, he wanted to go to school this morning and dh agreed with him, but I put my foot down and made him stay on the sofa, and he slept most of the afternoon

I don't want to send him tomorrow either but I will have mutiny on my hands if I say so

apologies for self-indulgent soliloquy

Oh greeny and littelamb . Sorry, x-post. So sorry you're both feeling so shit.

And Greeny, don't even THINK about going to work tomorrow !

LOL at being in a ditch! No, actually I was in a hotel in Mullion doing nice things for my birthday. Not getting swine flu. I'm shocked that you got so ill so quickly Greeny, and gave it to littlelamb too! And you'd only just met!

We've been told 7 day exclusion from school.

i don't think so greeny
i wouldn't be too pleased to see you if i worked with you tbh

I can't still be infectious surely? I've had it for quite a while and have only still got the cough/throat

I thought these things were only infectious for a short time?

greeny why the fuck would you consider going back to work and giving this to other people?

Well Greeny, the offer of all day babysitting turned into two hours so I had to drag my sorry arse out of bed, but the funny thing was I felt much better for doing so. I had to go shopping as we have no food in, and it was a very short trip on the bus so I felt alright. On the way home I reached the top of my road and I just had to sit down. It was that sudden, I sat on a bench and broke out into a sweat again. Once I finally got home I started feelign ill again, and have spent most of the afternoon in the toilet. I rang the doctor before I went out and they said they won't be doing house calls, so I don't know really. I suspect it is a horrible virus more than anything, especially as for about 2 or 3 hours today I felt fine. The hardest thing right now is that I still feel very uncoordinated, and now have a nice collection of bruises to show for it, and the lack of breath. Not to mention the tummy horrors that had me convinced last night that I was going to be one of those women who give birth without even knowing they were pregnant

evening all

I am still feeling utterly pathetic, horrible inflamed chest and annoying cough and lumpy throat

I am wondering whether it would be taking the piss to take another day off work tomorrow and thinking it probably would

how are you feeling littlelamb?

From our experience and various bits I've read I reckon the distinguishing features of swine flu (as opposed to other flu) are sticky crusty eyes, legs that don't work, interminable hacking cough, gastric splurge and really horrible vivid nightmares

Oh blimey! Have just glanced at this thread (thank you for the link, fennel - we've been away for the weekend). Feeling fine here so far, but will read the thread back to check symptoms!

I feel the need to compare symptoms. No doctor has shown up yet, the surgery is just around the corner but I don't want to actually go in there iyswim. I am really short of breath. Like the feeling you get after running (it's been a while but I vaguely remember it ), that you can't take a deep breath in. I'm lucky that a friend has taken the dc out for the day so I can just lie in bed, but I hate not doing anything. Dc still seem fine so far. Fennel, maybe pageturner really did fall down a ditch

I can't belive you've both got it . And where's pageturner, the other attendee at the swine flu party, she's oddly silent? Has she collapsed in a ditch somewhere?

Greeny are any of your lot coming to the beach this evening? Are you still too ill?

god good luck all afflicted ones
<stands well back>

what's the news in the greeny residence?

Wel this is quickly becoming the Westcountry Flu Watch I am afraid I am the latest statistic. I was convinced I was a bit better this afternoon but have spent the evening glued to the lav, head in the sink. I have also started sneezing like a mad person, have rung out of hours doctor and they are coming tomorrow (supposedly) to give me the official diagnosis. The most surprising thing, especially in the last couple of hours, is just how drunk I feel. I have no coordination at all, I walked right into a chair and now have a nice big bruise on my leg to show for it. The stupid part of me is hurrying about tidying up, trying to get as much washing done as possible so I can do absolutely f all as little as possible for the next few days. At least the dc seem fine so far, touch wood <taps forehead knowingly and signs off for the night>

I am using illness as an excuse to have a 'picnic' tonight <eyes up peeing rain and rethinks> which will involve being sprawled across a blanket on the living room floor with any old food I can find in the fridge. Dd thinks it's a great treat, as did I when I was too young to realise it was mum's get-out-of-cooking-free card

fish and chips are dh's answer to everything too

I have got used to the msn message at 5.30 saying "shall I pick up fish and chips on the way home"

he has a special spidey sense that tells him when I am eyeing the kitchen cupboards thinking "I can't be arsed to cook"

not that I mean anyone who does like fish and chips is a lard and carb type (takes foot out of mouth).

it's just an ongoing thing DP and I have about fish and chips. we can never go anywhere without him suggesting we pick up fish and chips on the way home. about 5 times a week, he suggests it.

We had their fish and chips a couple of years ago and I thought they were great, but we had them again the other week on the way back from the beach and I wasn't that impressed. I'm not totally a fish and chips fan, though DP is (he likes lard and carb, his idea of fine dining).

That would be an interesting question. No, it's to do with an umbilical hernia, she's had it since she was born and we were told if it wasn't rectified by 5 she'd have to have it operated on. It's not a massive one, it causes her no problems, it just looks like a big outie, but apparently they can get serious quite quickly. She's started to get a bit self conscious about it too, so I want to see how quickly she can have the operation should we decide to go ahead with it. I LOVE Darts Farm but tbh it makes me glad I can't drive, as I'd go far too often and spend an absolute fortune. Their fish and chips are to die for

It's at Darts farm for another week I think. The circus, that is, not the swine flu.

I am perfectly happy not to go, I have a long lazy afternoon home alone. Bliss. Especially as they all tidied the house up before they went out (under dire threat of Giving the Circus Tickets away to Other Better Children if they didn't).

what's the belly button question? is it swine flu related?

Not seen a doctor, may drag myself round there tomorrow, I have a question about dd's belly button Will I not get told off for infecting their waiting room though? I am at the circus too

Well they already dress as tigers and jump through flaming hoops, as you know. they are all happy there aren't any animals at the circus. Dd2 is getting very sanctimonious about anyone who eats or cages animals (she ignores the fact we have pets in hutches and cages).

at the circus, I haven't been to one for ages

but you do realise they will be cracking whips at each other and swinging from the light fixtures for weeks now

lol at the pig farming heritage immunity.

Dp and the dds have gone to the circus this afternoon. Given the current rate of infection, it'll probably be a huge hot tent full of swine flu germs.

littlelamb have you seen a doctor? it doesn't sound good, maybe you should be checked out

dh keeps saying he has got natural immunity because his maternal grandparents were pig farmers [double]

I feel much better today. Still feel like I am dragging my body unwillingly around, but I can at least sit up without feeling like I'm going to keel over. Quite a high temperature still. Fingers crossed it was just a 24 hour bug

No, not so far, we are all fine. Not too bothered anyway, it sounds as though everyone is going to come into contact with it sooner or later. And we do TEND to get things mildly or not at all in our household, though I know flu can hit the hearty types worst so I could regret being so blase.

how are you littlelamb?

it's keen-wah

my kids like it but I still think it's gritty and odd

fennel, have any of you come down with it yet? I am worrying that I might have given it to you, I was coughing spectacularly

I can't even say quinoa

<<pssst - fennel - I don't even like quinoa>>

This is where we fail as local help, I have never cooked quinoa and hate mangoes.

hope you are all feeling better.

morning all

ds2 thinks he is completely better now, he is certainly back to his bumptious mischief-mongering little self but he is still pale and tired, so I am inclined not to let him play outside or do anything strenuous - and he is coughing like an old man

I seems to have drawn the shitty end of the stick this time - my chest is agony and my throat is awful

I don't want to send ds2 to school tomorrow, I would rather make him rest on the sofa, but he wants to go. I might be able to tempt him if I offer to read endless pirate stories to him and let him do magic painting

ds1 and dh seem to have got away with it - dh has horrible bowels and a bit of a cough, but nothing else

[munches quinoa]

[regards chewed mango stone disconsolately]

Oh dear, how dreadful .
I'd keeop ds from school for another few days, he needs to REST (old fashion emoticon).
I hadn't realized that it was so widespread in the UK. They never talk of swine flu here in Italy.

<posts very flat quinoa through letterbox>
<tries to fit mango through>
<fails>
<sits on doorstep eating it>
<posts stone through>

greenipops
this is my morning visit to your house of germs
how are you all today?

Dear Greensleeves - hope you and your family are continuing to improve. Thanks very much for taking the time to post this thread - I am worried about swine flu - there are two of us in this family in high risk groups. I am trying to arm myself with as much info as possible, and your account of the onset of the symptoms and authorities reactions to it was really useful.

If its any use to anyone, I read a comment from Liam Donaldson that the onset of flu is different from a cold as with a flu it is so sudden, a sudden and dramatic increase in temparature and other symptoms. A cold is much slower to develop. I thought this was useful, as being asthmatic, winters are always characterised by awful coughs and colds and I have never bothered to try and distinguish between them. Yet I can now clearly recall the times when I have been suddenly overwhelmed by a rapidly increasing temperature, awful headache and extreme woosiness.

Hi Greeny - really pleased to hear your ds is on the mend. Did you have the antivirals?

I wish you were nearer too

you could post delicious quinoa dishes through the letter box

the dreams/hallucinations do seem to have stopped now

mostly I just feel washed out, feeble and sick

have gripes and diarrhoea

and my eyes are still stcking together and really sore, it's truly vile

and I have a lump in the roof of my mouth that feels like an abcess, as well as the razor-blade throat

ds2 is bouncing back better than me, but he is tired and pale and coughing and snotty

I'm not sure how long I should keep him off school for, will they want him back on Monday if he is better or should we leave it longer?

oh greeny how very nasty
wish we were nearer and could help while wearing radiation suits

Oh god greeny you poor things. Hope the dreams have stopped- that would be my worst thing about it too. How are the children now?

Am still when I think about how "yeah, yeah..." I have been about the whole thing. I thought I was being calm! And am still p'd off with dd's pre-school.

saucepan I was completely blase about it too!

it's not life and death in our house, but it has been very, very nsaty. I've never had a virus that gave me such vivd hallucinations, I really thought I was going bonkers at one point - very confusing

if you get it - get your temperature down one way or another!

Sounds grim Greeny.

dd2 is being "monitored" for it now.

She has all the symptoms and even says her teeth hurt

Local HCT calling us back in an hour to see how she is.

Just clicked on this because dd's keyworker at pre-school has it, apparently. I say apparently because it was a mutual friend who told me- no word from the school, bit miffed about that.

Anyway Greeny, I am so sorry you are all so poorly. I feel a bit stupid now because so far I have been totally blase about the whole thing, I have since getting the news educated myself a bit Hope you're all feeling better very soon.

welcome to today's edition of the Pig Flu Post

you can't be confirmed as swine flu cases as such now, because they aren't swabbing any more - but the doc we spoke to on NHS direct and the one who came out to see us were pretty sure.

I don't know what the incubation perios=d it is or how likely it is that you'd catch it if you were with someone who had it. I work in a nursery so I was always going to catch it really

ds2 is feeling a bit better today, much more his old self although still coughing and snotty

I still feel grim but not as feverish as yesterday

dh and ds1 seem to be getting away with it although I think ds1 might have had it first, just not as severely - he was off school for two days earlier in the week with similar symptoms, it just didn't cross my mind it might be swine flu at that point.

if you do get it, do everything you can to keep your temperature down - the nightmares and hallucinations are no fun at all

hi

Are you confirmed as swine flu cases?

We are around this weekend if you do need anything.

I am glad I didn't come too close to you on Thursday . But it's all around this area now, no point worrying about contact.

Hope things are improving Greeny.

hope you have a more comfortable evening greeny
i think the nightmare thing is related to high fever maybe?

Hi Fennel, I hope I haven't given it to you as well! We are surviving, ds2 is still really ill and I feel dreadful, but dh hasn't come down with it yet and ds1 is OK although snotty and sneezy. A curious feature of this virus seems to be vivid nightmares, ds2 and I have both been having them when we've fallen asleep, which has made for some entertainment for dh and my dad, and one point I sat bolt upright and bellowed something really loudly

we don't need anything at the moment as my dad has been shopping (I think he was grateful to get away from us for a few hours) but I will give you a shout if we get stuck for anything

Oh greeny how are you doing? are you all ill? Is DH looking after you all?

do you need anything? I have to come past your road this afternoon, could bring emergency supplies or similar.

Aw- sounds super grim, greeny. Hope things get better v soon. In my house we'd have to make a big nest of duvets on the living room floor and be ill there watching DVDs. But I know that's weird now because last time one of our friends came round and said "OMG! Why are you all in a den on the floor when you're ill?" Franny's calpol ice cube idea sounds rather fine to me.

Sorry to hear you're all ill, hope you all recover asap.

Just wondering what the anti-virals actually do and how. Do they accelerate the body killing this particular virus? I always thought viruses couldn't be 'treated' as such, only the symptoms and any subsequent bacterial infection, but is this kind of thing different?

(PG and get asthma, sorting out my facts just in case.)

get your saliva OFF of me
have you tried colloidal silver? sounds like you could do with spraying it in your eyes, throat and probably a few other orifices

morning!

I woke up with my eyes glued shut, I feel lousy

ds2's temp is back over 39 and we both have really ugly sore throats

school said to keep both boys at home

thank you for asking, tis nice to have friends [schlopp]

morning
how's life

Oh god, this sounds so horrible for you. It WILL pass, and with any luck it'll be faster to get through for young children.

So much for the symptoms being 'relatively mild', eh?

It'll pass, you'll be fine.

ok greeny hold tight
say if you can think of anything we can do to help (short of actually coming near you that is)
it sounds a nasty one - you've had nasty illness before and got through it
get some rest
xx

I'm sorry - this sounds horrific. But don't be scared - it seems like it's a nightmare while it lasts, but it will pass. Just ride it out and take it very very easy.

expat, i am not sure but i think you will test positive for swine flu for quite a while after infection as your body will have produced antibodies to fight it off next time you get it and i assume that is what htey test for.

thank you xx

dh has got headache and diarrhoea now

looks like it's going to be a grim weekend chez greensleeves

You need to rest greensleves, i'd be scared to, but looking at the evidence - you are going to be fine, all of you. I hope you feel better soon xx

Sounds grim Greeny.

Get thee to bed.

I am scared

if my throat swells up any more my tonsils will be poking out through my ears

I think you should ring the swine flu phone line. On the news earlier they said that the antivirals would be made available for everyone who had symptons but not for family and friends as it had been before

Dd has just had it Greeny
They swabbed her BUT were told no longer processing the swabs <wtf>
Symptoms here:
Dd is 6.5y
She fainted, purple fingernails, sudden high temp (40)
Then came round but so weak and sleepy
No appetite
Headache, sore throat
Then 48hrs later
Vomiting 25x in 20 hrs... V nearly admitted
Then 3 days not eating basically asleep
Light runny nose constant headache, aching limbs a d bad throat.
Then back to normal after 10 days but residual tiredness
Amazing we have not caught it... Yet

fuckety bugger indeed.

GP's are useless sometimes, best excuse to ditch Alli that I have heard (have been following other thread but am too poor to buy Alli)

greeny possibly this is mad idea but could you freeze calpol in an ice cube with some fruit juice, then he could suck it? i think it's easier to keep fluid down that way?

oh, this gal didn't test her wee, either. she came to this amazing conclusion based on DD1's telling her her tummy hurt. well, her entire body hurt, and her tummy probably hurt because she had D&V from friggin' swine flu.

she was finally tested 10 days after she first fell ill and she still came up positive.

ooh yes big curry a wise move
you poor beggars
will be checking this thread to see how you are - make sure you or dp update it if at all possible please

we offered to get him to do a wee and she said "no, don't think it's a urine infection"

she didn't check for infection in any other way, she wasn't here long enough!

did she check him for infection?

some PCTs are now only issuing anti-virals if the afflicted has a condition like asthma or COPD.

it's all so haphazard.

when DD1 first fell ill, DH took her to an out-of-hours doc and she said DD1 had a UTI.

???

yeah, i always get horrid coughs and all-over body aches and sore throats with my UTIs, fool!

sodding doc has been

she was here about 48 seconds

ds's temp was 39.3 and that's a climb from an hour ago

and the threw up calpol immediately

I asked her what I should do if it continues to climb and he can't keep medicine down

she said "Oh well, he probably won't have a convulsion, they can have them up to 5 but he's 4 so he'll probably be OK, I see kids with high temps all the time"

she said we do both have the same thing, they're not testing for swine flu but it's consistent with our symptoms

no advice, no antivirals, no antibiotics, nothing

and when I called my friend to warn her to warn a mutual friend who has just had a baby not to go near the school tomorrow, she said "Oh we know, there are two cases at school now"

fuckety bugger

and I feel lousy

am ditching the alli until I feel better and ordering a giant greasy curry

<<also 'Lol'ing>>

I have no advice but how is DS doing? Can you get an internet shop in or something and bunker down for the next few days?
Much sympathy.

sorry to hear this greeny
i know so little about it that i can't offer advice but i hope you both feel better soon

and sorry but lol @ "like I am some dangerous wild animal or something"

good thing we didn't take her stupid negligent advice and put him in a taxi, as he projectile vomited 5 minutes after I got off the phone!

I am feeling pretty crappy myself tbh

have temp and horrific cough, and sneezing

We were going to have a really nice weekend [self-pity]

see your doctors not much help so far

oh, my DH does stuff like that, too, Greeny. doesn't it make you just want to smack him?

hi greensleeves
best thing to do is fone your doctor and ask them.
had this last week with my DS

it was an upper respitory(sp.) chest infection but same symptoms as swine flu.

the doc on the phone said it sounds very like swine flu

she then said they would send someone out to see him

then 2 minutes later she phoned back and asked me to bring him to the walk-in at the hospital instead!

fucking dh started crawling and I said NO he is not going out in the pissing rain in a taxi in the state he is in

so dh says "Er, er, um, my wife says.....er no, I don't think she'll agree to that" like I am some dangerous wild animal or something

so I had to take the phone and insist that they come out

she said they have lots and lots of people with suspected swine flu and can't come out to everybody

to which I said "I would have thought a four year old who is too weak to walk, has a temp of 39 and is vomiting, whose family has no car and who is not the only sick person in the house would be near the top of any priority list you could contruct - either someone comes out or he will not be tested"

so she said "OK I'll put it down as a visit but it might be a long wait"

I am shaking

and furious with dh

According to the Beeb, they're no longer doing tests

here

Sorry about your DS - sounds horrid

the news I heard was to call the GP, not go down there.

it varied for all of us, the symptoms.

DD1 fell ill first and she had a sudden, 39 degree temp, headache, muscle aches, sore throat, cough and diarrhea.

Then DH but all he had was a bad cold, as did DD2 (but she had diarrhea as well).

I had a horrid cough, runny nose, sneezing, headache, D&V and fatigue with low-grade fever.

DS fell ill last and he had cough, D&V, runny nose and sneezing, with temp.

it took an entire fortnight for all of us to be rid of it as a family unit.

just sent dh out to buy a thermometer

don't know what's wrong with me, I'm not usually hysterical when they are ill

OK maybe I won't bother then. We don't have a car and I don't fancy bundling him into a taxi anyway

It's not that I thought it would make any clinical difference to HIM, just that I know schools are trying to keep track of incidence (our local secondary texted parents yesterday to inform them that there had been a case confirmed there - they're not closing the school, just informing)

there are one or two children I know of at the boys' school who have ongoing health problems (one has a brain tumour ) and I thought they might want the choice...

but as you say, it doesn't seem to be any different from normal flu, and he probably doesn't have it anyway, so I am probably flapping about nothing

Poor little thing - horrible, especially in this heat. But I don't think there's much point in getting him tested - he presumably won't be going out and infecting anyone, and the current advice seems to be to just treat it as flu whether or not it's the swine variety.

here.

ugh ye gods, the vomiting is vile

poor little sausage

expat can you give me an outline of the symptoms?

sorry you have had it by the way, nasty for you

depends where you are if testing is even being offered any more. Will it make any difference - probably not!

And expat is right about changing policies - my dh is a GP and one day they had three different policies faxed through from the health board!

depends if your PCT is even offering testing for it anymore.

we only got tested because it was still being done here when we fell ill.

don't know if it still is because trusts are changing their policies all the time.

he's been sent home from school today feeling sick and has since vomited twice

he has a temperature and says his legs "won't let him walk" and his throat hurts

there is swine flu in other local schools although I haven't heard of it at his school yet (he's 4)

should I try and get him tested, or is it pointless?