Could it be...

[zonedout]

the dreaded swine flu?

sorry for this, i know that noone can actually answer this question (i gues not even a doctor can unless he/she takes a swab) but i am worrying about my ds1 (and in turn my asthmatic ds2 ) and need to offload it here, amongst the wise and the experienced...

having been fine all day, ds1 very suddenly complained of feeling sick, tired, sore throat and freezing cold while we were out late this afternoon. got him home and sure enough his temp was around 39 and he developed a sudden cough along with feeling really rubbish, freezing cold and no appetite at all. neurofen has brought his fever down but i have just checked on him and he is absolutely drenched in sweat and rather restless in his sleep. to me, the sudden onset and symptoms sound very flu-like. he used to get monthly bouts of fever of 40/41 when he still had his tonsils and adenoids but since he had them removed last october he hasn't had any further episodes. so i am very worried about him (he always suffers from things particularly badly, for example he had a week long bad tummy at new year which his younger brother shrugged off in 24 hours.) however, his younger brother (ds2) has been hospitalised numerous times with asthma/viral wheeze/pneumonia/bronchiolitis so i am also worried that (if it is the dread sf) he will catch it (unvaccinated due to extremely long wait at gp then unwell so couldn't have it)

help

Well, DS had the same symptoms last Saturday (bit of a headache in the morning, but no fever, midday I found him asleep, over 39 degrees fever, huge headache and dry cough). He was ok after 3 days though, with only tiredness and a cough that became productive. Then DD started with the same thing few days ago, only her fever went up to over 40 degrees. She's also better now.

The doctor said it is a flu and, as swine flu is a predominant strain at the mo (well, at least in France), there's a good chance that this is what it was/is.

But tbh, there's no need to panic, as in all probability it'll be ok. You can also perhaps call your GP and ask for Tamiflu for your asthmatic DS- I think it can be given as a preventive measure.

In any case, this flu wasn't very scary, tbh, except very high fever for DD.

thank you winny

you have definitely helped to put my mind at rest (at least a little!)

ds1 has woken with fever over 39 and feeling v v poorly. just given calpol so let's see... does sound v similar to what your dc's had, just hope it passes as uneventfully for us. ds2 can't handle a common cold without being nebulised these days...

sorry for the panic, i know an awful story of a local (previously healthy) 2 year old (friend of one of my best friends)

I hope both your DSs will be ok. Do ask about the Tamiflu for ds2 just in case.

I'm also a firm believer in forcing the kids to rest when ill- DS was made to stay in bed for 3 days. I think it allows the body to use the energy on fighting the virus iyswim.

I know there's a lot of bad stories re:SF, but if you actually look at it, statistically it's really not that scary.

me too, winny, i absolutely insist on rest when ill.

so i ended up taking him to the doctor yesterday who diagnosed a severe chest infection and the start of an ear infection in both ears he is now on antibiotics (again) but woke up even worse today with a fever of 40 and struggling to breath through the coughing and retching.

i am now seriously wondering whether the tonsillectomy was the right thing for him as it seems the infection which would previously have been on his tonsils has just moved deeper down, to his chest (this is his first ever chest infection, he will be 5 this week)

he is so poorly and his asthmatic brother looks like he is about to start too...

Oh, crap. He should get better in a day or two with the ABs, though. I see you must be really worried about DS2-hopefully he'll be ok and anyway, now you know what DS1 has got, you can act quick with DS2.

Don't know about tonsillectomy-DS had it at 4 and it didn't make him sick more often-in fact this flu is the first time he was ill in the last 5 years. In theory they say that removing tonsils will not affect them, bt who knows.

I have an appointment with a doctor tomorrow for DD, as the fever has come back and the cough is quite horrid, so am a bit worried about secondary infection.

So ds2 and myself both ended up coming down with this on Wednesday. I have not been this ill for years, fevers of between 38 and 39.5 for me and up to 40 for ds2. He has also been vomiting and his asthma is horrendous. We are home nebulising home which is, for the time being at least, keeping him out of hospital.
Ds1 is still running fevers at night and having awful nightsweats, his cough is still terrible. What's more, he turns 5 tomorrow and I can't even get out of bed to do his cake or wrap his pressies. Am currently dosed up on nurofen and paracetamol, hence being able to write this as when it wears off all I can do is shiver, sweat and moan.
Winny, how are you all doing? Anyone else any experience of this? When will we feel human again?!

Oh god, seems I spoke too soon. Ds2 suddenly developed uncontrollable cough along with wheeze. Back off to docs, praying to avoid hospital

Sorry you're havng such a hard time zoned -wishing you all a speedy recovery. A nice belated birthday with pressies and cake is something to look forward to when you are all feeling better.

Thank you bubbly you are, of course, quite right! After the doctor dash for ds2 dh went and bought some delicious looking cupcakes so ds1 will be happy anyway!

So ds2 has now developed some sort of secondary infection in his upper airways - doctor questioned croup/ rsv and something I have forgotten the name of. Rsv terrifies the life out if me as ds2 nearly died of rsv bronchiolitis and pneumonia last year...

So more antibiotics as doc didn't want to take the risk with him in case something bacterial going on. And regular nebuliser too. He told me I have simple, awful flu.

Aaargh, both of my children are forever on antibiotics. Still, I am very thankful to be lying with him in our own bed tonight and not in hospital

Well, at least it's good you've managed to keep DS2 out of hospital.

I would say it always takes about a week to start feeling better.

DS had fever for about 6 days and it flunctuated between days iyswim. He still has a cough. DD also had a fever for about 7 days and is still coughing. Both perky though.

DP had a manflu flu as well, but no fever or any other discernible symptoms.

I didn't catch it,weirdly and I was coughed on and kissed by DD a lot.

Doctor wouldn't be able to say whether it's SF or not without testing.

Hope you'll all feel better very soon. Probably a couple more days of fever etc, though.

Thanks Winny, am at your dh. Mine has been having a lot of pretend very bad coughing and taking of temperature which is always below normal very high indeed.

I have woken with no fever for the first time today ( feel decidedly achey and wiped out though), ds2 is still coughing a lot but seems to have (touch wood) turned a corner...

Now just need to summon up the energy to celebrate ds1's birthday and eat lots of cake