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Original poster

Sensible, non-panicking Swine flu measures?

271 replies

bella29 · 30/04/2009 12:13

Just wondered.....

they (a doctor) said on my local BBC radio station this morning that it would be wise to set by a stock of paracetamol, calpol etc. just in case.

Anything else you are doing?

OP posts:
Chellesgirl · 02/05/2009 20:13

If anyone is scared that they may have swine flu please visit hereit will tell you if you do have it or not. Please click on the secon link down, which may be highlighted in puple...

Chellesgirl · 02/05/2009 20:13

second*

SlightlyMadSwineFlu · 02/05/2009 20:16

well - although there were still stocks the paracetamol/ibuprofen was noticably depleted in Tesco.

Got adult stocks - need to send DP to chemist on Tuesday to get calpol cos you can't get big bottles in Tesco and I have none at all

Chellesgirl · 02/05/2009 20:26

did you notice the signs in tesco slightlymad? Where I am they had all the flu posters up at every cashier... and yes paracetomol shelf was completely demolished...talk about scaremongering...

SlightlyMadSwineFlu · 02/05/2009 20:29

Didn't notice it - there were prent of capsules not so many of the nice coated tabs.

thing is it is the NHS that are advising stockpiling

whomovedmychocolate · 02/05/2009 20:35

I was told I was only allowed to buy one box of 16 paracetamol in the supermarket today . So I bought 36 ibuprofen as well - works just as well in reducing temperatures. So long as you aren't asthmatic.

NB generic paracetamol/ibuprofen is much more easily available than anything with 'cold and flu' on the packet. Which is nuts actually, you don't really want to risk experiments with ephidrine when you are already sick IMHO.

Oh and checkout operator sneezed on me

SlightlyMadSwineFlu · 02/05/2009 20:38

I have a full pack of beechams fllu plus hot drink which will last one of us (me!) 10 days anyway as I only tend to use 1 day

Chellesgirl · 02/05/2009 20:43

One box of 16 because they cant sell more without pharmacist. you can buy 32 in chemist, and also 64 if you ask pharmacist nicely, and say its just a precation and to stock in cupboard.

Ibuprofen...and liver/stomach/heart problems.
Though if asthma as mild ibuprofen will be ok. Its just if you have severe asthma and have ever had a attack.

SlightlyMadSwineFlu · 02/05/2009 20:46

it is 2 packs of paracetamol isn't it?

Chellesgirl · 02/05/2009 20:49

2 packs of 16 / 1 pack of 32. Wont normally sell more unless you have had an operation or broken limb etc...something you really need it for.

whomovedmychocolate · 02/05/2009 20:50

Yep I know you can normally only have 32 but our supermarket has gone tonto and are restricting sales of certain things to 'protect stock levels'

Luckily they haven't put any restrictions on wine or chocolate otherwise they would have felt the sharp side of my tongue

SlightlyMadSwineFlu · 02/05/2009 20:55

tbh our tesco normally puts it through as more than 1 transaction without quibble.

You are allowed 2 packs painkillers - including calpol so when we all had chestinfections and I needed beechams, paracetamol, ibuprofen and calpol I did it as about 3 transactions. computor won't let them put more than 2 packs through but cashiers (normally) bend the rules

whomovedmychocolate · 02/05/2009 20:59

I didn't know it included Calpol - when I got packed before holiday I bought two bottles of Calpol, one of generic supermarket paracetamol for kids, two packets of paracetamol, Lemsip and so on, and they all went through.

Chellesgirl · 02/05/2009 21:16

Supermarkets will bend rules as they havent been trained in they whys and whos as to why they cant sell more than 2 packs of 16 paracetomol etc...

Supermarkets tend to sell the lesser dosage of beechems/lemsip and ibuprofen or smaller packets than what you can buy OTC. Ibuprofen is classed differently to paracetomol. A single paracetomol tablet can hive between 100mg and 300mg difference to a single ibuprofen tablet, whether 200/400mg.

Nighbynight · 02/05/2009 21:18

New killer disease sweeps planet....paracetamol sold out in Britain.

p m s l

Chelles, Dubai, god someone forwarded me an email with link to an Independent story about that place, and how the not so fortunate live. Pretty awful stuff.

Chellesgirl · 02/05/2009 21:21

oh dear. take it you wouldnt be wanting to live thier then...Anyways, by the time you have accumilated the money to buy the island (after not been able to work for 2 weeks with swine flu) the h1n1 virus would have mutated and then be able to swim accross ocean to wherever your island may be...

flymetothemoon · 02/05/2009 22:20

Last place I'd want to be holed up would be Dubai. It's very over-rated imho.
Can I bag Necker Island instead please?

Ibruprofen keeps me awake at night weirdly. Anyone else have that? Mind you if I had really bad flu I suppose that wouldn't matter as I'd be so zonked out anyway.

Chellesgirl · 02/05/2009 22:32

sometimes it has caffeine in it Flyme. If you take the sugar coated ones... your also putting small amount of sugar into ur body.

flymetothemoon · 02/05/2009 22:59

It's Nurofen I've had the problem with - I just can't switch off in the same way as if I have too much caffeine.

Chellesgirl · 03/05/2009 00:04

Why not try taking some Kalms 'sleep' Before you go to bed. It helps the body settle if its had a reaction to a medicine - not an allergic reaction.

bebejones · 03/05/2009 09:49

Didn't know if anyone had bothered to mention that in the same period 100 or so people worldwide have died from Swine flu, over 5000 have died from 'normal' seasonal flu. They have now said that it is no more dangerous & the symptoms are really no different. Wouldn't panic if I was you, common sense should prevail really!

Horton · 03/05/2009 10:12

We have no natural immunity to this flu, though, meaning that if it becomes widespread lots of people could get ill. I'm not panicking because I think we are all going to die. I just want to be prepared in case the shops are all shut or we are unable to go out because we have been asked to stay at hime to prevent the spread of this particular flu.

whomovedmychocolate · 03/05/2009 10:45

Actually, technically Horton, we don't know that. Some people may have natural immunity - with all diseases there is a percentage of the population - usually small - who just don't suffer at all and their immune system just shrug it off.

I assume you meant 'I'm not panicking because I don't think we are all going to die (from swine flu)'?

Original poster
bella29 · 03/05/2009 11:08

From what I understand (my sources are Radio 4, The Economist etc., not The Daily Mail!!!) the worry is that if it spreads very easily and then mutates to a type resistant to Tamiflu, then it could all get a lot worse.

I am not worried about catching the present form of Swine flu but am in favour of trying to help contain it for the above reasons.

Agree with Horton that it is sensible, responsible even, to put some stuff aside in case we cannot get out and about for a little while.

OP posts:
Horton · 03/05/2009 11:30

Ahem, yes, I did mean that, whomoved. Sorry. What I actually wrote reads rather oddly!

That's interesting about the natural immunity thing. I didn't know that. I basically thought that because this is a new strain, nobody will have immunity whereas with the ones that have been going round for years lots of us may have at least some resistance.