Honestly - please try not to worry...

[seeker]

it's flu, not the Black Death!

just to add that I had some training today from an infection control specialist in an acute hospital trust. she stated that
a) - swine flu is not manifesting any differently from seasonal flu
and
b) - the mortality rate is no different

imvho it 'felt' better than normal flu.

been feeling like crap for 4 days and after all that sleep, i am starting to feel better.

i feel that the media have overhyped all of this somewhat too.

1. Yes it wasn't very nice
2. Yes I'm still alive

will that do you?

DH has asthma and a chronic liver condition.... oh yeah and swine flu.
I have a pre-schooler and an infant, so can't exactly take to my bed should I develop symptoms.
He was shaking uncontrollably with pain last night (due to adrenalin).

Panicking? No.
Worried? A little bit is justified I think.

Oh poor dh, EPPM. That sounds horrible.

I hope that he feels a bit better as soon as possible, and that the rest of you escape lightly.

GrimmaTheNome - The image of your dd pogoing is a very reassuring one!

If I get it I'm now going to think 'it's OK, it won't stop me pogoing!'

EPPM hope he's feeling better today?

Shaking with pain when you have a fever is horrid. I agree, some cases are justifiably worrying - not the same as panicking at all.

EPPM - how's it going?

Why you up so early? Or is that for the other thread?

Hope all ok, I had no idea of this background stuff, so take care mrs.

TREE- was feeding ds... he is feeding every 3 hours atm... grrr

{{{hugs}}} EPPM not at all good.

My mum is so convinced she will get it and die that she has written out her wishes for her funeral etc and given a copy to me and one to my sister.

"If I get it, it will finish me off, with my chest and everything..."

I nodded sensibly, promised I would take care of it and said she's not to worry

oh. I haven't told her that I think dh has got it

Peach Sorry your DH is so poorly. Its people like your DH with underlying problems that I feel for. Hope he makes a speedy recovery.

I am of the opinion I just have a nasty virus and am not oinky in the slightest. Think ds1 might have had it though, but:

1. Yes, it wasn't very nice.
2. He is still alive (and noisy!)

So what if you don't get this tamiflu in time for some reason. This is what is freaking me out atm tbh.

Is it VITAl to get it within the first 48 hours or for your dc to be on it. What happens if you don't get it? Is it just that the flu will last longer, be more uncomfortable without it? Would it be enough to just use regular flu tablets and ibuprofen etc?

Reading about mums hoarding tamiflu (where are they getting it from?) and some GPs prescribing it, others not, possibly supplies running out etc is making me feel very unsettled (to put it mildly)

All it does is lessen symptoms and shorten the virus by approxmately one day. If you do want it to work you need to take it within the first 48 hrs, but its not vital that you take it and some people have chosen not to as it has nasty side effects (d&v) for some people.

My DD has just had a birthday party cancelled. The girl is well, the girls family are all well but they are cancelling a party at the end of the month just in case.

Of course they shouldn't go ahead if they are worried but, with no special circumstances it seems OTT to me...

I have just told DD the girl is sick rather than go into the whole swine flu thing as she is 6 and oblivious. DS2's school have had to try and help us filter for the children as they have aSD and some ofthem hear the doom laden news reports and take it all too literally ( 60,000 will die type headlines)

oh I see, thanks

Ds has informed me that 'Sine flu is surround the school and is going to get us'. Michael told him apparently. I'm a bit worried about it but only because I have just had surgery, have a huge (7 inch) incision on my belly and if I get a cough it is going to be farking painful! I have very robust children, my son fully recovered from measles in three days. I do wonder why the press insist on scaring us all the time. I'm sure there must be far scarier things going on in the world to worry about.....

I meant 'Swine Flu', I only got home from hospital today so my brain is fuzzy...

My ds1 (7) has been scared witless by his school about swine flu and also skin cancer (they just had the slip, slap, slop lady in to give them a talk). He was diagnosed with swine flu on Tuesday but we just told him he has a virus.

He has spent the past week asking me hundreds of times a day, "Mummy, if xxx happens will it kill me?" "Mummy if I get xxxx will I die?" etc etc. Everything from getting cancer to swallowing a spider!

No doubt, despite your cynicism, you are all following the basic advice of 'catch it, bin it, kill it' and not just scoffing and spreading germs because YOU should be fine but others with weakened immune systems might not be?

No, not the Black Death.. but not quite the common cold for the 652 in intensive care this week.

I agree with not panicking, but cynicism and scoffing just prevents basic commonsense measures to slow down transmission. It might not be a worry for you, but spare a thought for those with severe health conditions, children with complex health needs, people with HIV/cancer etc. Just because it might be a few days off work for you, doesn't mean you should be snorting and oinking because others have more concern.

moosemama, that's really sad. I hope he gets over it soon. Will you then tell him he had it and can't get it again?

I'm trying to stay on the non-panicky side, although it's maddening how the scaremongering is still getting to me. A paediatric nurse friend reminded me that far worse things happen to young children, and that if our toddlers get it, the worst thing that will happen is that they have to be hospitalised on a drip for a day or two, which she assures me is a lot worse for us than them!

I've got really bad period pain at the moment. Is it worse than period pain?

mrsbean

no. not scoffing. DD has very poor immune system and DS2 has ASD, auto immune and hugely problematic to get any kind of medicine into.

But I still think that the entire healthy population being whipped into a frenzy of panic is not helpful.

That is not 'scoffing'. It is actually just making the real problem worse

Mrsbean, I am not scoffing.

As well as ds1, I have ds2 who is higher risk due to him nearly dying from complications of seasonal flu last December (hence his brother's fear) and a 6 month old dd.

We are following the catch it, bin it, kill it advice to the letter (but then my children have always been taught that so it is nothing new to them) and are not only handwashing but carrying around and regularly using hand gel as well. Neither myself or ds1 have left the house since Tuesday (even though I think I probably have a virus and not swine flu) and have kept ourselves, as far as is reasonable, away from dh and ds2. (I am bf dd, so can't keep away from her obviously.)

I agree with pagwatch though, the media hype does not benefit anyone and in fact exacerbates the situation by encouraging people to panic and clog up the medical services.