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Original poster

Any pregnant ladies on here who have survived swine flu?

30 replies

BEGEMOTH · 19/07/2009 17:49

Hi, I'm 35 weeks pregnant with a two year old son.

The news is making me fairly anxious, with regards to myself and my son.

So I just wondered if there are any pregnant ladies out there who have had swine flu and what their experience was? Or any parents out there, whose young kids had had it and what their experience was? Really just to get some perspective/reassurance.

OP posts:
Original poster
BEGEMOTH · 19/07/2009 18:05

bump

OP posts:
DarrellRivers · 19/07/2009 18:07

No-one has survived begemoth

Original poster
BEGEMOTH · 19/07/2009 18:13

Yes, that was my conclusion too after the latest onslaught from our news services.

OP posts:
DarrellRivers · 19/07/2009 18:15

This is post-apocolyptic mumsnet
Just me and you

Original poster
BEGEMOTH · 19/07/2009 18:22

There's a thought. Well, at least we don't have to worry about catching it anymore.

OP posts:
devotion · 20/07/2009 09:46

Just bumping this for you as I am pregnant and interested in hearing about this.

I'm surprised there are not more replies?

Anyone?

Haribosmummy · 20/07/2009 09:56

I'm 38 weeks PG and have a 1YO, so also interested.

I thought DS had swine flu about a week ago - he had all the symptoms... took him to the docs who REFUSED to check his throat (did check everything else though!) 3 days later (his temp. was awful and he was pretty crook) he was fine again.

No idea if it was or wasn't swine flu, but rather hoping it was now!!!

I'm still avoiding crowds and public transport

ChezP · 20/07/2009 10:03

Am only 5 weeks pregnant with 2 yr ds so also feeling abit freaked out by the wall to wall 'pregnant women and under fives are all going to die' news

have a friend though who is off this week, not pregnant but looks like swine flu - she has 2 under 5's and their nanny also was off last week with swine flu, I had coffee with her on friday (before i knew I was pregnant) and am feeling not so great today - will keep you posted

She says that although she feels terrible she is ok

ChezP · 20/07/2009 10:06

and her nanny is back this week so she is over the worst (although also not pregnant)

Hawkmoth · 20/07/2009 10:10

Are we going to die then? Hm.

Cheepz · 20/07/2009 10:24

so it would seem - wall to wall death of rpegnant women (although no pregnant women actually died yet) 2 women who recently gave birth who had other health problems died but no pregnant women.

media, disproportionate reporting perhaps?

Hawkmoth · 20/07/2009 10:58

Maybe in this warm weather the sight of us waddling round like hippos is distateful... 2009 is going to be the summer of skinny ladies while we sweat and cower inside!

Cheepz · 20/07/2009 11:03

think you may have hit the nail on the head - although since only 5 weeks am hoping to get through another 30 before the full waddle is back

AmazingBouncingFerret · 20/07/2009 11:04

My DH has it and I have had a sore throat since yesterday. Im 20 weeks pregnant and have a 2 and a half year old.
If you suddenly realise that my nickname is no longer appearing you know what has happened!

Cheepz · 20/07/2009 11:27

Guess you might just be amazing ferret until you get your bounce back but will keep an eye out - for gods sake make sure you come back and post something or we will all assume the worst!

Original poster
BEGEMOTH · 20/07/2009 18:12

I hope ChezP and AmazingBouncingFerret are ok. And that they let us know!

Hawkmoth: Yes, I agree. But no-one needs be offended by the very sight of me because I can barely get down the stairs these days. I'm following the guidelines through default.

Several of the spokespeople keep reporting on how mild this flu is and how most pregnant ladies and small kids recover quickly but they don't give details. I love a good statistics.
Instead tthey focus on the tragic deaths of the little girl, the baby, the pregnant lady with underlying health problems and the woman who had recently given birth.

It would be nice to hear from those people who have recovered or seen there kids through it.

Of course it's going to be difficult to know if they've even had swine flu as apparently they don't test for it anymore?

OP posts:
Cheepz · 20/07/2009 18:46

this is chezp - just changed nickname earlier to confuse everyone

am home from work as have sore throat, but not feeling too rough so might just be a cold, or abit run down on account of foetus stealing all good vitamins!

had a dicky tum earlier but more from anxiety because of the iresponsible repoting i suspect than any significant health issue.

spoke to friend earlier and she said the tamiflu is helping alot with her symptoms and that is just like bad flu

also spoke to the surgery earlier about checking in appointment and mentioned sore throat and she said i wouldn't have to stay away on that basis and that there are lots of other bugs about which i am sure is what i have

did my shopping online today though to avoid supermarket .... it was actually way less stressful too!

puffylovett · 20/07/2009 18:53

Can't say for sure that I actually had it, as wasn't swabbed. But a few weeks back I had the most horrific virus for 48 hours that matched every single symptom. Fast onset, high fever, dicky tum, all over aching, coughing, bad throat etc etc.

I was over it the following day - it went as quickly as it came. HOWEVER it has left me feeling very tired for a good few weeks, although that could also be the fact that I'm 32 weeks, have a toddler and am also anaemic

I didn't feel any worse than the last time I had flu, which was years ago.

I'm not worrying TBH - I think there's a lot of blowing things out of proportion going on. I hope I HAVE had it, as then DC2 will get the antibodies from my milk should it develop it after birth....

Original poster
BEGEMOTH · 20/07/2009 19:30

ChezP and Puffylovett, thanks, that is pretty much what I wanted to know.

It is blown out of proportion isn't it.

OP posts:
AmazingBouncingFerret · 21/07/2009 07:57

Just thought id best say that I havent died. DH no longer has a temperature. DS seems to have not caught it and my sore throat has gone.

GentlyDoesIt · 21/07/2009 09:43

I'm 35 weeks, just started maternity leave. Me and DH have had aches & pains, headaches, sore throats and dry coughs for 3 days now, but DH has continued to work (from home) and I have been able to do a bit of pre-baby nesting, although I am very breathless.

TBH we've dismissed it as a summer cold, but last night DD (6) developed a raging temperature and went very shivery, non-responsive and floppy. Again, not panicked, but did think "This must be the swine flu, then."

I phoned the NHS Direct line for a bit of advice and there was a recorded message basically saying "If you think you might have swine flu, GO AWAY" (Charlie Brooker style) which made me chuckle.

Anyway this morning DD is sitting up on the sofa bed and weakly demanding DVDs, while I cater to her wishes between lie-downs with a book.

Someone on the radio yesterday said "If there was a £50 note in your back garden and you would make the effort to go outside to get it, then you haven't got swine flu!" Well, I certainly would, so by that test we're fine.

Basically, we all feel really crap but it only gets an 8/10. No-one is bedridden, but we are all in our pyjamas and gravitating around the sofa bed.

I've absolutely no idea if it's swine flu and I'm not about to waste any HCP's time with it, so will never know.

Cheepz · 21/07/2009 10:30

thought would update, still have sore throat which i think is from a coldand feel knackered but then am in early stages of pregnancy so thats pretty business as usual, was with the doctor this morning to do booking in for pregnancy and she basically said don't fret unless you get a fever - over 38 degrees, if you get a fever for more than 12 hours get in touch and we will sort a prescription for antivirals, but sore throats and runny noses just crack on!

she said the media has gone nuts and its all disproportionate to the risks. she also said the notion of postponing getting pregnant or of pregnant women shutting themselves up at home in biohazard suits was ridiculous when measured against the risks.

minxofmancunia · 21/07/2009 10:49

am 32 weeks pg, 3 weeks ago had a runny nose, vicious sore throat, temp, achy muscles and cough, took 2 days off work slept solidly and the bulk of the symptoms went was just left with a horrible blocked sinusy bright green catarghh prob (tmi) for 10 days or so which then cleared up of it's own accord.

Dismissed it as a summer cold which had affected me badly cos of being pg, esp as dd (2.10) had just had a sore throat and snotty nose. Could have been sf, don't know am better now though but v v tired (again prob due to pg).

pootle09 · 21/07/2009 11:26

Just wondering if any of you pregnant ladies will get the vaccine when it becomes available??

blondieminx · 21/07/2009 18:45

Hi...15+2 here and have had suspected swne flu (but given they're not swabbing anyone anymore who can tell ) since last Wednesday.

It's been just like normal flu - so achey all over and feel like you can't get out of bed. Except being pg I can't throw all the max strength drugs I normally would at this bug!

Finally starting to feel a little more human today. GP has been available by phone and has been very reassuring which has probably stopped me panicking (a bit) about my bump!

I'm a very clean person and was using hand sanitzer regularly etc so initally was so cross to get it - but I reckon if you are going to get it, you'll get it. You could stay indoors till March but you'd miss out on lots of fun things in the meantime...

The only thing you can do is to practice good hand hygiene, make sure you eat as healthily as poss, take your vits, keep a stock of paracetamol in just in case you fall ill and hope for the best!