Flu?

[Queen]

Judy, I'm glad I went too, just can't mess around with anything that impacts my lungs these days!

BJ, she said what I was coughing up and the fever along with some other symptoms got her attention, then listening to my lungs I guess sealed the deal, she spent forever listening to the lower lobes.

Funny about the taste in your mouth, mine has tasty weird all week.

[Redetotry]

Judy, I'm glad I went too, just can't mess around with anything that impacts my lungs these days!

BJ, she said what I was coughing up and the fever along with some other symptoms got her attention, then listening to my lungs I guess sealed the deal, she spent forever listening to the lower lobes.

Funny about the taste in your mouth, mine has tasty weird all week.

My doctor also spent a lot of time listening to my lower lungs and she said left one was a bit compromised. Otherwise I would be so mad that I am taking this antibiotic as the reports in JAMA say they aren't needed unless bacterial. My GI tract is definitely not liking them especially the generic but you can't get the non=generic without ordering and takes a long time.. I don't even take vitamins so my stomach is not at all happy.

[Bethers]

I finally went to Urgent Care today because of my cough and difficulty taking deep breaths. Doc believes it's my asthma kicked up a notch. I did a bronchial nebulizer while there and he could tell a silence l difference in my breathing. Three prescriptions later, I'm home. No antibiotics here.

I, too, BJ, don't take drugs, but I'm following through here. One is just for 5 days, another is an inhaler, 3rd a cough med. To return if no noticeable difference in 5 days or anything gets worse.

It's a bad winter for sickness, all across the country.

It's supposed to rain the next two days, so have to get up and do a couple necessary outside chores. Grey tank needs emptying, for one. Black will wait till sometime next week. Otherwise I'm hibernating the rest of today and tomorrow except for Peaches walks.

[MandysMom]

So many of us sick or have been. I heard last night on news that "officials" in health department are very happy this seasons flu vaccine seems at least 50% effective! they said usually its a little less! Well sure seems they missed on the strain of flu smacking so many of us! Anyhow, get well wishes to all. Lots of chicken soup with a touch of cayenne. I had good luck again this time with MSM as ant inflammatory for my lungs and Mucinex alternating with NAC to stop my cough and thin secretions. My best to you all.
Velda

[Redetotry]

So after a three AM trip to the emergency room turns out I don't have bronchitis I woke up absolutely soaked in sweat and my heart racing around 2:30. Read the insert on the antibiotic (Z pack) the one you do 6 pills in 5 days and it said call the doctor or go to the ER as it can cause heart problems etc especially in older people and listed my symptoms. A surly woman checked me in acting like I should have stayed home and I saw a very nice young doctor. Who after checking me out, doing EKG and chest ex ray said that I did not have bronchitis, that I had the A1 type of flu. Before the nose swab came back he had said even though the antibiotic made me sick, it had less side effects then most others and to continue taking it. After determining lungs ok and seeing the positive flu test, he said I did NOT need to finish the antibiotic, I did not have bronchitis and he would give me my first dose of Tamiflu. I declined so he sent prescription home with me. The only thing he said it did was to cut the duration by 3-4 day. I figured with my luck with medicine I would be better off not taking it. I almost froze at the ER, they had the A/C on and I had two blankets and was still cold which probably wasn't that great.

So, I wonder if I really had/have bronchitis and caught the flu at the 1 1/2 wait at Urgent Care or did they do the nose swab wrong at Urgent Care. There was a huge difference in the distance they went up into my nose at the ER and they said many places don't get a good read because they do it wrong. So if you have one and it doesn't feel like they tickled your brain, they didn't go far enough!

So, who knows what I have!! Until I woke up like I was in a sweat lodge at 2:30, I had been feeling much better. This has certainly given me pause though. I don't know what we would do if we both were to get sick at the same time. I do pretty much all the running of the house, bill paying, dog care, etc. I do know the medical world scares me!!

[Queen]

So sorry to hear this, BJ. I hear you about being scared, it all feels so backward it's like alchemy, now they have so many drugs at their fingertips, but diagnosis seems completely hit or miss.

[Bethers]

So sorry to hear this, BJ. I hear you about being scared, it all feels so backward it's like alchemy, now they have so many drugs at their fingertips, but diagnosis seems completely hit or miss.

Agree. I'm not a fan of drugs and part of me isn't sure of my diagnosis either... One thing I'm sure of... I'm glad you are home, BJ, and that you went. It's scary.

[OregonLuvr]

I have been sick for 3 weeks but finally on the mend. I dont know if I had the flu, a cold, or bronchitis as I had a terrible cough and still do but not as bad. I did listen to my lungs tho and had a lot of expiratory wheezing but my bases were not that bad so decided I was going to live. I was not coughing up anything nasty so decided antibiotics were not in order. Just continued to push fluids and rest. I did take some cough medicine and it seemed to help a bit. I did take it faithfully but dang it is nasty stuff. Just over the counter stuff as I do not tend to frequent the medical world much LOL

And emergency rooms just put me over the edge with all their germs. When I was working I always hated getting called down there to check out a pregnant patient or start and IV on a baby....I always looked for other volunteers ha ha

Sounds like we are all on the mend so let's keep it that way.

karen

[Bethers]

I should have had you listen to my lungs, Karen. That's really why I went, because I'm hearing so many with so much worse. My biggest complaint is that it's cramping my style... I have to save my energy for my volunteer days, so I really am tired by the time I have my days.

I agree, hopefully we're all on the mend.