The Flu

[PennyQuilts]

How are we doing on OKCTalk? Anyone down with the flu? Anyone got the shot? Did the shot help, so far? If you have it, what were your first symptoms?

No, I didn't get the shot. No, I don't have it - yet. But I am wondering if I am going to come down with it. And I'm wondering if the reason my knee aches (I'm not prone to joint aches) and my head aches is because I am under attack. Been sneezing, too. But I don't feel bad other than a little groggy. Fever, you think? I've been washing my hands so much I'm afraid I'm showing symptoms of OCD.

I have two grand daughters on the way and want to get this done before they arrive in March.

If anyone out there is sick, get well soon.

[PennyQuilts]

Hope you all feel better. It sounds like they didn't do as great a job of getting the "right" vaccine this year. It happens. I wondered - perhaps incorrectly - that since the flu season has been early, widespread and hard, the vaccine must not be quite as effective as it is in some years.

[betts]

That's been my experience: I've seen flu this year in people who got the vaccine. What the infectious disease doctors will tell you, however, is that if you've had the shot and get the flu (on those years when it mutates too much), you likely won't get as sick as you will if you didn't get the vaccine. Don't forget that if you catch the flu within the first 48 hours, Tamiflu can be very effective in shortening the course.

[OKCisOK4me]

I have never gotten a shot and do not plan on it because I've heard if you do, you're just as susceptible to a strand of flu as you are without the shot. My immune system is pretty top notch and although I don't consider myself OCD, I do joke about it because I wash my hands more than ever now. Just don't get your finger tips near your mouth or nose and scratch an open wound and you should be fine. If I feel there's something coming on, I just up my Vitamin C intake and drink lots of fluids, i.e. water and Sprite. I may be taking a chance but whereas I got sick for a couple days last year, it wasn't the flu, just a cold...

[venture]

Have never gotten a flu shot here either. I get really sick once every few years. When that happens I just load up on the drugs and sleep it off in a day. I'm not overly OCD either, but I do wipe my desk down every day at work. Like 4Me, I load up on the vitamin C (V8 Splash mmmm) if I feel anything come on and away it goes.

[PennyQuilts]

Have never gotten a flu shot here either. I get really sick once every few years. When that happens I just load up on the drugs and sleep it off in a day. I'm not overly OCD either, but I do wipe my desk down every day at work. Like 4Me, I load up on the vitamin C (V8 Splash mmmm) if I feel anything come on and away it goes.

I'm about like you, Venture. However, with the babies coming, I've found myself being a bit more careful on cleaning my hands and avoiding sick folks, though. It would be awful to have them arrive and not be able to hold them or make their parents sick.

[OKCisOK4me]

That's a pretty radical position. Are you hearing that off of a blog on the internet or from a doctor?

My ex is a nurse. We have a good post relationship and she has no reason to lie to me. Obviously something could happen and I could get deathly ill (like this stomach virus that is going around) but it's a rarity for me.

When my immune system takes a dive, I'll be less radical. It's not like I'm trying to commit suicide. I just would rather not spend the money on something I don't need at this point in my life.

[OKCisOK4me]

Gotcha. That makes sense.

I did an edit to my post but it works for me. I believe what you say but in my experience so far, I'm healthy.

[White Peacock]

I got a flu shot this year (the first one I've gotten in the past decade or so) just because I have a newborn and wanted to beef up my immune system. Not sick yet, but didn't get sick much in the previous years either (aside from a flu-gone-pneumonia boute back in Oregon in '06/'07).

Knock on wood.

[PennyQuilts]

I got a flu shot this year (the first one I've gotten in the past decade or so) just because I have a newborn and wanted to beef up my immune system. Not sick yet, but didn't get sick much in the previous years either (aside from a flu-gone-pneumonia boute back in Oregon in '06/'07).

Knock on wood.

Congrats on your newborn! Try to get some sleep.

[betts]

I get the flu shot every year, and every year I take care of hundreds of babies and children with flu. I have never gotten the flu in years I've gotten the immunization. One year all four of my kids got influenza A, I cared for them all and never got sick. I attribute it to the flu shot, because people's immune systems don't work all that well against a novel encounter with a virus. You generally have to get the disease or get a vaccine to develop immunity.

Handwashing does protect against the spread of viruses. However, you have to think about all the things you touch to truly protect yourself. Doors into buildings are one source of infection a lot of people never think about.

[White Peacock]

Congrats on your newborn! Try to get some sleep.

Thanks! I've already kissed my reliance on a leisurely sleep goodbye. haha
It's worth the trade-off though. She's a doll.

[OKCisOK4me]

Doors into buildings are one source of infection a lot of people never think about.

That's why you wait for the people that don't think about it to open the door and then you stick your foot in there to keep it wedged open....darn it...I am OCD...

[White Peacock]

That's why you wait for the people that don't think about it to open the door and then you stick your foot in there to keep it wedged open....darn it...I am OCD...

Same here. I do everything I can to avoid touching any surface other people touch. I've seen far too many people leave bathroom stalls and walk straight past the sinks on their way out the door to feel comfortable touching any shared surfaces.

[OKCisOK4me]

I work in retail and, for instance, right now, I'm fixing to count the drawer. Money (coin or cash) is the worst transmitter of virus' and bacteria. That's one reason I can see us going away from being a monetary society and only if that is the case, we should all be able to swipe our own cards. It's enough not knowing where your card is going but if you can swipe it yourself, we all feel safer, both financially and health wise. Will be washing my hands after this count ;-)

[bandnerd]

Got the flu shot. I always get the flu shot.

I have never had the flu.

I work in a high school, with questionable air quality and teenagers with questionable hygiene. It would be irresponsible of me to not get the flu shot in that environment.

[kelroy55]

This is the first year I haven't got a flu shot in many years. So far no flu but I did have a chest cold that doesn't want to let go.

[MikeLucky]

Okay so here's the explanation... The flu vaccine that we receive can only sustain 3 strains in it. So, they start with the mucus of swine in China/Asia in the Summer to begin to make their best guess as to which strains will be the most likely and they choose from that research the 3 strains to include in the vaccine for that year. So, yes, you can get a flu shot and then catch a strain that isn't included in the 3 of the vaccine. It's much less likely, but it IS possible.

As for the "stomach flu" that is also going around this year... using the term "flu" with it is a misnomer. It is not an influenza virus, rather it's usually gastroenteritis. But, it's called the "stomach flu" as a colloquialism even though it has nothing to do with an influenza virus. So, a flu shot won't help you at all with the other "flu" going around right now that presents with it "coming out of both ends," as it were. lol I've had gastroenteritis and it is horrific. Dehydration is the most dangerous part of this particular virus.

I usually get a flu shot every year, but haven't in the last 4 years or so... hadn't had an issue until this year. I actually got influenza last week. I have had the actual flu many times in my life and it usually incurred about a 10-14 day recovery process for me. This year I went to the doctor immediately and got Tamiflu and I will say it is nothing short of a wonder drug. I was only out of work 3 days, then the weekend and back on the next Monday, which is almost inconceivable from my previous experiences with the flu.

[Mel]

My Pulmonary and Sleep specialist is pretty insistent that I get the shot every year. With copd the flu would put me in the hospital.

[PennyQuilts]

I work in retail and, for instance, right now, I'm fixing to count the drawer. Money (coin or cash) is the worst transmitter of virus' and bacteria. That's one reason I can see us going away from being a monetary society and only if that is the case, we should all be able to swipe our own cards. It's enough not knowing where your card is going but if you can swipe it yourself, we all feel safer, both financially and health wise. Will be washing my hands after this count ;-)

I've never felt OCD but I must have washed my hands with antibacterial stuff 30 times, today. Got out the clorox sheets to wipe down the counters. When a lady handed me her phone to look at a picture, I took it and then she apologized for handing me something that was probably germ infested. I told her to stand right there and ran to get both of us a clorox wipe. She wiped her phone, I cleaned my hands. We were of one mind and no one was offended.

[Questor]

In an attempt to tweak out everyone's OCD, think about this....

Almost all fast food restaurants have air dryers in their restrooms, not paper towels. That means the guy handling your food, even if he washes his hands before returning to work, just touched the grimy bathroom door handle moments before. And Oklahoma is not a state that requires restaraunt folks to wear gloves during food prep.

Bon appetit.

[ljbab728]

When I went to the grocery store today the young man at the check stand coughed into his hand just before starting to check me out. I didn't say anything but I probably should have. Handling my food and my money after coughing into your hand doesn't strike me as being too safe.

[boscorama]

When I went to the grocery store today the young man at the check stand coughed into his hand just before starting to check me out. I didn't say anything but I probably should have. Handling my food and my money after coughing into your hand doesn't strike me as being too safe.

Am I the only one who wants to correct people for coughing/sneezing into their hands? Why is there not a PR push to cough into the elbow? Why?

[Lauri101]

With a weakened immune system from the medicines I take, I always get a flu shot. Knock wood, no signs of flu since I've been getting the shot. This year I had the "short needle"version at Target and it was painless and paid for completely by insurance.

I was out of town this past week in DC and noticed lots of people wearing masks in public places and on airplanes. Even walking down street - it did make for a surreal sight but makes sense with so many people around. This year seems to be especially bad and people are nervous about it.

[zookeeper]

I've been really sick with all of the flu symptoms. I even felt too sick to get out and go to a quick clinic for Tamiflu. Today is the first day in awhile where I've felt even a tiny bit better.