The Flu

Ultradog MN · Mar 3, 2012

Is it going around everywhere?
I hadn't even heard much about it here in Minnesota.
But boy on Monday did I get hammered by it. Layed me flat out, on fire, and completely miserable since then. I actually got scared and called the triage nurse to ask what the symptoms of pneumonia were. She told me to come in so I saw the Doctor yesterday. He said it's just a virus and will be gone in 5-7 days.
Does it seem like the flu is becoming more violent these days? I had it about 3 years ago and now this time and it's a heck of a lot nastier than I ever remember when I was younger.
Do you all get flu shots? Sometimes I do sometimes I don't. I didn't this year.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 3, 2012

flu shots were mandatory when I was a soldier (think they still are). Sickest I've ever been was when I got my 1st and only flu shot in 1985. Always managed to be sick or away at shot time the next 10 years. I hear the new ones aren't supposed to make you sick but not really willing to try them.

Russ from MN · Mar 3, 2012

We get the shot, don't get the flu! Recently we got shots for shingles, our insurance company recommended it and paid for it. I also got a shot for pneumonia, my father died from complications that started with pneumonia.

ILLEFTY · Mar 3, 2012

I'm a diabetic, so I get one every year except this year. Had a virus that takes about 4 months to completely go away. Doctor won't give me a flu shot until it was completely gone. Have had a 3 day flu twice this year. Going to make sure I get the flu shot next year.

Vito · Mar 3, 2012

Jerry,
Hope you feel better.We had some thing going around here.Haven't felt 100 % all winter.Never got cold enough to wipe out the germs this year.

Vito

S.Crum · Mar 3, 2012

I've avoided flu shots for over 10 years now. My chiropractor had told me how these syrums are stabilized with mercury and/or formaldahyde. My daughter and I both had the pig flu a few years back but were apparently lucky enough to have it early in the mutation stages before it got real nasty. So I only missed 2 half days of work daughter was down 3 days with it

Geo-TH,In · Mar 3, 2012

Never had a flu shot, they are for the young and really old and I don't fall into either catagory at 63.

Did get a bug that has taken 3 weeks to almost get rid of. Fever, headaches, sweats, chills, no stomach problems.

El Toro · Mar 3, 2012

That sounds like the flu. I get the flu shots every year. It blinded one of my Army buddy's back in 1957 in one eye. We had the flu that year and spent a week in bed. Hal

Leroy · Mar 3, 2012

I got the first I ever heard of them. Had every year since then except one when expecting work to arange for them like before and they didn,t, next year they were back furnishing them. Allways got flu bad till got the shot, then only time since was the year I missed and had the other shot I think 3 times now, supposed to be like 5 year apart and medicare would not pay for closer but last fall after my heart surgery the doc said get both and medicare paid for it and was I think 2 years since the one before, And never have had even a tingle from the shots.

RayP(MI) · Mar 3, 2012

Wife is in chemo, so all the family members "HAD" to get flu shots.... Fortunately daugher is pharmacist, and got them for us, cheaper...

So far, no one has come down with the flu, here, but season is far from over, and there"s always a strain that isn"t anticipated when they meke the nnalert. We"ll see if that one gets us.
I usually avoid the flu shot, as I end up getting flu anyway in spite fo the shot.

larry@stinescorner · Mar 3, 2012

I got hit hard by it here in nj, never had a flu shot and never had the flu till this year,knocked the hell out of me,still have a cough after two weeks,slept for 3 or 4 days last week. Luckily my wife or daughter did not get it, My wife said there is 70 kids who are out of the grammar school with it ,and a teacher passed out the other day, I always thought I was pretty tough ,but this flu sure showed me, I could see how it could kill an older person,

MarkWV · Mar 3, 2012

daughter got swine flu 2 years ago, she was 16, hospital for 3 days. I started flu shot that week, gonna from now on. May be my imagination, seem to get sick less last 2 years, but also pay better attention to washing hands etc as well, hope you feel 100% soon

ShepFL · Mar 3, 2012

I agree with dave2.
USN would give us shots to immunize. Since I got out never taken flu shot and knock on wood never got flu.

Buddy of mine swears by the shot - both he and wife get the shot then later in the yr. both are down hard with flu. Told him he was infecting himself with shots but he thinks I am cookoo.

Kirk Grau · Mar 3, 2012

The recommendation now is that everybody have a flu shot (according to CDC). Was at my physical a year or so back and Doc suggested a flu shot. I thought he was telling me I had passed into the "old" category at 50, but he informed me of the current suggestions.

rrlund · Mar 3, 2012

I'm telling you what! I've had it twice! First time the middle of January,then again just after Valentines day. Both times the fever alone lasted four days. The aches and fatigue still haven't completely gone away. The wife started coming down with it for the second time last Sunday,so she's been out of commission pretty much all week again. It's some BAD stuff. The older I get,the slower I recover.

Fordfarmer · Mar 3, 2012

Been going around here, too. None of us ever got sick much until Luke started school. Had a nasty version of it about a month ago. Sweats, chills, nausea, diarrhea... bad enough to make me get help and miss a milking. Grace and Ethan were lucky enough to get a real mild version of it.

SweetFeet · Mar 3, 2012

BE CAREFUL! Lots of rest and lots of fluids.

Got influenza in beginning of November, it turned into pneumonia the following week. Eleven straight days of fever between 102-104 degrees. Missed 9 days of work and I don't normally miss work.(For some reason the doc told me to go outside for a couple minutes every day even though it was cold out and I had a fever...said the fresh cool air was good. I did do that, not sure what impact it had.)

Was weak and tired for an additional 5-6 weeks and the cough lasted about another month beyond that - took a nap after work every day and went to sleep by 7 pm every night for weeks and weeks. NASTY STUFF! Getting a flu shot next year, don't care for a repeat.

Norovirus is also going around... that is a serious stomach bug. Our 12 year old got it about a week ago, very ill and high fever - but it only lasted a couple days. The rest of us were fortunate to avoid it.

Husband got inflenza and missed an entire week of work last May. He NEVER misses work.

Lamar Fudd · Mar 3, 2012

1957 was a BAD year for flu. It's a virus that hit during WW I and survivors of THAT flu have been 'naturally' immune to others. I had the 1957 flu and, as you said, left me bedridden for a week straight at NINE years old. I never forgot it. I can easily see how an older person could die. My point is this; I've gotten what some would call flu since then, but it never lasted more than 2 or 3 days. And no flu shots, either. Doctors noticed that survivors of the WW I flu that were still alive in 1957 didn't get the '57 variety, even though at their advanced age they should have. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger"

Jerry/MT · Mar 3, 2012

Glad you"re feeling better. My wife and I both got flu shots and my wife came down with it last week. When she gets these things she normally gets really bad bronchitis and needs antibiotics to prevent the secondary infection that will give her pneumonia. She took her last treatment of antibiotic last night and she has been starting to feel better.
So far, I haven"t got it. I don"t get to town as often as ahe does and that may reduce my exposure risk. It"s bad stuff, though.I also believe that when you"re "older" these infections havea stronger effect on you.

Geo-TH,In · Mar 3, 2012

ARE YOU CALLING ME OLD???

What's a physical? Is that where a Dr checkes you out with one finger? Only did that once!

Kirk Grau · Mar 3, 2012

That is pretty much how I responded.

Dr. pointed out that in the last few years the recommendation has changed so now everybody should have the flu shot regardless of age.

Yeah, about to turn 50 so the one finger exam has become part of the routine.

Kirk

Geo-TH,In · Mar 3, 2012

I want a second opinion. Last time I asked a DR for a second opinion, he told me I was ugly too.

Texasmark1 · Mar 3, 2012

Sorry to hear about your bad luck. Down here in N. Texas, there hasn't been any. You can go where you want and nobody is sick, not even store clerks that have exposure to the masses. Even moms at the stores, who usually are sick because kids are always sick (don't take care of themselves) nada. Suits me.

Went to the Dr. the other day to get my first allergy shot....and boy did it work and no one in the waiting room had any kind of (outward indication of) influenza. On the shot, I have 160 cedar trees in my yard and with the mild winter and adequate rain they are going nuts.

Mark

awhtx · Mar 3, 2012

I remember the last time you had the flu- just in time for the FFCA convention in Union Grove, WI.

donjr · Mar 3, 2012

Betcha ya haven't forgot that bi-cillin shot in boot camp, didja!

tjdub · Mar 4, 2012

The last time I had it (2006 I think) it hit me so hard I thought I was going to die. I'd had the flu several times, but definitely not that bad. Was helping conduct job interviews at work (shaking hands of a lot of people from out of the area). After a few days of 103F fever, I went to the doctor and they said "Well, can't be the flu, not a single case in this area, come back in a week if you're not improving.". Went back a week later still maintaining 103F and feeling ready to die and they said, "oh yeah, you got the flu dummy, lots of cases this week, but you've had it too long for antivirals.". Well worth the money!

It was weeks before I had any energy again. All I can say is thank God we have ibuprofen and acetaminophen these days to reduce fevers.

Dachshund · Mar 4, 2012

I had the Flu Shot in 1984 and 1985 while on active duty with the USMC. For 3 weeks after BOTH shots, I was sicker than a dog! When it came time for the 1986 shot - I refused (it was "mandatory" for us, too). I told them "Court Marshall me now - because I'm never taking one of those shots again"!

I will NEVER get another one.

The Flu

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