I didn't want to put this on the blog but felt like it is important enough for people to know about it so here you go...
A colleague of mine got sick about two weeks ago and I talked her for about 30mins and 2 hours after our conversation, I was dizzy and I came down with a flu right away. I had a fever and body ache but I went about my business for about 10 more days. Three days ago, everything went down hill... My fever wouldn't break, my headache won't go away, the chest congestion and cough just kicked in. I've never felt so bad before that I couldn't go to work or do anything else, so I knew that the cold was bad. Yes, I suspected that it was H1N1 but had to get tested to know for sure right?
So, I went to the hospital to see my primary care doctor, she prescribed a few medications for my symptoms while she sat about 6 feet away from me while we were both wearing surgical masks. She said that everything was fine and there wasn't a need to get tested for H1N1 or getting the Tamiflu or other antiviral drugs. I was sitting there thinking, if everything is ok, why are you sitting so far away from me with your mask on? I went home, took all the meds, and woke up the next morning didn't feel a tad better.
At the suggestion of my wise mother, I went to the ER the next day and found out the reasons that my primary care doctor didn't want to get me tested. This is what I want to share with those of you who are in the US... The ER doctor told me that they have had a lot of patients that came in with influenza. The seasonal influenza actually kills more people than then H1N1 (or swine flu) and since Northern California only has one laboratory that can test for H1N1, doctors in ER have been ordered by CDC not to send tests to labs but just prescribe antiviral drugs for those that go in with flu like symptoms.
This experience tells me that the CDC no longer tracks the number of patients with H1N1 and it is far more prevalent than we think. You probably had it, fought it off, and passed it to someone else already... Whoever has flu like symptoms that last longer than usual should get yourself treated right away with antiviral drugs. In the mean time, stay away from your healthy family members and wear a mask to prevent giving the flu to others if you have to go somewhere public. Kids and pregnant women are especially high risk. And to avoid complications, stay away from aspirin and aspirin related products if you suspect that you have H1N1.
I did get my antiviral medicine from the ER but never got tested for H1N1. I'm ordered not to go into work for a week... so good luck everyone, stay healthy!
4 comments:
Those are all very good pointers, and I hope you feel better soon! However, I think we should be mindful about asking for antiviral drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza after our symptoms aggressively appear, unless we are in an at-risk category of patient. Influenza is particularly well suited to mutate when confronted with these drugs once the virus has become infectious; for instance, H1N1 is now essentially immune to two older antiviral drugs, amantadine and rimantadine. It sounds like you were very sick, though, and were an appropriate patient. Again, feel better soon!
I agree with that! It's not that I asked for the drugs, it's that testings are backed up so they just assume everyone goes in with the H1N1 symptons have them! It was definitely to my surprise! I am 90% recovered, thank you!
you okay?
yes! still alive! are you in Canada already?
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