More silent weapons

I noticed a news article last week about Minnesota having issues with the Flu also, just some random tidbit I remember. This still doesn't seem as bad as the "Swine Flu" year...I was lucky enough to catch it that time, and it was absolutely miserable. Got any links on the uptick on middle aged cases?

H1N1 seemed like a bigger “scare” too

Yeah, it was definitely blown out of proportion. But it really, really sucked if you were unlucky enough to get it. No vomit...just an incredibly high fever (mine peaked at 105.7 if I recall correctly). Aches and pains, migraines, chills, hot sweats. My whole family got it and all of us were bedridden for a week, really showed me the importance of the family unit- we were all terribly sick but we had to take care of each other. No one else could. Fucking miserable, and the worst I've ever felt in my life. But even then, it was blown way out of proportion as far as fear of getting it.

That sounds super brutal!

I got hit with this years bad flu and I was knocked on my ass for 12 days. I’m young and healthy, so it would be scary for older folks.

I don’t love fear mongering, I’m sure no one in this sub does, but the amount of adults who don’t follow basic hygiene practices is alarming! maybe the fear mongering is s good reminder for people to cover their mouths, stay home if sick, etc.

I got it as well. It was probably the second worst flu I remember. In 2011, I got a flu that gave me a fever for 8 straight days, peaking at like 103.5. I've never had a fever that long, before or since.

H3N2 was the main strain in 2011-2012. Considered to be generally more severe than H1N1 and influenza B. It's also the predominant strain this year. Maybe that's why that 21 year old died.

My son had swine flu and dang near died. It was super bad.

Thanks for the links. How unfortunate for him and his family :(

In the newspaper today it was reported one person died so far in my city from the flu.

My husband just got over having the flu. He is 64 and hasn't had the flu in 20 years. No flu shot for either of us.

He didn't go to the doctor. Just rode it out.

I'm fine. I quarantined him in the bedroom and I slept in the guest room. I made sure I washed my hands after tending to him too.

What did you feed him? And how many toilet breaks was he permitted?

LOL! I took very good care of him. He is 99% better now. Still coughing a little bit.

That last 1% is going to take twice as long, and require extra ice cream and foot rubs and football watching while propped up with extra pillows, if he does it right! ;)

Honestly, I do rub his feet daily! No joke! I've always done this. Well, maybe not daily when the children were little (I was too busy). But I really have always given him foot rubs. (I'm a good wife!)

I wonder if the spread of the flu has less to do with cold weather and more to do with the close proximity of humans during this particular time of year.

There's the months leading up to Christmas, where people are cramming themselves in public places (including restaurants cause the spent all their "cooking time" shopping) and the events following such as boxing day/week/month.

Here’s some scary thoughts, lots of sick folks don’t go to the doctors or hospitals and they self treat.

These sickos haven’t been properly diagnosed and we don’t know what strain of the flu they’ve got.

These sick folks are out there in the work places, grocery stores, McDonald’s, gas stations and the Walmarts infecting others.

These sick & infected folks aren’t actually being counted in the numbers of sickos—and even without them, that number is through the roof.

Why go to a doctor for the flu? There is nothing they can do that you can't do at home unless you are so sick you need to be hospitalized. Antibiotics do not help with the flu, pharmacies are out of Tamaflu. So many people simply can't afford hospitalization. Some people are sick for weeks. People lose their jobs when they take two weeks sick leave. My sister laughs at my belief in EmergenC. Until she got sick. Now she is a believer.

The flu can be deadly. That’s why you seek medical attention.

Now I’m not saying if you just have a low grade fever and the sniffles, we are talking about the full blown flu, where you have crud in your lungs that just won’t come up.

Relentless coughing, dehydration, high fever and chills...this stuff kills people.

Read up on the 1918-1919 Spanish Flu. Vitamin C, D, heroine, almond milk and a gluten free diet will only protect you from so much.

Although I’m only kind of mocking you, a healthy immune system can only do so much. Once these flu bugs hit the lungs and turn into pneumonia, “you’re gonna have a bad day.”

No amount of Sunny D is gonna fix that.

I am not saying it isn't deadly. I am saying that every person that gets the flu doesn't end up in the hospital. AND MANY PEOPLE AVOID DOCTORS AND HOSPITALS BECAUSE THEY CANT AFFORD IT AND THEY CONTINUE TO GO TO WORK BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID OF LOING THEIR JOBS. DUH...If your symptoms are bad enough, you should go to the Dr.or hospital and worry about the bill later. Duh... I happen to be familiar with the flu epidemic of 1918-1919.
My daughter has a compromised immune system and often ends getting pneumonia from the common flu and ends up in ER.
My son almost died from the swine flu. He had to get medical care. I do not have insurance. If I thought my life was in danger, I would suck it up and go the hospital. But in order to boost my immune system, I avoid antibiotics unless absolutely necessary and I take my stupid SUNNY D.

Someone in my city died from the flu. Dude was younger than 25

How do you know this to be true?

How do we know anything is true?

Evidence, usually.

www.today.com/health/21-year-old-fitness-buff-s-death-flu-shows-risks-t121057

This happened but the article just sounds like fear mongering. Complications were prob because he was roiding.

It was on the local news.

I'm sure he was healthy as an ox too. Everyone panic!

Why so much pro flu propaganda here today?

Probably because we all have the fucking flu.

Boo hoo. Get over it.

I love how it's being suggested that people call in sick if they're ill like that's even an option for most people.

I was quarantined and hospitalized because of this flu and apparently 30 people in one day went to the er

Yes, my whole family, and apparently everyone else's is passing it around right now. My mom went to the hospital with it today, and I'm hoping I'm just having some coincidental symptoms, or power of suggestion. For the record, towards your point, I haven't been sick of any kind in years.

My Mom just went to the ER an hour ago. Very high fever, body aches, trouble breathing, it was really bad. In fact I've never seen her that bad before. I hope your Mom has a speedy recovery.

Thanks, and the same to your mother. These bugs do seem to keep getting worse, either by someone's design, or that thing about antibiotics being over prescribed, and too many people not taking all of them really is causing a double whammy problem.

COME ON!!! People, the flu is a virus. Antibiotics are for bacteria and do not work on viruses. They are 2 different things. And YES the virus does have the potential to get worse every year. As in it evolves and continues to try to spread itself. So we have to continue modifying the vaccines. It's a never ending cycle really. There are viruses that have been around for hundreds of thousands of years.

True, I should have remembered that, I've worked in a medical clinic. We'll call that a brain fart of trying to use the term generically, like calling all soda Coke- but worse. I was sick and tired, and passing out. People still need to take all of their medication though- for the same reason.

Yea, my 75 year old mother who has not had the flu in 25+ years just got taken to the hospital by ambulance with a 105 degree fever. She looked terrible, I've never seen her look that before. Scary.

Well...she is 75. Take a wild guess as to what your more susceptible to as you age.

proof flu shots are bullshit

That's not proof dude

I work in pharma and we sold more Tamiflu in the past month than in the past year. I do understand the flu vaccines from this year were made for a different strain and the one infecting everyone is a mutation so the vaccine isn't as effective.

Just wait till the humidity around the world goes up in the next 30-50 years, we will see Influenza die out, and the age of mold and spores will begin.

So people don't get viruses in high humidity environments?

Oh they do, it's just influenza itself doesn't specifically like humidity.

It's been in the news for months now people. This year's vaccine is only 10% effective. If you don't know what that means, you may not be properly informed on how the flu mutates every year or how we are always playimg catch up with a new vaccine. So please, go learn about it. Google. Wikipedia. Don't jump to conclusions and work yourself up in a frenzied, uninformed circle jerk.

A knob. You literally asked if anyone else has noticed something that has widely been reported on every news outlet worldwide for months. Also it is an annual part of life. Either you're a hermit, it's your 1st year on Earth, or your trying to make a conspiracy out of a known and expected medical issue. You're trying to populate a sub about conspiracy theories by writing about something so not a conspiracy, and so mindlessness that only the most uninformed people latch on and agree with you. "UUUH HUUUR I DUN HERD THE FLU IS MAKIN THE WEATHER COLD TOO!" Stop creating bullshit. Here's your knob back. Go sit on it.

I had suspicions this year was worse, based entirely on the fact most people I knew came down with it over Christmas and had a horrible time. Lots of people I know couldn't eat a Christmas dinner so sad</3 but now seeing lots of posts about it across the world, it does seem we all got hit by it pretty hard.

Maybe we were all test subjects without our knowledge/consent.

It's really bad here in Canada: the hospitals are packed and people are taking 3+ weeks to recover.

The weather has also been crazy: -20 and then +11, on and off.

Read an article yesterday that mentioned how bad it is in Australia too, and that the flu shot has only ended up being 10% effective (but they're still pushing it!!).

By the time you've made this comment I pretty much have thanks.

Thanks, and the same to your mother. These bugs do seem to keep getting worse, either by someone's design, or that thing about antibiotics being over prescribed, and too many people not taking all of them really is causing a double whammy problem.

COME ON!!! People, the flu is a virus. Antibiotics are for bacteria and do not work on viruses. They are 2 different things. And YES the virus does have the potential to get worse every year. As in it evolves and continues to try to spread itself. So we have to continue modifying the vaccines. It's a never ending cycle really. There are viruses that have been around for hundreds of thousands of years.