As many of you already know, the first weeks of pregnancy were pretty rough with me. The last 2 or 3 weeks have been totally amazing though and I've been out living life, having fun and eating like a pig! Hooray!

Today I had to get a repeat prescription as I'm still taking anti-emetics, which are enabling me to carry on with life and enjoy my pregnancy. When I got there, I let out a cough. Doc started asking me about it. Yes, I have had a cough for a few days, I don't really have a temperature, I have had a sore throat and not been feeling too great but it's nothing compared to either CH or the weeks of constant sickness I had not so long ago and I've been getting along just fine (other than a small fainting spell I had in a pharmacy on Saturday morning, but that is part of pregnancy for some women).

Apparently, I'm displaying 'flu-like symptoms'. I was taken to a room where another doctor was wearing a plastic apron, a mask and rubber gloves. He took my temp, BP, looked in my throat, listened to my chest etc... And yes, I have mild-flu like symptoms. Surely that could just be a COLD??? Oh no. So now, just as I'm getting back into work full time (I've only been back properly for 2 weeks after being off 4 weeks for honeymoon then 8 weeks with hyperemesis) I can't go to work until Thursday and even then, only if all my symptoms have gone away. The doc himself even told me that so far, it seems like swine flu is milder generally than our usual strain of flu, which has mutated and been around the globe and learned how to attack us efficiently.

I totally appreciate that other people out there could catch it from me and suffer worse than I am, but what is the point if they won't even give me a straight answer. They won't tell me I have flu or I don't. I haven't been given anything to treat it because it is mild, but poor Stephen is also now trapped here because when I called work, they said it was best for him to stay home too. Again, he was in all day today. Isn't that a little late to keep him home? I went into town shopping on Sat, I was in work last week when the cough started. Surely the incubation period has already passed now...

Is this an overreaction or am I just feeling a bit put out by all this as it was unexpected?

Oink, oink...  ;)

xx

PS - Though it isn't a joking matter for some, my sis did wonder if maybe my poor munchkin would be born with a snout? Made me laugh... :)

Em wrote on Jul 13^th, 2009 at 2:10pm:

They won't tell me I have flu or I don't.

Did they test you specifically to get the flu type? If so, did they say how long it would take??



Em wrote on Jul 13^th, 2009 at 2:10pm:

Isn't that a little late to keep him home? I went into town shopping on Sat, I was in work last week when the cough started. Surely the incubation period has already passed now...

If someone still has symptoms, they may be contagious. It is hard to prevent someone from infecting others the day before they develop symptoms, but those who assume that they are over the worst of it may still infect others. Here is one 'rule of thumb' that is generally a way to cut down on transmission - but some individuals will be contagious after the 5/7 days:

[quote]Adults who are infected with the virus are contagious and can spread the disease from one day before their flu symptoms develop and up to five days after they become sick. Children may be contagious for more than seven days.  

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If I don't  :-X I will be totally politically incorrect.  Asinine overreaction IMHO.

Jerry

I read an article recently discussing why viruses spread faster in our country then in many others. Our culture has an attitude of "gut it out" when you're sick and go to work anyways, resulting in a spread of viruses. Other countries wouldn't think of going to work with flu or even cold symptoms......fun topic for debate.....who knoiws what the "right" answer is???????

Joe

Wisconsin has the largest number of confirmed cases of H1N1 in our country.  Why?  Because we have 5 labs testing it with virtually no backlog.  In some states there are MONTHS long backlog.

They should have tested you since pregnancy can sometimes bring on further complications.

Here's the CDC's information.

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Em wrote on Jul 13^th, 2009 at 2:10pm:

. The doc himself even told me that so far, it seems like swine flu is milder generally than our usual strain of flu, which has mutated and been around the globe and learned how to attack us efficiently.

That's another curious thing - how often have we seen so much flu through the whole year?

It's like the Who said:

I'm gonna take two weeks
gonna have a fine vacation
I'm gonna take my problem
to the United Nations !
don't know have a inkling
what the doctor's gonna do
but there aint no cure
for the summer time flu!

monty wrote on Jul 14^th, 2009 at 2:50am:

It's like the Who said: I'm gonna take two weeks gonna have a fine vacation I'm gonna take my problem to the United Nations ! don't know have a inkling what the doctor's gonna do but there aint no cure for the summer time flu!

(It was actually Eddie Cochran that said it - the Who just covered it - but I ain't gonna split hairs on this one with ya, monty.  ;D )

Thanks all.

They didn't test me for it. Apparently they don't see the point now because it's currently mild for the majority of people and it's spreading quickly. So instead, anyone with flu-like symptoms is being signed off work for 5 days and told to take it easy and drink lots of fluids. Also I was told that my symptoms are mild and as being pregnant doesn't make me high risk, the side-effects from tamiflu are way worse than how I feel now so there's no point me taking anything for it.

I think this is my main bug bear. If I knew I had it, then fine let's deal with it. But Stephen has to stay home too (our employers have told us both to stay away until my symptoms totally go) and he's cross because he doesn't want to fall behind - plus he's driving me totally bananas!! We're also supposed to have our 20wk scan on Friday and find out what flavour munchkin we're having and to think that maybe now we can't go over what could be a simple cold is a big let down. Surely the test can't be that expensive or difficult. I would just like to know either way.

Joe - you make a really good point. Exactly why I wasn't in at the end of last week. I was feeling a bit peaky and didn't want to chance catching something worse from people after all the sickness I'd already had. Clearly maybe I was too late. We'll never know...  

Em
xx

Brew wrote on Jul 14^th, 2009 at 7:28am:

(It was actually Eddie Cochran that said it - the Who just covered it - but I ain't gonna split hairs on this one with ya, monty.  ;D )

Duly noted - there are gaps in my knowledge of music that are large enough to ... well, they are pretty large gaps!  

Guiseppi wrote on Jul 13^th, 2009 at 6:33pm:

I read an article recently discussing why viruses spread faster in our country then in many others. Our culture has an attitude of "gut it out" when you're sick and go to work anyways, resulting in a spread of viruses. Other countries wouldn't think of going to work with flu or even cold symptoms......fun topic for debate.....who knoiws what the "right" answer is??????? Joe

This happens especially in times like this. If your not at work there is someone waiting to take your place. Also some people can't afford to take off when ever they are sick.


Paul

PS Em, get well soon, and enjoy your extra holiday.

I used to have their album, but last I saw it was maybe '76.  If you like "Summertime Blues", a band Blue Cheer does an excellent garage band type version from about '68.  My computer can't post the any utube links, but if you can find it, give'er a listen.   ;)      8-)

Thanks Paul!

Work have hooked me up with remote access, so I'm able to help my team out from here. Thank goodness.

Working from home definitely has it's benefits. **She says 'working' at her desk in her pj's at 1pm tucking into a nice ham and coleslaw sandwich with the iPod going...**  :) I could get used to this!

  I remember Blue cheer doing "Summer Time Blues" in concert at the Earl Warren Showgrounds in 68. Cream and The Chambers Brothers played there also. CA was fun back then.
  Please be well Em.
[smiley=smokin.gif]

16 Days ago I finally went to the doctor because I had a mild sore throat and my cough was getting worse. It crossed my mind that it may be swine flu. The main symptom I was missing was the high fever. It turned out that I had bronchitis and a sinus infection. He never tested me either.

Charlotte