Flu

[Soñadora]

Friday afternoon I came down with the crud. Pretty sudden. By the evening, my temp was 101. So my Saturday was shot. My typical routine is to take some NyQuil at night which gives me awesome sleep and great dreams, but by morning I'm pretty groggy from it. Still had the shakes a little throughout the day. Cough and headache, but by evening I was recovering well. My temp was normal. Today I still have a little cough, but otherwise feel fine. I expect by tomorrow I'll be at least 99%.

I'm not a fan of flu shots, so I don't get them. Many of the people I know who get a flu shot end up with flu symptoms shortly after the shot. I figure it's ok to give the ol' immune system a workout once in a while.

Who here gets flu shots and what has your experience been with them?

[kimbottles]

Because of that recent bout with pneumonia I had to wait until this last week to get my annual flu shot. Got it and as always no side effects. I have only had the flu in years I did not get a shot so it seems like a reasonable plan to get one.

[Orestes Munn]

Unlikely that you've got the actual flu, Rick. its usually worse than that.

The shots save lives, thousands of them. If you don't mind getting ill, consider the fact that you are shedding virus for days before you get sick and that it might kill someone weaker than you.

Flu vaccine is a condition of my job, so I have gotten it since it became available. I have felt a little feverish that night once or twice and once got a funky immune reaction with an attack of mouth sores and some other "exquisite little inconveniences". I've also had the flu...

[bob perry]

I get a flu shot each year. Started doing it about ten years ago. So far so good.
I also got a Shingles shot this year. Two of my friends came down with Shingles within a week of each other just before Chtistmas. Not something I'd want to experience.

[kimbottles]

my Dad had shingles, after seeing that experience I will get my shingle shot when I turn 65 in June.

[Tigger]

I always get a flu shot. I've had, I think, mildly annoying flu-like symptoms for 24 hours once in about 20 years of getting a shot. Worth it.

Curiously, some years (like this one) I get a wee bit of a reaction to the shot and feel slightly pooey for 24 hours. Other years, no reaction to it whatsoever.

[Ish]

I haven't had a flu shot for a couple of years, it seems I get my annual cold at Christmas no matter what.

I had shingles right after I left West Marine, from the small of my back around and down into my groin. I assume the stress did it to me. I was in agony for a couple of weeks, I lived in a nightshirt night and day. I hope I never get it again, but it's always in your system.

[Soñadora]

Interesting

I've looked a bit more into this and maybe my apprehension regarding flu shots is misguided.

Do flu shots reduce the effectiveness of or weaken the immune system?
Does the prevalence of immunizations mean that there are stronger more potent flu strains waiting to evolve?
If what I had wasn't the flu, what was it? When I get a cold, it typically hangs on for 2 weeks or so with no fever. This came on suddenly with aches and fever, mild coughing and a little runny nose. After 36 hrs or so, I'm feeling much better. I suppose there are many other viruses (virii?) out there that could do this besides flu.

I had a friend who had shingles. No way I want to deal with that nasty stuff. I got a shingles vaccine when my tetenus was renewed.

Eric, interesting that you 'shed' the virus while recovering. Does that happen if you've been immunized? I know that sounds like a silly question, but I'm not 100% sure how immunization works.

[BeauV]

Eric,

While you're pondering a reply to Rick (see what happens when we figure out you actually know something?), I've heard that while one is health and relatively strong you should just let your imune system deal with the bug and fight it off. Then, when you're old and weaker (which I'm working on) you should get flu shots to help out the other old folks you're around and yourself. But, that having the flu is actually a good thing for your imune system, even if it isn't very polite to those around you.

Beau

[Orestes Munn]

Interesting

I've looked a bit more into this and maybe my apprehension regarding flu shots is misguided.

Do flu shots reduce the effectiveness of or weaken the immune system?
Does the prevalence of immunizations mean that there are stronger more potent flu strains waiting to evolve?
If what I had wasn't the flu, what was it? When I get a cold, it typically hangs on for 2 weeks or so with no fever. This came on suddenly with aches and fever, mild coughing and a little runny nose. After 36 hrs or so, I'm feeling much better. I suppose there are many other viruses (virii?) out there that could do this besides flu.

I had a friend who had shingles. No way I want to deal with that nasty stuff. I got a shingles vaccine when my tetenus was renewed.

Eric, interesting that you 'shed' the virus while recovering. Does that happen if you've been immunized? I know that sounds like a silly question, but I'm not 100% sure how immunization works.

In simplest terms, what the vaccine does is teach the immune system to recognize the bug, next time it sees it, so it can attack it immediately and prevent infection. This is necessary because the virus is always changing its appearance. Often, however, the immune system recognizes the vaccine enough to get activated. Interestingly, one of the most serious factors in making you sick when you have the flu is the attack of the immune system on the infected tissues and this is why you sometimes get a little bit flu-y from the vaccine itself if the immune system recognizes it..

I don't know how much impact immunization has on the evolution of the virus. However, it doesn't breed superbugs the way misuse of antibiotics does. The evolutionary strategy of the flu virus is continually to change its appearance to the immune system, not developing the ability to overcome it. When you think about it, the effect of mass immunization is really not much different from a population getting naturally immune from exposure to the virus.

What you had was what the medical community would call a "viral syndrome" or a "flu-like illness", caused by another virus. While it could have been real influenza, that more often causes a week or two of prostrating illness with high fever and body pains. The great danger is the frequency with which people suffering from flu get bacterial pneumonia and other complications. Imagine what you described multiplied by 10.

The point about shedding virus is that you can be contagious for a day or so before you actually come down with symptoms (when the virus is replicating in you, but the immune system hasn't yet figured out something's wrong and attacked it), giving you a chance to spread the bug around, possibly to people for whom it would be very dangerous.

If any of this is incorrect I hope Olaf will straighten us out.

[Orestes Munn]

Eric,

While you're pondering a reply to Rick (see what happens when we figure out you actually know something?), I've heard that while one is health and relatively strong you should just let your imune system deal with the bug and fight it off. Then, when you're old and weaker (which I'm working on) you should get flu shots to help out the other old folks you're around and yourself. But, that having the flu is actually a good thing for your imune system, even if it isn't very polite to those around you.

Beau

You may know something I don't, but I haven't heard of any benefits of getting the flu relative to the vaccine. The vaccine does injure people occasionally, but the risk is small compared to the dangers of getting the flu at any age.

[BeauV]

Eric - thanks! Really helpful. Also, thank you for educating we non-medical clods here. Beau

[Orestes Munn]

Eric - thanks! Really helpful. Also, thank you for educating we non-medical clods here. Beau

I'm unaware of any clods here and always grateful for an occasion to bombinate.

[Rob McAlpine]

I always get flu shots. Still, Christmas Eve I came down deathly ill. After a miserable holiday I tested positive for type A, got on tamiflu, seemed to clear up, no one else in the house got sick. Took my son to Taos last Sunday for some skiing, went to drive back Friday when I started sinking again. The little guy drove us home.

I was really sick and cramping when we got home, couldn't get warm.

I really thought I was relapsing but the wife drug me down to the ER, fortunately an old ski bud is the chief there.

Well, I'm posting this From The iPhone from a hospital bed, trying to clear up a blockage in the small intestine. I strongly advise against going 3 days without a shit. The tube down the schnozz to the stomach is no fun either.

The flu was more fun. This clod feels totally bombinated.

[BeauV]

Crikie Rob!!

Get well! For crying out loud we're supposed to be clods not get stopped up with 'em. That can't be any fun at all. It's events like yours that are my biggest concern in a long passage. It's the best reason I know for a good SSB or SatPhone.

Do get we'll soon!!

Beau

[Soñadora]

wow Rob! Thanks for posting from the hospital bed. That's real dedication right there!

Get well soon. Yikes!

[JoeP]

Get well soon Rob!

[bob perry]

Holy cow Rob! That sounds awful. I wish you a speedy recovery.
Prunes are good.

[Anomaly]

1) Rob, get well soon.

2)

It's events like yours that are my biggest concern in a long passage. It's the best reason I know for a good SSB or SatPhone.
Beau

Seems like an expensive laxative and a little harder to get down than prunes, but, I learn a lot from more experienced sailors on this forum....

[Orestes Munn]

1) Rob, get well soon.

2)

It's events like yours that are my biggest concern in a long passage. It's the best reason I know for a good SSB or SatPhone.
Beau

Seems like an expensive laxative and a little harder to get down than prunes, but, I learn a lot from more experienced sailors on this forum....

I start small with fasteners and maybe a shackle or two by the second day, if no go. Never had to eat a phone or a winch handle.

Poor Rob! That really sucks.

[GerryH]

Hope you're continuing to feel better, Rick. I got hit with the "real" flu a couple of years ago, and was blown away by how much pain I was in. I had heard all my life about the "aches and pains" of the flu, but never knew what anyone was talking about. Now I do. Felt like every injury I ever had all my life come to visit me at once; and they were all angry.

I'm still not very good about getting flu shots.

Rob -- yikes!! Hope you are getting better fast, too!!

As for long passages, and overall health and functioning, I am becoming a big fan of taking probiotics.

[Lin]

1) Rob, get well soon.

2)

It's events like yours that are my biggest concern in a long passage. It's the best reason I know for a good SSB or SatPhone.
Beau

Seems like an expensive laxative and a little harder to get down than prunes, but, I learn a lot from more experienced sailors on this forum....

I start small with fasteners and maybe a shackle or two by the second day, if no go. Never had to eat a phone or a winch handle.

Poor Rob! That really sucks.

You old salts don't try a can of McLube first? Save the shackles and sat phones as a last resort. Seth, your post gave me a good chuckle this morning.
Feel better soon, Rob. It sucks to be stuck in a hospital, but it can be the best place until you are well enough to go home again.

[Rob McAlpine]

The wife brought up my laptop so I'm not trying to type on that stupid phone. I've been here since Friday night, the NG tube came out last night after I managed some natural gas emissions, but I need to produce solid detritus from the last meal I ate Thursday night. If I can do that, they MAY let me out as early as tomorrow. If not, it's back in with the tube (which is truly horrible) or surgery, which will largely end the ski season.

I'm getting great care, the hospital is only a mile or so from my home so Beth has been around a lot. Thanks for the well wishes. I sort of wish this had been a flu relapse. Amazingly, I was running double blacks at Taos the day before this leveled me, and the Mexican combo at Tim's Stray Dog with both red and green chile should have been sufficient to simply burn through any obstruction, leaving well polished innards in its wake.

Sorry about the hijack, it was almost flu related.

[JoeP]

I'd try a cup of lanolin before using any of those high tech meds. Bacon grease might work...
Edit: Good to hear things are, uh, progressing. Best of luck!

[Orestes Munn]

You old salts don't try a can of McLube first?

I won't ask you to expatiate, at least on this most decorous of fora. Maybe we should take it to Fixit Anarchy

In unison now, POOR ROB!

[GerryH]

The wife brought up my laptop so I'm not trying to type on that stupid phone. I've been here since Friday night, the NG tube came out last night after I managed some natural gas emissions, but I need to produce solid detritus from the last meal I ate Thursday night. If I can do that, they MAY let me out as early as tomorrow. If not, it's back in with the tube (which is truly horrible) or surgery, which will largely end the ski season.

I'm getting great care, the hospital is only a mile or so from my home so Beth has been around a lot. Thanks for the well wishes. I sort of wish this had been a flu relapse. Amazingly, I was running double blacks at Taos the day before this leveled me, and the Mexican combo at Tim's Stray Dog with both red and green chile should have been sufficient to simply burn through any obstruction, leaving well polished innards in its wake.

Sorry about the hijack, it was almost flu related.

Glad to hear you're making some progress, Rob. Gotta run with your hijack for a bit -- I almost brought up Tim's on another thread here when you were talking about Taos. Was going to ask if you were familiar with the Stray Dog Cantina -- former manager and good friend of mine's Uncle was the original owner. She always wanted to get us together but, unfortunately, we didn't get the chance to make the pilgrimage down there to make turns and eat mexican food before he died. She did bring me back a t-shirt last time she went, though.

As far as your natural gas emissions, surely someone you know in the extraction industry could help here? This situation seems like it's possible that some aspect of fracking technology might help...

[Ish]

The wife brought up my laptop so I'm not trying to type on that stupid phone. I've been here since Friday night, the NG tube came out last night after I managed some natural gas emissions, but I need to produce solid detritus from the last meal I ate Thursday night. If I can do that, they MAY let me out as early as tomorrow. If not, it's back in with the tube (which is truly horrible) or surgery, which will largely end the ski season.

I'm getting great care, the hospital is only a mile or so from my home so Beth has been around a lot. Thanks for the well wishes. I sort of wish this had been a flu relapse. Amazingly, I was running double blacks at Taos the day before this leveled me, and the Mexican combo at Tim's Stray Dog with both red and green chile should have been sufficient to simply burn through any obstruction, leaving well polished innards in its wake.

Sorry about the hijack, it was almost flu related.

One word: psyllium. It's the main ingredient in Metamucil, which I started taking for various reasons. My entire digestive system has never worked so smoothly. Way better than prunes.

[Orestes Munn]

The wife brought up my laptop so I'm not trying to type on that stupid phone. I've been here since Friday night, the NG tube came out last night after I managed some natural gas emissions, but I need to produce solid detritus from the last meal I ate Thursday night. If I can do that, they MAY let me out as early as tomorrow. If not, it's back in with the tube (which is truly horrible) or surgery, which will largely end the ski season.

I'm getting great care, the hospital is only a mile or so from my home so Beth has been around a lot. Thanks for the well wishes. I sort of wish this had been a flu relapse. Amazingly, I was running double blacks at Taos the day before this leveled me, and the Mexican combo at Tim's Stray Dog with both red and green chile should have been sufficient to simply burn through any obstruction, leaving well polished innards in its wake.

Sorry about the hijack, it was almost flu related.

One word: psyllium. It's the main ingredient in Metamucil, which I started taking for various reasons. My entire digestive system has never worked so smoothly. Way better than prunes.

Getting deep into TMI territory here, but Rob's problem is about 6' upstream of where psyllium, prunes, or sawdust is going to work (don't know about the sat phone). Fracking, however, is a hell of an idea and perfect for the old fracker himself, who, I'm sure, could recommend the perfect "frackant" to his care team. Of course, they'd have to drop the tube again...

[JoeP]

Yes, but couldn't fracking lead to gas in his urine?

[Rob McAlpine]

The purpose of fracking is to deliver large quantities of sand. Are you guys suggesting I pack sand up there? Six feet up there?

Al Kooper was right, you never really know who your friends are.

This is disturbing, I'm going to look at some lighthouse pics.