This Damn Flu going around

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

I wouldn't believe anything 'Herbal Magic' the poster or 'Herbal Magic' the company says regarding health related items.

Questioning the Magic at Herbal Magic


http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/blog/2...bal-magic.html

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2010/m...ttle/main.html

[onetwo_threefour]

^ I don't know, most definitions of flu I've seen say that diarrhea and vomiting are common symptoms, although not typically the primary symptoms of flu. I don't consider the flu to be just a respiratory infection, even if influenza, which is the obvious source of the name is...

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/symptoms.htm

[Street Pharmacist]

And importantly, there are many different strains of influenza, often emerging in different seasons in somewhat predictable patterns (Mostly Influenza B variations). The flu shot can only contain a few strains in order for immunity to hold, so every season they pick a few if the most likely.

The flu shot does 2 important things for the individual. Evidence is very clear that it helps prevent infection from these flus. Secondly, it makes the flu symptoms much less severe if infected (even other non selected strains). There really is no scientific debate on this, only social/political debate.

For people as a group, it has mostly eliminated the threat of epidemic/pandemic infections due to herd immunity.

Unfortunately, the myths that it doesn't work or makes you sick comes from the fact that other illnesses people then contract are commonly called the flu when in fact they are not, and it confuses them. Stomach flu, while a common colloquialism that I even use myself, is not influenza as described earlier. Common colds are a wide variety of Corona Virae, Adenovirus and others, and the flu shots do nothing to stop them. In fact colds can cause fever, nausea, aches/pains, etc., so they are very often confused. The common cold however has nowhere near the mortality/morbidity of the flu.

[Finny61]

Flu is kicking the crap out of my co-workers and respective families. Seems to be a 50/50 between god awful puking or respiratory issues.

[TheGrimm]

How much of this could simply be people trying to skip work and extend the holiday season? I am skeptical.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by TheGrimm

How much of this could simply be people trying to skip work and extend the holiday season? I am skeptical.

That always exists, why would it suddenly skyrocket? Secondly, why would that increase hospitalizations?

[Minnie]

We do the flu shot every year, due to the medical issues our daughter suffers. She also gets the pneumonia shot (that one is good for a while - several years). We get them the second they're available. Our PCP is very on the ball with this stuff, because of our daughter's issues, so she tells us the week before they get their shipment, so that we can get an appointment for the first day they offer them.

I know that it's guesswork on the part of the WHO/CDC/whomever, but I also know it's pretty educated guesswork, based on long time studies done on how the viruses mutate, and so on. Considering how horrible the flu can be for a 'healthy' individual, no way are we taking any chances with how much worse it can be for immunosuppressed individuals. We aren't over the top ridiculous about it, but people know that if they're ill, we'd prefer they wait to visit because that visit can mean a great deal of hassle and/or hospitalization for our daughter. And if you have strep? Please don't come to my house. We had strep in our house last year, and we all wore masks and the strep sufferer pretty much confined themselves to their room, and we took meals, etc, to them. Kept all their stuff separate from ours, washed dishes in bleach,and so on. Flu's bad enough for her - strep is 10x worse for her. So we're careful.

[Canada 02]

apparently, this years flu vaccine is an exact match for the current serotype outbreak

[BlAcKNoVa]

Just about 2 weeks now with my cold/flu w/e it is. It isn't showing any signs of slowing down either. Some days I feel bad...others like today I feel a little better.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by troutman

I still don't really understand the difference between the common cold, stomach ""flu", and influenza.

When people say they have the "flu", what do they have?

Why do NHL players only get the "flu"?

Seems to me true influenza wouldn't make you vomit.

Exactly.

Most of the people in this thread seem to have Norwalk or some similar virus, which in common terminology is 'the stomach flu', which isn't a flu.

[Dynamic]

I can't even remember the last time I was actually sick and right after a Xmas family gathering me and the wife got it. I felt like puking for half the day and then had to go to work otherwise I would of lost 2 stats. I was also sore all over and felt cold on the inside. I was fine the next day but the wife was tko'ed for a couple days before she ate anything.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by onetwo_threefour

^ I don't know, most definitions of flu I've seen say that diarrhea and vomiting are common symptoms, although not typically the primary symptoms of flu. I don't consider the flu to be just a respiratory infection, even if influenza, which is the obvious source of the name is...

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/symptoms.htm

As it says in the link, vomiting and diarrhea are more common symptoms of the flu in children rather than adults.

If you're an adult, and you have stuff exploding out of every opening of your body, that's almost certainly a norovirus, and you should limit your human contact until a week after symptoms are gone, and disinfect everything in your house afterwards because people don't develop an immunity to noroviruses, so you can keep getting it.

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Are you sure you don't have ebola?

It's Sarcoidosis....

[PIMking]

we had it down here for a while now, I got it right away and was fine for a few weeks and got sick again. Now I feel fine and everyone else is sick.

[NuclearFart]

The "stomach flu" or gastroenteritis is spread by fecal-oral transmission. It sounds like many of you have inadvertently starred in your own version of two girls one cup.

[Pizza]

You guys are too gullible

isnt there anyone suspecting that their usually healthy assistants/coworkers are taking advantage of the cold/flu season and giving themselves a a day off?

[TheGrimm]

Here I was yesterday mocking people and last night I came home from work to a sick wife. She either has Norwalk or food poisoning from the symptoms. I wasn't taking any chances though and slept in one of our guest rooms... haha.

DO NOT WANT.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by TheGrimm

Here I was yesterday mocking people and last night I came home from work to a sick wife. She either has Norwalk or food poisoning from the symptoms. I wasn't taking any chances though and slept in one of our guest rooms... haha.

DO NOT WANT.

Yep, buddy thirteen posts up from you did, and Street Pharmacist responded right after.

[Flabbibulin]

I am handling germy staff laptops on a daily basis, so I'm surprised I haven't gotten anything yet. I wash my hands all the time at work though, so that may help.

I am feeling a little dizzy this morning- hope thats not the start of it.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Flabbibulin

I am handling germy staff laptops on a daily basis, so I'm surprised I haven't gotten anything yet. I wash my hands all the time at work though, so that may help.

I am feeling a little dizzy this morning- hope thats not the start of it.

Not picking our noses is a great safeguard.