Nasty Flu Epidemic

[n2ize]

From what I have been seeing in hospital emergency rooms it seems like there is a really nasty flu making the rounds. Christmas morning I went with my Dad to the ER at an upstate hospital (near my brothers home) as he had a swollen hand. Turned out that he had a skin infection and they prescribed a course of antibiotics and let him go. It was at least a 4 hour wait as every emergency triage was occupied , mostly with elderly people coughing, gagging and in pain with flu symptoms. Last week I accidentally smashed my lower leg against a stone step and received a deep laceration. The next day I went to my local downstate hospital for treatment and had to wait a few hours. All around me were people coughing, hacking with flu symptoms. It took a couple hours but eventually I saw a doctor who cleaned, bandaged the wound and prescribed me a tetanus/diphtheria shot and a course of antibiotics. They told me to come back the next week for a routine wound check. When I got to the ER yesterday I couldn't believe it. Every seat was occupied mostly with parents holding children anywhere from a couple years old to their early teens, all suffering flu symptoms and complications. The man at the front desk said it might be four or five hour wait before someone can see me, As I was registering a woman came up to register her young teen age daughter for ER treatment. Apparently her daughter was hit with this flu and her pediatrician told her to bring her to the ER at once. The poor girl was dehydrated and she could barely stand. They gave her a mask and told her to wait..and wait...and wait... I stepped outside. I felt guilty. here I am coming for a simple wound check that is not infected and these poor people are worried about their children's lives. I went back inside, told the man at the front desk to cancel me as these people need help more so than me. I scheduled for my doctor to check me out at his office next week.

In any event there seems to be a nasty flu going around and it seems to be hitting those who get it hard.

[KK4AMI]

My wife works in our ER. She came home around 29 Dec with the flu and pneumonia after working many overtime hours because the Hospital is short staffed and overcrowded. I took care of her until she gave me the flu on Jan 1. I'm just finally over it, but my lungs feel like they are full of lead. You seem to be a frequent flyer, so batten down the hatches about 4 days after exposure.

Your hospital should make you wear a mask.

[NA4BH]

The biggest problem with ER wait time is that most ERs are used as primary clinics by the public. A lot of them come in with the "You got to be kidding me this is an emergency ailment". I'm sure your wife has many tales about the ER. It's a fun place to work, but can try your patience very quickly.

[KK4AMI]

The biggest problem with ER wait time is that most ERs are used as primary clinics by the public. A lot of them come in with the "You got to be kidding me this is an emergency ailment". I'm sure your wife has many tales about the ER. It's a fun place to work, but can try your patience very quickly.

True, that is normal most of the time. However, this flu is trying everybody, not just the patients! The Type A is killing kids and advancing to pnuemonia in a lot of older folks, so the ER trip is necessary in a lot of cases. The problem is how do you isolate the virus from the non-flu patients and the healthcare staff. They are trying to mask everybody, but staff seems to be going down fast.

[n2ize]

True, that is normal most of the time. However, this flu is trying everybody, not just the patients! The Type A is killing kids and advancing to pnuemonia in a lot of older folks, so the ER trip is necessary in a lot of cases. The problem is how do you isolate the virus from the non-flu patients and the healthcare staff. They are trying to mask everybody, but staff seems to be going down fast.

Yeah, from what I saw at the ER most people weren't there for basic clinical procedures. These people were sick, coughing, hacking, dehydrated in pain, etc. Worried parent's holding kids in their arms and the kids barely had the strength to hold their heads up. The woman who was registering next to me I was afraid her daughter was going to collapse. I left and opted to see my regular doctor at his private office next week because the people I saw needed help much more than I did. All I need do is keep my wound well bandaged, keep on the antibiotic and see my doctor Monday. The people in the ER needed help...Pronto. Even as I approached the hospital there were 3-4 ambulances dropping off emergency cases.

[PA5COR]

Most small stuff like that is done here by our housedoctor.
Mine even popped over here when I phoned in with my heart problems was here in 5 minutes flat too.
Our E.R. is by that system much less over run, and can be much more effective as well.

[KK4AMI]

Most small stuff like that is done here by our housedoctor.
Mine even popped over here when I phoned in with my heart problems was here in 5 minutes flat too.
Our E.R. is by that system much less over run, and can be much more effective as well.

Wow the convenience. You can get the flu delivered right to your door! :lol:

[kb2vxa]

We're pretty lucky to have a walk in clinic here in town that's not nearly as backed up as the ER in any area hospital, sometimes radio calls go out to the EMTs that one is on full divert until ___ hours. The trouble with a primary physician is getting an appointment in a timely fashion. If I should come down with the flu, that is real influenza and not the "achoo flu" as I call when people THINK they have the flu when it's just a bad cold I'd be over it or call an ambulance before the appointment. Why an ambulance? I had it once, four days of such excruciating pain even the slightest movement was sheer agony so getting to the clinic on my own would be impossible.

[W7XF]

The scuttlebutt I'm hearing is that the flu vaccines were a smidgen off this year. BUT...still good enough to drastically reduce the severity of the flu, if you get it.

[N2NH]

According to my doctor, the flu vaccine works about 30% of the time. Thing is the flu going around this year is of the Swine variety. Not to worry. If you survived Swine Flu in 2009, like I did, then you're already immunized.;)

[KG4NEL]

According to my doctor, the flu vaccine works about 30% of the time.

Pretty much why I don't get it. Not that I'm anti-vaccine, I just don't have a reason to bother...

[n2ize]

According to my doctor, the flu vaccine works about 30% of the time. Thing is the flu going around this year is of the Swine variety. Not to worry. If you survived Swine Flu in 2009, like I did, then you're already immunized.;)

30% is still pretty significant. According to the CDC the flu vaccine prevents millions of flu cases, doctor visits and emergency care. I rarely get the flu. In most flu cases a healthy person wwill ssurvive and recover without complication. However, many people with disabilities, the elderly, etc. cannot tolerate the typical flu symptoms and it can be life threatening. I think the flu vaccine is a good idea particularly for those with pre-existing medical conditions, the elderly, etc.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/spotlights/vaccination-prevents-flu-illness.htm

[K0RGR]

I think we've had three people - all young adults - die from this round of the flu, and lots of people around here are sick. I got my shot, but I haven't been out running around, much, either, so odds of catching it were probably smaller anyway.

We're still in shock from a couple years ago. We flew our daughter out to meet us on vacation, and on the way from the airport to the hotel, she got the news that a very close friend of hers, also 25 and healthy, had died of the flu! It turned out that the young lady had a stroke, which was probably a result of the flu she'd been fighting for a couple days. Her parents took her to the emergency room, where she was sent home with the normal flu advice, and her parents found her dead the following day. Our daughter had been out with the girl just a couple nights earlier, so we were quite concerned.

[NA4BH]

I've got something right now that is halfway between the flu and a cold. Kinda like the flold.

[NQ6U]

I've got something right now that is halfway between the flu and a cold. Kinda like the flold.

If only you'd gotten a clu...

[W5BRM]

I had it back in November. It knocked me for a loop and a half. It still hasn't entirely cleared. Head just won't clear entirely out and nose keeps plugging up, especially when sleeping. Kinda sucks with a CPAP system. I haven't had a flu shot since I was in high school. Dr keeps telling me to use Nasacort but that stuff don't work on me so well. Hope it clears up by summer.. lol

[n2ize]

Tamiflu can help shorten the symptoms by a couple days. A year or two ago my Mom caught the flu and became dehydrated. She was taken to the ER and was fine as soon as they hydrated her. They gave her a script for Tamiflu but, I couldn't find a single pharmacy that had any in stock. Guess there was a major run on Tamiflu.

P.S. if/when I do get the flu it almost never happens in winter. Always in early spring, late march / early April.