Nasty stuff this year...I think I'm over my bout with it...goes away, then comes back...treated myself with Niquil and Virgin Islands Rum
I got the Flu Help
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Warthaug
Contributor
ChrisCrash:
1) Get you flu shot (too late now, but next year...)
2) See your doctor, he/she may be able to perscribe you an anti-flu drug. But considering how sick you are, it's probably too late (most have to be taken during the early stages).
3) Take lots of fluids and get lots of sleep.
Bryan
The Kraken
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Lie down and die.
the Kraken
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Ishie
Guest
Hmm... not a flu, but a HIDEOUS cold rather recently.
I liked this combination:
Get the theraflu that has more drugs in it than a police evidence locker. Particularly the one with the highest dose of cough medicine(if you need it). It also has a high dose of sudafed (if you're fine with all the drugs mixed and sudafed doesn't wire you). I like the lemon flavor because it's tea-like rather than cough syrup like.
Drink, pass out for a few hours. Wake up. Sip flat ginger ale. Water is evil when you're nauseated and makes you feel worse so you're less likely to keep it down. If the drug cocktail has worn off, you can try taking the edge off your nausea with whatever works best for you. If it knocks you out (dramamine), all's the better.
Repeat until better. I spent four days drinking sleeping drinking sleeping and though the cough remained, came out of a cold well after the four days (and two days preceding it where I tried to stiff it out at work) that has stayed with almost everyone else who's had it for like three or four weeks.
I liked this combination:
Get the theraflu that has more drugs in it than a police evidence locker. Particularly the one with the highest dose of cough medicine(if you need it). It also has a high dose of sudafed (if you're fine with all the drugs mixed and sudafed doesn't wire you). I like the lemon flavor because it's tea-like rather than cough syrup like.
Drink, pass out for a few hours. Wake up. Sip flat ginger ale. Water is evil when you're nauseated and makes you feel worse so you're less likely to keep it down. If the drug cocktail has worn off, you can try taking the edge off your nausea with whatever works best for you. If it knocks you out (dramamine), all's the better.
Repeat until better. I spent four days drinking sleeping drinking sleeping and though the cough remained, came out of a cold well after the four days (and two days preceding it where I tried to stiff it out at work) that has stayed with almost everyone else who's had it for like three or four weeks.
Just because it's one in the morning and I have nothing else to do . . .
The "flu" is influenza. Influenza is a respiratory virus. Symptoms are fever, cough, joint and muscle aches. Flu is most often an epidemic illness which occurs in the wintertime. Flu vaccine is effective against influenza when the serotype of virus that actually goes through the population matches the serotype they guessed was going to be there, because that's the one the vaccine was made against. In the years where they guess wrong, the vaccine doesn't do much. Tamiflu is modestly effective against influenza if started within about 48 hours of the onset of symptoms, which it rarely is, because most people don't go to the doctor until they have been sick longer than that. Flu is mostly a nuisance for healthy people, but can be serious in infants and the elderly, and people with underlying lung or heart disease (not common in divers!)
Vomiting and diarrhea is not "flu", although it's commonly called the stomach flu. Most such illnesses are viral and self-limited, and last 24 to 72 hours. Anti-nausea medications in adults can be helpful; they are contraindicated in small children. The big risk is dehydration which is prevented by taking small amounts (1 or 2 tsp) of fluid at frequent intervals. Immodium can be used to help control diarrhea.
If such intestinal symptoms are accompanied by high fever (in adults) or severe abdominal pain, it's worth an evaluation by a physician. This is also true if symptoms persist longer than couple of days, or if someone is unable to keep any fluids down at all.
There is currently no vaccine effective against the viruses that cause intestinal symptoms (although they are releasing one for the virus that most commonly makes very small children sick).
The "flu" is influenza. Influenza is a respiratory virus. Symptoms are fever, cough, joint and muscle aches. Flu is most often an epidemic illness which occurs in the wintertime. Flu vaccine is effective against influenza when the serotype of virus that actually goes through the population matches the serotype they guessed was going to be there, because that's the one the vaccine was made against. In the years where they guess wrong, the vaccine doesn't do much. Tamiflu is modestly effective against influenza if started within about 48 hours of the onset of symptoms, which it rarely is, because most people don't go to the doctor until they have been sick longer than that. Flu is mostly a nuisance for healthy people, but can be serious in infants and the elderly, and people with underlying lung or heart disease (not common in divers!)
Vomiting and diarrhea is not "flu", although it's commonly called the stomach flu. Most such illnesses are viral and self-limited, and last 24 to 72 hours. Anti-nausea medications in adults can be helpful; they are contraindicated in small children. The big risk is dehydration which is prevented by taking small amounts (1 or 2 tsp) of fluid at frequent intervals. Immodium can be used to help control diarrhea.
If such intestinal symptoms are accompanied by high fever (in adults) or severe abdominal pain, it's worth an evaluation by a physician. This is also true if symptoms persist longer than couple of days, or if someone is unable to keep any fluids down at all.
There is currently no vaccine effective against the viruses that cause intestinal symptoms (although they are releasing one for the virus that most commonly makes very small children sick).
Lisa0825
Contributor
TSandM:
THANK YOU! The biologist in me has a pet peeve about people referring to a stomach virus as the flu. Two totally different bugs with totally different symptoms and treatments!
Best thing to do is to try to stay hydrated. Think about what pregnant women do for morning sickness... crackers and ginger ale (REAL ginger ale, since ginger is what settles the stomach) are pretty good at staying down when nothing else will. If you can't get any fluids to stay down for more than a day, it is time to see the doc, because dehydration can be dangerous. If you find yourself able to keep small amounts of liquid down, try something like pedialyte, which has a balance of electrolytes in it. Eat only mild food for the first couple days that you are recovering, because the digestive system may be sensitive a while, and you don't want to re-aggravate it.
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