[tamtam10]

Well, I've spoken to a few doctors and asked for an "expert" opinion on swine flu.

Here is what I've been told:

1. The media has over-over-over-exaggerated everything. The shot is very effective.

2. The government absolutely failed when planning logistics.

3. Get the shot if you have the chance. However, until then, normal flu medicine will still be useful as a preventative.


Anyone agree / disagree / have something to add?

[bootlegga]

The media has whipped swine flu into hysteria, but it still makes sense to get the shot. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

This type of question is like whether or not you should have life insurance.

You don't have to, but if something happens, you'll screw over your loved ones, either by giving it to them or dying.

[Zipperfish]

Who gives a fuck? It's flu. Call me for a vaccine when it's the Black Death. I had goddamn H1N1 and I barely even knew I was sick.

[Scape]

It's not what it is now, it what it has the potential to become. Getting the shot prevents you from being a carrier and giving the flu one less person to mutate within then spread like aids becoming stronger. This isn't a magic bullet but this isn't the plague... yet. The chances of it happening are still there but so are the chances of us being hit by an asteroid, judge accordingly.

[Zipperfish]

I think that there was an implicit policy decision by the medical community that the flu would no longer be an acceptable form of death for western nations.

[Brenda]

Zipperfish Zipperfish:

I think that there was an implicit policy decision by the medical community that the flu would no longer be an acceptable form of death for western nations.

Nothing is considered an acceptable form of death anymore.

[PluggyRug]

The piggy can fly over the moon... now there's a shot.

Now down to earth....Malaria, Bubonic plague (in it'variations)....and the media is still pushing swinititus as a pandemic.

[BeaverFever]

its funny, my GF and I would joke all the time about how tired we were of hearing about the swine flu. Then on Tuesday last week I woke up and my throat was sore as hell. I went about my day and on Wednesday my gf had a sore throat too and I was feeling really under the weather, but not really "ill," so I just soldiered through some mild flu-like symptoms and went about my regular day. On Thursday, I woke up feeling really really sick as did my gf. We went to a nearby walk-in clinic where she was diagnosed with swine flu and I was diagnosed with tonsillitis. She got tamiflu prescribed for her, I got antibiotics and we both spent the next 36 hours in bed, with lots of puking (I puked up 1.5 litres!) and chills and hot flashes. On Friday we were both feeling 80% better and up and about again. By Saturday night we were back to 100%. I am 32, she is 26, no chronic health issues.

Really, the swine flu for a healthy person is about 24 hours of the big sick and the rest of the time, its just a nuissance. For 99 percent of the population there is no difference between swine flu and regular seasonal flu in terms of severity of illness.

If you are young and healthy, your decision should be based on how likely you are to spread it to someone else.

[TattoodGirl]

I have Thal Alpha and had a blood transfusion, contracted H1N1 and I am still alive....so Hell no I am not getting a shot. I should have been dead if the hype was true.

[tamtam10]

Some doctors are now saying that the Swine Flu strain is going to become the more dominant strain of the flu. The shot is supposed to be very effective - how much can it really hurt?

I guess I don't see the need to rush and line up for hours for the shot, but, if I wait until the lineups are gone, its probably worth it and spend a few minutes to get the shot just in case.

[ponygurl]

tamtam10 tamtam10:

Well, I've spoken to a few doctors and asked for an "expert" opinion on swine flu.

Here is what I've been told:

1. The media has over-over-over-exaggerated everything. The shot is very effective.

2. The government absolutely failed when planning logistics.

3. Get the shot if you have the chance. However, until then, normal flu medicine will still be useful as a preventative.


Anyone agree / disagree / have something to add?

What is "normal flu medicine"?

[ShepherdsDog]

rest, tylenol and tea

[ponygurl]

We have had 4 people in my house with it... I think.. I say "I think" because one was very mild.
There were varying degrees of illness.

My 16 yr old was very sick. High temp for 4 days, mostly respiratory symptoms. Back to school after being out a week, and got pneumonia as a secondary infection. Very ill again.. but we are treating her with antibiotics.

My 19 yr old had a high fever and mostly gastro symptoms.. nausea and diarrhea.. fever bumped down to low grade after about 36 hrs and remained for another couple days. Diarrhea lasted close to a week.

I experienced similar gastro symptoms and no fever.

My 10 yr old had mild stomach discomfort.

When I was at the drs yesterday with my pneumonia gal I asked what sort of weight in all this the gastro symptoms played because I really didn't believe that we had the H1N1.. He said he has had people present with only gastro.. and swab positive.


My 17 yr old has had no symptoms to speak of.


Do not base whether you get the shot or not on somoene on a forum saying " what the fuck? are you a wimp? suck it up..I got it and survived".

There are varying degrees of severity of H1N1. And remember, there are people out there that you could infect if you are cocky about this that may not survive if you pass it onto them.

If you chose not to get the shot, or have the flu before you have the chance for the shot, exercise caution and intelligence with symptoms. Stay home from work when you are sick. Wash your hands . Don't sneeze on your girlfriend.

Just think smart and be courteous.

[ShepherdsDog]

$1:

Don't sneeze on your girlfriend.

unless you are breaking up.

[ponygurl]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

$1:

Don't sneeze on your girlfriend.

unless you are breaking up.

Well, yeah.