Just talked to a friend who works in a pharmacy (Wal Mart)

[Horse with no Name]

Was lamenting this horrible flu I got while I was out in Phoenix...today, temps around 103-104, hurt so bad I literally can't walk, coughing, wheezing, sneezing, etc.
She told me that you CANNOT get Tamiflu.
The manufacturer has issued it ONLY for cities that have epidemics.
She said they have also stockpiled it for their workers in the pharmacy and their families.
I honestly do not believe that I have EVER had a flu that made me feel so bad. My oldest daughter has it and literally couldn't breathe last yesterday so we started her on nebulizer treatments. She seems to be a day ahead of everyone on symptoms, but she did get a shot of rocephin yesterday and it did help some.
Since I am not in an epidemic city, I suppose that I cannot get Tamiflu if I tried.
Which strain of flu is this?? Anyone know?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. An MD friend told me that death rates increase with use of Tamiflu

Save your life. Don't make Rumsfeld richer.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. As I understand it, Tamiflu won't help if you have had symptoms

for more than about a day, and it only works on certain strains. So even if you could get it, it probably wouldn't do much good. Better to just go to bed and sleep it off.

I think I know how you feel. I got a horrendous case of the so-called Hong Kong flu during the last big pandemic in 1968. I thought I'd have to get better in order to die -- coughing, aching, fever, so dizzy I couldn't stand up. I was pretty messed up for about 3 days, then it went away pretty quickly except for the cough. Hang in there, hope you feel better soon.

[babylonsister]

3. I'm sorry you're feeling so sickly, HwnN. You

sound awful. :(
This is the first time I've heard 'epidemic city'. What does that mean; do you know if that reflects populations in cities? And I wonder who's making up the rules for the rest of us?
RE: tamiflu and the above comment, I've read likewise.
I hope you all feel better soon.:hug:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. I don't know

but if you can, get the homeopathic remedy influenzinum - 9c dosage (by Borion). I know some people here think homeopathy is quackery, but all I know is when I get remedies I get well. This remedy can help ease the symptoms of influenza. It will not cause a reaction like drugs do-the worst thing that will happen is that it will have no effect.

[Horse with no Name]

9. Thanks.

Even though I am a nurse, I am not at all opposed to homeopathy.
In fact, my mom has had the shingles that has been resistent to traditional medicine, so I visited the health food store and stocked her up on some St. John's Wort oil and a preparation that this particular store made. I advised her to try some massage therapy as well as perhaps acupuncture.
Will try it.
Thanks for the info.

[merh]

20. Get some L-Lysine for your mom

It helps with the shingles or any ailment that involves the herpes virus.

I hope you feel better soon. :hug: :loveya:

[smirkymonkey]

24. Try Sambucol (A Black Elderberry Preparation)

it was developed by an Israeli virologist. It has worked wonders for me.

Here's more about it:

http://www.sambucol.com/article_page.asp?aId=47&catId=136

Hope you feel better soon! :)

[jimshoes]

5. Not a doctor so i can't say

however about 6 years ago there was a strain of flu going around the great lakes area that absolutely kicked your ass. Breathing was very difficult, a lot of wheezing body aches that really were uncomfortable and it lasted for a week or so. I used to smoke back then and you literally could not even light up you felt so sick. Very contagious, although not everyone came down with it. My employee at the time caught it and his doctor called it "The Gunk" for lack of a better term I guess. It was the sickest I've ever felt. I don't believe it was deadly though, as my dad, who was living with us at the time came down with it and he was in poor health to begin with, came through it OK.

[ClayZ]

6. Read up on "Olive Leaf", it helped with my flu!

http://www.olivetea.com/natures_antibiotic_info.htm and I bought a bottle for my flu-sick friend and she said it was a Miracle! Get it at the health food store. My daughter swears by it!

Hope you feel better!

[Horse with no Name]

10. Thanks.

Will pick some up later. I am gonna have to hit the bed again.
:hug:

[Glenda]

7. It looks like your state is getting it

Green is good, yellow soso, orange/red is more widespread



http://www.weather.com/activities/health/coldandflu/nationalreports/national.html

[Horse with no Name]

8. IF they weren't before I came home

They certainly will now.:(

[Gloria]

17. Earlier in the Fall, down here in Southern NM, there was a killer

sinus infection going around. One round of antibiotics didn't do it, you needed another or another.

I came down with it later, end of Sept. Hit me like a truck. I was on antibiotics until November and just stopped poking antibiotic creme up the one nostril that still had some infection.....my nose cartilage actually got infected and my nose has collapsed! Like someone punched me in the nose. I go back to the speciliast at the end of January. I am going to need surgery to rebuild this mess, and will need to take a part of a rib to do it!
The doctor will argue for Medicare to cover it, since the damage is due to infection.

I just hope I don't get any flu....one never knows what part of me will be gone next!! I've had a shot but....

The last time I had the flu was in 1986. I was at work, suddenly felt like I was going to hit the floor....and that was it for about a week or two. Sick as a dog.

[SPKrazy]

18. Hmmmmmm, Sinus (bacterial) Infections usually aren't

contagious.

That's an interesting story though if lots of people were coming down with it.

Viral infections don't respond to antibiotics.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. Christmas 1999, I was laid up with the worst flu in years

Sudden onset--my temperature went from 98.6 to 103 in four hours.

I spent all day Christmas Eve and most of Christmas Day lying in bed, drifting in and out of consciousness mostly, taking an occasional sip of the water that I had set up by the bed. (I had to postpone my plans to go to Minneapolis.)

By Christmas Day noon the cough was so bad that I was afraid I had pneumonia, so I asked a neighbor to take me to my health plan's urgent care clinic.

Nope, no pneumonia, just "a respiratory illness" that was going around.

By the 27th, I was well enough to travel, so I saw in New Year 2000 with my relatives. But I kept coughing, especially at night, for about two weeks.

[Fridays Child]

12. Arizona is getting slammed by the flu.

I really feel your pain. I got it, in spite of getting a flu shot. The symptoms began on Christmas Eve and, by Tuesday night, I developed secondary laryngitis. Today, a full week out, my temps are still going over 100° and the cough is exhausting. Lie low and get better soon. This one is a bastard and all you can do is ride it out.

[jfalchion]

23. reminder

I will seek and find you . . .

 I shall take you to bed and have my way with you .

 I will make you ache, shake & sweat until you moan & groan.

 I will make you beg for mercy, beg for me to stop.

 I will exhaust you to the point that you will be relieved when I'm 
  finished with you.

 And, when I am finished, you will be weak for days.


 All my love,
 The Flu

 Now, get your mind out of the gutter and go get your flu shot

[peanutbrittle]

13. California Flu

Heard this on one of the cable news channels the other day

December 28, 2005

California Flu: NOT the "Bird Flu," But Still Needs Your Attention

By Gilbert Ross, M.D.



Reports are coming from California describing clogged emergency rooms and doctors' offices ascribed to a sudden surge in influenza cases, a localized flu insurgency, as it were. This "California Flu" epidemic should be noted in the context of the yearly flu onslaughts we see each year, and there are some caveats we need to keep in mind, this year particularly:

*This has nothing to do with the "bird flu" pandemic we have been hearing about, over and over again of late. That epidemic is thus far almost exclusively confined to birds in southern Asia. There have been about 130 human cases, and some sick birds have been found in eastern Europe. This human flu now invading California and contiguous states is part of the annual flu season and is not a harbinger of pandemics yet to come..

*The best way to avoid coming down with this flu, which will inevitably make its way eastward, is to get a flu shot. There is no reason to believe that the "California" virus is resistant to the recently-distributed flu vaccine for the 2005-6 flu season, so if you got your flu shot this year, the likelihood is that you are substantially protected from a severe case of the "California" flu. This of course is not foolproof, for various reasons: some folks, especially seniors, do not make protective antibodies to the flu virus, even after a shot; and it takes at least 2 weeks, maybe up to 4 weeks, to develop a response. But there is still time to get a flu shot to lend some protection this season. Even after this bug comes and goes, there are still 3 months left in the current flu season.

*The yearly flu epidemics kill up to 40,000 Americans. The "bird flu" has killed about 70 people. NO AMERICANS HAVE DIED OF BIRD FLU , and maybe never will. We should get more upset about this real threat and not pay so much attention to that somewhat over-hyped one, for now. One this note, the effective antiviral drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir) is in very short supply, due to panicky hoarding against the ephemeral bird flu. Some people may actually die for want of this drug, which works well within the first 48 hours of flu infection. There is another effective drug, the inhaled Relenza, which may be available in sufficient quantities to help right here in the U.S. for this flu season. Older anti-flu drugs are also around, but at somewhat reduced efficacy due to resistance.




http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsID.679/news_detail.asp

[roguevalley]

14. I don't know what strain it is but they are talking on the airwaves

about a really painful and difficult to get rid of flu. Take care, honey.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

15. I've Had A Flu For 3 Weeks Now.

Started with a bad stomach flu (puking, heartburn etc), progressed to a head cold, then down into the lungs with a bad cough and phlegm, then now has progressed back to a full out sinus infection. I've never had a flu that lasted this long.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. I am in a red state on that flu map

So if you want me to see if I can get it here and send it to you, let me know.

[doodadem]

19. I think we've had the Calif. flu for the past couple weeks

Hubby and I picked it up from the friends we had Thanksgiving dinner with apparently. Horrible bronchial thing where you cough and cough, sore throat. We haven't felt so bad otherwise, but these same friends have had the fever, etc. mentioned previously.
I really screwed up, because I was coughing so much it was keeping me awake all night, and overdosed on cheapo Costco cough medicine. Should have known better, as anything like Nyquil knocks me on my ass for two days. So I just kept guzzling this stuff. Finally, called my husband at work and said, I'm so dizzy I can't stand up.

He comes home to help me, and that night, he says--reminded me of my hippy days and helping someone come down from a bad trip! One minute laughing hysterically, the next minute sobbing. We think the cough medicine also reacted badly with the prescription meds I take. Also really affected my short term memory for several days.

So now, I'm just left with the occasional cough that makes you sputter and cry. I've found the best thing to help is drinking ALOT of water--it seems to help flush the crap out of your system, rehydrate, and soothes the throat. I'm also now only taking Ricola cough drops.....

[0007]

21. Last five two weeks have had trouble breathing, sore eyes, coughing

and lots of sneezing, have no energy and nod off like a narcolepsy.

[chat_noir]

22. Dr. Weil's site

To reduce your chances of getting the flu, take these precautions:


Wash your hands frequently with hot water and soap especially if you are out in public places. It may be a good idea to carry alcohol towelettes with you as well.
Avoid people who have the flu.
Discuss a flu shot with your physician.
Ask your pediatrician about flu shots for young children.

Nutrition and Supplements


Take astragalus. This immune-enhancing herb can help to build up resistance to both the flu and the common cold.
Take immune-enhancing mushrooms. Host Defense is a good choice, as it provides the extract of seven proven immune-boosting mushrooms.

Take a daily multivitamin and antioxidants. Berries, tea (especially green tea) and dark chocolate all provide natural antioxidants.

If you have the flu:

Stay hydrated, which keeps nasal passages moist, making them better defenders against viruses.
Try elderberry extract. This can help to lessen the symptoms and speed up recovery.
Eat garlic. Raw garlic is best; try at least two cloves per day, chopped up in a sandwich or soup.
Get rest and stay home. Lack of sleep and too much stress can make the body weak; if you get the flu, rest as much as possible while your symptoms are resolving.
Take astragalus.
Take a prescription anti-influenza drug promptly.



The 12 cold-weather herbal remedies recommended here should help you stay well, or at least help cut the duration of most winter health challenges. There are remedies for sore throats, chapped lips and even chest congestion in this list.


Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus): Antiviral and immunity-enhancer. If you tend to get every bug that goes around during the winter, you can build up your resistance to disease by taking this Chinese tonic herb on a daily basis. It's safe to take indefinitely.

Garlic (Allium sativum): Antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer and cardiovascular tonic par excellence. The best home remedy for colds is to eat two cloves of raw garlic at the onset of symptoms. Chop or crush the cloves to release the allicin (a sulfur compound with strong antibiotic effects) and put them on a sandwich or swallow them in apple sauce. Don't chew and the garlic won't stay on your breath.

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) and sage (Salvia officinalis): Decongestant and antibacterial. Inhaling steam that contains eucalyptus or sage is an excellent remedy for respiratory problems, including chest congestion, bronchitis, bronchial cough and sinusitis. The aromatic oils from eucalyptus and sage leaves help halt bacterial growth and reduce the risk of getting secondary infections. Do the steam routine at least twice a day. As a variation, try several crushed garlic cloves in the water. If you have a sore throat, drink sage tea.

Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea): Antibiotic, antiviral and immune-enhancer. This native American plant is a fine first-line treatment for colds and flu. At the first sign of trouble, begin taking echinacea and continue until the illness runs its course. Children under 10 can take half the adult dosage.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale): Warming, anti-inflammatory and anti-nauseant. Ginger root tea helps relieve head and chest congestion while staving off chills. Grate a one-inch piece of peeled ginger root. Place it in a pot with two cups of water, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for five minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper and simmer one minute more. Remove from heat. Add two tablespoons fresh lemon juice, one or two cloves of mashed garlic and honey to taste. Let cool slightly, and strain if you wish.

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis): Antiseptic. Speed healing of sore throats by gargling with a warm goldenseal/salt-water solution for a few minutes at a time, at least four times a day.

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus): Expectorant, antitussive. Tincture of mullein relieves chest congestion and dry, bronchial coughs. Mullein oil can be used to treat ear infections.

Calendula (Calendula officinalis): Soothing. Calendula lotions and salves, made from the bright orange flowers of this popular ornamental plant, are gentle and effective remedies for chapped skin and chapped lips. Apply as needed.

Tiger Balm: This Chinese herbal remedy, based on camphor and menthol, is great for easing bronchial congestion. The camphor and menthol have a warming action that brings more blood to the area. Just rub Tiger Balm on the chest and cover with a warm towel.

St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum): Antidepressant (effective for mild sedation). If you suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), St. John's wort is a useful complement to light therapy. Take 300 mg of a standardized extract containing 0.3 percent hypericin three times a day. You can taper off this dosage as the days grow longer. Since St. John's wort may take six to eight weeks to work, start this well before the dark days of winter. In theory, an over-stimulated immune system could aggravate allergies or autoimmunity.

An immune support formula with Asian mushrooms.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C functions as a powerful antioxidant that has a role in the repair and regeneration of tissues. It may also support healthy immune function.

To be prudent, people with diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus should avoid long-term use of any of the immune-enhancing botanicals. But it is perfectly fine for them to take echinacea or astragalus short-term (up to 10 days or so) to treat colds and other minor infections.

http://www.drweil.com/u/HC/HCA212/


Garlic, tea, and chocolate here. Oh, and antiseptic wipes to clean off grocery cart handles.