Bosco-d-gama Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 Several weeks ago we got a call from the stepdaughter tearfully begging the wife (an RN) to come and care for 3 of her 5 kids. The 2 younger ones were in the hospital with the flu and she needed help. Needless to say the wife made that journey. In due time they all got better and the wife returned home - along with the influenza bug. Within 24 hours we were both steeped in the virus. Though older we are both in really good shape but this bug has hammered us worse than any we’ve ever experienced. In our area (northwest) this flu bug is wrecking havoc. Whether you got this years flu vaccination or not you should take this ailment very seriously. For us elders the flu vaccine success rate is around 50% and I’m not sure the strain we got was the same bug covered by this years vaccine. We personally know of many cases which progressed into pneumonia. It has been 2 weeks now, the worst is behind us and still the road to full recovery is a roller coaster of good and not-so-good days. For us this bug was extremely virulent. Stay away from sickly souls and be vigilant about public exposure. With something this infectious you won’t need a heavy exposure to get infected. Between the 2 of us we have 80 years of health care experience and this flu is scary nasty. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 Any Flu can damage your heart. This particular strain seems more prone to it. Guess how I know that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bosco-d-gama Posted February 25, 2019 Author Share Posted February 25, 2019 52 minutes ago, Edgar said: Any Flu can damage your heart. This particular strain seems more prone to it. Guess how I know that. Great - I just did an ablation a year ago. Getting old ain’t 4 sissies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave1290 Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 21 minutes ago, Bosco-d-gama said: Great - I just did an ablation a year ago. Getting old ain’t 4 sissies. Got that right! 2 ablation's for A-fib and now have half a heart and on my second pacer. Flu shots aren't happening either. EVERYtime I get one I get sick as a dog soooo NO MAS! I just hole up in the winter and wash my hands whenever I can. So far, so good. Knocks on my desk. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinmi Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 Always,always,always vaccinate, even if it's only 20% effective. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 9 minutes ago, kevinmi said: Always,always,always vaccinate, even if it's only 20% effective. I actually did. I shudder to think how bad it would have been had I not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 First time ever this year... at 69. Wife and I work at a facility that cares for folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Wife had two individuals in her classroom (dementia clients). Both have the flu, but house managers where they live sent them to our center instead of the doctor. Fortunately, she (nor I) got sick. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 Before starting chemo/radiation oncologist recommended flu vaccine for seniors. Don't remember the name but I do remember that it was expensive. ********************************************************************************************************************************************** Please tell me about Fluad, one of the influenza vaccines for people age 65 years and older. In November 2015, FDA licensed Fluad (Seqirus), a trivalent, MF59-adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccine, for people age 65 years and older. Fluad is the first adjuvanted influenza vaccine marketed in the U.S. An adjuvant is a substance added to a vaccine to increase its immunogenicity. The MF59 adjuvant is based on squalene, an oil that occurs naturally in many plants and animals. Fluad has been used in Europe since 1997 and is approved in 38 other countries. In contrast to Fluzone High-Dose (Sanofi Pasteur), Fluad is a standard-dose vaccine, containing 15 mcg of hemagglutinin per virus per dose (total of 45 mcg). In a small observational study among adults age 65 years and older Fluad was about 63% more effective than unadjuvanted trivalent IIV. ACIP has not stated a preference for Fluad (or Fluzone HD) over standard dose IIV for people age 65 years and older. A study published in 2014 found that the injectable vaccine Fluzone High-Dose protects people 65 years and older better than standard-dose Fluzone. Does ACIP preferentially recommend use of Fluzone High-Dose for all people age 65 years and older? Aging decreases the body's ability to develop a good immune response after getting influenza vaccine, which places older people at greater risk of severe illness from influenza. A higher dose of antigen in the vaccine should give older people a better immune response and therefore provide better protection against influenza. However, despite published evidence of better protection from Fluzone High-Dose when compared to standard-dose Fluzone (N Engl J Med 2014; 371:635–45), ACIP has not stated a preference for this vaccine for people age 65 years and older. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mDash Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 10 hours ago, kevinmi said: Always,always,always vaccinate, even if it's only 20% effective. This is what recommend around here either. A certain percentage is always something that could help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 @mDash Do you work in publishing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mDash Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 12 hours ago, Marvel said: @mDash Do you work in publishing? No. I'm working for a supply company for events such as weddings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Sorry for the left turn... In publishing and printing, there are three regular lengths for the hyphen... regular hyphen, and enDash and an emDash, the latter two the length of the corresponding letters 'n' and 'm'. I was just curious. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 @T2K I received a Fluzone Quadrivalent at my workplace, at no cost to me, through our insurance. We have a full medical department, though, so I am sure the company helped out. Here's a link to the CDC about the high dose: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/qa_fluzone.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 On 2/27/2019 at 11:13 AM, Marvel said: @T2K I received a Fluzone Quadrivalent at my workplace, at no cost to me, through our insurance. We have a full medical department, though, so I am sure the company helped out. Here's a link to the CDC about the high dose: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/qa_fluzone.htm I don't remember the exact cost Marvel but I do remember that I paid around $400 after insurance. And I had really really good insurance then. And then there was some uncertainty as to whether or not I should have the shot. Oncologist spoke, everyone listened. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillyBob Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 my 2 cents be careful with this one. I lost 2 close friends from "congestive heart failure" after having it. Both younger and non-smokers My niece and a friend's daughter landed in the hospital. Youth is no protection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 59 minutes ago, T2K said: I don't remember the exact cost Marvel but I do remember that I paid around $400 after insurance. And I had really really good insurance then. And then there was some uncertainty as to whether or not I should have the shot. Oncologist spoke, every listened. Keith Wow, that is awful. That is a lot to have to pay out of pocket for anything. I do know that next year I will be making sure my wife gets a shot. She's just been ambivalent about getting one. I tend to forget that I'm getting to be an old guy, but am glad I got one this year, and will in the future as well. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 5 hours ago, WillyBob said: be careful with this one. I lost 2 close friends from "congestive heart failure" after having it. Both younger and non-smokers My niece and a friend's daughter landed in the hospital. Youth is no protection I'm no youngster, but I was in excellent health until I got this Flu. Went from "amazing health" (doctor's words, not mine) to deathly ill in five days. Working my way back to excellent health, but my life will never be the same again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillyBob Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 my health is OK.. not great. . I had it. Went to pneumonia or tried very hard. I'm still weak and that was Thanksgiving-Christmas I was down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bosco-d-gama Posted February 28, 2019 Author Share Posted February 28, 2019 Locally the public health statistics indicate that this flu hits those under 5 and older than 50 the worst. As others note you go to hell in a hand basket in a matter of hours with this bug. I never smoked and was coughing up heavily bloodied mucous within 10 hours. I slept hard for nearly 48 straight hours then spent the next 2 days awake just to make certain I could mechanically breathe. It was pretty rough. If not for my stash of drugs and knowing which to employ I’d have been in dire trouble. Lost 12 pounds in a week. Feeling much better now but still very wary - the lungs are twitchy and our weathers been quite cold/snowy. It is a life altering episode and I hope to not have additional complications. I am reminded of the Japanese whom are often seen wearing surgical masks whenever in public. Seemed a bit paranoid before - not so much now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 And here I thought they were doing it to protect us from them... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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