LNC Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 (edited) Long story, shorter... I went in for a flu swab today. bc I had a sudden fever, sore throat, slammed to the bed fatigue and aches, wheezy cough, and runny nose w/ congestion. My son had the same thing this weekend, and he started getting better on day 4. Seemed like a quick recovery. So, I wasn't sure if we actually had the flu, and wanted the test bc of medical conditions of other siblings. When I got to the doc they immediately gave me a mask to sign in. They all wore masks and gowns to deal with me. I had a 101 degree temp., but my flu swab was negative. The doc said he still thought I had the flu bc of my symptoms and that it was an imperfect test. So, he gave me Tamiflu prescription and said it was my decision, but he would take it. I have MS and take Betaseron which he said makes my immune system a bit weaker (never heard that before). Anyway, they sent in a gowned cleaning crew after me and sent me out of the office with the mask! I'm wondering if all these "flu like illnesses" that are being called into universities and schools etc. are really the flu or some other virus going around. Have those of you who thought you had the swine flu or H1N1 been tested? Were you positive for type A flu? What other virus acts just like the flu? W/ fevers? The doc said the rapid flu test is an imperfect test, and there are a lot of false negatives. Have you heard that? Edited September 16, 2009 by LNC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyFL Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 My 18 year old already had it. Tested positive for "A" and then a few days later we got the report of a positive H1N1. He was not given Tamiflu and was better in a few days and back to college. Got sick Monday and went back Thursday night. There was no vomiting or diarrhea just sore throat, fever at about 100 and headache, weakness, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 (edited) We have something right now that fits the symptoms of swine flu/ H1N1, but I am not getting tested, nor taking the kids to be tested. It could be flu (there is some in our area) or it could be a virus of some sort. We don't have the exact same symptoms as you, but if your immune system is weakened, then that may be why. Here we have low fevers, runny/stuffy nose, sore throat, ugly cough, and some belly aches. I am not sick...YET. Youngest ds got sick on Monday - it progressed slowly over the day, but started with a sneeze around 10am and ended with a fever and severe congestion by the end of the evening. My older son was with his dad this weekend. He came home on Sunday and no one was sick. Younger ds got sick Monday and older ds woke up with fever this morning (started with nasal congestion/sore throat last night). If this IS the flu, then my children are experiencing something mild in comparison to what my older son experienced with the Fujan strain of flu in 2003 (he was 4 years old). He vomited for a day before the fever hit. We took him to the dr and the flu test was negative. We came home and in the middle of that night, he woke me up with a 104.9 degree fever telling me the room was "moving." We went back to the doctor (12 hours later) and the swab was positive for both A and B strains of the flu! He vomited, acted lethargic (read: didn't MOVE), coughed, was congested, and ran a temp from 103-105 for 5 days straight. It was honestly hell on earth. This is NOT like that. Edited September 16, 2009 by Tree House Academy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Wow, from the sound of how they were operating, I'm surprised they didn't quarantine you. :D I've never heard of them handling patients like that....at least not yet anyways. I hope you get to feeling better quickly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Wow, from the sound of how they were operating, I'm surprised they didn't quarantine you. :D I've never heard of them handling patients like that....at least not yet anyways. I hope you get to feeling better quickly! When I went to my local hospital recently for a thyroid ultrasound, they were handling possibly H1N1 patients this way. There was a kiosk that said, "STOP...if you have flu like symptoms, please put on a mask, gown, and gloves before entering the ER." Nurses came out to the waiting rooms wearing masks to take the patients back too. It kind of made ME want to put on a mask before continuing on in the hospital! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Some of us have had sore throats, headache, and tiredness. One of us has had a cough with congestion. None of us have had fever. Since I don't think this is H1N1, I do think there is something else going around with some of the same symptoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted September 16, 2009 Author Share Posted September 16, 2009 Wow, from the sound of how they were operating, I'm surprised they didn't quarantine you. :D I've never heard of them handling patients like that....at least not yet anyways. I hope you get to feeling better quickly! I know! Especially after I tested negative?? I think it was the fever, but surely there are other viruses going around with flu like symptoms? In my googling, I've read that the rapid flu test has false negatives. Oh well. I'm going to sleep as soon as my hubbie gets home!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2GirlsTX Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Same story here, dd flu test came back negative but Dr said she thought it was a false negative. She has been sick since Sunday morning and dh started coughing today. He also has MS and does monthly infusion of Tysabri so his immune system is definitely compromised. He called both his Neurologist and Primary Care and they told him to go and have the rapid test done and if he is positive to start Tamiflu, if not positive, he should make a judgment call. If this is the flu, it is not as horrible as the one case of flu I had years ago. I'll let you know what his flu test says when he calls me. Hope everyone getting this virus gets better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in AL Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 My dh is a pediatrician and I do his billing and transcribe his notes, so I see what he sees everyday. Out of 32-40 kids per day there are about 2 positive flu tests, all type A along with about 2 positive strep tests. The rest are about 6 well checks and the remainder are a viral syndrome similar to the flu. No patient is more sick than any other round of the flu or your average everyday chest virus. I think the media has caused way too much hype over this. If hospitals and physicians are going to react this way to this flu, they should react this way to any other flu. I think a few physicians have overreacted due to the media too. As for it being a pandemic, perhaps they have more positive results because everyone and their brother is being tested for the least little sniffle, where they might have stayed home otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Same story here, dd flu test came back negative but Dr said she thought it was a false negative. She has been sick since Sunday morning and dh started coughing today. He also has MS and does monthly infusion of Tysabri so his immune system is definitely compromised. He called both his Neurologist and Primary Care and they told him to go and have the rapid test done and if he is positive to start Tamiflu, if not positive, he should make a judgment call. If this is the flu, it is not as horrible as the one case of flu I had years ago. I'll let you know what his flu test says when he calls me. Hope everyone getting this virus gets better soon. I bet his will be negative too....when my ds had the flu in 2003, he tested negative the first day - even though he had obvious symptoms. The very next day he tested positive for both A and B! Those things are not the best, unfortunately. For your dh's sake, I hope that his test is positive (if it is the flu, that is) so he can start the meds that will help him beat it. How are you feeling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2GirlsTX Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 [quote name=T ree House Academy]I bet his will be negative too....when my ds had the flu in 2003, he tested negative the first day - even though he had obvious symptoms. The very next day he tested positive for both A and B! Those things are not the best, unfortunately. For your dh's sake, I hope that his test is positive (if it is the flu, that is) so he can start the meds that will help him beat it. How are you feeling? I am feeling stronger but my cough is bad. I have trouble wrapping my head around that this is the flu. We are sick, the one child got very sick, but compared to her previous bout with the flu 6 years ago and Whooping Cough 5 years ago, this virus isn't comparing. Thanks for your nice sentiments, I too hope if it is the flu, it identifies itself as such for his sake. I'm suspecting a negative test result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2GirlsTX Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Update: DH test came back negative but the Dr said that given our symptoms he was suspicious. He said that since DH came at first sign of cough, he most likely would show negative (which he did) and sometimes it takes a couple of days to get a positive. He gave DH a prescription for Relenza as he was concerned about the cough and his inherited COPD. So yet again, we really don't know what we have, flu, cold, virus, etc etc etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 Update: DH test came back negative but the Dr said that given our symptoms he was suspicious. He said that since DH came at first sign of cough, he most likely would show negative (which he did) and sometimes it takes a couple of days to get a positive. He gave DH a prescription for Relenza as he was concerned about the cough and his inherited COPD. So yet again, we really don't know what we have, flu, cold, virus, etc etc etc I hope he does well throughout the bug with his MS also! For me fevers cause psuedo flare ups until the fever goes down etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Update: DH test came back negative but the Dr said that given our symptoms he was suspicious. He said that since DH came at first sign of cough, he most likely would show negative (which he did) and sometimes it takes a couple of days to get a positive. He gave DH a prescription for Relenza as he was concerned about the cough and his inherited COPD. So yet again, we really don't know what we have, flu, cold, virus, etc etc etc We saw two doctors while "sick" and never heard more than, "it might be it", "you'll never know", "some virus". Neither did a flu test. We didn't have any body aches at all - none of the kids nor I, but had the other stuff. My middle special needs child is alternating no fever to a 99.7 fever. I went on thermometer strike today... she has a low normal in the 97 range, so it's a "fever" for her. BUT, the last time she got a decent virus, the fever portion hung around in her for MONTHS. She has been at this being sick stuff for 12 days.... Anyway, that is our story.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2GirlsTX Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 We saw two doctors while "sick" and never heard more than, "it might be it", "you'll never know", "some virus". Neither did a flu test. Anyway, that is our story.... Arg! This is maddening, isn't it? The ER doctor was pretty much the same, could be, might be, something similar to... If this is H1N1 it is way over rated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Arg! This is maddening, isn't it? The ER doctor was pretty much the same, could be, might be, something similar to... If this is H1N1 it is way over rated. I totally agree! I have one kid who is hacking up a lung, but otherwise okay. My other child seems to have had the worst of it for ONE day. He is now fever free and just complaining that the stuffy nose is "driving him nuts" (this is my kid with an immune system made of steel). I started getting sick last night (LOL...I knew it!) and I have a very slightly sore throat. That is all. I feel run down and kind of tired, but nothing huge. The little girl that my youngest son sneezed on on Monday got sick today too. :( Seems like incubation for this is about 3-4 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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