Does this really sound like the flu?

[pink&bluemommy]

So, yesterday ds (4) started running a fever and very lethargic, and even took a nap (never happens!).  I made an appointment to go to the dr at 5.  He started complaining of a sore throat before we went.  They did a throat culture and flu swab.  He came back positive for strep and negative to flu.  But the dr said if he left the flu it might come back positive after an hour or two (the fast test frequently was coming back negative for them).  He gave me a prescription for the strep, and for flu (semmetrol) and for nausea (ds threw up once at the doctors, I think more as a gaggy on adenoids thing, he never complained of stomach hurting and has been eating just fine).  Anyhow, they did call me back an hour or two later and said the flu test had turned positive.  But, pretty much as soon as we left the drs he has perked up.  This morning he is acting completely fine.  His throat doesn't hurt, he isn't lethargic, I'm guessing he isn't running a fever.  I'm wondering if they screwed up the labs in the office (they did have to redo the strep swab cause someone threw it away before they had cultured it).  He just doesn't seem sick enough to have the flu.  Woudl the antivirals start working that quickly (he had one does before bed last night).  I believe the strep, his throat was nasty and the fever was more on strep level than flu level (101 or less).

 

Why I'm probably more curious and questioning is we are supposed to have family coming to stay at our house Wednesday for 5 days.  I'm just  not sure what we are really dealing with here!  Could he really have the flu and feel this good?

[plansrme]

I do not know about the incubation peiriod and when he is safe for visitors, but if it is H1N1, my daughter who had it the worst of all of us three years ago was apparently over it in 24 hours. When I took her in for Tamiflu, the ped noted that you could fry an egg on her forehead. She did not have strep, though. So yes, I would believe he really has flu.

[Pawz4me]

Agreeing with the above.

 

From what I've read the H1N1 flu variant hits young adults to middle aged people the hardest, unlike more typical flu strains which are hardest on the very young and the elderly.  So I think it's possible he has the H1N1 variety of flu, but with him being so young and getting a dose of antiviral medicine so quickly, he's been able to bounce back already.

[Lawana]

We also had an extremely fast response to an antiviral. Dd tested positive for flu and was given Tamiflu. Ds started running a fever, had one dose of Tamiflu, and by the next morning was completely symptom free.

[ktgrok]

why do they think he has the flu? From what I'm reading he had a sore throat and fever, and tested positive for strep. Sounds like he has strep. so why do they think he has the flu, given that there was another reason for the fever (strep) and he had a negative flu test?

[Lawana]

why do they think he has the flu? From what I'm reading he had a sore throat and fever, and tested positive for strep. Sounds like he has strep. so why do they think he has the flu, given that there was another reason for the fever (strep) and he had a negative flu test?

Did you notice the part about the Dr. calling back that the flu test had turned positive?

[ktgrok]

Did you notice the part about the Dr. calling back that the flu test had turned positive?

 

nope, lol..missed that. I thought she said that he felt if he had left it it MIGHT turn positive. 

[trulycrabby]

Yes, I strongly believe he has the flu, because tamiflu, when it works, can work very fast. Did he by any chance have H1N1 or the flu vaccine back in 2009 when it first hit? If so, he might have had antibodies circulating that could quickly act against his flu.

 

I'm glad he is feeling better!

[Joker]

We all had the flu here two weeks ago and started Tamiflu within 24 hours. We all felt better the next day (except oldest). We still had some cough and congestion, but the medicine made a huge difference. I took Tamiflu two years ago but didn't start it until the end of the second day and it did nothing. I was down for a solid two weeks. I now won't bother taking it if I can't start it sooner.

[Mergath]

My dd has something similar.  It started late Saturday/early Sunday.  Her fever was well over 103, she was lethargic, and she had a horrible cough.  I wasn't about to bring her to the ER for the flu, so I decided we'd wait until Monday and go to the clinic to get Tamiflu.  Well, on Monday her fever was down to 100.5, and she was up and playing and seemed fine, so we didn't even bother going in for meds.  She still has a cough, but other than that you'd never know she's sick.  It's definitely not a cold, though.  No runny nose or any of that.  I'm guessing it's either some random virus, or one of the flu strains she was vaccinated against and so she fought it off quickly.

 

As for your guests, I'd let them know that he's been sick and let them decide if they want to risk being exposed.

 

 

[danybug]

I would say it sounds like 2 of my children. I had the illness first and I have never been so sick. Like completely debilitated for 3 days. Then my middle two had a fever yesterday glassy eyes and a little bit of a hacker cough. Then today they are running around and fine. And I KNOW I had some version of the flu. I credited it to the fact I gave them a bazillion vitamins once I started my sickness. But maybe at 6 and 3 they fought it off better.

 

Edited to add my 13 yo had it almost as severely as myself.

[Plateau Mama]

My 5 yo had 103.3. We took him in and he tested positive for the flu. One dose of Tamiflu and we was playing Kinect sports. Before that he wouldn't even walk because his legs hurt and he slept all day. We took him in Friday evening and by Sunday he was 100% back to normal.

[pink&bluemommy]

Yeah, I'm guessing he is just more resilient!  We're waiting to see if anyone else falls prey.  Company is waiting to decide!  My back feels a little achey and I feel tired, but I wonder if I'm thinking about it too much.  And I didn't sleep too much last night worrying about him, etc (even though he slept just fine!).  

 

I'm not sure that this child has ever had a flu vaccine?  We have only had them very rarely.  Hmmm, maybe we did, I vaguely might remember getting him one and me one his first year, so that would have been late 2009.  I bet the other kids didn't get one though (though maybe they have had 1-2 flu shots in their life).

[LizzyBee]

A common myth about the flu is that if you don't wish you could die, it isn't the flu.  Sometimes it's that bad, sometimes it's not.  I've had the flu twice.  The first time, I was so sick I couldn't get out of bed and my Dad had to carry me to the bathroom; and the second time I managed to work 8 hours on my worst day and 12 hours/day for the remainder. My little sister had the H1N1 flu and worked all day, then went to the doctor and found out it was the flu, then went home and started laundry while talking on the phone with me.  I'm glad your son is doing so well.

[MrsJewelsRae]

We all just had the flu here. My oldest boy (11) got it first, fairly mild, only a few days feeling poorly. Then my dd (9) got it, then myself and my youngest (5). My dd and I had an awful time of it. I was wheezing horribly within 4 hrs of symptoms starting (asthma). My fever went so high, I was so ill I nearly asked dh to call an ambulance to bring me to the hospital for treatment as I couldn't sit up, breathe, body aches, disoriented, migraine, etc. My dr called in prednisone and even still it took a couple days to get me breathing ok, I also got on antibiotics as it ended up turning into bronchitis. It was rough. My dd also has asthma, we doubled up on her meds and it was looking a little worrisome but she pulled through with sitting in the steamy bathroom on and off to loosen the phlegm and bring it up, poor thing had every flu symptom plus vomiting everything for over 24 hours. Dd and I were down a solid 2 weeks, sleeping most of the day. My 5 year old had a low grade fever for 2 days, was sleepy and cuddly then bounced back pretty quick. However a couple days later he developed a cough that kept him hacking for a couple days, but nothing severe. Dh got it for about a week. I find younger ones tend to bounce back pretty quick unless they have a weakness (asthma, etc). Adults tend to get it worse, especially if they have asthma, pregnancy, etc. I once got the flu while 30 weeks pregnant with my dd and had to be admitted to the hospital.

[JennyD]

My dd has something similar.  It started late Saturday/early Sunday.  Her fever was well over 103, she was lethargic, and she had a horrible cough.  I wasn't about to bring her to the ER for the flu, so I decided we'd wait until Monday and go to the clinic to get Tamiflu.  Well, on Monday her fever was down to 100.5, and she was up and playing and seemed fine, so we didn't even bother going in for meds.  She still has a cough, but other than that you'd never know she's sick.  It's definitely not a cold, though.  No runny nose or any of that.  I'm guessing it's either some random virus, or one of the flu strains she was vaccinated against and so she fought it off quickly.

 

 

 

We were all sick to varying degrees last week -- DH was laid out flat for 3 days, my two older boys were out for 2, and DS3 and I were only mildly ill, but we've all had the awful cough, tiredness, and serious lack of appetite.  When DS8's temperature returned I took him in and he tested positive for influenza A.  The doc said that for kids who had been vaccinated (we all had flu shots) the general course for influenza A was about 5-7 days.