Even if you do everything possible to avoid getting swine flu, you may still find yourself feeling, as my daughter described it, as if you had been hit by a truck. Here are some things you can do if you begin feeling the symptoms of this pandemic flu.
This is the third of four articles on swine flu. Other articles in this series include:
- Into the Belly of the Beast: My Family’s Experience with Swine Flu
- Getting Ready for Swine Flu
- What to Do If Your Family Gets Swine Flu
If you are pregnant, watch the webcast from the Department of Health and Human Services and read the Centers for Disease Control webpage about pregnant women and swine flu.
Suggestions from the Centers for Disease Control:
- Stay home from school or work. Don’t give it to others!
- Check with your doctor. She may want you to be tested, though as more people get sick, fewer will be tested. She may also start you on an anti-viral drug like Tamiflu (but again, these drugs may be harder to find as more people get sick and may be reserved for people in hospitals or who are ‘high risk’ patients). The drugs work best if you start taking them within 48 hours of becoming ill, but may still be given later if you are in a high risk group or if your illness is severe.
- If you are 18 or younger, do not take aspirin or products that contain aspirin (like Pepto Bismol). It increases the risk of Reye’s syndrome. Use acetaminophen (Tylenol®) and ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, Nuprin®), to relieve symptoms. Check with your doctor before giving any over-the-counter medicine to children under age 5.
- Cover your cough. The virus spreads in the droplets in your cough or sneeze.
- Wear a face mask if you are around other people – especially those at higher risk of getting swine flu. This may help you keep the germs to yourself. See CDC recommendations on face masks. (We took N95 masks with us when we went to take care of our daughter and granddaughter, but the CDC says they’re not necessary except for health care workers caring for sick patients and high risk people who are acting as caregivers.)
- People infected with swine flu are contagious a day before they begin showing symptoms until up to 7 days later. Children, especially younger children, may be contagious longer.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub – especially after using tissues and after coughing or sneezing into hands. This helps others from becoming infected. How long? As long as it takes you to sing Happy Birthday.
- Get plenty of rest.
- Drink plenty of clear fluids (water, broth, sports drinks, electrolyte drinks for infants) to keep from being dehydrated
- Stay home at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever – or until you no longer have any symptoms.
Emergency Medical Care
If you have any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.
In children
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish or gray skin color
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Severe or persistent vomiting
- Not waking up or not interacting
- Being so irritable the child does not want to be held
- Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worsening cough
In adults
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting
- Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worsening cough
Final Thoughts
Based on my experience taking care of my daughter and granddaughter when they had swine flu earlier this summer, even ‘mild’ cases of swine flu are something you want to avoid at all costs. But if you still get the bug, take good care of yourself and do what seems to be unnatural to most Americans – stay away from work or school until you no longer have any symptoms. And then stay home an extra day just to make sure. This is one ‘gift’ no one will appreciate getting from you!
If you’ve had personal experience with swine flu or have other suggestions for what to do if you get it, leave a comment.
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There is some evidence that the reason the flu is bad in the winter is that people don’t get enough sun on their skin to make the vitamin-D that their immune system needs. I think taking plenty of vitamin-D is a good idea during flu season.
Thanks for the tips, Walt. It’ll sure come in handy if I or my family come in close, personal contact with the swine flu.
My brother got infected with H1N1 or Swine Flu in Mexico. He got a mild fever and luckily he did not die.