H1N1 - My Personal Experience

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I am not a Doctor.

I began to get ill on October 19th, right after I got the flu shot. For the next 2+ months I had every single flu symptom known to man. One set of symptoms led me to believe I had blood clots in my legs, but I survived. Another time I had all the symptoms of Colon Cancer. The worst was when I got fluid in my lungs and would cough up great gobs of clear mucus. Later, I had a chronic cough that would literally like take me out. Once, I coughed so much that I got cramps in my chest and I just laid down on the floor and waited to die, and frankly, I did not give a damn. It just went on and on and I complained much to my doctor. Finally she did an upper GI, a CAT scan, and ultra sound on my abdomen. Later, because of my cough, the Doc had me take Omeprazol for GIRD at double the dose, but I was not taking it right and it just made matters worse. A girlfriend read the instructions and gave me a dizzing punch in the forehead, and called me a ditz. She got me taking it 15 minutes before I ate. It took a month but I feel much better on that front.

I was feeling quite sad because I still had symptoms and the Doc was just treating me like a whiny child. Slowly my symptoms began to ease, and finally almost disappeared. My voice was the last to return. I still can't talk a lot with out getting hoarse and coughing. That is probably a great comfort to friends.

Last week, I felt good enough to return to work. It felt good to get out of the house and work. It had been 2 1/2 months.

When I went into the office, my boss's tale was just like mine but being younger, she worked through a lot of it. I feel validated. The H1N1 was just awful. So, if any of you have a similar tale, please know that you are not alone.

Peace

Khadijah

Comments

Sounds like you had a really rough time there Gwen.

I was in the hospital with pneumonia in mid october, and the doctors suspected I had H1N1. Fortunately I didn't have it, but they wouldn't let me go home until they were sure. As my luck runs, the first test they did got lost and they had to do it again. Needless to say, I didn't go through all you did, but it wasn't fun, either.

I hope your recovery proceeds with all speed.

Maggie

Thank you.

Yes, this morning I am feeling really good.

Restlessness seems to be infecting me now; don't know if a camping trip will ease it or if I have to move to um New Zealand or something. :)

I love my life!

Khadijah Gwen

H1N1? Probably not.

The vaccination is made from a killed virus. It is very unlikely you had Swine Flu.

I'm not a doctor but I watch a lot of hospital shows! :p

Mr. Ram

H1N1 Really your symptoms don't sound like the posters.

My mother had flu. Doctors said likely h1n1.

She had diahrea, vomiting, cramps, extreme lethargy, clogged lungs and severe dehydration requiring brief hospitalization where they pumped her full of fluids and she walked out.

Nothing like GERD, Colon Cancer, etc... But you are well now and that's all that counts.

Nobody.

Pretty typical of the H1N1

I volunteer at the VA Hospital, and numbers of people there have told me that what I reported was pretty typical. I have spent my last winter in Oregon I hope. They say to get the H1n1 vacine even if you had it.

Sounds More Like Result of Vaccination to Me!

I had the so-called Swine Flu in November. It was not diagnosed by anyone, but I recognised the symptoms - they were just the same as and came in the same sequence as the Asian Flu which I had some 30 years or so before, but it was milder, probably I had some left over immunity lingering inside. Asking around, the symptoms were the same as neighbours who did have medical care, who had been reported as having Swine Flu. Actually of course, nobody had any serological investigations done on them to confirm the guess ( can hardly call it a diagnosis with no tests done!) I prescribed for myself 1 G of Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) daily, plus my usual B Vitamin supplements and anti-oxidants, and used an Immune Stimulant called Sprenglersan G, not available outside Germany and Switzerland, to give my non-specific immune system a boost. I was ill for 5 days.

There are several makes of vaccine against the Swine Flu. Some have an adjuvant substance added, that is used in Anthrax vaccines, which is there to enhance the body's response. Unfortunately, adding adjuvants is always a bit risky as you can make the immune system develop antibodies to the adjuvant or a complex of antigen plus adjuvant. It does mean the pharmaceutical company can make and sell a lot more doses from the same culture of virus and make more profit though. I am not suggesting they do that deliberately, it is probably a decision based upon many different factors. I would not regard Swine Flu itself as so serious it needs vaccinating against, unless people are caring for the sick, eg are nurses or doctors or lab techs, etc. Naturally-acquired immunity is nearly always better anyway.

I had my private pharmacy of antibiotics ready in case I developed secondary infetions but luckily did not need them.

I urge people to check carefully what kind of vaccine they are being offered before accepting an injection of one. Knowledge is Power! Having worked in medical research for over 50 years I have a little knowledge of it.

Hope you are making a good recovery. 50 - 100 mg of all the B complex Vitamins will speed your recovery. Also, being happy is actually a very good protection - it is when we are "down" that these things that lurk about can get us!

Hugs,

Briar

Briar