OT: The H1N1 Virus (Swine Flu), should we be worried?

[MaryvalesFinest]

At first I thought the media was just trying to use this to scare all of us but now I'm not so sure. The reason being are about 5 of my friends within the past week told me they came down with the Swine Flu.

I'm just guessing they got the regular flu but with all the swine flu talk they were brainwashed to think it's that. Before I never gave it a second thought but now it's in the back of my mind. I got to go to a Halloween party as some of you know with probably around 30 or more people. I would skip the party with all this flu stuff going on but if I don't go I automatically lose the bet I made for the costume party and I gotta get my tounge pierced and wear a straight barbell in the middle of my tounge for at least a month. So basically I'm forced to go...hopefully I don't get sick

So I'm just wondering what everyone else thinks about it, is it a serious threat? Do you have it or do you know of anyone who has it?

[Kerrsed]

At first I thought the media was just trying to use this to scare all of us but now I'm not so sure. The reason being are about 5 of my friends within the past week told me they came down with the Swine Flu.

I'm just guessing they got the regular flu but with all the swine flu talk they were brainwashed to think it's that. Before I never gave it a second thought but now it's in the back of my mind. I got to go to a Halloween party as some of you know with probably around 30 or more people. I would skip the party with all this flu stuff going on but if I don't go I automatically lose the bet I made for the costume party and I gotta get my tounge pierced and wear a straight barbell in the middle of my tounge for at least a month. So basically I'm forced to go...hopefully I don't get sick

So I'm just wondering what everyone else thinks about it, is it a serious threat? Do you have it or do you know of anyone who has it?

[MaryvalesFinest]

Dude I'm just going to be emo on Halloween, not permanately

[Kerrsed]

[MaryvalesFinest]

[BurningHeart]

Sure, it sucks if you don't like getting sick. Diagnose it early and you'll be fine.

[Hilltop]

Well it spreads pretty fast. I remember getting it at a party, and the next day all my friends had it too. It's just a normal flu though so it's nothing much to worry about.

... you are still going as an Emo?

[garrick]

For most people it should be fine but it just sucks if you're one of those people in the minority who get a real serious case.
My friends 13 year old brother was hospitalized with swine flu and it is quite serious as they said the infection spread to his brain.
They're taking samples from his spine and he has a 41 degree (celsius) fever right now. Scary stuff.

[realsunsfan]

I wouldn't say worried, but definitely cautious. My mother-in-law just past away from H1N1 on Oct 11. She also was being treated for Breast Cancer with chemo-therapy, so she was already in a weekend state as far as her immune sytem. She got sick with what we thought was just a regular cold, and we knew that because of the chemo it could turn into a serious situation, but we really had no idea just how serious it was going to get. The cold got really really bad, so much so that she had to be admitted to the hospital, everyday we watched her get worse and worse. Finally they came and told us it was the H1N1 virus that she had. We were all exposed to it from visiting her in the hospital, but none of us ever contracted the H1N1 virus, so you see not everybody that is exposed to it will get it, some people are healthy enough to naturally fight it off, but if you have any respitory illness like asthma or anything at all that may have weakend your bodies immune system or respitory system be ver very cautious and at any sign of illness, even the slightest sign of an irrtation, go see your doctor. It took my mother-in-law in less than two weeks.........

EDIT: I wanted to also mention that ESTER, my mother-in-law, was a HUGE suns fan, she would call me during every Suns game to talk about the game. Her favorite player lately was Barbosa.

[Miklo]

I wouldn't say worried, but definitely cautious. My mother-in-law just past away from H1N1 on Oct 11. She also was being treated for Breast Cancer with chemo-therapy, so she was already in a weekend state as far as her immune sytem. She got sick with what we thought was just a regular cold, and we knew that because of the chemo it could turn into a serious situation, but we really had no idea just how serious it was going to get. The cold got really really bad, so much so that she had to be admitted to the hospital, everyday we watched her get worse and worse. Finally they came and told us it was the H1N1 virus that she had. We were all exposed to it from visiting her in the hospital, but none of us ever contracted the H1N1 virus, so you see not everybody that is exposed to it will get it, some people are healthy enough to naturally fight it off, but if you have any respitory illness like asthma or anything at all that may have weakend your bodies immune system or respitory system be ver very cautious and at any sign of illness, even the slightest sign of an irrtation, go see your doctor. It took my mother-in-law in less than two weeks.........

EDIT: I wanted to also mention that ESTER, my mother-in-law, was a HUGE suns fan, she would call me during every Suns game to talk about the game. Her favorite player lately was Barbosa.

Sorry to hear about your loss. Yeah, while it is basically "just a flu", it is a force to be reckoned with - especially for high risk populations. I don't know exactly but I think people below age 24 are at risk as well as adults under a certain age - older people were already exposed to it. But yeah as soon as it becomes widely available I'm gonna get the H1N1 vaccine.

[lilfishi22]

I think a vaccine is already available for free in Australia and should be available at our local GP from what I've heard, but I could be wrong.

[WTFsunsFTW]

If youre healthy it will just be a crappy 5 days of fever, body aches, no appetite and no energy. I slept about 14-16 hours a day in between the feelings of my brain melting from 102-104 temp

[realsunsfan]

[/quote]Sorry to hear about your loss. Yeah, while it is basically "just a flu", it is a force to be reckoned with - especially for high risk populations. I don't know exactly but I think people below age 24 are at risk as well as adults under a certain age - older people were already exposed to it. But yeah as soon as it becomes widely available I'm gonna get the H1N1 vaccine.[/quote]



Thank you Miklo

[TXSun]

better safe than sorry, don't you think?

[LV-Suns]

I was experiencing pretty much 90% of the symptoms last week. I did go to ER worrying if it was the Swine Flu though. They put me on a 1 week course of Tamiflu, I am fine now.

[garrick]

Some people have serious side effects from flu shots so that is also a concern, it's pick your poison I guess.

[lilfishi22]

From what I gather, these flu shots injects you with a bit of the flu. The flu they give you is very mild and normally won't have any effects on you. Your body's immune system fights off this weaker form of the flu and as a result strengthens itself against the flu so your body will be better suited to fight off the proper H1N1 flu if you are unlucky enough to catch it. I could be wrong, but I think that's the general idea.

[rsavaj]

From what I gather, these flu shots injects you with a bit of the flu. The flu they give you is very mild and normally won't have any effects on you. Your body's immune system fights off this weaker form of the flu and as a result strengthens itself against the flu so your body will be better suited to fight off the proper H1N1 flu if you are unlucky enough to catch it. I could be wrong, but I think that's the general idea.

That's a prety good basic description.

I think vaccines are incredibly important, but I'm always inclined to wait for about two or three months just to see what the general reaction in the public is. Poorly designed vaccines=not good. If it's working out, then go get vaccinated and protect yourself from the disease!

[Miklo]

^rsavaj don't you have a medical background? Or was that someone else?

[rsavaj]

^rsavaj don't you have a medical background? Or was that someone else?

Nah not anything professional haha. I'm applying for med school right now, been doing HIV research for about a year and a half now. Hospice work, clinic work, etc, but nothing professional.