Seasonal Epidemics [purplecthulhu]

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[Poll #1319313]

Mood::

sick

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There are 29 comments on this entry. (Reply.)

I do have hellish hayfever, if that's any consolation, which is rather seasonal for this part of the world.

Well, technically, I stayed in bed for 3 days, then had to get up and go and do things. My throat and chest have been creeky for about two months now, I'm pretty week most of the time, and I have hellish headaches every day. So, this is what you have to look forward to!

I think you may have a persistent bronchitis in that case. A course of antibiotics from your GP will probably solve it...

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I'm not allowed antibiotics :( I had pneumonia a few years back and, because of all the steroids I had pumped into me then, I'm only allowed medication if I'm literally standing with Death, about to give him money to go down the proverbial river. Everyone who has had this virus at work has reported the same lingering symptoms as well. Mine just seems to be lasting a bit longer.

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I went in to teach last Monday and Tuesday and basically didn't allow myself to get better so ended up at the doctor on Thursday. The result was antibiotics.

You mean I might have caught this from you??????

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I don't think I bumped into you at all last week, did I?

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A few times in the library? In the Tea Clipper the week before, when you might have been maximally infectious?

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The week before, I felt fine without a cough or a runny nose (yes, it is possible that I was infectious though).

Last week, I wasn't in the library at all - too ill!

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Norovirus, or 'Winter vomiting disease'... A memorable morning, discovering the mutant powers that didn't quite make the grade for the X-Men movies: parabolic puking and the miraculous ability to crap through a tea strainer.

I didn't realise what it was at the time; luckily I stayed indoors for 48 hours anyway.

So why didn't you tick the norwalk ticky box?????

[Same disease, it's just that it got so popular they changed the name from the usual geographical signifier to something that sounds more 'medical']

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So *that's* what Norwalk is. I'd assumed it was an ironic reference to some or other television show or character therein.

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There's no slot in the second poll for "appeared on the Today programme at uneartghly hour of the morning out of my head on codeine".

And the consequence was.. that I have been coughing and jellylike for about two weeks since. And still no one gave me an antibiotic..

The Today programme hands out antibiotics? I must have missed out!

From what you and others have said it sounds as if this bug may be going round with a bacterial friend for bronchitis. Antibiotics would sound like a good idea. Now if only I wasn't 100 miles from my GP...

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I seem to have a normal cold which went away. Apart from the cough, which is hanging on and leaving me in fits every so often.

Due to earlier employment situations, me taking time off to recover is bad. It means I end up in a disciplinary meeting again. At least the stupid cow who did them last time has left. (Anyone working in HR who thinks you should be at work if you're capable of moving (but not thinking) and that otherwise you should go to a doctor - even if it's quite obviously a cold so they'll just tell you to go home again - should be taken out the back and smacked around the head until they learn the meaning of the word "virus".)

They should also be smacked around until they learn the meaning of the word infectious!

Maybe you could have a word with

hairyears and arrange to have this HR department infected with the highly infectious Norwalk...

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Most people I have known have been suffering from (1). On hearing my significant other coming down with it, I loaded up with echinacea. As a result, I managed to have a minor cough (which may have been passive smoking induced) and so far, none of the major flu symptoms, although my throat has been slightly sore on a couple of occasions. Otoh, it may be due to immunosuppresion from stress, so I could die a grim death in the next week.

The recommended strategy from sufferers has been to stay in bed.

Has there been a double blind test of echinacea (you can tell I've just read Bad Science)?

The great thing about laptops is being able to type in bed :-)

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Yes there has and it has been indicated from these to be effective, primarily as a prophylactic and in aiding recovery (mean recovery 3 days vs 7 days). Can't remember the reference off the top of my head. But otherwise I wouldn't be taking it and wasting my money :p :)

I can give you some info on the mechanism of action - there are a series of unusual alkyne lipids that are thought to constitute the active agent.

And anecdotally, as you can see, it _seems_ to have worked (although I would not have wanted to be the control ...)

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http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab000530.html

This should provide the best review of literature to date (now I need to go and read it).

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It also may be contra-indicated for the several percent of the population (http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/a/ai/prevalence.htm - 'They represent the fourth largest cause of disability among women in the United States') with autoimmune conditions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_autoimmune_diseases) and HIV, apparently:

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030101/77.html

"The German Commission E monograph[10], a consensus statement of expert opinions, recommends that echinacea not be used in patients with autoimmune conditions or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, because of the risk that its immunostimulating effect could lead to exacerbation of autoimmune illness or increase in HIV viral load; however, this risk is theoretic and has not been adequately studied."

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coool. (well not really, but an interesting highlight)

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Sinus infections are also popular this time of year. Nothing like feeling like your head is going to pop off as you struggle to breathe through your mouth.

As for the medicinal front - I tend to use Cold FX which was locally developed. It might not just be my imagination that it helps, either; there are actual studies that seem to show that it is an immuno booster.

With the cold and dryness of Edmonton you get things much worse than us!

Not heard of ColdFX. Will see if it's around here...

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It seems like clockwork, but twice a year I get an infection/phlegm build up behind my left ear drum. Sometimes it starts as a cold and then for whatever reason, the goo decides to live on the left side. It's never been the right.

I see a doctor and they give me antibiotics and steroidal meds for a week in the past (see prednisone). I'm not doing either of those now, and it appears once again this stupid thing has me. I'm using a neti pot w/ sea salt water frequently, taking vitamins, drinking hot tea, and trying to get more rest. These things -- along with steamy showers, humidifiers, and air purifiers -- tend to help.

I had, within a month of getting wheeched in to A&E in an ambulance with a severe acute asthma attack, a viral infection which made the asthma much worse and made my breathing sound like a broken hurdy-gurdy. I was treated with lots of inhalers (beta-agonist and steroids) and oral steroids, and a course of prophylactic antibiotics.

Have just reached the coughing stage of what appears to be option 3, a normal cold, which I hope will go away quickly!

I have been treating it by a. the application of several pints of ale a night and b. ignoring it. Although today it is good that I'm not going out, as talking isn't much fun.

Tomorrow, I shall continue the treatment with non-stop Christmas movies. If that doesn't make it flee in terror, nothing will...

If this is the same as mine then you might get the second wave tomorrow, with general deadness, possible temperature and chesty cough.

I'm now into the third stage with lingering symptoms, chestiness and sagginess. But still managed to do some pre-xmas cleaning done. Then collapsed in front of rather too much daytime TV. Maybe it will work if your christmas movies do!

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The usual bout of arthritis, coupled with a blow-up of an old vascular abnormality in my right hand, both aggravated by excess activity and cold weather.

December