How's the Flu Hitting You?

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:ZdlCb.513986$Tr4.1435387@attbi_s03...
That's not exactly the case, Mr. Jay. It is my understanding that the
shot
is effective. They are just not exactly sure HOW effective it will be.

Well, here is from the AP, in today's Gannett-owned rag:

"About 2/3s of people with confirmed flu have a strain called 'A/Fujian'
The strain doesn't grow readily in fertilized chicken eggs, which made it
virtually impossible to include in the vaccine for this year's epidemic".

In other words, you're pretty much own with this particular strain...

I live in NC, got my flu shot in October and rarely get sick. My 5 year-old
son came down with the flu last Saturday (he didn't get a shot). His fever
ran very high, so we took him to the doctor on Monday. As is usually the
case, he started to "come out of" the sickness while we were waiting for the
doctor to see him (I was wondering if we could run out on the check, to use
a restaurant addage). About that time, I started coughing, feeling a bit of
fluid high in my chest. That was Monday, today (Friday) is my first day back
to work and I am about 75% well, not contagious, but just a mere shell.
Missed three days of work.

I'm pretty sure I got the flu because of the classic symptoms: lots of chest
congestion, which later included my head, fever and WEAKNESS. I'm so damn
depleted right now. The weird thing about this flu is that it doesn't let go
of you like other flus I've had (only a handful in my 38 years), it's like
the damned Energizer bunny, about the time you think you're getting better,
it comes and smacks you again. My dad got it last week. He's 73 and it
nearly put him in the hospital. He told me that what he's coughing up is
indescribable. And yes, he's been vaccinated against the flu and pneumonia.

A six year-old boy just died locally and there are many children who are
unfortunately following suit.

I'm not seeing that the flu shot did a whole lot for me. My son and I have
had EXACTLY the same symptoms and duration. I just thank God that it didn't
kill him.

WASH YOUR HANDS!!!! Or the flu shall smite thee!

-Trent
PP-ASEL

I have the same symptoms grounded me since last Wednesday Dec 3rd and it
looks like I'll be down until at least this Monday. Crazy cough with lots of
fluid and sinus congestion. I went to the doc and he said that it was
bacterial and not viral. He gave me an antibiotic (Z-tex) and he said I
should be back to normal on Monday. I promised to fly my friend's father
from NY to Bangor, ME this week so I hope it's true. I'll let you know it it
works.


Marco


"Jim" wrote in message
...
Jesus, you got the same thing I have. Coughing about every other day so
bad
that my back, neck, and ribs hurt like hell.
--
Jim Burns III

Remove "nospam" to reply


"EDR" wrote in message
...

I got my flu shot the beginning of November. A week later I experienced
three days of headaches, followed by a day of sore throat, followed by
three days of head congestion, followed by three days of chest
congestion. I have had head congestion since. This is week four.





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"EDR" wrote in message
...

I got my flu shot the beginning of November. A week later I experienced
three days of headaches, followed by a day of sore throat, followed by
three days of head congestion, followed by three days of chest
congestion. I have had head congestion since. This is week four.

I forgot to add that I had a sinus infection for three days last week.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
Well, here is from the AP, in today's Gannett-owned rag:

"About 2/3s of people with confirmed flu have a strain called 'A/Fujian'
The strain doesn't grow readily in fertilized chicken eggs, which made it
virtually impossible to include in the vaccine for this year's epidemic".

In other words, you're pretty much own with this particular strain...

Not quite, Jay. From the article: " "With a vaccine with a less optimal
match, you have to say it might not work at all," said Dr. Scott Harper, a
CDC epidemiologist. "That's very unlikely. Probably it will not be 90
percent effective. But we just have no good sense of how it will work in
humans. Biology is messy."

"The mismatch occurred when experts decided to include a strain called
A-Panama in this year's shot, the same as last year. It turns out that the
dominant virus this fall has been A-Fujian, which has two genetic mutations
that make it different. "

--
Jim Fisher

The weird thing about this flu is that it doesn't let go
of you like other flus I've had (only a handful in my 38 years), it's like
the damned Energizer bunny, about the time you think you're getting better,
it comes and smacks you again.

It stuck with me for two weeks. A few days of total crapiness and then 10 days
of hacking up green chunky stuff. And then one morning it was all gone!


-John
*You are nothing until you have flown a Douglas, Lockheed, Grumman or North
American*

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003, Jay Honeck wrote:

How's it in your neck of the woods?

Well, I got it in the neck... Felt grotty Saturday & Sunday, stayed home
from work Monday, went home after three hours at work on Tuesday, and
spent all of Wednesday & Thursday useless & ragged from the nastiest flu
bug I've met since I was a kid...

Home again today; better but still ragged. I've never missed a solid week
of work before...

I just want to get healthy again so I can fly on the 17th and celebrate
100 Years!

Brian.

"Jim Fisher" wrote in message
...
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
Well, here is from the AP, in today's Gannett-owned rag:

"About 2/3s of people with confirmed flu have a strain called 'A/Fujian'
The strain doesn't grow readily in fertilized chicken eggs, which made
it
virtually impossible to include in the vaccine for this year's
epidemic".

In other words, you're pretty much own with this particular strain...

Not quite, Jay. From the article: " "With a vaccine with a less optimal
match, you have to say it might not work at all," said Dr. Scott Harper, a
CDC epidemiologist. "That's very unlikely. Probably it will not be 90
percent effective. But we just have no good sense of how it will work in
humans. Biology is messy."

"The mismatch occurred when experts decided to include a strain called
A-Panama in this year's shot, the same as last year. It turns out that the
dominant virus this fall has been A-Fujian, which has two genetic
mutations
that make it different. "

--
Jim Fisher



I'm with Jay on this. There have been numerous news reports that have
stated the flu shots being given do not prevent the A/Fujian strain which is
the one causing the problems. It's the same story every year. The shots
only work on the virus strains that were around last flu season and don't
work on any new strains that have mutated and spread this year.

"Dave Stadt" wrote in message
y.com...
I'm with Jay on this. There have been numerous news reports that have
stated the flu shots being given do not prevent the A/Fujian strain which
is
the one causing the problems.

You are "with Jay" in claiming that all of the news reports are false?
Funny. There haven't been any well-researched news reports saying that the
vaccine does not prevent the dominant strain for this season.

Jim's comments are exactly right, at least according to all of the news
reports. The current vaccine includes three strains of flu, none of which
turned out to be the dominant one this season. However, they are similar
enough that health officials expect *some* protective effect from the
vaccine. No, it won't be 80-90%. But they are expecting as much as 50%
protection, even among those infected with the A/Fujian strain, due to the
similarities.

The vaccine does not need to include the *exact* strain for there to be a
protective effect in some percentage of individuals. For that matter,
having the exact strain does not guarantee a protective effect. It's just
that the percentage is higher when the vaccine is the same strain.

It's the same story every year. The shots
only work on the virus strains that were around last flu season and don't
work on any new strains that have mutated and spread this year.

The same story? Yeah, right. The flu vaccine is just a big scam. You
caught 'em with their pants down. Maybe you should get to the Wall Street
Journal or New York Times with this breaking news.

Seriously though, you don't appear to be getting it. The shots work to
varying degrees depending on the individual and depending on how closely the
virus strain in question matches the strains found in the vaccine. It's not
a binary either/or thing. For many people, this year's flu shot will
prevent them from being infected with this year's dominant flu strain (as
well as any number of others).

Sorry, I forgot...what does this have to do with flying?

Pete

Why the hell do you keep posting off topic stuff to the flying newsgroups?
Lord, it is like you are in your own world.

I suspect there will be an additional entry in my filter soon.


"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:OUjCb.517762$Fm2.503505@attbi_s04...
Over 1/3 of my son's middle school went home (or called in) sick
yesterday.
It's all over the news that this is the worst flu outbreak since the
killer
1918-1919 flu epidemic. (Which, incidentally, claimed my grandfather, and
very nearly killed my grandmother, while she was pregnant with my Dad.)

My CFI buddy said that half of his students cancelled lessons in the last
few days, and there was only one other person in the pattern with us
yesterday, on a CAVU afternoon. (Of course, the icy runways may have had
*something* to do with it!)

How's it in your neck of the woods? Anyone ever been hit with the flu (or
similar) while airborne?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I have had the flu all this week.
I had the flu-shots but my doctor said that this strain is not covered
by the shot. Apparently the makeup of the shot is determined after
consultation with World Health Organization and they didn't list
A/Fujian. Now it is too late to include it as it takes several months to
produce the vaccine.


--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Almost Instrument
Cessna 172H C-GICE