Question: Have you ever REALLY had the Flu?

[Misty_Morning]

Seriously.

Have you been diagnosed with the Flu (no matter what strain)?

Chances are...probably not.

Yeah, I have had some really bad colds and other respiratory tract infections. And have felt "BAD".


But, when it comes down to the nitty gritty....MOST people in the US have NEVER had the flu.

I had it ONCE.

Thought I was gonna die.

It was spring of 1979.

About the only positive was by the time I was over it....the school system shut down for nearly 2 weeks.


Not trying to belittle the current "episode"....

But we sniffle and have a few aches....and think we have the flu...



BELIEVE me....if you have ever had the flu....you would know.



SO...ever REALLY had it?

 

[Stella_Omega]

yes...

Most of those "sniffles and aches" are the flu, in less virulent varieties.

If your legs ache along with your stomach or respiratory discomfort-- it's influenza.

I can remember as a child having a BAD case of flu one Xmas. All four members of my family had it, and we lay around the living room gazing through running eyes at our beautiful tree... which wavered in fever hallucinations... for a week.

 

[Misty_Morning]

yes...

Most of those "sniffles and aches" are the flu, in less virulent varieties.

Gonna havta disagree with ya there.

I have had some really bad colds/resperitory infections that I thought was the mild case of the flu.

I was tested several times and it came up negative. But it was never like it was "that" time.

A bad cold/respriratory infection will knock you back...No doubt.

But just saying that certain joint aches and such qualify as the flu....no way.


The flu = total incapacitation(sp) = almost wishing for death

 

[Xelebes]

I've had the flu a couple times. The vomiting is the best part...

 

[The_Fool]

I've had the flu a couple times. The vomiting is the best part...

No, the vomiting while sitting on the toilet with a migrane was better. Not to mention the IV bags for fluids. I hate needles.

 

[Huckleman2000]

Yes, and it made me feel like death, warmed over.

 

[john-the-author]

No, the vomiting while sitting on the toilet with a migrane was better. Not to mention the IV bags for fluids. I hate needles.

I have to agree with you: the migraine is the worst part. It's getting kicked when you're down.

I've had flu a number of times, but the worst almost killed me. I was 12 and my temperature wasn't going down. My parents took me to the hospital just in time, apparently (I was 105.4 degrees and completely delirious).

Ick.

 

[S-Des]

I've had it a few times, and each time it kicked my ass for a couple of days. I had mono once, which was far worse (as well as lasting for much longer), and the sickest I've felt in the last 15 years was when I got a flu shot (which I haven't repeated since).

 

[Leto Degeneres]

I have to agree with you: the migraine is the worst part. It's getting kicked when you're down.

I've had flu a number of times, but the worst almost killed me. I was 12 and my temperature wasn't going down. My parents took me to the hospital just in time, apparently (I was 105.4 degrees and completely delirious).

Ick.

I'm hearing you there! The worst was in 8th grade. Dad was out of town and I was staying with his girlfriend and her daughter - we were the same age. We both came down with it, and the only relief was sticking I-don't-know-what up my butt. Just like Ron White - I hated it; at first.

The last time I was delirious while watching Father of the Bride. My kids thought it was hilarious that I mixed up what was happening on TV with real life. The oldest was 12 at that time and I was marrying her off.

 

[JagFarlane]

Oh yes...

2005 there was an experimental flu shot due to whatever strain [bird flu maybe?] that I was given. See, the military gives its members flu shots [Flu mist for healthy, shots for pregnant women] every year around Nov/Dec. This year, they used the experimental stuff. Within a week I had one helluva fever, aches, damn near everything.
Roommate usually doesn't get sick...and even he was KOed for a week and felt the side effects for another week or so.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

MISTY

Your assertion gets my SHAKE OF THE HEAD AWARD. Influenza is a virus, and a virus can express itself in diverse ways, including no symptoms at all. You, of all people, should know this. So whazzup with the stupid fucking post? Are you drunk?

I'm demoting you to the LIL PRINCESS DEBATE TEAM, with ROB.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I remember lining up for those shots at the base dispensary...the first and only one I received I got the flu! Imagine that. Have never had another flu shot since and guess what I have never had since. That's right, the flu.

 

[OhMissScarlett]

I had Brisbane 10 last year and it was hell on wheels.

In the early 90's, a person who worked for the same company I worked for was diagnosed with a strain of swine flu. I was sent to take her place while she was hospitalized and I became very very sick within a week of taking over her office. I ended up in the ER, but the doctor told me it was the regular flu that was going around. I wonder, though, because I've never been so sick in my entire life. Actually, I'm kind of hoping it was swine flu, maybe it will give me some immunity to this new strain.

 

[PaperAutumn]

I've had the flu. Basically felt like I was hit by a truck. I couldn't move for a week, was feverish, vomiting...all round not good

As someone who gets a cold all the goddamn time, I *knew* it was the flu. A world away from a cold.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

OMS

The way things normally work is influenza attacks the most vulnerable people, killing some, making many ill, and generally doing little to those with natural immunity.

 

[Katyusha]

I had the flu three years in a row in high school. The worst was when I was 16...I remember my father had me cleaning the living room and one minute, I was cleaning, the next I was shivering, aching, nauseated, and my head felt like it was going to explode. Temp was up over 102 in fifteen minutes and by mid-afternoon it was over 104. The highest it got was 104.7. I was so sick that entire week and I didn't just *want* to die, I thought I was *going* to die.

Haven't had it since though.

 

[Katyusha]

yes...

Most of those "sniffles and aches" are the flu, in less virulent varieties.

If your legs ache along with your stomach or respiratory discomfort-- it's influenza.

I read that a good litmus test for the flu vs. a bad cold or other infection is how long it takes you to start being really sick. With colds/other respiratory infections, it's a slow onset, anything from many hours to a couple of days before it's a full-blown infection. You start coughing one day, or you wake up with a sore throat, but you're not really SICK for awhile yet. Influenza viruses, on the other hand, have a very sudden onset, as in you feel fine one moment and the next you feel like hell warmed over. And only takes a few hours to become fully blown; you really don't have any warning with the flu like you do with other infections.

The reason I follow that is because my legs ache whenever I've got a fever, regardless of what's wrong with me. I had strep last year and my legs ached. I had some weird respiratory virus I couldn't shake a few years ago and for four months I was getting sick every two weeks like clockwork, would be sick for about 36 hours and then be okay...but my legs ached for every one of those 36 hours. So I can't use the aches and pains associated with fever as a way to determine whether or not I've got the flu, and I imagine the same is true for others.

 

[houstondoll75]

Oh yes...

2005 there was an experimental flu shot due to whatever strain [bird flu maybe?] that I was given. See, the military gives its members flu shots [Flu mist for healthy, shots for pregnant women] every year around Nov/Dec. This year, they used the experimental stuff. Within a week I had one helluva fever, aches, damn near everything.
Roommate usually doesn't get sick...and even he was KOed for a week and felt the side effects for another week or so.

I got the flu that year aswell lmao