Katrina Cough???

Nurses General Nursing

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I just returned from 5 days in New Orleans to surpise my DH's Mom, who lives in Meterie and her home was spared, however she thought she would be all by herslef. HA!!! What a wonderful look on her face when all of her children and grandchildren knocked on her front door "Surprise!!!" It was great.

I was healthy flying there, took my airborne and other supplements to be sure and made sure I got plenty of rest. We toured the 9th wards, St. Bernards parish, etc on foot and took lot's of pictures and video. Even though the floodwaters are gone, there is cracked soot and debris, up to a foot deep in some areas and the dust was kicked up quite a bit.

Later that evening I developed the worst sore throat with fever and chills that has now turned into a deep, productive cough. I have been treating myself with OTC Mucilex and Advil but am going to try and get an appointment with my PMD today since I think I broke a rib coughing and am not feeling any better. Is there really such a thing as Katrina cough? Lot's of sneezing and hacking back there but folks seemed to function fine.

It would be interesting to track the long term effects of the exposure these survivors endured since much of the flood water came from the industrial canal and brackish lake water.

I will download and post photos later. Happy New Year Y'all!!!!!

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I worked after an F-5 tornado in 1999 in Oklahoma as the first paramedic on scene. About 4 days later, my partner, myself, and some of the other first responders had a DRY, hacking, deep, nasty cough; it was like your bronchi just felt RAW. We thought it was probaly all the shredded insulation and dirt and pulverized rock from all the destroyed structures (no respirators, duh.) I have since had pneumonia 3 times, one time caused asthma that required an inhaler and neb tx for about two months after (nonsmoker). I had NEVER had pulmonary trouble before. Now I wheeze every winter.

No telling about yours; it's just that time of year + travel = sick person. But all that MOLD:eek: and chemicals and bacteria down there!!! Plus, the natives maybe USED to high levels of mold due to all that naturally high humidity even before Katrina.

Get to a doc, and be sure to tell him about your exposure.

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No, there is no such thing as a Katrina cough. For most people that think they have the "Katrina Cough", it is psychosomatic, and for others they may have a really bad cough but that is only because that already had an underlying sickness, and being exposed for long periods of time to debris and such just made it worse. I am from New Orleans (Now in Baton Rouge), I usually go back every day or every other day to clean up. We lived in New Orleans East (the upper 9th ward), and I am just fine. I am used to humidity, but if there if something in the air to make me sick, I catch it at the drop of a dime, and as I said I am fine. I don't relate being used to humidity, and being used to mold, because yea it was humid, but the only way we would see mold is if there was a water leak some wear, not just because of the humidity.

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Ok, I live in Kenner which is near New Orleans. Soils in the lower 9th ward and St. Bernard are still toxic and bacteria filled. The idea of kids being sent back to school there is anethema to me. Really terrible.

You may have breathed in some of the toxicity down there. My son's church in St. Bernard is shot...mold filled. Don't know what they are going to do since he's the pastor.

The wreckage in New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast is staggering..worse than you can imagine.

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No, there is no such thing as a Katrina cough. For most people that think they have the "Katrina Cough", it is psychosomatic, and for others they may have a really bad cough but that is only because that already had an underlying sickness, and being exposed for long periods of time to debris and such just made it worse. I am from New Orleans (Now in Baton Rouge), I usually go back every day or every other day to clean up. We lived in New Orleans East (the upper 9th ward), and I am just fine. I am used to humidity, but if there if something in the air to make me sick, I catch it at the drop of a dime, and as I said I am fine. I don't relate being used to humidity, and being used to mold, because yea it was humid, but the only way we would see mold is if there was a water leak some wear, not just because of the humidity.

Well, that is pretty much what my Doc (graduated top of her class from LSU, GO TIGERS!!!!) called it. Yep, cracked a rib. Nice cough syrup at night, nice antibiotic and feeling better. I wish I could figure out how to post my pictures, got some great shots of the barge that went over the levee and is still on top of the school bus.

Sorry to here, Dream, that you get sick so easily but you are very young and just getting exposure to illness. When you get to be as old as me you can pretty much dance with the Ebola virus and walk away to tell the tale.

Touring the 9th and St Bernards I am wondering why we do no less for this devastation than we are providing for Iraq in cleaning and rebuilding. We stayed at a Hilton Garden downtown and the other part I noticed is the majority of service workers, housekeepers, etc. where full blown Mexican nationals who spoke some pretty good English and were happy to discuss their perceptions about the place, they all miss home and plan on leaving when the contracts are up.

Most of the bars in the Quarter were up and running with a friendly crowd but most of my favorite shops were still boarded up. Lot's of hope but also lot's of sadness. Went to Dorignacs for groceries, took us 4 hours to get outta there! Granted, it was the only place open on a holiday week end.

Kenner looked pretty good, had a great nite out with the Councilman and his wife, sushi. I asked for tofu and they DEEP FRIED IT!!!! These folks will deep fry water if you ask them!!!! Also sad to hear about all the dogs they are unable to adopt out, many folks are not interested in pit bull type mixes which is what the majority of these fur factories are.

I will post some pix, somehow. Kicken the Katrina cough....

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Specializes in Peds ER.

Hey Haunted,

My patient's parents tell me, almost on a daily basis, that they are suffering from the "Katrina Cough." One day last week a parent told me she had it and I told her there was no medical proof, that I knew of, that this was medically factual. She told me she had gone to her doctor and this is what he diagnosed her with. So who knows.

I do know that my allergies have been worse for the last 4 months than they have ever been in my life and I'm not alone. I do worry about the long term health effects of living here, I'm sure there will be some.

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they said that there was no such thing as gulf war syndrome, ditto for agent orange, you know your own body better than anyone else...

mds who say that a illness is all in your mind are using an excuse not to dx and tx

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I am just happy to have gone back for the family and friends. Yeah, it's a sad situation but you Nawlins folk are sturdy stock. The flood waters came off the industrial canals and carried raw sewage, run off, waste water and contaminants. We watched a Government sposored channel while there and they had people from the EPA testifying (to what end I can't imagine) about the content of some of the samples they had accrued which were something like 10 times safe EPA standards. Call it what you will but I do believe the long term implications will be monitored very closely.

Those of you that live in the city, anyone drink the tap water? I did not, nor do I know of any residents that do. Sad situation also to see the hospitals boarded up and patients being diverted out of town.

What do you guys think about the Times-Picayune editorial over the weekend regarding the murder rate? Seems it went down since Katrina in NO but up in areas like Houston and Atlanta. Coincidence?

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Specializes in Peds ER.
I am just happy to have gone back for the family and friends. Yeah, it's a sad situation but you Nawlins folk are sturdy stock. The flood waters came off the industrial canals and carried raw sewage, run off, waste water and contaminants. We watched a Government sposored channel while there and they had people from the EPA testifying (to what end I can't imagine) about the content of some of the samples they had accrued which were something like 10 times safe EPA standards. Call it what you will but I do believe the long term implications will be monitored very closely.

Those of you that live in the city, anyone drink the tap water? I did not, nor do I know of any residents that do. Sad situation also to see the hospitals boarded up and patients being diverted out of town.

What do you guys think about the Times-Picayune editorial over the weekend regarding the murder rate? Seems it went down since Katrina in NO but up in areas like Houston and Atlanta. Coincidence?

No way do I drink the tap water. I didn't really drink it pre-Katrina but I definitely don't now. We're definitely living in a fish bowl and I'm sure lots of people are watching to see what's going to happen not only with the city but with our people.

I think the Times-Picayune article was pretty sad. The city (New Orleans) has never been more safe but it looks like it's at the expense of two of the very few cities that welcomed us with open arms. I do not think it's a coincidence. I was in Houston, at the Astrodome and the things I saw were very disheartening. I know I'll be eternally grateful to Texas and I hope someday soon New Orleans will be able to take some of that load off their backs..it just doesn't seem fair to them.

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Yes, our murder rate is down. Why? Because the people committing the crimes are now in Texas and Atlanta. So so sad, but true. I hope these people never come back. For now, our city is safe.

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