I Think I Had Swine Flu This Week ...

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Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

So I was volunteering @ the hospital a week ago today as I do every week, and the following morning I wake up with this funny feeling in my throat, which I determined to be the beginning of a cold. Later, the fever came and then body aches, sneezing and the stuffy runny nose. The following night, I had chills even though I was covered in two thick blankets. The fever persisted for 2 days while I sustained myself throughout with light meals, water and Dayquil/Nyquil. After the fever broke, all other symptoms went away except that now I had an annoying tickle-in-the-throat cough ... as of one week later (today) I am about 99% better!

I got my flu vaccine last year in Oct 2008. Given that info and above, does it look like I had swine flu??

Thanks!

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Specializes in Too many to list.

Without being tested, it is not possible to say although you certainly had symptoms that sound like it.

Aren't you the lucky one? You might just be immune if a 2d wave comes through this fall,

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This is the exact reason ER nurses groan with every new piece of info being released about the swine flu. I think you had a serve cold like a lot of other people clogging ERs declaring that they have the swine flu. The more info on TV about it, the more people are running to the ER "with it"

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Specializes in Too many to list.

The OP was not tested because he only had mild s/s. Again, there is no way to know what he had.

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I think that answering your question violates our terms of service. If you are concerned you should go see your doctor.

The being said, I agree with Schroeder.

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Specializes in Too many to list.

No diagnosing allowed but kidding someone is OK, I think.

Yes, it could be many things although probability for swine flu goes up if there are many cases in the community that a sick person lives in. We do not know anything about that, however. Anything we say is going to be just opinion.

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Specializes in Infusion.

I wondered about it too! We all had fevers of 101...sore throats, chills, achey all over and diahhrea....my daughter was also vomiting......but we didn't bother going to the doctors. If it was....great...we got over it without any ill effects....

There are confirmed cases where we live....I would have liked to have known out of curiousity....but I am not worried about it.....it appears it's seems to be more deadly in those with compromised immune systems or pre-existing conditions...just like any other flu.

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Who knows. I don't think they're actually testing anyone anymore unless they've got really bad s/s or might need the vent? I can say I "might" have had it, too, in mid-May, when suddenly I had fever and aches and chills and headache, etc., for 2 1/2 days, enough to make me want to crawl in bed and stay there forever. Then, poof, it was gone. It happened at about the same time that everybody was putting the kibosh on doing widespread testing, so I was not tested. So, really, who knows.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.

If you live in NYC, chances are you have it.

My kid works at a hospital there and came down with flu-like symptoms while at work. Was sent to employee health and was told that all cases of the flu are now being treated as swine flu because the labs in NYC are backed up solid with testing. The diagnosis of the swine flu for flu-like symptoms is supposedly an order form the NY health dept.

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I live in NYC and I think I have already had it. I went to a docs office for my annual physical and the place was packed with sick people. Two days later I came down with a sore throat, body aches, chills, and a stuffy nose. I also felt dizzy and had upset stomach with loose stools (sorry tmi I know). I felt pretty bad for about 2 days and it took me about a week to recover completely. My two children also had similar s/s and since my eldest is school aged I had to keep him home for the week too. I know I sound like a nut but I really hope it was swine flu and not just a common cold. Hopefully it that is what it is then we should have developed some immunity now.

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Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

Was not looking for a diagnosis per se when I started this thread, I was more so curious as to whether others had experienced a similar play of flu symptoms as I did and whether it was akin to swine flu in case others have seen it firsthand (which is how I should have phrased my question). I was sort of shocked to have come down with flu-like symptoms after having received a vaccine last fall and with all the hoopla about swine flu I could not help to wonder that I in fact may have contracted it since the flu shot did not protect from it. In my county here in FL there are supposed to be 2 confirmed cases of it as we speak, but I have no idea whether one or both of those cases even exist in my town. I may never know the exact source of my infection.

I am not a sick-prone person by any means, until last week I had not had even a cold since 2000. My flu bout did not involve diarrhea which is what led me to believe despite a fever that peaked at 101 that I was going to be OK. I normally don't go to the doctor until I feel critically ill, so I monitor and treat myself accordingly. I just winged it for a day or two to see what would happen and thankfully I am now fully recovered. Hope I now have some immunity from another exposure, but I will certainly get a little more OCD about washing my hands!!

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I too have been sick since Tuesday night. Fever, VERY sore throat, cough, stuffy nose, some GI issues, and body aches. I had to call in twice (Friday because I literally couldn't work; tonight because I couldn't imagine anyone WANTING me to touch their baby). Both times I called the charge nurse joked I sounded like I had the "pig flu". I laughed about it but now I'm wondering.... I think I read somewhere that the vast majority of people never get tested because they don't feel sick enough to seek care. I hope this WAS it because it wasn't that bad. And being sick in the summer in the South is always worse due to the heat.

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