Hi People, I have ET, on Hydroxy and aspirin. Platelets high at this time I am 75 diabetic also. Have this horrid flu at the mo about 9 days in total. Doing everything that is advised on the internet, but don’t appear to be getting any better. I know I am one of many thousands with this. Do not want to make a fuss, but just wondering have many of you had this beast, if so did you tough it out, or seek medical advice. Hate taking my germs out and about, have not left the house since Monday.
Any tips or advice would be much appreciated .
Many thank Sandy x
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Stevesmum42
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Hi Sandy, sorry to hear you are unwell with this dreaded flu, can you not speak with your GP surgery and explain to them that you have a compromised immune system, and that you do not feel up to coming and sitting with other people while you feel like this just to pick something else up, and maybe they could arrange for the doctor to call you.
I have had a cough/cold since last year, better for a couple of days then wham!! It is back just as bad, don’t think it’s flu but blooming annoying, just sipping hot lemon with honey, and taking Paracetamol.
Thank you Jean. Sorry about your cough going on and on. I had that also before Christmas. I think I will try to get to surgery tomorrow. Will wrap a scarf round my mouth ( maybe that’s what my other half would like, as when I need anything I ring downstairs for pills water etc etc ).... I am fanatical about washing hands so have tried to avoid it, but there we go. It will go when it goes. Hope your cough clears up soon too
I’d call your doctor & see if it’s too late to take tamilflu which is said to be very helpful if taken at the start. Also, let your doc know you have a compromised immune system. Most hospitals and doc offices in US have masks for sick patients but you could ask a nurse for one if not openly available. Good Luck. Be careful. Katie n
Thank you Katie for your response.. this morning I feel just a little more human so appear to be going the right way, fingers crossed . My sister if flying from the States at the weekend, says she will be wearing a mask on the flight. I said that is an excellent idea, she doesn’t want this little nasty.
Hi Sandy, so glad to hear you’re feeling a little better. Just be sure to take it easy. Lots of folks start improving but then overdo it and get sick again. Hope your sister is germ free. I live in Florida and today the national news is that the flu is worse than it’s been for a very long time (maybe 2009?). Katie
Hi Katie. Thank you. I find it so strange to think that you have this flu in a climate like yours, here, I can understand it, as it appears to have rained for weeks and weeks is cold and generally horrid. My mum and two sisters live in Florida, they spend all their time outdoors doing healthy stuff unlike myself!!! So this is a worldwide problem. Bit scary.
Hi Sandy. You poor thing. Yes, definitely call your GP. No advantage in being shy and retiring over it! They may offer you a telephone consult which would stop you having to go in (and spreading your germs - I’m sure they don’t want that!). I’m interested, did you get the flu despite having the jab? Hope you’re on the mend very soon.
Hi Ebot. Thank you for your response. As I feel just a little better I am holding off calling the surgery at the mo. Yes I had the flu jab as always. Maybe it helped the severity of the flu,( although it didn’t feel like it) . My other half has had the cough but touch wood is ok apart from that.
I don't really think there is much available on the market today that can clear a flu if you already have the virus in your system. You need to ride out the storm, unfortunately, drink plenty of fluids and go see the doctor if you have any breathing problems or are vomiting. The only thing I can recommend that you do for future is to take vitamin C around 1000mg daily about a month before flu season and keep taking it until the end of March in future. Make sure it is natural vit C and not the crap that they sell at the supermarket. Also, if you have other health issues consult your doctor before taking Vit C. I take it and have managed to skip the flu for the past three seasons. Fingers crossed, it stays that way. Hope you are feeling better soon.
Thank you Marcus. I think you are right, but when you are feeling so rubbishy you feel you need advice ( this site and you lovely people are so reassuring, it helps so very much to share and your responses are medicine in themselves, ) I agree re the vit c I am always telling my kids to crack open the vit c as soon as a cold appears . So will get some ordered.
I am on hydro and aspirin together with thyroxine and have had a bad dose of flu. I was a few days in bed which I never do and just self doses myself with lemsip etc. Took me three weeks to get over it but I had never felt so ill before.
Only thing is, nobody has our numbers of how many have had the flu so nhs figures will not show true figure.
Thank you Anneian. Sorry to hear you had it too. It is a nasty old thing, I have to say I am not a wimp but you just cannot do anything when you feel like that. Changed my sheets this morning cos you feel so mucky, but back in bed now as so dizzy ...but definitely much improved today. I hope you are back to strength now. Just a little sunshine will I think improve everyone’s well being . Regards Sandy
Hi Sandy, sorry you are so poorly. Just to say that doctors will do home visits, they do them regularly and may prefer that to you coming in and infecting others. If you don't want this then may I suggest you ring the surgery and ask the doctor to call you back when they have time, again many surgeries will do this, mine does. I hope you feel better soon, best wishes, Frances.
Thank you Frances, I actually had my phone in my hand at 9.00 am to call but then I thought , hang on , felt a little better, so thought see how I go, it is lifting now, there are so many people with this. Devon seems to be fairly badly hit. Hopefully it has reached its peak across the country now.
Hi sugar, I have PV and got struck with the flu right after Christmas (great start to the new year). It took me nearly 3 weeks to feel well again and that was with 2 lots of antibiotics. Finally I bought a vaporiser and plugged it in all night on my nightstand. Within 3 night my chest was clear. I bought the Vicks vaporiser off Amazon. It's brilliant. It has a little door that you put this little Vicks infused pad so you get the wonderful infusion of Vicks to breath in. It was the best £33 I ever bought. Hope you feel better soon poppet xx
Aw Jilly thank you so much for your reply, sorry to hear you had this nasty too, but glad it’s cleared off now, that vapouriser sounds brilliant.... it’s at night when the cough is at its worst, I will look into that today , did not want any more antibiotics as I had two lots before Christmas.....as I said in a previous reply, this site and the wonderful unseen friends are such a wonderful support system I really do not know how I would cope with my Mpn and resultant problems without the support and love from good people like yourself. Thank you so very much
Sandy, can i recommend the Vicks vaporizer. It is a cold vapor rather than Steam so very refreshing. You can also buy the Vicks vapor tabs which you put in a little door so you get the vapours as well. I am saving the used tabs (they only last 7-8hours) and I am going to buy some lavender oil to infuse them with so now my cough has gone I can have the soothing vapour of lavender. You can get the vaporiser from Amazon for £33 and it comes with one tab.
I have now bought mum one for her room at the nursing home as she suffers from COPD. The difference in her chest is amazing.
Also, with the central heating drying out the air, we all suffered from sores inside our noses. Since we have used this on our nightstand at night the sores have now gone.
Sorry to hear you're poorly and I wish you better.
I had flu for the first time ever over Christmas and New Year.
I would advise you keep an eye on your temperature at regular intervals and drink plenty of water.
I managed to see my GP and was sent straight to A&E. My platelets dropped too low and they thought I had Ultrasepsis (spelling?) as my white cells started to drop also. Basically my body started to attack itself as I had no immune system to fight it. I was monitored for a few hours and sent home to rest. During that time I was not allowed to take any of my meds.
If you can stay indoors, then that would be best and rest up and drink fluids.
Oh my Angela. What a scary time for you. Wow your GP was certainly on top of it. Over Christmas too. I am feeling much better thank you. Yes drank loads of water and took loads of paracetamol for the headache and spent four days in bed. I expect you are still on the fragile side after a bout like that, all you can do is listen to your body.
Thank you so much for your response, and I do hope you are feeling well again now.
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