Flu Spreading in U.S. 2016

Am in week three of this -and this is first time in years I've been so sick.  It spread through family within days of my getting it.  [ Mar 19- on] I'd been fighting reactions from the ag crops being burned [this is typical for this area prepping for planting in spring, and thought that was all it was. But I KNOW I had a pneumonia like illness and was very wary when it went so fast into my sinuses and lungs.  Had terrible "asthma attack like distress and 'whistling' aveoli and gurgling with each breath!  Also checked out CDC "reports" and found them lacking and under  reporting  so I appreciate this forum!  OTC cough n cough meds minimized rib hurting coughing spasms but  Treating with doxcycline now.  And plenty of hibiscus tea [full of acerola vitamin c!]  Hubby says it reminds him of what they called the "Iraq hack" which hit every  FOB in the spring from 2005-2009.  I've also heard that air quality samples have been analyzed from around the country and they have found three strains of viruses all causing upper resp illnesses and even cardiac arrest.   There s speculation this 'cocktail' is somehow a result of geo engineering spraying.  Definitely seeing the 3-4 week duration typical -with a cough remaining afterwards. 

http://www.wbko.com/content/news/-Flu-remains-widespread-in-Kentucky-375018121.html

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) Kentucky health officials say that the flu is continuing to rage across the state and is expected to continue to be a problem well into next month.

The Kentucky Department for Public Health sent out a health alert Wednesday, announcing flu activity in the state to be "widespread" for the ninth consecutive week, with flu-like activity or outbreaks having been reported in at least half of the state's regions.

http://kwqc.com/2016/03/30/flu-is-still-widespread-in-iowa/

Spring may be in full swing now, but so is flu season. Doctors are warning about another surge of flu cases going on right here in the Quad Cities.

comment: It's not over and once again many people I know have it and some are not getting any better. 

Medclinician

Glad you are feeling better nc_girl. 

According to this week’s FluView report, flu activity continues to decrease, but is still elevated overall nationally in the United States. Influenza-like-illness (ILI) may have peaked nationally for this season and be winding down, but there are still 25 states reporting widespread activity at this time

comment: Flu is still widespread or regional in most of the United States.
Widespread flu activity was reported by Puerto Rico and 25 states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming)

Both California and New York continue to have widespread Flu. The concern here is that people with the Flu often have relapses or come down with symptoms again. This is unlikely to show up on the maps or counts and others may have it and the relapses for months.

Medclinician

now my boss lady is out with it and she's never out sick!  Not sure if she has the same symptoms I had but it sounds like hers is the cold I had and not the strep throat/tonsilitis.  My parents are now coming down with something and I do hope and pray it's just a mild annoying cold at worst.

I'm on my 3rd round of upper respiratory something myself. Went to the ENT today and she gave me a script for a Z-pack and said it sounded like I had the beginnings of bronchitis, that if I felt worse in the next few days go ahead and start it, if not just keep it on hand. But this is the 3rd time in the past 6 weeks, I was on a Z-pack and steroids, then it went away, came back, then on Levaquin and steroids, it went away and now it's coming back again. I have terrible allergies right now too.

Penham wrote: I'm on my 3rd round of upper respiratory something myself. Went to the ENT today and she gave me a script for a Z-pack and said it sounded like I had the beginnings of bronchitis, that if I felt worse in the next few days go ahead and start it, if not just keep it on hand. But this is the 3rd time in the past 6 weeks, I was on a Z-pack and steroids, then it went away, came back, then on Levaquin and steroids, it went away and now it's coming back again. I have terrible allergies right now too.

Penham - I think that is one of the worst thing about some of these flu strains. That the infection comes back. This may be a very dangerous flu and some of my relatives and friends can't seem to get over it. One thing is for sure. It is miserable. Still waiting for it to go away and not come back.

Medclinician

Influenza Update
Connecticut Department of Public Health – Posted 4/13/2016 Page 1 of 6
Influenza Season, Update for Week 14*
(Week ending Saturday, 04/09/2016)
Key Points
Flu activity has now peaked in Connecticut and in most of the country; it is currently classified geographically in Connecticut as widespread**.
The predominant influenza viruses identified this season are Type A, although an increasing number of Type B flu viruses are continuing to be reported.
The predominant Type A isolates subtyped have been 2009 H1N1.

Statewide emergency department visits attributed to the “fever/flu syndrome” had reached 9.6% and it is currently at 6.3% statewide; 5% is generally considered the minimum threshold when there are elevated influenza-associated ED visits

http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?a=3136&q=410788

This was a hard find. Flu activity is still spiking in some areas in the United States and remains widespread in both California and New York.

Medclinician

Comparing this graph for this year against other years it seems that the effects of the flu season are being felt much later this year than in previous years.  This year's peak effect is after flu deaths had trailed off in the previous two years.   But it overall fatalities of children are still well down.

Graph from http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/ 

I just posted that Hachi! I made a separate post for it, I thought it was important enough, but I didn't see yours first, sorry. I thought it might generate some discussion.

I am still feeling like crap, back to the dr. again this morning, they said it's my asthma this time. Gave me a steroid shot and oral steroids for 9 days. I hate not being able to breathe......

I got inhalers today also, Albuterol and Atrovent, the Atrovent is a rescue steroid inhaler and is the best thing ever. It works better than the Albuterol/steroid breathing treatments I take at home. So I always take those when they offer them to me, actually I always take any prescription when they offer it to me unless it's in my allergy list.

You know Med, now I'm wondering if I didn't have a mild case of the flu several weeks ago and it's just hanging on, they never did and actual flu test on me and I did have the vaccine, so I would have a milder case. I have been craving juice and salty foods, which I NEVER eat salt, I don't add it to food, I don't eat salty foods, but I have been eating a lot of it lately. And juice, grapefruit juice, apple juice, orange juice, normally I eat a lot of fresh fruit and not juice, but all I want is juice and salty foods.

My daughter uses Qvar.  It was like a miracle drug for her.  Turned her right around when she was sick for pretty much a year straight.  That was 2012.  I tried to wean her off it last year, but she ended up getting walking pneumonia twice within about 6 months of each other.  She hasn't used her albuterol in 4 years.  She's got a little cold right now but very mild.

I had another followup appointment at the ENT today and get to start a 4th round of steroids in the past 6 weeks. I just can't seem to get rid of this stuff.

jacksdad wrote: Me too, Penham. Still congested, coughing and sneezing after almost a month. Nasty bug.

Have you both considered a Flu that you never get over? It may not take you out for a very long time, but it may never really go away. When reading through some of the bioweapon material, there were several viruses that were ruled out as being useful. Types of the Flu over years could really ruin the workforce and the infrastructure. No one - at least very few but me have suggested how dangerous this could be. Some of the enemies, especially those who do not care about remaining holed up for 6 years before attacking might find this highly effective.

What is the follow up reporting for CDC on people who have the Flu and then recover? We have patients with Ebola who one year later start showing symptoms all over again.

This is outside the box thinking and there is no Norovirus season anymore. It is year-round. So if they stop counting cases in May - does it go away until they start in October? Not last year.

In treating Flu it is simply useless to treat symptoms. Most of these drugs have a rebound especially steroids. Antihistamines, cough syrup, aspirin, Tylenol... this won't help.

If the strain is still sensitive you need an anti-viral or a real boost to your immune system.  However a Cytokine storm can kill you.

The answer to the Flu besides vaccination is a cure. The word chronic is like a medical euphemism - like the "loved one" for the dead. Just because something is chronic, doesn't mean it won't take someone out. It can.

Appreciate you comments on the thread.

Medclinician
 

jacksdad wrote: Finally got over whatever I had - and got sick again yesterday. Went to work feeling fine, and within an hour I was sneezing with a runny nose that just wouldn't quit. I figured it was an allergy until my temp hit 100. Still got the sniffles and feeling blah, but thankfully the fever has gone away. What the heck?

Jacksdad - None of the people I know as well as myself have gotten over this flu. It is possible a relative of one near and dear to me died from it last week.

Cannot shake the cough even with mega-doses of C - and I was able to best h5n1 and Swine Flu which nearly killed me and my son - but not this one.

It is still widespread in New York and when I called my doctor they want me to come in. The triage nurse said there is something "going around" and it is quite possible this is one of the most poorly reported outbreaks of whatever it is in history.

It simply does not go away and keeps coming back. We near a time when Super-bugs are bringing us to a post-antibiotic era.

As we near the end of May, correct me if I am wrong, they will stop putting out weekly reports while the flu is STILL widespread in New York and Puerto Rico.

What is this? Why can they not put down a widespread outbreak in New York after 6 months of infection?

Are we looking at bugs like Norovirus that never go away and permanently infect a person?

We were having the same problem with Ebola where people were still carrying it a year after they were discharged from the hospital and still contagious.

Could this be the last flu report CDC is going to give us until next October? Let's hope not.

Notice it is still regional in most of New England and Local around the Great Lakes and Sporadic all over most of the U.S. How accurate are these numbers?

Medclinician  CWN   JB

Max wrote: You need to be taking silver and zinc.......a good place to get these are from a place called CR Supplements.  They are ionic and are easily taken.  At least check it out.

More people I know have come down with a new Norovirus type Flu and are very ill. It is unfortunate that CDC will stop giving us weekly reports and the only way to track this is for those like myself to do so.

Medclinician