Hi ladies
I know we have enough to worry about - but - is anyone else worried about the fact that we must be in the ‘vulnerable groups’ for swine flu to be really serious? I can’t find anything about it on here - but wondered if we should have the preventative vaccine. Does anyone know anything about this.
Love
Linda
Have an appointment with my onc tomorrow and was going to ask him that very question, Linda. Will let you know what he says.
Kay x
I asked last week,yes we are the vulnerable groups,however the vaccine wont be available to us until autumn !!!x
Hi
Yes when we are on treatment we are susceptable. So should at least have the antiviral meds.
Personally having had previous ‘flu’ jabs at work and been sicker from them than the virus not too sure about the vacine, but thats just me.
I dont start chemo till next week but not alowed into work in case I get it pre. Would be silly I know as I would be looking after possible swine flu patients so bit of a no brainere for me.
Hi, I’m on chemo at the mo and was told to stop chemo (Xeloda tablets) if I develop flu symptoms and to take Tamiflu…was advised to take up the new vaccine when it becomes available and to have the ‘usual’ flu jab in Autumn…at the end of a chemo cycle when bloods are most recovered.
x
There is such a lot of erroneous and scare mongering information about swine flu right now.
I think all we can do is take usual sensible precautions like washing our hands and avoiding sneezes.
Yes many of us in vulnerable group, but that doesn’t mean swine flu will kill us…it almost certainly won’t. I am on chemo…about the eighth different kind but I’ve never had an infection. I have the annual flu jab and hope for the best…my hopes are moe about the cancer not killing me too soon, about not having a stroke…than worrying about swine flu…I don’t.
Jane
I asked my onc (as several neighbouring schools closed because of swine flu) who said that if I have any symptoms, to phone my GP for a same day app. to get some Tamiflu. I am happy with the current advice (and I have survived very serious life-threatening infections contracted whilst on chemo in the past).
Jenny
Not meaning to sound dismissive about swine flu…but I really do think it is being over hyped. It does not appear to be an aggressive version of flu…the 65,000 deaths could easily be 12,000…the number who die of seasonal flu anyway. The advice to women about conception has been misleading. Yes anyone on chemotherapy may get an infection precautions or not. Its just about being cautiously careful and telling doctor if we get that magic 38 degree temperature.
Jane
Can anyone recommend a decent thermometer please? I have a very cheap digital oral one, but it gives me a different reading every time (of up to almost one degree). I’m considering getting an ear thermometer. Any advice over ear / oral, types etc?
Scottiedog
Hi Scottiedog
We bought a digital thermometer (sorry, can’t remember make/manufacturer) for when our daughter was born and we’ve been really happy with it – use it on ourselves as well. I think it was designed for using on babies/small children as you just hold it up to the temples and wait a few seconds for the reading.
Hope this helps.
Alison x
I agree with Jane that this flu is probably no more serious than any other flu. However, it is our reaction to it that is different. We are all of a sudden waking up to the fact that we all should do more to prevent infections like flu such as good hand hygiene and keeping away from others whilst symptomatic rather than be the martyr and go into work and spread it round everyone. The trouble is, we never do anything in half measures and there has been such a knee jerk reaction that anyone with anything remotely wrong with them is now told they have swine flu and tamiflu is being doled out like smarties. What a farce! The vast majority of people don’t need antivirals and they should be reserved for those high at risk groups.
Spot on Cathy…We can agree sometimes!
Jane
hi all,
my gp has literally just left my home,i asked her about swine flu… she raised her eyes to this as if to say not MORE swine flu questions from someone ! She said that the golden rule is temperature,so realy no different for us as we all are vigilant with temperature taking anyway,as i think somebody has already said.I must also add that she didnt wash her hands before examining my burns, Sneezed while she was here and didnt wash her hands and just commented its ok i havent got anything,then went out of my house without washing her hands…
take care sharonx xx
Hi Scottiedog
My digital thermometer came from Tesco and was about £8. Seems ok.
Jayney
x
Hi
Spoke to my onc about the swine flu jab and he said he would certainly recommend anyone with secondaries to have it once it is available - not until the autumn.
As Jane and others have said, I think there is a lot of hype around about this and it’s just a matter of keeping things in proportion. I will have the jab when it’s available but I am not going to put myself into seclusion meanwhile in an attempt to avoid getting it. Will probably just be a bit more careful with hand washing etc if I’ve been on public transport etc.
Kay x
I’ve just been diagnosed with swine flu - although I am really not sure I have it. The doctor said that on the basis of my high temperature, sore throat and dry cough she thought I should have tamiflu.
The thing is, I have had these symptoms before while on chemo and nobody thought of swine flu. Plus I have been told that it could be the cancer causing the high temperature, and the bone mets causing the aching joints (oh, and the indeterminate nodule in my lung causing the cough).
I did feel that I was being given Tamiflu far too quickly - I’d rather have had a swab test to see whether it was or was not swine flu. The danger of overtreating is, of course, that Tamiflu will stop working on swine flu as the illness becomes resistant to this treatment.
Deirdre
Oh Deirdre
it never rains…hope that if it is swine flu your symptoms disppear pretty damn quickly.
Thinking of you.
Jane x
Deirdre, I was dx with swine flu last week and given tamiflu. As I responded very well to it - feeling much better in about 3 days - they said that was also an indicator that it was swine flu. Also, a colleague of mine at work had it a couple of weeks ago and shee too said the tamiflu was really effective. Hope you feel better very soon. Pat x
Yes, I am feeling much better today. I have actually been awake and lucid for much of the time, but still feel weak as a kitten. So I guess it MIGHT be swine flu after all.
Deirdre