"Just want to clear something up. The "Stomach Flu" that everyone across the nation is getting is called the Norovirus. It causes severe nausea, vomiting, and watery diarrhea that lasts for 2-5 days. It is highly contagious. If you got the flu vaccine this year, you were immunized against several influenza virus strains, not the Norovirus strain. So, don't assume that because you got the flu vaccine this year, that it isn't working, doesn't work, and will never work in the future. The flu vaccine is protecting our nation against another H1N1-like outbreak that killed hundreds of people and children."
-Robyn Velander
My former Coworker, a dietitian in the hospital I worked in up until our move to Ohio, posted this to her facebook page a few weeks ago. I meant to share it, but never got to it. This weighs heavy on my mind again as I read more ignorant facebook comments regarding the illnesses going around this season.
A day or two ago, someone posted they'd come down with the "stomach flu."
This was followed by a million tips on how to survive the "stomach flu."
Several comments told her to rush in to the doctor before it was too late, there was a medication she could get, but not if it was too late, called Tamiflu.
This comment made me want to smack my head on the desk.
Let's be clear...
QUITE POSSIBLY THE NOROVIRUS.
THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT
IT. THE ILLNESS MUST RUN ITS
COURSE.
WATCH FOR SIGNS OF
DEHYDRATION, SUCH AS DECREASED
URINE OUTPUT, OR NO TEARS WHEN
CRYING. (THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN
INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN.)
THE "FLU" REFERS TO INFLUENZA, A
SEVERE RESPIRATORY INFECTION
CAUSED BY THE INFLUENZA VIRUSES.
THIS ILLNESS WILL LIKELY SEEM LIKE
A SEVERE COLD. SOMETIMES IT MAY BE
HARD TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THIS
AND THE COMMON COLD. BUT MOST WILL
RECOVER JUST THE SAME. IF YOUR
SYMPTOMS COME ON STRONG AND
QUICKLY, YOU MAY HAVE "INFLUENZA"
AND SHOULD CONSIDER SEEING YOUR
DOCTOR, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS SUCH AS CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE OR ASTHMA, AS THIS MAY EXACERBATE THOSE CONDITIONS. (AGAIN, THIS IS VERY
IMPORTANT FOR INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN.)
THE TAMIFLU MEDICATION MAY BE
PRESCRIBED BY YOUR DOCTOR IF
INFLUENZA IS DIAGNOSED EARLY, BUT
IS NOT RIGHT FOR EVERYONE.
I am not a doctor, so you don't have to listen to me. In fact, never take the advice of some random blogger, or other internet advice over your doctor. With that said, I will give you the link to the CDC site where you can get more information if you'd like.
www.cdc.gov
If you are sick with what you think is either of these, or just the common cold, STAY HOME!! These are contagious, and there is nothing so important that you should make the decision to spread an illness to an unsuspecting friend, neighbor, client, patient, etc...Fine, if you find you must go out, for meds, to the doctor, to deposit your paycheck so you don't overdraw, then go. BUT FOR HEAVENS SAKE, PUT ON A MASK.
Last but probably MOST IMPORTANT!!! Your best defense for illness is good hand washing!! Do a good job at this simple task, and you could avoid spreading a germ you have or don't even KNOW you have yet, let alone contracting a possible life threatening illness yourself.
This has been a rant and rave by Allie. Feel free to add, criticize, thumbs up, thumbs down, or share. ESPECIALLY share.
XOXO, AL
