This flu is NO JOKE!

[PopCulture]

8 pounds in 2 days? That's horrible. I hope you get to feeling better.

 

[BoomerD]

Like Tiger Blood.

But y ou don't need a prescription for tiger blood...just pick that up at your neighborhood Chinese herbalist shop.


OP, everyone seems to respond to the flu bugs differently..and the different flu bugs have their own sets of symptoms.
I almost always end up with severe bronchitis and sinusitis symptoms...and occasionally, pneumonia. Too much damage to the lungs from smoking as well as some other damage over the years.
They always seem to affect my respiratory system rather than my gastrointestinal system. After several bouts with pneumonia, I think I'd rather have the "pukes and shits" than the heavy congestion and sinus infections...

 

[Texashiker]

The CCR5 mutation is helpful against HIV because HIV uses it as a coreceptor. It doesn't play a similar role in influenza and might actually correlate with a worse prognosis for viruses other than HIV.

I think that is still under debate by the medical community.

CCR5 is supposed to be a result of small pox killing off the majority of people in Europe that did not have the gene. But then again, some people in the medical community think that its a result of the bubonic plague, and not small pox.

If CCR5 is the result of small pox, then that is at least 2 viruses.

How else do you explain why certain demographic groups have higher fatality rates to the flu then others? When the swine flu broke out in Mexico there were several deaths. When the swine flu hit the USA, there were a lot fewer deaths then what Mexico had.

 

[Saint Nick]

I got the flu but it only last for about two days. I started feeling shitty at work and immediately went home and slept for about two days. After that, I only had mild symptoms (mucus, drainage, etc.)

My girlfriend got it the week after me and it was a nightmare for her...she had a fever of 103F and felt like garbage for a week, and on top of that, the Tamiflu stuff made her puke. She had the eyeball thing, too.

 

[TheVrolok]

I think that is still under debate by the medical community.

CCR5 is supposed to be a result of small pox killing off the majority of people in Europe that did not have the gene. But then again, some people in the medical community think that its a result of the bubonic plague, and not small pox.

I assume you're talking about the CCR5-d32 deletion? Last I heard it was demonstrated that Yersinia pestis did NOT in fact associate with the CCR5 receptor. Also, that it was associated with a HIGHER risk of West Nile infection. So I'm not entirely sure where you're coming from here.

How else do you explain why certain demographic groups have higher fatality rates to the flu then others? When the swine flu broke out in Mexico there were several deaths. When the swine flu hit the USA, there were a lot fewer deaths then what Mexico had.

There is far, far more to it than simply genetics of the inhabitants. Socioeconomic conditions, common co-morbidities, access to medical care, quality of medical care (supportive), etc. that played a LARGE factor.

 

[airdata]

OP : Did you get a flu shot this year?

 

[Gibsons]

I think that is still under debate by the medical community.

CCR5 is supposed to be a result of small pox killing off the majority of people in Europe that did not have the gene. But then again, some people in the medical community think that its a result of the bubonic plague, and not small pox.

If CCR5 is the result of small pox, then that is at least 2 viruses

It's somewhat under debate, hence my use of the word "might." The deletion has been shown to impair response to some viruses (including influenza) in mouse models and is a marker for increased risk vs. West Nile Virus and possibly influenza in humans.

Its normal function is unclear, but one role seems to be helping control migration of CD8+ cells to infection sites. That means it's going to be very important in some cases.

edit: I missed this

How else do you explain why certain demographic groups have higher fatality rates to the flu then others? When the swine flu broke out in Mexico there were several deaths. When the swine flu hit the USA, there were a lot fewer deaths then what Mexico had.

the delta 32 might indeed explain some of it, but opposite of the way you're suggesting.

http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/16/10/1621.htm
The frequency of CCR5Δ32 heterozygosity among white populations has been reported to range from 10% to 15% (12,13); we found CCR5Δ32 heterozygosity at a higher than expected frequency (55.5%) among white patients with critical illness caused by pandemic (H1N1) 2009. Although deficiency of the receptor protects against acquisition of HIV, evidence is accumulating to suggest it plays a role in severity of illness caused by flavivirus infections (7,8). In animal models of influenza, CCR5 plays a role in directing CD8+ T cells to the site of infection, and its absence is associated with increased mortality rates (9,10);

 

[Texashiker]

the delta 32 might indeed explain some of it, but opposite of the way you're suggesting.

http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/16/10/1621.htm
The frequency of CCR5Δ32 heterozygosity among white populations has been reported to range from 10% to 15% (12,13); we found CCR5Δ32 heterozygosity at a higher than expected frequency (55.5%) among white patients with critical illness caused by pandemic (H1N1) 2009. Although deficiency of the receptor protects against acquisition of HIV, evidence is accumulating to suggest it plays a role in severity of illness caused by flavivirus infections (7,8). In animal models of influenza, CCR5 plays a role in directing CD8+ T cells to the site of infection, and its absence is associated with increased mortality rates (9,10);

Yes, I saw that same report a few months ago.

But, how do you explain why the Mexican population (where the CCR5 gene is diluted from the Spanish breeding with native Mexicans) had such a negative response to H1N1?

When H1N1 moved into the USA, fewer Americans died as compared to the ratio of Mexicans. We had our fair share of deaths, but from the looks of things, a lot less then what happened in Mexico.

Personally, I think why so few Americans died is directly related to a certain percentage of the population having the CCR5 mutation.

When the medical community says something, someone always disagrees. There was even debate whether or not the black death was the bubonic plague. I think the recent DNA test from the plague victims teeth finally set that matter to rest - but that is a different thread.

Even though the science has not been confirmed, I think CCR5 can be a factor in flu resistance.

 

[TheVrolok]

But, how do you explain why the Mexican population (where the CCR5 gene is diluted from the Spanish breeding with native Mexicans) had such a negative response to H1N1?

As I've already said in this thread; there is far, far more to it than simply the genetics of the inhabitants. Socioeconomic conditions, common co-morbidities, access to medical care, quality of medical care (supportive), etc. played a large factor.

 

[Gibsons]

Yes, I saw that same report a few months ago.

But, how do you explain why the Mexican population (where the CCR5 gene is diluted from the Spanish breeding with native Mexicans) had such a negative response to H1N1?

I don't have an explanation. I'm not sure if anyone really does.

Otoh, I don't think delta32 CCR5 explains it at all, it's only present in about 10% of the white population. Less so if you take the U.S. population as a whole.

Even though the science has not been confirmed, I think CCR5 can be a factor in flu resistance.

Yes, CCR5 is almost certainly a factor in flu resistance. The delta32 allele seems to cause increased severity of infection in humans. This is a fact in mouse models and supported by correlative evidence in humans, and in theory by what we know of its function.

Remember HIV is a special case here since it uses CCR5 as a co receptor. It's operating under a different set of rules than almost any other virus in this case.

 

[Texashiker]

As I've already said in this thread; there is far, far more to it than simply the genetics of the inhabitants. Socioeconomic conditions, common co-morbidities, access to medical care, quality of medical care (supportive), etc. played a large factor.

Everything you listed is a factor, but I think genetics plays a deciding factor in how people respond to infection.

Take a look at Africa, and their rate of HIV infection.
Native Americans, and how they responded to whooping cough and small pox.

Strangely, blacks did not share the same weaknesses to whooping cough and small pox like what the native Americans did. On islands like cuba where the native islanders died off due to European diseases, black were imported from Africa to harvest sugar cane, and the blacks did not die off like what the native islanders did.

With a flat base line, all things equal, genetics and previous exposure plays the deciding factor.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

flu is weak.

you usually feel like crap immediately with aches, chills and stuff. while many people feel like they want to brave it out (trust me I've been there before), it's about 10x easier to pop a few tylenol pills during the day and keep yourself ok. you'll at least be running at 80-85% that way. otherwise, you'll feel completely sluggish and dead and that you just want to sleep.

definitely just sleep. i've had this before. I had 2 days to get better after coming off a plane before partying my ass off in Vegas.

I slept. I popped tylenol the first day and I bought a few Odwallas at Safeway. Vitamin C to the max. Who knows if it really works, but I had that and a few airborne pills and I stayed in bed.

The next day I was feeling much better already. The cough that came was easily remedied with some mucinex. Plus, it was only a minor one.

Rest really helps, and if you run on like 5-6 hours of sleep like I did, even taking a day off will barely help. I fought the flu while working and stuff and it was not pleasant. Had I taken it more seriously and not packed my day full of stuff, my recovery would've been much faster.

Also most of your annoyances comes from pains, aches, fever. Definitely DO take a tylenol for this. Like I said when you try to brave through this, it only feels worse. The tylenol clears your head up and at least puts you at 85%.

Coughs and stuff are annoying but they don't completely kill your body. The congestion, deal with it with some congestion medicine. Mucinex works wonders. When you can blow your nose easily or cough out the phlegm, your life feels 10x better. Even if you need to cough a bit every few minutes, it's a lot better than a dry cough that causes you to hack for 2 minutes straight and not get anything out. I noticed that with Mucinex, one cough or two and an assload of crap comes out. Makes your nose blowing or coughing productive. That way you're not doing it all day long because you can't get anything out.

 

[TheVrolok]

Everything you listed is a factor, but I think genetics plays a deciding factor in how people respond to infection.

Take a look at Africa, and their rate of HIV infection.
Native Americans, and how they responded to whooping cough and small pox.

Strangely, blacks did not share the same weaknesses to whooping cough and small pox like what the native Americans did. On islands like cuba where the native islanders died off due to European diseases, black were imported from Africa to harvest sugar cane, and the blacks did not die off like what the native islanders did.

With a flat base line, all things equal, genetics and previous exposure plays the deciding factor.

You think there is a flat base line, all things equal, between the United States .. and impoverished Africa? The rate of HIV infection in Africa is absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, heavily influenced by the socioeconomics of the continent. Of course genetics play a factor, but to look at the epidemiology and ignore so many other large glaring factors is just foolish.

 

[AMDZen]

Wish I could get the flu and lose some weight

I never get sick like that, not since I was young / teenager

 

[Brainonska511]

Vitamin C to the max. Who knows if it really works, but I had that and a few airborne pills and I stayed in bed.

We know it doesn't work. Studies have shown that increasing vitamin C intake does nothing to reduce the severity of illness. It is merely a placebo effect. The only way I could see it helping a little would be in cases where you are vitamin C deficient because you don't consume enough in your daily diet.

 

[Texashiker]

You think there is a flat base line, all things equal, between the United States .. and impoverished Africa?

Your singling out 1 sentence of a whole paragraph that discusses how different races handle virus exposure.

If genetics does not play a major part in viral resistance, in the 1500s - 1800s, why did small pox kill millions of native Americans, but blacks imported straight from Africa did not die off at the same rate?

During outbreaks of the Black Death in 1348 and 1666, it was noted time and time again that the plague seemed to hit some families harder then others. The plague would skip 1 household, and then kill everyone in the next house - insinuating that certain families had a natural resistance. This natural resistance could only have been through genetics.

 

[TheVrolok]

Your singling out 1 sentence of a whole paragraph that discusses how different races handle virus exposure.

If genetics does not play a major part in viral resistance, in the 1500s - 1800s, why did small pox kill millions of native Americans, but blacks imported straight from Africa did not die off at the same rate?

During outbreaks of the Black Death in 1348 and 1666, it was noted time and time again that the plague seemed to hit some families harder then others. The plague would skip 1 household, and then kill everyone in the next house - insinuating that certain families had a natural resistance. This natural resistance could only have been through genetics.

I never said that genetics do not play a major part in resistance. Of course they do, but you're implying that genetics are the deciding factor, which I would heavily disagree with.

 

[Texashiker]

I never said that genetics do not play a major part in resistance. Of course they do, but you're implying that genetics are the deciding factor, which I would heavily disagree with.

I agree that genetics are not the end all answer.

Every time I see a Tuberculosis (TB) patient (I work in public health, not a doctor or nurse) they almost always have some kind of underlying health condition. They either smoke, have hepatitis, diabetes, bronchitis,,,, something that would weaken their immune system. Sometimes I do DOT (directly observed theory) for TB patients. While I am at the PTs house, sometimes we talk about their health, and their health problems. Just about every TB PT I have ever seen has some kind of underlying health condition.

Lets take somewhere like southeast Asia, where Tuberculosis might be prevalent then in the USA. Both countries are hit with the flu. Southeast Asia might have a higher mortality rate due to a given percentage of the population having an underlying health condition.

If might "seem" that genetics may play a factor in the higher death rates, but the group with the underlying health conditions helped raise the death rates.

However, the CCR5 gene might explain why HIV has never broke out in races that were exposed to small pox - Europeans and main land Asians. Where isolated groups like in Africa, and islanders have a higher death rate.

 

[BudAshes]

The fact that you are able to type that coherently means it can't be that bad. I had swine flu and I literally couldn't eat sleep or move for 3 days. I survived on gatorade mixed with water and puked probably about 50 times until the fever finally broke. I then enjoyed lungs full of flem and coughing up black tar for weeks.

 

[40Hands]

Sounds like what my roommate has. Doctor told her it was strep.