So, I think I've come down with the plague...

[Gypsy]

I've been sick for 4 weeks-- it started out just like you a describing. Last week it escalated to a fever of 104 plus hallucinations. And the sinuses, which had been blessedly well behaved, finally decided to rebel as well.

Nothing has helped except back to back courses of antibiotics. I am on my second "Z-pack".... one is supposed to cure all your ills. Yeah, right.

If you have what I've got... get to an MD and get antibiotics stat.

Best of luck.

Get lots of rest. Lots of liquids and fresh citrus. Homemade Chicken Soup if you can get someone to make it for you. And if you have a fever... choke down as much protein and water as you possibly can. And make sure you get some good carbs in there for quick energy.

 

[Miss Sparkly]

I would get the nyquil that is behind the pharmacy counter.

If you are stuffed up, I would run and get Afrin. Seriously, you can thank me later.

NO NO NO. Never take Afrin. I was an Afrin addict, seriously. Four years and at the end one bottle every two days. It took major steroids for a month and a half to get me off of it. The rebound congestion it can cause is terrible and occurs quickly with use. It can take days to get to the point where your nose can't unstuff itself because of Afrin. It can also cause serious high blood pressure and broken vessels in your nose. BAD stuff all the way around.

It says specifically on the bottle to not take for more than three days at the risk of rebound congestion. There's also a dosage instruction to not exceed two doses in 24 hours. I'm not sure what you were expecting when you don't follow the directions on the bottle!

I listened to my ex doctor that it was safe to use each night for allergies

 

[manderz]

I actually made chicken soup a couple of weeks ago, and have some in the freezer still. We've been all over that I'm starting to feel a bit better, but I haven't been able to get much more rest than normal. I'm going to school, and had an exam every day this week :/ There's no way I'd have been able to get caught up if I stayed home for the 4-5 days I've felt awful.

You poor thing, Gypsy! 4 weeks is an awfully long time to be that sick. I was prescribed a z pack once, and it did absolutely nothing for me, when I had a sinus infection. I'm starting to feel a little better, or at least, it's feeling like a normal head cold that I can handle.

 

[Andelain]

If it's any consolation I have a friend who actually did get the plague a few years back.

But seriously, I hope you all kick the crud soon. I just had a minor bout with it myself, but was lucky it was minor this year.

Now THAT'S a trick. Where on earth did said friend pick that up?

Believe it or not the Bubonic Plague is carried by fleas. Both of them (husband and wife) got it by walking out in their yard in New Mexico and being bitten by carrier fleas. They both survived, but his legs had to be amputated because his turned into Septicemic Plague.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

If it's any consolation I have a friend who actually did get the plague a few years back.

But seriously, I hope you all kick the crud soon. I just had a minor bout with it myself, but was lucky it was minor this year.

Now THAT'S a trick. Where on earth did said friend pick that up?

Believe it or not the Bubonic Plague is carried by fleas. Both of them (husband and wife) got it by walking out in their yard in New Mexico and being bitten by carrier fleas. They both survived, but his legs had to be amputated because his turned into Septicemic Plague.

Yep, the Bubonic Plague is carried by fleas and during the Black Death those fleas traveled around via rats and infected/killed millions of people. It attacks the lymph nodes and can be cured with antibiotics. I read a novel a few years back about a woman who took a time machine and traveled back and accidently ended up in 1348! Eh, fun stuff!

The other day, there was an article about a scientist who died from it about 18 months ago. Article stated that around 2,000 people get it every year. Probably more get it, but are never dx.

 

[manderz]

If it's any consolation I have a friend who actually did get the plague a few years back.

But seriously, I hope you all kick the crud soon. I just had a minor bout with it myself, but was lucky it was minor this year.

Now THAT'S a trick. Where on earth did said friend pick that up?

Believe it or not the Bubonic Plague is carried by fleas. Both of them (husband and wife) got it by walking out in their yard in New Mexico and being bitten by carrier fleas. They both survived, but his legs had to be amputated because his turned into Septicemic Plague.

Wow!! I will definitely be counting my blessings! Your poor friends!

 

[Andelain]

If it's any consolation I have a friend who actually did get the plague a few years back.

But seriously, I hope you all kick the crud soon. I just had a minor bout with it myself, but was lucky it was minor this year.

Now THAT'S a trick. Where on earth did said friend pick that up?

Believe it or not the Bubonic Plague is carried by fleas. Both of them (husband and wife) got it by walking out in their yard in New Mexico and being bitten by carrier fleas. They both survived, but his legs had to be amputated because his turned into Septicemic Plague.

Wow!! I will definitely be counting my blessings! Your poor friends!

Yeah, no kidding! Me too. He went through about two years of rehab.

 

[ksinger]

If it's any consolation I have a friend who actually did get the plague a few years back.

But seriously, I hope you all kick the crud soon. I just had a minor bout with it myself, but was lucky it was minor this year.

Now THAT'S a trick. Where on earth did said friend pick that up?

Believe it or not the Bubonic Plague is carried by fleas. Both of them (husband and wife) got it by walking out in their yard in New Mexico and being bitten by carrier fleas. They both survived, but his legs had to be amputated because his turned into Septicemic Plague.

Wow!! I will definitely be counting my blessings! Your poor friends!

Yeah, no kidding! Me too. He went through about two years of rehab.

Well, I actually did know that it was from fleas, having read, years ago, "The Black Death", a really cool history of the plague and the waves of it over the centuries. I really was interested in where they picked it up - in the US or out of country. I'm not at all surprised to hear it was in NM, because it is endemic there. Years ago I visited a friend who had moved to Albuquerque. We went day-hiking in the Sandia mountains. When I asked why she didn't bring her dog, she said that plague was a real risk up there and you were advised to never take dogs up there.

Truly a horrible story about your friends. They are lucky to have survived it, or for that matter, to have it properly diagnosed: it's not like doctors get a chance to see it very often or would think of it quickly. Of course in NM, I imagine there are more doctors who actually have seen it, than just about anywhere else.

 

[Andelain]

Well, I actually did know that it was from fleas, having read, years ago, "The Black Death", a really cool history of the plague and the waves of it over the centuries. I really was interested in where they picked it up - in the US or out of country. I'm not at all surprised to hear it was in NM, because it is endemic there. Years ago I visited a friend who had moved to Albuquerque. We went day-hiking in the Sandia mountains. When I asked why she didn't bring her dog, she said that plague was a real risk up there and you were advised to never take dogs up there.

Truly a horrible story about your friends. They are lucky to have survived it, or for that matter, to have it properly diagnosed: it's not like doctors get a chance to see it very often or would think of it quickly. Of course in NM, I imagine there are more doctors who actually have seen it, than just about anywhere else.

Now if you want to know how lucky they really are, they had flown to New York between when they were bitten and when the symptoms started. The asked the hotel clerk to recommend a doctor when they started to feel really bad, and that doc just happened to make the right diagnosis quickly.