Flu Symptoms (8) - Do I have the Flu or Just a Cold?

I feel horrible! - do I have the flu or is it just a common cold? This question is usually the 1st one that comes to my mind when I get that lousy-all-over-feeling that lets me know I've caught a winter season bug. Some of the symptoms of the flu (influenza) are very similar to those common to the common cold, however, there are some flu symptoms that are not. Here are 8 symptoms that are common to the flu. These tips may help you determine whether you have the flu and a proper course of action if you do. If you suspect you have the flu and not just a common cold, see your doctor within 48 hours if possible. He may be able to prescribe medications that will help lessen the severity of your symptoms. After 48 hours the available antiviral medications are much less effective.

1.) Fever of 100.4 F (38C) or higher. Fever is rare if you only have a cold but fever over 100.4 F for 3-4 days is common in up to 80% of flu cases.
2.) Muscle aches that are widespread throughout the body. Muscle aches are not common with a cold and if they do occur are normally slight.
3.) Very tired or exhausted feeling. The degree of tiredness is usually much more pronounced with the flu than with a common cold.
4.) Headaches are common with the flu but fairly uncommon with a cold.
5.) Chills are common with the flu but are uncommon with a cold.
6.) Sore throats are common with both the flu and a cold.
7.) Stuffy or runny nose. These are common with both the flu and a cold but are more common with children who have the flu than with adults with the flu.
8.) Stomach problems such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are sometimes associated with the flu - a more common symptom with children - but uncommon with a cold.

If you have any of the symptoms commonly associated with the flu, you should see your doctor ASAP - remember , as stated above, if within 48 hours of the onset of flu symptoms he may be able to treat you with antiviral medications that may reduce the severity of your symptoms and shorten their duration. After 48 hours the effectiveness of antiviral medications is substantially reduced.

Here are a few other suggestions that may help get you through the misery of having the flu: 1) Get enough sleep - not only will sleep help your body recover more quickly from the flu but when you are asleep you are not suffering 2) take over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol or Advil or other brands of ibuprofen or acetaminophen 3) keep your room warm (but not hot) 4) monitor your fever 5) avoid contact with others(except your doctor)until you are well 6) do not continue working or strenuous daily activities until you are well. Prevention is better. To prevent the flu: Ask your doctor if he recommends that you get a flu shot each year before the flu season begins. Certainly you should see you doctor immediately if you suspect you already have the flu.

Death by Diarrhea - New Mutant Bacteria Invades Hospitals

Sound like a sci-fi scenario? - Unfortunately it is too real. A new and very virulent mutant pathogen has infected patients in hospitals in at least 38 states. Because cases of the infection by these bacteria are not reported in many states, the incidence of infection is likely increasing at a much more rapid rate than has been recognized. Alerts have been sent out by the CDC and other offices responsible for communicable disease control in the U.S. This new epidemic strain of anti-biotic resistant bacteria is now suddenly ranked with MRSA or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureas (aka Staph) as the top 2 potentially deadly infections that can be contracted during a hospital visit.
What is this new bacteria? It is actually a common bacteria (a bug) that has caused treatable diarrhea in older patients at nursing homes and in hospitals for years. Clostridium difficile or C.diff. is transmitted through contact with fecal matter, usually from hand or food to mouth. C.diff related diarrhea occurs most commonly as a result of anti-biotic use. When certain anti-biotics are used they kill some of the good bacteria in your body that usually keeps bad bacteria like C.diff from flourishing. (C.diff is resistant to most anti-biotics) Ironically, when you are attacked by C.diff because of the anti-biotics you are taking - you must take a specific anti-biotic to kill the flourishing C.diff. Here-in lies the new problem. A mutant strain of C.diff called NAP1/027 resists all anti-biotics and this bacteria is more toxic. C.diff produces spores when it senses that it is under attack from anti-biotics and these spores are not easily killed by the usual sanitization products used to clean hospital environments. These C.diff spores can remain on hospital surfaces for months and can contaminate food and anything touched by hospital personnel or patients. Contracting C.diff, especially the NAP1 strain can lead to uncontrolled bouts of diarrhea, up to 50 per day, and can lead to more serious, imagine something more serious, like C.difficile associated disease (CDAD) and chronic colon problems.
What can I do about it? Not a lot. But here are a few things which may help you avoid infection:

1) Avoid over-use of anti-biotics. Ask you doctor if anti-biotics, especially any anti-biotic that has been associated with CDAD, is really needed for treatment. Anti-biotic over-use is a major reason that these resistant bacteria are mutating.
2) Wash your hands thoroughly before you put anything in your mouth, especially after visiting a hospital or nursing home.
3) Wear surgical gloves if you are caring for patients with CDAD or diarrhea.
4) Do not let severe cases of diarrhea go untreated by a doctor. Unfortunately, common diarrhea medicines can make c.diff infection worse by stopping the bacteria flushing effect of diarrhea. C.diff infections call for more than over-the-counter medicines.
5) If you suspect a problem, call your doctor, especially if you develop diarrhea after tending to a patient or visiting a hospital setting.

The Internet - A Drug Candy Store!

"The Internet has become a pharmaceutical candy store - offering a high to any kid with a credit card at the click of a mouse" - Joseph A. Califano Jr., National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, chair and president.
The number of websites advertising and selling controlled prescription drugs like Oxycontin, Valium and Xanax has grown dramatically, over 130%, since 2006. There are basically "no controls" on the sale of controlled substances via the internet. Stopping the sale of controlled substances on the internet is no easy task. Many of these websites and their counterfeit drug manufacturers are based outside of the United States. Without the cooperation of certain foreign governments - combined with a concerted effort by our own government's enforcement agencies, plus the cooperation of internet providers and credit card companies, the sale of controlled substances via the internet will continue to escalate. All efforts so far to shut down this very lucrative and illegal business has fallen short. Most websites (over 80%) do not even require the buyer to have a doctor's prescription to make a purchase. Sadly, a large % of these illegal online drug purchases are made by our teenagers looking to get high. Sales of Xanax, Valium, Vicodin, Oxycontin and Ambien have skyrocketed - these are easier to acquire over the internet than they are through local street drug dealers. Parents need to recognize that their children have access to recreational drugs via the internet whether they live in the inner city, the suburbs or in a small town far from a street drug dealer.
The Dangers! - You do not know what you are getting! A website may look legitimate and sophisticated but it may sell counterfeit drugs that look exactly like real FDA-approved ones. Unregulated drugs may be manufactured in laboratories or processing facilities that have inadequate control standard - the pills may have inconsistent formulation, be too weak, too strong or contain substitute or harmful additives - labeling may be inadequate, incorrect or may not list important drug interaction warnings. You could die! Some already have.
What to look out for : 1) Do not buy from websites that do not require proof that you have a doctor's prescription 2) Do not buy from sites that are not affiliated with a pharmacy that is licensed by a State Board of Pharmacy. Medications purchased from sources other than state licensed pharmacies may be at worst unsafe or at least ineffective. You can visit www.napb.info for a state board contact list 3) Do not purchase medicines that are not prescribed to you by your own doctor. Dosages, drug interactions and other suitability issues must be considered carefully. A medicine that helps one patient could kill another 4) If you do order from the internet, before taking any medication purchased, carefully examine the packaging and the drugs appearance- color, texture and shape - if it looks different from what you normally take, discard it. If it tastes different -spit it out! You may have saved a few bucks but is it worth the risk. If you are a teenager taking the internet purchase to get high - you are literally playing Russian Roulette.

Beware of your selections from the "Internet Drug Candy Store". The taste may not be so sweet!