aggh, surrounded by swine flu!

[kathleen_mary]

I'm gonna be the last pregnant person in this due date club...I know it.

After just about getting over a cold, I decided to stay home from the office to try and remain healthy. But everybody in my husband's office is coming down with the swine flu, and he ate lunch with a friend of ours who now has a temperature.

I would have considered getting the vaccine, but there's none to be had here (all they have is the nasal mist).

At this point I'd almost rather just get the damn flu so I could stop worrying about getting it!

[cileag]

You would be a candidate for Tamiflu either preventatively or as soon as you show any signs/symptoms---it's the antiviral that can diminish the viral load and reduce symptoms 1-2 days, but it's more effective the earlier you take it. It's a category C though so only you can decide if you're comfortable with it. I'm on my way out of the flu and it was NOT fun while pregnant, but I'm hoping now that I'll escape most of my labor without it, since I'm on the mend and have no signs of labor!

[cinnamongrl]

It's creeping around these parts as well. Our babe came a week ago and I have had several friends want to come over to visit, as is to be expected... but I haven't been able to answer any of them. I feel like I just want to quarantine our family and not get exposed to any of their germs.
On one hand I feel that I'm being overly overcautious, overly paranoid, even just ridiculous for feeling this way. I have conflicting emotions about how the media is exploiting (possibly, possibly not) this subject. And I'm simply confused about what to do and how to approach the outside world with a 6 year old and a newborn.
I don't want to buy into the fear mongering, but I also want healthy, happy, alive children.

What are you all thinking? How are you approaching this?

[kathleen_mary]

In all honesty, I probably wouldn't even be thinking about this too much, but I have a friend who is also pregnant who is freaking out, and then I feel like the "bad mommy" for not.

I put out antibacterial soap at all my sinks and hand sanitizer around the house and we are just trying to be vigilant about hand washing and not touching eyes/nose/mouth. I'm avoiding the university campus, and eating out.

I guess the main thing I'm worried about is the timing...that one or both of us will get sick right as labor is starting, which would be unpleasant, and possibly interfere with the bonding. And then, of course, there is the dying...my friend is fond of pointing out stories of pregnant women who died from the flu, especially the "previously healthy" women...although the woman featured in a recent NYT story was a smoker which sure as heck seems like a risk factor to me, so I'm not sure what the CDC's actual definition of "healthy" is.

I'm not conspiracy theorist enough to think the government is trying to kill us with the vaccine, but I do think some of the hype might be about marketing the vaccine to people who would normally not take one.

[paranoidprego]

i've read that gargling with warm salt water every day can decrease the colonization of the virus. have your hubby do that, and you. what i have read is that the problem with H1N1 is the proliferation of the virus. here is an exerpt from the article i read...

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one.. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with Qtips dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*


5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.


Good luck staying healthy!

[Charlize]

We're a bit paranoid about H1N1 right now, too. The swine flu is considered "wide spread" in Tennessee and there was a small child that died from it a couple of weeks ago. DD3 had her two week check up today and her pediatrician said it would be best if everyone in the household gets vaccinated against H1N1 and limits their activities outside the home. He also recommended handwashing throughout the day and using antibacterial hand sanitizer before touching the baby. With a busy household though, sometimes DD3 is touched without using the hand sanitizer. Even if you are vaccinated, you can still bring the virus home to your baby. I hate having to worry about this!

[cinnamongrl]

Originally Posted by paranoidprego

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).

?

[cinnamongrl]

In preparation for swine-flu vaccinations next month, the state of Washington's Health Department has temporarily suspended a rule that limits the amount of a mercury preservative in vaccines given to pregnant women and children under the age of 3.

Thimerosal has been eliminated from most vaccines in the United States, and the compound may be linked to autism. But it will be added to the bulk of swine-flu vaccines.

link :: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...u-Vaccine.aspx