Back from Urgent Care - frustrated and miserable

[WhiteHorse]

I have no idea if or when I ever had the real FLU before but I either have it now, or have pneumonia/something similar. I am 25 weeks. Every symptom in the book including fever. I went to Urgent care today and the doc barely even looked at me - literally was in the room for 1 minute. And prescribed Zithromax for "bronchitis" although I wonder how I could have a high fever and body aches with bronchitis. How can I protect the baby from the fever? Tylenol only has a minimal effect on me. Has anyone else had the flu during pregnancy and what did you do to combat symptoms?

[Stayseeliz]

Do you have an OB or MW? I'd call them for help!

[pregnant@40]

I don't understand. If you have the flu, then you should have received an antiviral. And as for bronchitis, which is usually viral (more than 90% of the time), why would he prescribe an antibiotic?

I would definitely follow up w/ your OB, or another MD...

[tracymom1]

Did they do a flu swab? There is a very simple and quick test that any urgent care can do that will let you know for certain if you have the actual influenza virus. I would not take the antibiotics unless you are sure you have a bacterial infection - which really isn't all that common. Call your Ob/midwife - someone is on call today and can answer your questions.

[WhiteHorse]

My OB will not see anyone who is sick with these sorts of symptoms - I already tried - which is why I went to urgent care. My family doc does not see acute visits unless you come and wait at 8 am which could be up to 2 hours and with a fragile health 3 yo in tow I am not willing to do that.

UC did not do a flu swab and I have no idea why. They wanted to do a chest x-ray but wouldnt because of the pregnancy. Maybe he also saw a sinus/upper resp infection or something and simply prescribed the antibiotic. Who knows. I am so disgusted with healthcare profs nowdays. We have spent thousands of dollars over the last year due to stupid opinions/decisions of doctors.

By the way, I thought the flu antiviral was not approved for pregnant women?

I am starting to feel a tiny bit better and the fever is starting to fade, but I still have nasty chest cough and packed sinuses - which that nasal saline flush thing does NOTHING for - sorry for those of you who swear by it. I know Afrin is not a good thing, but would it hurt to use it only once or twice? I have strained the muscles on my side from coughing and blowing (or attempting to, nothing moves so it's pretty much futile) and my hernia is not getting any better from all this.

[pregnant@40]

Flu antivirals are recommended for pregnant women per CDC guidelines:

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/antivirals/summary-clinicians.htm

However, it's too late to take them 36-48 hrs after symptoms have begun. Additionally, there is no way to know if you have the flu w/out a rapid test or swab. Otherwise, it's just speculation.

If you have a sinus infection, and since you are pregnant, it may be beneficial to take the antibiotic. Also, it may be that the urgent care doc is treating the bronchitis w/ antibiotics b/c you are pregnant, and thus in a higher risk category. Your urgent care doc may have done exactly the right things, but obviously didn't communicate her/his decision-making with you. For example, if they wanted to do a chest x-ray, perhaps they suspect pneumonia (since they wouldn't do this for suspected bronchitis)? I would just run the drug by your OB & make sure it's OK to take on their end, since you have questions.

[korintherin]

If he wanted to do an Xray it sounds like they were looking to confirm presence/absence of pneumonia. Which could be viral or bacterial. In the words of my aunt the nurse, "even if it's viral, all that muck in the lungs can turn bacterial real fast." So perhaps the Zithro was intended to be prophylactic. (Though, I read recently that Augmentin is targeted, maybe just marketed?, for respiratory infections, and it's what I had when I had bronchitis 15 years ago).

My 2yo was diagnosed with pneumonia last week and they prescribed zithro for him too. It worked.