Flu? :(

[bluebutterfly]

I'm at the 25 1/2 week mark.  We just had what I'm sure is the flu go through our household.   It's been a few days now and everyone is on the mend but I'm afraid it is now my turn.   I can feel that tell-tale burn in the back of my throat.  Most times when I get the flu, I really _get the flu_.  I had the swine flu and was terribly sick for more than week.

/sigh

My midwife told me to call her if I start feeling sick so she could give me antivirals.  I'm not sure I want to take them though.   Part of me wants to just take my chances with the flu.  If I did consider antivirals (started feeling very bad, very fast) I'd probably want a rapid flu test just to be sure it really is the flu.  Anyway... any advice?

*fingers crossed that I somehow make it through this with a mild case*

[treehugginhippie]

You could try steeping fresh garlic cloves in hot water and strain out and drink w/ a bit of honey? I haven't tried this but I've seen something like this suggested. Something in the future you could make and have on hand is the Modern Day Plague Tonic. http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message778229/pg1

Oh and in the future too for preventative, vitamin D (6000-8000 IU daily).

Hope you don't get it though!

[Faither]

I don't have the flu but I do have a wicked head cold (second one in a month). Thought I had strep but the rapid test was negative. That said my m/w recommended hot hot tea with honey, local raw honey and neti pot use. I personally, can't do the neti pot, but the hot tea and local honey helped a lot.

Feel better!

[cappuccinosmom]

Usually inflenza--the scary kind--lasts more than a few days.  So hopefully what your household had was some other bug, and one not as dangerous.

Personally, I would do antivirals for real influenza if I could, but there's a very small window for when they're even effective, so you could still end up pretty sick.

Hoping for the best for you!

[cameragirl]

Upping your vitamin D and C intake can help, as well. It won't prevent it once it is in your system, but it can make it easier to deal with.

[Janel47]

I'd start taking elderberry... it's been proven to be very effective against flu and flu-like sicknesses in studies.  If you take it at the onset, it will either boost your immune system enough that you won't actually come down with it OR cut the duration at least by half.  DH, DD1 and I have all been taking it preventatively this year (never have before) and as long as we don't run out, we're all completely avoiding everything so far.  This is NOT normal for us.  DH is a high school teacher and DD1 is in kindergarten... I was expecting more down time than up this winter, and so far nothing!