Hello Influenza!

[Mehita]

In 24 hours my non-IBDer went from a happy, basketball playing, bouncing off the wall 10 year old to a feverish, can't get out of bed, stuffy, achy mess. He has an appt with the pediatrician later this morning to get tested. They said if he's positive they'd likely treat him (asthma) and DS (Remi) both even though DS still appears to be fine right now.

From another board I'm on, it sounds like when IBDers get the flu its the typical stuff, but the issue for them has been the secondary infections that come after (ear, sinus, bronchitis, etc).

Have any of your kids had the flu? How'd it go?

I'm nervous because the timing of this stinks with Christmas and Remicade due on January 2nd.

I'm also open to any tips, tricks, natural, homeopathic, whatever's to get through this.

 

[DanceMom]

Both of my girls had the flu 2 years ago (we now get flu shots!). M got it first and I waited 3 days before taking her to the doctor. Her first signs were fever, body aches, and a little vomiting. I really thought she'd kick it on her own but she just kept getting worse. We treated A at first sign of illness and she had a much more mild course. M was pretty sick for about a week...A was more like 4 days.

Hope he feels better ASAP!

 

[crohnsinct]

Flu shots here also but they say this year the shot isn't the exact right strain so go figure. I was sick for over a week recently and wonder if I didn't have a touch of the flu. My younger daughter also. Not indestructible O though.

My niece stayed with us last Christmas and got the flu. She was sleeping in the same room with O for days etc. We quarantined her after she got sick. Both the ped and GI said don't treat O until she shows signs. Something about the drugs used to treat flu being rough on GI system and kicking up some nasty stuff and not wanting to wake the sleeping giant.

Keeping my fingers crossed it isn't the flu and your IBDer escapes all illness.

WASH YOUR HANDS! Keep them separated. We use oscillo at first sign of illness. Also huge fans of oil of wild oregano.

 

[Mehita]

Oil of Oregano... one of the few that I don't have. Go figure.

Flu test came back negative, thank goodness. Dr said it's pretty reliable, especially after symptoms start, so he thinks we're just looking at a nasty bug. He didn't think it was pneumonia either - lungs are clear.

I'm off to disinfect the house.

 

[DustyKat]

Good to hear it isn’t influenza Mehita.

We have just been through one of the worst Winters for a number of years. There was a resurgeonce of Swine Flu plus a nasty gastro and respiratory virus doing the rounds.

Both kids plus the hubby had both, not flu but the other two, and I missed both. My approach was:
- Heightened hand washing and cleaning.
- As much isolation as possible.
- Although our Winter’s are very cold here they aren’t severe so I was able to air rooms.
- Plenty of fluids.
- Plenty of chicken soup.

Neither kid had any lasting effects from both viruses and it did not activate their Crohn’s.

Sending loads of luck and well wishes that your lad is soon feeling better and it stays contained. :heart:

Dusty. xxx

 

[aideen33]

Im the IBD'er not the kids, but DH got flu with typical upper respiratory plus vomiting/D ... i got flu but caught mine early. Doc asked about nausea/vomiting/D and then corrected himself "wait... that might be hard to gauge with you huh? " ... hit me with tamiflu (still feel like i got hit by a truck) and zithromax for the secondary sinus infection (cause my body decided to be an over achiever)

 

[Mehita]

Aideen33 - Do you think the Tamiflu helped?

GI and Ped both said if anyone in the family gets a confirmed case of the flu to start DS on an antiviral.

I just told the little guy that he's going to school tomorrow, so what does he do? Spike another fever!

 

[aideen33]

I still feel a bit run down and like i got hit by a truck, but i do think the fatigue and body aches were *less* severe than in years past. I did manage *knocks wood* to escape it heading into my lungs this year so thats an improvement

 

[Brian'sMom]

3 years back my son tested positive for flu. They started him promptly on Tamiflu. I thought it worked great. He never really got that sick. And got better fast. He hasn't ever had it again... So that was our one experience with it

 

[MamaHenn]

I've had a few friends that have used Tamiflu with their kids (NON-IBD) and they said it really, really helps. They did, however, say that it was either very $$$$ and/or not covered by insurance so they had to pay over $100 out of pocket.

 

[my little penguin]

Both my kiddos used tamiflu a few years ago.( h1n1)
It was covered and helped some
One needed steriods but avoided inpatient (DS)
Other handled it ok .

 

[Jenn]

My son got the flu a couple years ago, despite the flu vaccine. Had a 104 fever and triggered an asthma attack and ER visit overnight. He got Tamiflu and it really shortened the duration for him. Seemingly no impact with his Crohns or Humira.

 

[aideen33]

I appear to have spoken too soon as I finished tamiflu and zithromax for sinus infection, only to end up back at doctors for a dx of bronchitis and a new rx for Levaquin

 

[cwhitaker]

My son got diagnosis yesterday with the flu and was given the Tamiflu. I'm just worried with the crohns disease that he is going to have a flare up. Last night he had 103.5 temperature which keeps going up and down, but with motrin its going down. Is there any advice anybody can give me? He hasnt been this sick since he got diagnosed 2 years ago. And he is barely eating.

 

[my little penguin]

Motrin is nsaid and a big no no for Ibd kids.
Did you let the gi know about the flu and the Motrin...?
We are instructed to call Gi right away for infectious disease ( flu chicken pox mumps etc..)
We are only permitted to use tylenol .
That said Ds Rheumo did try Mobic ( weaker nsaid) on him once for his arthritis but it caused bloody D after a few doses .

 

[Mehita]

cwhitaker - I'd give your GI a call asap. Motrin, Advil, etc are usually avoided in IBD kids. If you have to give something, stick with Tylenol until you get a hold of your GI.

How's he feeling today?

 

[cwhitaker]

cwhitaker - I'd give your GI a call asap. Motrin, Advil, etc are usually avoided in IBD kids. If you have to give something, stick with Tylenol until you get a hold of your GI.

How's he feeling today?

Fever has gone down. He's still not eating much. His gi is actually the one that said use motrin and stay away from Tylenol products. Talked to gi nurse yesterday and they want him to wait on remicade tell symptoms r gone. Which I understand with it being a immunodepressant. Thank you