This Is Getting Old... A Mild Rant

[HellFrost666]

For anyone who doesn't know me and hasn't seen my posts about this... The second week of November I had the Swine Flu.

 

That was immediately followed with what I think was a Sinus Infection. I've had Sinus Infections before, so I know exactly how they feel. I didn't get it officially diagnosed though. I couldn't go to the Doctor for it because right after having the swine flu I got fired from my job and lost all medical benefits.

 

Then, I got over that, and my girlfriend's sister decides to come over and do shots with my girlfriend, my roommate and I. But she didn't tell us she was getting over being sick, and unfortunately none of us saw her chug out of the bottle before pouring shots from it. So, all three of us got sick. Thanks, sis.

 

My roommate and my girlfriend got over it pretty quick. I had it for weeks. Now I feel like it's almost gone.

 

So, for weeks I haven't been able to do anything too strenuous. Today, I am thinking, 'I feel pretty good, I think I'll walk the dog.'

 

So I attempted to do this. A few minutes in I am still feeling fine. Then a few more minutes go by and the coughing fit starts. And at first it seems pretty mild. Then it becomes violent to the point where I have to stop for a few minutes to calm it down. So I turned around and started walking back home. I coughed the whole way home.

 

This is pissing me off.

 

Sorry to everyone for this seemingly pointless thread. The title says it's getting old. That's not even correct, it's been old for a while now. I've always been a sickly person. But I've never been sick continuously for this long, ever.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

That's a drag. Amazing how inconsiderate your gf sister was. I also have to wonder about her alcohol consumption if she feels the need to take a swig from the bottle before pouring it into the glasss...not to mention how unsanitary that is even if she wasn't sick. Does she take swigs from a common carton of milk before pouring some into her glass?

[metrogirl]

It could be any number of things, pnemonia (sp)....bronchitis.....

 

Do you smoke?

 

I know you don't have any medical insurance right now, so you will likely need to find a free clinic or county hospital and get a chest xray to rule out any major lung issues.

 

I knew about a woman that had a bad persistent cough for several weeks and went to the doctor and they found out she had lung cancer. She was never a smoker.

 

Please get it checked. You can't keep going on like this.

[Scorpion Fury]

I really think you should visit the local free clinic. It's better than nothing.

[Miss Firecracker]

If you don't go soon, you will end up in ER anyway, HellFrost. I am very concerned and sorry to hear you are still so sick.

[KG]

Sorry to hear about this HF.

[HellFrost666]

That's a drag. Amazing how inconsiderate your gf sister was. I also have to wonder about her alcohol consumption if she feels the need to take a swig from the bottle before pouring it into the glasss...not to mention how unsanitary that is even if she wasn't sick. Does she take swigs from a common carton of milk before pouring some into her glass?

 

Yea, I know. She smokes a lot of weed. I think she was stoned that night. Hell, she's always stoned.

 

She apologized a week or so later when she found out we all were sick.

[HellFrost666]

It could be any number of things, pnemonia (sp)....bronchitis.....

 

Do you smoke?

 

I know you don't have any medical insurance right now, so you will likely need to find a free clinic or county hospital and get a chest xray to rule out any major lung issues.

 

I knew about a woman that had a bad persistent cough for several weeks and went to the doctor and they found out she had lung cancer. She was never a smoker.

 

Please get it checked. You can't keep going on like this.

 

I am not a regular smoker. I smoke once in a while. By that I mean a couple times a year. Sometimes when I am drinking, and surrounded by smokers I light one up, but it doesn't go further then that.

 

My cough was really bad for two weeks or so. Then it was only bad when I would lay down at night. Now I hardly cough at all. It only starts up when I try to do anything physical, like walking my dog, or when I get too warm.

[NightLily]

I know how you feel.. I got the swine flu and then was sick for a week with it. I started to get better and then suddenly woke up unable to breathe. Had severe lung pain for the two weeks following. And, not that long ago, I had mono for about seven months. That... SUCKED.

 

I think come New Years I need to get serious about getting healthy again. I have had a broken foot since March and so haven't done much at all in the way of exercise.

 

That and improved diet might help? And, avoiding stress.

[HellFrost666]

I know how you feel.. I got the swine flu and then was sick for a week with it. I started to get better and then suddenly woke up unable to breathe. Had severe lung pain for the two weeks following. And, not that long ago, I had mono for about seven months. That... SUCKED.

 

I think come New Years I need to get serious about getting healthy again. I have had a broken foot since March and so haven't done much at all in the way of exercise.

 

That and improved diet might help? And, avoiding stress.

 

The swine flu has a long recovery time. Other people I know who've had it say it takes forever to bounce back from.

[ScubaDiva]

It sounds like your immune system is taking a bashing - it is happening to a lot of people who don't usually get sick this winter. I also had swine flu and it took me over a month to start feeling like myself. This was followed by tonsilitis - happy days!

 

I then started taking honey every day - to build up my immune system - this has done wonders for my energy levels. I also take echinacea and zinc - I am now feeling very fit and healthy and my skin is great (especially for this time of year). Good luck!

[HellFrost666]

It sounds like your immune system is taking a bashing - it is happening to a lot of people who don't usually get sick this winter. I also had swine flu and it took me over a month to start feeling like myself. This was followed by tonsilitis - happy days!

 

I then started taking honey every day - to build up my immune system - this has done wonders for my energy levels. I also take echinacea and zinc - I am now feeling very fit and healthy and my skin is great (especially for this time of year). Good luck!

 

I used to get sick a lot, then I discovered Hemp powder. Now, before anyone freaks out, I'll clear up anything you might be thinking, it's THC free! I am not eating weed every day, I am not that stupid.

 

I started taking Hemp powder every day and wasn't sick for over a year. Then I ran out of it and haven't been able to get more. The health food store where I used to buy it stopped carrying it because it wasn't a very big seller. And the timing was really bad too. Because I ran out a few days after I had been exposed to the swine flu.

 

So, my options are, either drive an hour to buy it, or order it online in bulk. Neither of which I can afford right now.

[CarnelianButterfly]

It sounds like your immune system was weakened by h1n1 and secondary junk moved in. I'd say you should find a free clinic in your area and see if you have pneumonia. A round on antibiotics could clear it up.

 

I had h1n1 a month ago, I was trashed for days, my sinuses haven't recovered fully from a secondary infection, either. Its a pain in the butt, my nose is either running or bleeding.

[HellFrost666]

It sounds like your immune system was weakened by h1n1 and secondary junk moved in. I'd say you should find a free clinic in your area and see if you have pneumonia. A round on antibiotics could clear it up.

 

I had h1n1 a month ago, I was trashed for days, my sinuses haven't recovered fully from a secondary infection, either. Its a pain in the butt, my nose is either running or bleeding.

 

You know, the more swine flu stories I hear, it seems like everyone got some kind of infection right afterworlds.

 

Everyone keeps telling me to get a chest x-ray, but my cough is in my throat. My chest isn't tight at all. And I can breathe fine.

 

I have this one friend who stopped by a couple weeks ago when my cough was still really bad. He was determined to diagnose something. It was actually pretty funny. He's like "I think you have bronchitis." I told him bronchitis is an infection in the chest, this is in my throat. So then he was trying to convince me I must have strep throat. I've had that before. I know what it feels like, I didn't have any of the symptoms. My throat didn't hurt, it just was really dry and scratchy. His next guess was Mono which really made no sense. Finally I just steered the conversation in another direction because I was sick of hearing him try to figure out what's wrong with me.

 

I think exactly what you said, CB. I think my body just took a beating from having the swine flu and now it's hard to fight off other things. And it's the time of the year where everyone is sick, which doesn't help.

[Catdancer]

ok boy-o, 2 options. Put up or shut up!! lol

 

1. go to a doctor

 

2. do somethings at home to help, like a vaporizer with menthol, using cough syrup (but I'll be honest, a syrup with codeine in it or the cough pearls are excellent-all perscribed by a DOCTOR), using over the counter cough meds as well as syrup, staying inside and keeping warm, dont do things to tax your body and strain it more, it's trying to heal and since your immune system is weakened, it is taking a long time to heal--so stay away from other sick people and stay inside

 

All kidding aside, if you go to the ER, you shouldnt have to pay anything at the time, they will bill you. And when you are there, tell them you have no insurance and ask for the Medical Indigent forms. I have done this before and they wrote off my whole bill. At least you can be sure that it's not pneumonia and you can get something to help with the cough. My mom just found out that she's got pneumonia. She let it go for too long, thinking that it was a cold, and they wanted to admit her to the hospital and put her on IV antibiotics, but like a certain HellFrost, she refused, so after taking 2 antibiotics, albuterol and cough meds for 2 weeks, she hasnt gotten any better. They added a third antibiotic today and her doc cussed her for not going into the hospital.

 

I really think that you should find some way to have it checked out and the ER would be my first stop, if I were you.

[HellFrost666]

I have some Codeine cough medicine. I got it when I had the swine flu. I took it pretty regularly for the first week my cough was really bad. Then I switched to over the counter stuff. Now, I am not taking anything. The cough isn't bad enough to need it. Like today I only coughed twice. A little when I got out of bed and then when I walked the dog.

 

But you're right, Codeine is good stuff. Not only did it make the cough go away for a few hours but it also made life a lot more interesting, lol.

[Catdancer]

I have some Codeine cough medicine. I got it when I had the swine flu. I took it pretty regularly for the first week my cough was really bad. Then I switched to over the counter stuff. Now, I am not taking anything. The cough isn't bad enough to need it. Like today I only coughed twice. A little when I got out of bed and then when I walked the dog.

 

But you're right, Codeine is good stuff. Not only did it make the cough go away for a few hours but it also made life a lot more interesting, lol.

 

I have like crazy freaky erotic dreams when I take codeine. Man, I LOVE IT!!

 

It does sound like you are getting better, though. If you still have some of the syrup with codeine, you may want to continue using it only when you have to, to help stop the harsh cough.

 

I know it's annoying as hell, but at least you are getting better!!

[Seraphim]

I am sorry HF. I have some winters like that. Where you get better from one thing and another hits you up. I know how annoying it is for sure. I have lived my life this way for years. I get better from one thing and another kicks me back down. I hope you get better soon!

[CarnelianButterfly]

I have some Codeine cough medicine. I got it when I had the swine flu. I took it pretty regularly for the first week my cough was really bad. Then I switched to over the counter stuff. Now, I am not taking anything. The cough isn't bad enough to need it. Like today I only coughed twice. A little when I got out of bed and then when I walked the dog.

 

But you're right, Codeine is good stuff. Not only did it make the cough go away for a few hours but it also made life a lot more interesting, lol.

I got the same stuff, it was wonderful, I could finally sleep.

 

I think it would still be a good idea to get checked out at a clinic, just to be sure. Long term infections can leave you open for some really nasty stuff.

[ScubaDiva]

I took a course of Penicillin when I got tonsilitis after the flu which really seemed to help - the doctor didn't want to give it to me because he was saying it was viral blah blah but I insisted and it worked!

[HellFrost666]

I have like crazy freaky erotic dreams when I take codeine. Man, I LOVE IT!!

 

It does sound like you are getting better, though. If you still have some of the syrup with codeine, you may want to continue using it only when you have to, to help stop the harsh cough.

 

I know it's annoying as hell, but at least you are getting better!!

 

You know what, I had a few of those too when I was taking it. At night I would switch back and forth between Codeine and Nyquil. I did that because I didn't want to start building up a tolerance to either one.

 

And when I was awake and on Codeine... Man, everything was hilarious.