I went to Afghanistan and all I got was H1N1

I had the H1N1 in early 1978 (the "Russian" flu) while I was on an exchange program in Scotland. (My home college campus was in California.) There are not many things worse than being that sick and far from home on top of it. Fortunately it went away pretty quickly after a couple of days of bed rest.

Sanjay, thanks so much for the first hand experience with the H1N1. People are freaking out about it so much in the states and it's good to hear a personal account from someone in the medical field who I watch frequently.

Dr. Gupta, did you have a regular flu shot before your trip? Did the cameraman have a flu shot? If you didn't, do you think the regular 2009 seasonal flu shot would have made a difference for you? I don't see much reporting on the possible effectiveness of the regular flu shot against the H1N1 strain.

I as a frequent blooger on your site am saddened to hear the you have contacted that horrible flu....and hope that you are well soon..It rings
true when someone who is well known in the medical field...and a
tried and tested physician such as yourself to come down with what the entire world is talking and dealing with. Some people dont take
seriously the impact and devastation the flu can bring even in the best
of medical surroundings...Hope that you are soon well and back to
your normal duties as a doctor and reporter.... When the wall falls
we have no protection.

A full and speedy recovery to you and your cameraman.

Dear Dr. Gupta, get plenty of rest and drink plenty of fluids and try not to work so hard.

Dr Gupta,

Get well soon!!! I love your reporting....

Lucky guy! You got it and won. If it mutates will you still be immune to future H1N1 exposure?

Always wondered how you managed with your travels and the various viruses out there. Anyway Sanjay good to hear you are recovering and doing well.

Best wishes and thanks always for the work and information you pass on to us

WOW! Not you, Dr. G!! You seemed to "superman" on TV. Well, I'm glad you are feeling better and now you can really tell us what it is like!

Again, glad to hear you are all better and look forward to hearing Wolf or AC say your name again.

Dr. Gupta,

Thank you for taking the time (and effort!) to write about that. I think a lot of people (including myself) were wondering what the H1N1 is actually like to catch and suffer through.

I am glad to hear you are back to normal and I hope your camera man is doing well also.

Tim

I'm glad you realized what was going on and received appropriate treatment. I sometimes wonder how many people, who have perished because of the flu, merely waved away any symptoms, insisting that they would soon be ok.

Dr. Gupta,

Thank you so much for sharing your encounter with H1N1 in an effort to better prepare us all for this upcoming fall. You are truly a hero; traveling to Afghanistan to assist civilians in this controversial war.

I must admit when I read the headline announcing your contraction of H1N1, I yelled "Oh NOOOOO". I truly admire your contributions to CNN and more encompassing, to the American public. You are truly a pleasure to watch and learn from and I wish you and your family all the best. I'm happy that you are feeling better now and hope to see you back with AC in the near future.

Love you!!

Thank you for sharing and I'm happy you are feeling better.

Descring what you went through, Dr. Gupta, certainly quells a lot of the fear about H1N1, in that it doesn't really seem to be the" monster" flu that the media says it is....except, of course, if you have an underlying medical condition...which would be of concern no matter what strain of the flu is running rampant.

Dear Sanjay:

Refuah Shlemah – a Jewish greeting that means "a full recovery" to you and your colleague! We hope to see you on the airwaves again soon!!! We all need your common sense and level head to report on medical issues.

A fan

Dr.Gupta, that just shows how the world is getting small. Did you think you were going to get the H1N1 in Afghanistan?

This is the best description I have read about the H1N1 symptoms–thank you for blogging about it.
Glad to see you (and hopefully your cameraman are better now).

Sorry you and your photographer were so sick, Sanjay. Thanks for reporting this. Stay safe.

That's it for me! The descriptions Dr. Gupta provides is enought evidence that I don't want this flu. Who's giving the shots!!!!

That is awful, glad to hear it went away pretty fast. I am hoping to avoid the Swine this year. Thanks for the coverage in Afghanistan, you and Anderson Cooper are awesome!!!

Many Americans are going to get this H1N1, who won't have health insurance and will wind up flooding hospital emergency rooms. I hope the congress passes real health care reform soon, with a strong public option, and doesn't ruin the inroads already made for kids through CHIP.

Sorry Sanjoy. We think that doctors don't get sick. Get well and stay well.

i was told by someone yesterday that they thought they may have the swine flu and they went to the doctor who said go to the hospital to get tested. once at the hospital the hospital told them they do not test for the swine flu and that if they had the swine flu the symptoms would not be that different than that of the normal flu bug. is this true. they also said that there is just a lot of hype about the swine flu and that it is no big deal. is the media making more out of this than they should be? and if so why are we scrambling to develop a vaccine and get it distributed if it is only as bad as the regular flu

Glad you are feeling better, and thsnk you for what you do.
My daughter was over there last fall and got really sick just as you described it. I am betting that is also what she had. Be Safe.

Dr. Gupta: Thanks so much for making effort when you were so sick to share your experience. Hope you & your photographer are doing better. Stay safe.

Having had my rounds of flu over the years, some quite severe, this sounds pretty normal.

I am so glad you and your photograph took the necessary measurements to get the help needed even though you are in the middle of a war zone. I hope our troops out there will take the same approach if they too are feeling similar symptons.
Thank you Dr. Gupta for all that you do in keeping us informed.
Take care of yourself. Scottie, you too.

This reminds me so much of the flu going around in the mid-70s. I caught it and it was the best infection of my life because, after spending a week unable to even think of picking up a cigarette, I gave 'em up for good!
Hope you are both feeling better.

Dr. Gupta

You inspire all of us with your passion towards your work that benefits all of us. That is the best description of H1N1 symptoms and our family (all of us are Fans) are very very Glad that you are back to yourself showing us your dedication.

Hopefully you don't fall sick again, ever !

As a military medical professional, some of the stories I've read and seen on H1N1 have really irked me. Thank you for putting out the truth. We've been working hard to make sure our troops are aware of the truth of H1N1, and not the sensationalized media representation of it. With this story, I hope it's that much easier. Now we can tell our patients that Dr. Sanjay Gupta says it'll be ok! I am glad to hear of your recovery, and I am sorry to hear you had to suffer through that in the desert, there are indeed far better places to deal with the flu!

Well, this was an interesting little blog you posted. It makes me think of the phrase: "why dont doctors every get sick?" I am glad you and your co-worker are better as this is a serious illness. Being employed by a large hospital in Milwaukee, WI makes me worry about how this may spread as winter arrives. When handling patients we take all necessary precautions by wearing protective barriers such as masks, gowns and gloves including negative pressure rooms but it is simply the flu and everyone can catch it. What worries me is not that everyone would get it, but its the severity of it. Every time I am around anyone with flu symptoms I do get a little nervous. We simply expose ourselves every time.
It all boils down to taking standard precautions such as washing hands, covering your mouth sneezinng/coughin and simply keeping your distance. Thanks for posting this as I am sure you were felling horrible. Quick recovery.

Sincerely,
Ken

This may not be the best case study for people at home. As Dr. Gupta pointed out, he was in a war zone, heat and dehydration were probably a factor. His immune system may have been very much suppressed by stress.
My husband and I got swine flu a few weeks ago, and I have had colds that were worse. Its true that it starts with a cough out of the blue and than a fever, and possibly some sinus congestion, neither of us experienced any nausea. Four days after symptoms started I was back to work and five days after symptoms started I was back to intense martial arts training.

The regular flu shot is against several other strains, and will have no effectiveness against H1N1. That said, the "regular" seasonal flu will be coming through town just like always, so everyone should be sure to get BOTH shots: the seasonal flu shot and the special H1N1 shot.

Dr. L

Tom: the whole point is that H1N1 is a different strain and the regular seasonal flu vaccine will not immunize for it!

I'm sure Dr. Gupta has gotten the regular vaccine as have most of us who are health care providers. H1N1 vaccine should be ready next month.

Dr. Sanjay,

Sorry to hear that you caught up with H1N1. I amazed how you travel all these places with different weather zones. It's one of the best blog on the H1N1 flu.

Get Well!!!!

My daughter and I both have the H1N1 flu. Symptoms : 2 days of fever for her, slight cough, slight congestion, fatigue, mild body aches, slight nausea. So far, not much at all.

Sorry to hear that you and the cameraman were sick; however, yours is the first clear definition of what the symptoms really are, so thank you for that information. The "regular" flu shot does not help, correct? People should get both this year.

I don't know now if I'm more or less afraid of contracting this type of flu!

But thank you for sharing your ordeal – it had to be scary being so ill far from home and family. Hope you and your colleague are up and around soon so you can do some more of your fine reporting for us!

Be well!

I caught the seasonal flu early this year from my roommate. (sickest I've ever been in my life!)
Now most of our mutual friends are sick and testing positive for H1N1...yet neither one of us has caught it. (and I usually catch everything!)

Is it possible that we have some degree of immunity from this particular strain?

Hmmmm.
4 hours in the clinic in Orlando vs the clinic in Afganistan. They both sound equally terrible. That was our experience with H1N1. Surprise they didnt give you tamiflu. It does seem to be helping. Get well soon!

Sorry to hear such a terrible episode that you had to endure ,as if being in the WAR ZONE was not enough..
Meantime glad to know that you are on the mend as also your Cameraman..and hope you soon return to your ususal self with spirited energy that you display all the time...
Thanks for sharing such a personal challenging experience that only reinforces the notion that regardless of our standing we are all prone to such potential illneses..
Again wish you and your Cameraman a speedy return to NORMAL routine and HEALTH....God Bless...take care..regards...Vijay M...Canada

Dr. Gupta. Thanks for sharing this personal story. It is quite comforting (without sounding ironic) that this flu which has made the entire world gone crazy about, can be easily treated with medicines accessible to any normal person. Hope you are recovering well!!

DR. GUPTA, THANK YOU FOR DOING A FANTASTIC JOB REPORTING. FEEL BETTER

sanjay, glad you're feeling better. I've heard of reporters "experiencing" the story but this is a little too much!!!

Dr. Gupta,

I am not glad that you got the virus, but I *am* glad that since you got it you reported on the experience and showed that H1N1 is very much like the "regular" flu. I think part of the hysteria around the "Swine Flu" is that it was made to sound mysterious and deadly. Headlines screamed, "Ten people have died from H1N1!!!!!" of course not mentioning that in that same period of time, several hundred people died of the "regular" flu.

Now that you have described the symptoms, I think it will be helpful in diffusing the mystery around H1N1. It's just like the regular flu, folks. It's just happening in the summer time instead of the fall and winter.

Hi Sanjay Gupta,
Nice to hear you are getting better, we always enjoyed your health reports. Get well soon.

I am sorry for that,Dr Gupta. GOD bless and cure you!!!
but contracting the disease and seeing all the symptoms by your self
helped to explain how H1N1 disease patients suffer.

Last week I went thru a bad cold/flu experience. Hard to tell at the time if it was H1N1 or just a bad "regular" flu. Thanks, Dr Gupta, for spelling out the symptoms of H1N1 so we can help tell the difference and not flood our doctors offices with unneeded visits – and I work in a doctor's office!

We hear about symptoms to expect, the misery of it all. But to have a person, especially a health care provider such as yourself, describe what it's like to suffer from the swine flu, that's worth paying attention to. Thank you for the report, Sanjay.

So you beat it with some Tylenol and a sinus decongestant and bed rest. Sounds like a regular flu stuff. Why are there reports of death from this flu and not the other?

Your notes about H1N1 relieve my mind about the experience. It helps to know that one can go through this flu like any other, with no major intervention required. Thanks for your timely offering.

Dr. Gupta-

I hope you are recovered. I know that this flu can be dealt with, but I am very concerned because I am 6 months pregnant and have a 3 year old in preschool and a 10 year old in school. I also live in the Atlanta area where H1N1 is widespread. I am really terrified because I am 40, had IVF and am a high risk pregnant patient anyway. What do you think is mt best prevention at this time? Do you know if there is a way to get the vaccine anywhere yet? If I catch this, what is the chance that me or my baby will die?

Feel better Dr. Gupta! Thanks for blogging in your time of illness. Get better FAST! I'm glad you also cleared up how the "Swine" flu term is a misnomer. I swear...people didn't want to touch HAM sandwiches when the outbreak was first being reported.

This was incredibly helpful for those of us who have not (yet) gotten sick. We now have an idea as to what to expect. Thanks!

Dr Gupta, take good care and get well soon. I am 24 weeks pregnant and very concerned about H1N1 and seasonal flu. It's good to hear first hand account from you as a medical professional how H1N1 has affected you. Though we'd love to hear from you, don't worry about blogging until you recover.

Thank you for letting us know what the symptoms were while you were going thru it. I, like others, did not know what to look for since there is such a scare about it – but not telling us what to look for.

What are 'underlying health problems' exactly? When we hear so much fear spread...I want to hear more about the fear reasons and symptoms of 'underlying health problems'.

Wanda

Like Dr. G said, he wasn't getting much sleep or rest and was in a high stress environment...If you can just get enough rest, eat well, and try to avoid stress, you can stay sick free most of the time.

I still remember watching you did the first special on H1N1 in Mexico earlier this year. Who would have thought you'll catch it in land-locked Afgan. Get well soon doc.

The seasonal flu does NOT provide protection from the H1N1 (North American flu virus or swine flu are some of it's other names) virus.
There MAY be a H1N1 flu vaccine later in the season....but it is still in testing...since we are already in H1N1 season, the potential benefit of the vaccine may be less since you may be exposed to the virus well before the vaccine is available....but if it IS available....then its another tool in your box to potentially prevent infection.

The seasonal flu vaccine IS very important this winter because while everyone is concerned about catching the new novel H1N1 flu....the truth is the seasonal flu viruses that may circulate this year may have an equal or greater impact this winter and shouldn't be overlooked. GET YOUR FLU SHOT ANYWAY!

Houston is seeing quite a bit of H1N1 infection...we had steady trickle of numbers all summer but then a big jump since early September when school started....some patients I have had have been sick for 5-7 days with all of the symptoms you've described....and some have only been mildly ill. All in the past that looked like flu tested positive and we are not routinely testing any longer....my bottom line to patients is....if it looks like flu it probably is and you should get plenty of rest, fluids, and stay home till your fever resolves. Tamiflu is being used only in certain cases, it only potentially shortens the course and its important people know it is NOT a cure-all and rest and fluids are STILL the most important.
I've had parents in the office burst into tears when the diagnosis is given....note to parents....this is just a new type of flu....neither more dangerous nor less than other types of flu. Please do not panic....your child needs rest, fluids, and the vast majority recover quickly without any complications.
The most common complications are ear infections, pneumonia, and sinus infections in children...so if your child isn't getting better then call your pediatrician to seek advice on when to be seen and re-evaluated.
Dr. Gupta....and your camera crew....get plenty of rest, drink fluids, take some tylenol...and we here in Houston hope you feel better and are back at it soon!

I too got Swine flu this summer. I picked it up when I was traveling for vacation to Hawaii. It was a terrible trip. I recently had a child so my immune system was a little down. For 3-4 days I was the sickest I have ever been in my entire life and not being home make it so much harder...but around day 5 I felt so much better. I survived

I'm glad you're feeling better. You described the symptoms, not only of H1N1, but also of denial. You tried to explain away your symptoms instead of coolly diagnosing your condition - like a doctor should.

I've read that the shots for H1N1 will be available sometime in October. In the meantime, everyone should also get the shot for seasonal flu, which is available now, as soon as possible because there needs to be a waiting period between the shots. Still waiting to hear if we'll need one shot or two shots for the H1N1 vaccination.

You could have just come to Nebraska. We have H1N1, and not as much dust, heat, or I.E.D.'s .
My teen-age son had it for about 12 days, on & off, with cough, fever, chills, no appetite. I had it and got over it in 48 hours. Go figure.

Nice to hear that you are doing better. Unfortunatley, I did not get the "easy" strain of the H1N1 virus. I ended up with double pneumonia and was diagnosed with the virus after i went into total respiratory failure and almost died. I was put under a coma so my body did not use uneccessary oxygen and was also put on an oscillator to build up my lung strength. After 32 days in two hospitals, I finally made it home.

Good to here you are back to normal.
This great explanation will really help lots of people. Glad that you got this H1N1 and out of it, only you could have explain this anyway.
Thanks for this blog.

The regular flu shot does not protect against H1N1...in fact it has less than a 85% success rate of protecting you from seasonal flu. Wait until mid-October when the H1N1 vaccine becomes available to the general public.

So glad you're doing much better!!!! 3 weeks ago both my boys and I contracted this virus. It was an awful 10 days. It is just like having the regular flu, just different name.

I'm glad you've blogged about your experience with it because so many people need to get educated on this virus. Not knowing brings fear and as soon as people hear those magical words H1N1 they get hysterical! So thank you again for bringing people to light about the virus.

Praying for your speedy recovery.

That was a great account of your experience with swine flu ... with schools starting I am thinking how kids would react to the painful cough and other symptoms ... Hope you feel really good real fast.Take care.

This i rich, thick discription of your condition. Many times it doesn't hit home with people, especially students that there is a war going on, plus a pandemic!

Thank you for your candid information.

Dr. Gupta-

I am at home nursing my daughter who has many of the same flu symptoms you describe. I am wondering why you were not able to take the Tamiflu- the medication that is prescribed to treat the H1N1 and other flu strains. Was it not available? It has helped my daughter tremendously.
Hope you feel better soon!

Wondering in Florida

Sanjay- Glad you are recovering. Too often doctors (especially surgeons) don't allow themselves to be sick which means they don't allow themselves to get better. I am equally guilty of this. Best wishes from an old friend from residency

THANK YOU!! I am very glad that you were able to show the general public that at the end of the day, the flu is still the flu. (I am NOT glad that you and your cameraman got sick though-I hope you both feel better). It is very improtant for people to not be more, or less worried by what they read in the newspaper or what happens to be the story of the week. Swine, H1N1, Flu--Different name, same treatment-wash your hands, cover your mouth, get your flu shot.

Glad to hear you and your cameraman are feeling better, Dr. Gupta!

Sanjay, Glad to hear that you now recovered.... and thank so much for sharing your experience with us. It is good to know that just basic remedies can fully resolve the anticipated pandemic!!

About time someone reported actual symptoms of H1N1! I've been pretty fed up with the silly articles saying maybe this symptom, maybe that symptom – how's a person to know what it REALLY is? This summer I was abroad with a lot of people and we all had a terrible sinus infection, a horrendous sore throat, a cough that wouldn't quit, with accompanying headaches, fevers, body aches, lethargy, etc, although the only things ALL of us had were the first three symptoms. Some of us still have a cough and/or sinus congestion – eight weeks later. None of us had chest congestion. I didn't hear of anyone with nausea. Based on what you've said, sounds like we all had something other than H1N1. Thank you.

My family (including a 2 year old) all are recovering from the swine flu. First I want to of course agknowledge that it is an awful virus, but to be honest, I am actually a little relieved that I got to experience it first hand. It really was not all the media is hyping it up to be. When I tell people my family has the swine flu they immediately assume they are on their death bed in the hospital. Which that may be the case for some unfortunate few, but my family is fine.,,yes even the two year old. Like any sickness, they were feeling awful and were in bed for a few days. That's it.. Also, I am a pregnant woman who had first hand contact with several infected people and I got nothing (Thank GOD!). I have never had a flu shot either. I guess my point is, take care of your health, but don't let the media freak you out. It sure freaked me out and I could hardly enjoy my pregnancy knowing the swine flu is out there.

Yes, even doctors get sick too. Heal soon....

I was hospitalized in a Beijing hospital for a week in July after infrared sensors detected a fever of 99.2! Although my mildest of fevers was gone after 12 hours, I was diagnosed with H1N1 4 days and several blood tests later. My symptoms were remarkably different, mild fever, some body aches and congestion, but nothing that would have suggested that I had contracted anything other than travel exertion. Was treated with what they told me was Tamiflu, but who knows!!

I hope you are doing better now. My son (age 15) was diagnosed with H1N1 with same symptoms as you had and ended up in CHOP picu for about seven days. He was in life support for three days. He is back to normal now, but I still can't understand a health kid like him to go through what he went throgh.

Doctor Gupta,
Glad you and your cameraman are feeling better. It was great to get a first-hand account of what the symptoms are like and how they present themselves. Stay safe and stick close to those Marines when you need help, they will never fail you.
Sincerely,
Chief Petty Officer Dave Stanton
USS THE SULLIVANS (DDG 68)

Glad you feel better...it gives it a whole new spin coming from Sanjay himself....

Thanks for sharing your story, especially as a medical professional. My husband fell ill while we were traveling in Sydney Australia with the H1N1. It came on very quickly and put down a very healthy man with a teachers immunity to most everything. The cough was horrible. He recovered without treatment, thank goodness. I'm glad to hear you are feeling better and shared that doctors get sick too. Everyone, please get your flu shots (regular and one for H1N1) when available. (Check with your doctors) Oh, please cover your cough and don't be shy to tell someone to cover theirs. Thanks again Dr. Gupta and feel better soon!

Great report. As a physician and medical director of a large university student health center, I have been dealing with the undue hysteria surrounding this issue since April. It is nice to hear a first-hand account from a well-known and respected journalist who is also a physician, who recovered completely with the recommended treatment: rest, fluids, and non-aspirin fever reducer. For what it is worth, the overwhelming majority of our patients who have had the flu (around 1000 so far) since May have had very mild symptoms compared with those typically seen in seasonal flu.

I am so happy you are better and unfortunately now you can report how important it is for us to protect each other out of your own experience with H1N1 as a Doctor. Great job of keeping us informed on the healthcare of the world. Thanks for your service. Give my regards to the UNITED STATES SOLDIERS. They are appreciated & Loved.

My 11 yr-old son is battling H1N1 right now. When the dr first told us the diagnosis, there was that bit of panic – because of all the things we've heard. He's now on day 5 and still running a fever, but seems to be on the mend.

Thanks for sharing your experience Dr. Gupta! It helps a lot!

And I went to Yonkers and only got H1N1... one week before there was any news about it! Unpleasant– everything hurt, painful cough, and just as I was getting better, the news came out on the television. Thanks for the first-hand reporting!

Dr. Gupta so sorry to hear you got the H1N1 flu, and like another viewer I'm curious if you or Scotty took the normal flu shot. I sincerely hope that you both are feeling more yourself and I am so sorry to hear if your horrible experiences. God bless you both and be safe on your journey.

Glad to hear you're on the mend. The first-hand account was very helpful. Last I heard, CDC estimates 50% of us will get H1N1, so it's nice to know that it's probably no better and no worse than the seasonal flu.

What I think is important for those in the high-risk categories to know is, at what point should your symptoms get you out of bed and to a doctor? I have asthma, and when I (unknowingly) had pneumonia, I waited 5 days to see a doctor. I know now that I waited too long, but at the time I didn't want to be a weenie.

Surely, we don't want to bog down doctors' offices with people with garden-variety viruses, but the public sure could use some guidelines on what symptoms should necessitate an immediate trip to the doctor/ER.

So after it was over, were you left with a lingering cough that comes and goes?

I am not sure if I had it or not, but whatever it was I had started with that horrific, split your sides open, cough. The infection part was so minor that I elected not to go to the doctor and be made to felt like I was overreacting like so many others did at the time.

I did have at least 3 days of feeling completely drained ... not unlike any other time of being sick. After about 3 weeks it all seemed to have subsided, but the lingering cough still continues to this day ... months after the other symptoms. It acts more like allergies than anything else.

At work they posted all sorts of stuff about H1N1, but the list did not seem to match my symptoms.

Hope you are feeling better soon, Dr. Gupta!!! I know you wished you were at home, but I am glad you were not. At least your wife and kids were spared being with you when you were contagious! Thank you for your reporting on our brave men and women fighting in Afghanistan.

I know exactly how you felt. During the Vietnam War I flew to Hong Kong for R & R to meet my husband who was a Navy pilot. Instead of R & R, I got the Hong Kong flu. My husband left on the ship and I stayed in a hotel room with a high fever and not even being able to lift my head off the pillow. It was terrible being so sick all alone in a foreign place where I didn't know anyone. I laugh about it now ...I went to Hong Kong and got the Hong Kong flu!

Sanjay, thanks so much for this first hand account coming from a doctor. It will put a lot of people at ease on handling H1N1. Hope you are feeling better.

Hope you are feeling better! My wife and I had the H1N1 too, so we feel your pain!

Good to know that you're feeling better, doc. It is also good to know the symptoms and cures from a medical professional.
Thank you.

Dr. G, we're all glad you and your colleague are feeling better, but you should have made more of a point as to why H1N1 is not a media-driven joke, as a lot of people posting here seem to think. This is a new flu that almost no one has any immunity to, and even though it's now more serious than seasonal flu, it is circulating IN ADDITION to the seasonal flu strains. the Centers for Disease Control predicts that this year there may 90-100,000 deaths due to H1N1, and this is on top of the 20,000 that die form seasonal flu. The "regular" flu shot WILL NOT prevent H1N1 infection, that vaccine is separate

Thank you for explaining the symptoms and how you felt. Glad you are ok.

Dr. Gupta, thanks as always for your accurate and informative reporting, I love your commentation and I am so glad you and your camerman are both feeling much better...be safe and hurry home.

Dr. Sanjay,

I'm glad you are feeling better! Just like I always knew, there's isn't much of a "big deal" (except that it's obviously not fun...) about the H1N1 virus, just similar to the regular flu. I don't understand why the media is making such a big deal about this virus, it's starting to get annoying. Thank you for giving us the truth about the virus.

Thanks for detailing the symptoms. I had the exact same symptoms – nausea, fever, terrible sinus congestion and the painful cough that won't go away. I was told at my second visit to the doctor that because I had nausea at the beginning, it couldn't have bee swine flu. The cough is still hanging on, but feel that I'm finally on the road to recovery. Would have liked to have been tested, but I guess it doesn't matter as I am finally feeling somewhat better.

I am a family doctor and I get seasonal flu vaccine annually. I have not had influenza since my childhood. However, as of yesterday, not only do I have flu, 4 of my 5 sons do too! My boys range from 10 months to 16 years and the youngest two were diagnosed yesterday as was I. My 5 year old had it first and he is now back to normal. We have all been various degrees of ill including terrible cough, achiness, fever, poor appetite, fatigue. But we are all recovering with anti-fever meds, otc decongestants and doctor prescribed antivirals. H1N1 is all that is circulating in NC and it is widespread. But we will be getting our seasonal flu shots once we get through this since the H1N1 vaccine does not cover seasonal flu. Hope you feel better soon.

Dr. Gupta:

This was a VERY knowledgable article that you provided. A lot of people are scared during this time. With the word of "Swine Flu" around, that causes goosebumps throughout one. Thus, as soon as one develops a minor symptom, the thought of Swine persists throughout their mind. I just got over the flu. I went through the same exact symptoms as you. However, once again, only decongestants, tylenol, WATER, VITAMIN C, and PLENTY ( and I mean PLENTY ) of rest is needed. That's what helped me get through it. In fact, I bought 6-7 bottles of Purel Hand Sanitizer for the family just so that they can eliminate a lot of the common germs that lie on our hands.
Glad to know that you are feeling better & thank you for the insight !!! : )

To those who were asking...no the regular, run-of-the-mill seasonal flu shot does not offer any protection against H1N1. A vaccine specifically targeting H1N1 is being produced and is supposed to be released sometime in October/November. So get both shots this year if you can. It's always a good idea to get the seasonal flu shot anyway. The less the flu circulates, the less recombination that occurs and thus fewer chances that a novel, and unique virus like H1N1 can start circulating. Of course, even if you do get both vaccines this year you can still get the flu...there are only a limited number of strains that can be put into one vaccine, and it's always a "best guess" scenario as to which ones will be circulating. Some years the researchers guess correctly, some years not.

Dr. Gupta, it's awful hearing about you and your colleague getting sick. Thank you for sharing this terrible experience. I hope you and your colleague are feeling better. And thanks to the medical attention both of you received to get you feeling better. Take care Dr. Gupta we need you and so does your family. You are doing a great job.
May God be with you and every single person that is out there.

Hi, glad to know you recovered well, just had a similar question as another poster... Noticed how your started out as a cough, i had a brief sickness lasting 2-3 days and then just this cough that has continued for weeks like this person's above:

"I did have at least 3 days of feeling completely drained … not unlike any other time of being sick. After about 3 weeks it all seemed to have subsided, but the lingering cough still continues to this day … months after the other symptoms. It acts more like allergies than anything else."

Is this normal for any type of flu? And what can you do?

Thanks for anybody who has any clues.

thanks doc. you put our minds at ease by getting this play by play and knowing, that it is just a bad flu, with a different name, and not armaggedon. get well soon.

Glad you and your cameraman are feeling better. Thanks so much for those words of wisdom! Keep up the terrific work Doc!!

You've gone above and beyond Dr. Gupta. I have been concerned about THIS flu...It made me feel better to know that you are over it. Take care of yourself sir. It's good to hear and read your comments.
Monica

I had it too, probably from one of my medical research colleagues traveling to a conference (or her husband who went to PAX).

The bizarre thing about it is that I'm rarely sick, so having to take a sick day Friday (noticed symptoms on Thursday afternoon) and stay home all weekend was a rare event for me.

For the record, I am a physician and have seen many patients with H1N1 this past month. Generally, their symptoms are much less severe than Dr Gupta's. It is a run-of-the-mill virus and nothing more.

Did you take an anti-viral? Many doctors will not give anti-virals. I don't understand why. The CDC web-site says it DOES reduce the time AND complications that may result from this flu. Is there a shortage? I do not hear anyone addressing this. Either way, glad you are feeling better. Good Health!

Oh, my! Thanks for sharing your symptoms with us though, Dr. Gupta. It will help us to make a quick assessment of any symptoms we might experience this flu season to determine what we need to do. I'm glad you're feeling better.

Thank you for the post. It was a great reinforcement for those who haven't gotten H1N1 (yet) to get our flu shots this year. I've never done it before, but this year we will get both shots. Hope you are feeling much better!

Thanks for sharing your experience on H1N1.

Please stay safe and keep up the A+ good work!

Dr. Gupta has been "keeping it real" on the H1N1 and it's appreciated. The mass hysteria surrounding the "swine flu" is the real epidemic not the actual flu itself. Thanks again Sanjay for being down to earth and giving people the truthful information that they need.

Dr Gupta,
You too? Wow! Glad to hear both yourself and your cameraman are doing better and I thank you for your post it really will help some in distinguishing their fly symptoms. I've never elected to get a flu shot in my 40 years bit I think this will be the year.
Thx for all the work you do out there.

A grateful fan from Montreal, Canada

Dr. Gupta

Thanks a lot to give the exact symptoms and how it feels like. Now I know better when to get help if I have it !!

I hope you get well soon !!

Thank you

Best description of H1N1 flu yet. Now I really know what to look for. Glad you're feeling better.

I had this flu back in June and at the time it was improperly diagnosed. As a very healthy, active 35 year old female this flu knocked me out for over 3 months. I was not told to stay at home, and therefore kept up my very busy schedule as a dancer and teacher. It may be a normal flu but if you catch it while your system is already worn out and you do not take the time to completely rest the recovery period can be prolonged. Take the time, get the rest, and recover sooner and more fully. PS. this was the worst fever and muscle cramping I have ever experienced. Dreadful.

Thank you Dr. Gupta. Your first hand account will provide valuble insight to millions of people who are worried about what it feels like to have the H1N1 flu. It will help me know if I my periodic aches and pains are routine, or if I need to see a doctor. Good job. Glad you are recovering.

I am a paramedic and found it baffling that myself and several co-workers got some kind of "stomach" bug that lasted over 2 weeks, involved severe nausea (I vomited whenever I had even small sips of water or chicken broth), abdominal cramping, diarrhea and low-grade fever. I lost almost 16 lbs. from this bug and am now down to a size 5/6.
Being a paramedic for over a decade, as well as a healthy 32 year old woman who runs regularly, I found it amazing that I was completely leveled by this. I literally could not eat or drink ANYTHING for almost 4 days, and when I did begin to eat and drink again, I had a piece of dry toast for breakfast and didn't want to eat again until my two pancakes the next day. Aside from being a little dizzy from standing, I wasn't particularly tired, which I thought was odd.
While I never got official medical attention, just followed the BRAT diet when I began to eat again, and drank fluids and ate salty Ramen noodle soup to replenish my electrolytes, after comparing notes with my co-workers, we're pretty convinced that we had a strain of the H1N1 virus.

Since I've been sick, I can totally understand why younger people are dying from this. We don't slow down and don't think something like this is that serious until, well, it suddenly is.
As Dr. Gupta points out, there is no "cure" for the flu. If you think you have it, you're better off isolating yourself and your family, pushing clear fluids and eating a bland diet until it passes. Make sure you treat any fevers promptly with Tylenol/Motrin so you can prevent dehydration due to hyperthermia.

I also hope that your cameraman is doing well too. Thanks to him too for all his work as well.

Sanjay,

Thank you for making the effort to document your symptoms of H1N1. I've heard a lot of rumors flying around – one in particular, that you either don't get a fever with H1N1, or you get a low-grade fever, so it's good to learn the truth from your first-hand experience.

I'm sorry that you had to get sick in a war zone. Hope you're back at home.

Feel better.

It is somewhat a relief to have a doctor explain the swine flu not from notes but rather from actually having it. Glad to hear your doing well.

Glad to hear you are fine..Hope you will be fully recovered soon..take care and thumbs up for great report and coverage in Afghan

Thank you for helping us understand the symptoms of H1N1. So sorry you and your cameraman ill. You truly remain a trusted resource for us who are trying to understand a variety of maladies. Keep up the good work. We value your efforts.

Glad to hear you are feeling better Dr. Gupta. I really enjoy your reporting on CNN and the unique perspective you bring as a physician. Keep up the good work!!!

Thanks Sanjay, You wrote your experiences perfectly. It will make it easier to spot when those around me, or if I, get the same virus .

I'm home for a second week with H1H1. Was offered Tamiflu but I don't like that kind of stuff. All the same symptoms, but my cough persists. Went to the doctor Monday expecting to be told I had bronchitis or pneumonia, and was told it was still H1N1 and I shouldn't be in public as long as I'm coughing. Anyone who gets this flu should take it very seriously.

I had it, too. And while I didn't have the cough as dramatically, I felt absolutely terrible and it took a month and a little more to start feeling better. I don't ever get the flu or colds, either. The main thing for me with this was that my stomach hurt a lot and I totally lost my appetite for a long time - I have a really strong stomach, too. I did have aches and just no energy at all. I'm glad I feel better & that Dr. Gupta is okay. If you get the flu, just take care of yourself and you will eventually feel better. The upside, maybe, is that now I have some immunity to it. I hope.

Two days ago we had to go to the doctor at Dartmouth Hitchcock
Hospital in Lebanon, NH. They were giving out free seasonal flu shots in the main entrance. I stepped right up but my husband declined saying he never gets the flu shot bla,bla,bla.. As the nurse was giving me the shot she gave me this wonderful quote, "nothing is better than the soft cushion of denial." Glad you are better,Doc.

It's great to read an actual account of what happens when you have H1N1. Not only does it serve as a warning to take care of yourself and/or your loved ones if these symptoms arise, but I think it also helps quell some of the unnecessary fear we've seen surrounding H1N1. Get well soon Dr. Gupta!

All the more reason why we need more research funding in to virus study.

Call it my human arrogance but i cannot adjust to the fact that biology of these strains overrules our understanding and human rationality and IQ .

Not that existing research is bad we achieved quite a bit in categorizing these virus but how to fight its mutation is no doubt a challenge.

Anyway hope you get well soon.

For those wondering:

The seasonal flu shot has no effect whatsoever for providing immunity against H1N1. It covers other strains of the flu expected out this season, which are completely different from H1N1.

I have to say, a medical doctor in a war zone catching a flu that people in the West seem most worried about is pretty ironic.

Hi...sorry you were sick....but you know what I really am glad you have given us this info....your being a physician makes me appreciative of your 'take' on it. With so much information coming at us ....it is scary and it is overwhelming. Should I get the vaccine?? Should I not?? A lot of pros and cons ....what do I believe. Thank-you Sanjay ...I believe you!!

Great description! Glad to hear you and scottie are feeling better. Don't bring it back (the flu, not Scottie!) home

My grown daughter had the swine flu three weeks ago. She started with chills during the night and for 3 days her fever went up to 103.5. I had to get a bowl of cool water and a washcloth at one point after I had given her 2 Tylenol and when the fever didn't go down after 2 hours I gave her 2 Motrin. That broke the fever that time - thankfully I only had to do that once. She started a horrible cough on the third day and after the second day (of the cough) I started Robitussin DM which helped a lot. Three more days of fever that topped 100.+. I pushed fluids and during the first three days I set a timer for every 2 hours during the night to check on her temp. She didn't have much of an appetite but could tolerate jello, noodle soup, and lots of gatorade, water, clear sodas. Thankfully she didn't have the sore throat, vomiting or dirrahea but the cough was awful. She said that she didn't remember anything about the first three days but at the time she was talking to us and just seemed really tired. We put her up in her bedroom and we wore N95 masks and got a hefty squirt of Purell when we left her room. And the first day we washed everything we could think of with Purell wipes or Clorox wipes. She's fine now Thank God but it took two weeks.

To Tom and others with the same question,

The regular seasonal flu shot will not cover for this strain of Influenza A. That is why several companies are in the process of producing the "Swine flu" vaccine, which, as Dr. Gupta stated a misnomer since it has now been transmitted to humans. The H1N1 vaccine will be availabe in mid-October.

With that said, you should be getting your seasonal influenza shot as well as the new H1N1 vaccine this year.

Also, just an FYI because I have had many people tell me they have gotten the flu from the seasonal flu vaccine. This is NOT TRUE. You cannot contract the flu from the flu shot. It is possible to have flu-like symptoms for a day or two, but nothing like what Dr. Gupta explained above.

Yours truly,

Student Pharmacist

I wouldn't have thought that H1N1 would be able to thrive in a climate like Afghanistan. Get well soon!

So glad you are recovered. Now you are in the clear and self-immunized! I enjoy your reporting enourmously. I don't know how you do all that you do.

All these people commenting that they're glad to hear first hand what the symptoms are should realize that just because a famous doctor got these particular symptoms does not mean the symptoms will manifest that way in you if you get H1N1. The symptoms have been very diverse and the scientists don't seem to understand why, but it seems that people past 50 or so are faring better.

Thanks Sanjay,

So scary. It is of the utmost importance that those with asthma, cf, etc. get vaccinated. I am a teacher and believe I contracted H1N1 in June along with 3/4 of my class. The cough was horrible. Those with lung impairment must heed the warning and get themselves vaccinated ASAP.

I am sorry you had to go through that experience, but as a Preventive Medicine Technician for the Navy, the article was very interesting. I was always curious about how the typical signs and symptoms actually effected patients. I've always thought it would be much easier to understand from the personal experience of a provider. Very interesting because it clears up some questions; for example fever with a cough, well sure poeple cough but how much coughing and how would it effect the patient. I have heard of many that have experienced the night sweats, the chills and body aches. A new one to me "hot eyes" Thanks Sanjay for surviving this and clearing up a few questions I had.

Maybe the best lesson here is that we need to be more careful about going to work sick. A lot of us drag ourselves in to work and go about our daily errands until our symptoms can't be ignored, and by then we've probably infected all our friends and co-workers. At least this year, we should stay home and keep the germs to ourselves,

As a doctor myself, I can only applaud you for your personal, graphic description of the H1N1 illness. As I watch you on TV and listen to your interpretation of the medical world I am so proud of your contributions. Get well soon Sanjay. We in the medical community are very proud of you.

Thank you for sharing. You are so lucky you were only ill for a few days. My friend's 45 years plus daughter has been hospitalized for over a week and is still not out of danger. It has been diagnosed as H1N1. It is so scary! Glad that you are back with us.

Get well soon. I got the swine flu shot in 1976 and got the flu. The symptoms are just like you described. I was in my mid 20s at the time and it took me down good with a very high fever for several days and horrible chills. I just hope I don't get it again at age 62.

WOW! You got it too. Thank you for all the details. We'll be watching for it. I hope you and your camera man are back to great health. Thanks soooo very much for all your reporting!!!

Thanks so much for sharing your experience with the H1N1. The flu is spreading through my daughter's school and your account makes me a little more at ease. Yes your experience sounds horrible but you were able to recovery quickly and without complications. Thanks for taking away some of my fear. I love your reports and think you do a great job!

Thanks so much for the info on this flu. I never get sick or get the flu or flu shot because I always react badly to it. So this information was very helpful in making a decision as to whether to get the flu shot or not.

As I read the post by Dr. Gupta and the countless comments regarding H1N1, I can't help but think of the people who have had and will have fatal effects from the illness and those who are and will be suffering greatly from it. Yes, it is probable that a great majority of the public will get the flu and recooperate after a week or so in bed. However, there is still a portion of the population that is not so lucky. I strongly believe that it is crucial that the public be aware that it is imperative that those whose bodies may not be able to protect themselves from it, seek medical attention right away. It is important that hearing about these "mild" cases of H1N1 doesn't lead us to a feeling of complacency about the illness. I share this information to protect further families from the pain and suffering that it can cause.

Was anyone else struck by the fact that he needed fluids through an I.V.?? That doesn't sound like normal flu to me. If thousands of Americans need I.V., are they going to all be able to get to a hospital at the same time?

So sorry to hear you were stricken with the H1N1 flu. On the other hand, I'm so glad you had a speedy recovery with no serious complications.
I usually don't get sick all that often either, but I am an asthmatic and I was highly allergic to egg whites as a child. To top it off, I had a serious reaction to the smallpox vaccine as a child. I hope and pray that "Tamiflu" works as good as they say, because I worry about what could happen to me, with asthma & the H1N1 or any flu, because I'm no candidate for the shot.
Thank You for sharing your story. Once again, so glad you are well.

Me and 2 of my sons (3 and 7 yrs old) have very similar symptoms as you Dr. Gupta. My husband has been hacking for 2 weeks now, and my 10 yr old is just about done w/ his hacking. Anyway, the 7 yr old went to the dr. today b/c he's had a fever for 7 days, and was H1N1 negative and started on antibx for a possible sinus infection. I'm confused...he's been coughing A LOT for over a week and had puked a few times on the yellow crud. We thought he and us, had the flu but were fooled. Guess if it feels like, and acts like flu, you cant be sure. All this despite, there are 2 confirmed cases of H1N1 at his school and 30% of his 2nd grade is out sick. The school also sent out a "flu" warning – go figure! My husband and I are medical and I am an RN w/ and MPH.

Dr. Gupta, my 17 year-old very athletic and fit son got sick at the start of summer break. We saw 4 doctors in 4 days plus a visit to the ER.
He was so incredibly sick – ran a 103 -106 temp for almost 10 days. The only time he seemed better during those 10 days was when he was in the ER and getting IV fluids. But with healthcare as it is, that was only allowed for a few hours. I tried my best to keep up with fluids and fever-reducing meds as they instructed, but it just couldn't keep up. It is very scary when your otherwise healthy son asks you if he is going to die from this. His "flu" test taken at the very onset was negative. Is the swine flu test different from the regular flu test? He was so physically drained from this illness that we have pretty much worked all summer to build him back up. We finally feel that he is getting back to his old self. I keep hearing how mild this is in most but it sure wasn't for our son. Think he would have done much better and recuperated much quicker with less restrictive healthcare. Things aren't always cut and dried as you know, especially with medicine and the human body.

Good to hear you're OK Doc. My 9 year old daughter had the H1N1, or so we were were told after doing a test; but honestly i am not convinced. She only had fever for a day and a half, she vomitted once the first day, and that was it. No coughing, no sneezing, she didnt even spend one day in bed but she did spend 7 days at home since people were panicking not to be infected by her. we were three adults and a 6 year old kid and none of us caught it.

It was interesting to read Dr. Gupta's description of his experience with H1N1 symptoms, but as has been pointed out, not everyone experiences the symptoms the same way. You cannot diagnose yourself or family with H1N1 based on what their symptoms are.

More importantly, a diagnosis (or not) of H1N1 infection doesn't alter your symptomatic experience. Meaning, if you are having serious symptoms such as dehydration or respiratory distress (and it's much more important that the public have a rational, clear understanding of what those look like than what the specific symptoms of H1N1 may or may not be) then you should take yourself to medical assistance no matter what the source of your infection.

If you're simply suffering from normal symptoms of flu, do the sensible thing and rest with palliative care such as Tylenol, fluids, OTC medications for symptom relief, etc.

Well I am glad that you are feeling better, but I have to add a few things that you either did not go through or are not aware of current knowledge with the H1N1. It is not as nice of a virus as the news and everyone seems to think. And I will admit I was one who at first thought it was no big deal, just a nother flu. It is not though. On average the H1N1 virus takes 3 weeks to move through our systems and in doing so can have lingering effects. It attacks the respiratory system and can leave permanent damage. In some cases not all does it effect the GI system. All ages can be effected by this virus however middle aged people seem to have more severe side effects. People who are predisposed to having Respiratory issues should also take caution this can lead to more severe sideeffects including something called ARDS. My mother is in the ICU and may not make it because of this side effect. The virus litteraly shut down and hardened her lungs to where she no longer can breathe on her own. She has been on a ventilator for 3 weeks now and may not recover, and if she does the side effects from the ARDS which was caused by H1N1 may be life long. There are also 3 others in the hospital that have had similar experiences as my mom. People you need to educate yourselves. It is not just the FLU. This can kill people if not just make them very sick. The other thing to know is that many doctors may mis diagnose you because the "snap" test available at hospitals is not 100% and may have false negatives which is what happened to my mom. Ask for the blood test that goes to the CDC. Protect yourselves and your children this is not just the 24 hour bug.

My 15 yo daughter had H1N1 in July. I'm a seasoned mother of 3 and have seen my fair share of flu bugs but that was one sick girl. I've never seen her so sick. Exactly 3 days in she also had all the gastro symptoms too and she is a tiny girl. We ended up in urgent care twice. She had to have anti-nausea meds to keep enough down to keep hydrated. One thing that really helped her was a steroid shot. It didn't do anything to stop the course of the illness but it did pull alot of the body aches and inflammation from the flu. In fact that evening the girl thought she was cured. She figured it out the next day when she started feeling badly again but from then on she got better. The cough continued along with respiratory symptoms. She was down about a week. No one else in the family became ill. We put her on isolation as soon as she had symptoms. You know your child is sick when they look at you and say they feel so bad they wish they were dead. I think this flu is easy to spot because it makes the person very ill very quickly. I know most flu viruses are quick but this was a particularly nasty one.

Thank you for the update on the Swine Flu and the symptoms of it. I think that will help people who may come down with symptoms and not be quite sure what they have. I am sorry you contracted that flu, but I am also happy you have recovered. I like reading your updates.

My son (16) contracted the H1N1 so quickly; it was amazing. I have a habit of asking how he is feeling every morning before leaving for school and he said he felt great. I then felt the front of his head and the temperature was normal. Around 10:30 AM that same morning the school called and said he was sick with a temperature and was freezing in class. I immediately went to the school to pick him up and took him to his doctor. His temperature was 102.5 and the doctor wanted to run a stat chest x-ray just to rule out pneumonia (he said that one side of his lungs sounded a little bit different than the other side), but he was about 90% sure it was H1N1. The x-ray was clean and he began taking the Tamiflu along with with Tylenol for the fever. There was no nausea or vomiting at the onset; just the chills and fever. This was on a Friday and today is Sunday. He still has a low grade fever (100.2) and now his throat is extremely sore. I'm going to keep him out of school Monday and Tuesday for sure and we'll take it one day at a time after that. I would really like to thank Dr. Gupta for sharing his experience with H1N1. I think that hearing the symptoms from a healthcare professional has been invaluable even though, H1N1 symptoms may vary from one individual to another. I'm very fortunate thus far that I have not caught the virus; but I've also taken several steps to minimize the chances of contracting it. Luckily I have medical insurance because with my deductible; I only had to pay $43.19 for a 5 day supply of Tamiflu. I was told by the pharmacist that if I didn't have the insurance; the Tamiflu was $500. I could not imagine anyone having to pay that much for 10 flu pills. Many people die from the flu (especially young people) because their parents can't afford the healthcare and I think it borders on criminal when politicians drag their feet on healthcare reform.

My dad ( 50+) was suspected to have contracted the H1N1 flu last month, and after two visits to the hospital's outpatient clinic, he was given a 5-day supply of Tamiflu as well. The doctor was 90% sure that he had the flu, but he thought testing for the flu wasn't necessary at that time because there was not much one could do about it. His symptoms were about the same as those mentioned in the comments: a really bad cough (a little lung infection), a not very good appetite, fever and all pretty mild, fortunately not as serious as Dr. Gupta's.

After reading Pat's comment up there, I am shocked to know how difficult it is to afford healthcare in the United States. I'm from Malaysia (in South East Asia) and my dad went to a public hospital (more precisely, a public university's teaching hospital). We didn't need the insurance because his 5-day supply of Tamiflu only cost us about USD $5.80 (RM20) – the consultation fee was RM5 (about USD $ 1.50) -, as it is mostly subsidized by our government.

I'm now very grateful to be in Malaysia because drugs and healthcare in the United States are simply cut-throat expensive. =) Just something to share here.

One of my children came down with a fever, congested cough, slight sore throat and slight body aches about 5 days ago (he's 8). Dr. refused to test him for confirmation, but said it was most likely the flu. He also wouldn't give him any Tamiflu. Since then, my other two children (ages 8 and 6) both came down w/fevers. One had a fairly high one for a day, and the next day he was playing and didn't even act all that sick, and my daughter just had a low grade fever, and slight headache. My first child who came down w/this originally still has a cough and low grade fever 5 days later. Plus, he now has a congested nose, which I've read isn't flu related. If this is the flu, why are my other children doing so well, and he's not? And if doctors aren't testing, how do we as parents know what we're dealing with? No wonder there are so many people getting it. If it presents itself as a mild virus in some, and doctors refuse to test, then those same people are going to work and school, infecting others. I don't get it...

I am 46, and in good health, or so I thought, until this came along. It hit me hard right away, with wet, productive coughing, fevers, aches and more. I called my Dr. after a week of lying on the couch, and they encourged me to just stay home. They didn't want to even see me!

2 weeks of utter misery, and I finally went to urgent care. No Tamiflu offered. Just antibiotics/xrays/steroids/inhalers.

It's now on day 16 and I am STILL not out of the woods. This is a very MEAN virus people...take it seriously.

My doctor told me that I had a mild case of the swine flu. I didn't get it as bad as others though. It started off as a mild cough and progressively turned into a high fever, aches, and some pains. I had similar symptoms to what I've had in the past with the regular flu but I received the flu shot a couple of months prior so it gave me an idea of what I might have.
This H1N1 thing is EVERYWHERE. See your doctor if you have severe symptoms or a high fever that after a few days you can't seem to get rid of.