Our 16 year old son was not hospitalized, but the basic story holds true. It is nearly impossible to find survivors of H1n1 who have done very well in recovery. Our prior to h1n1 16 year old totally athletic son has basically become a hermit since H1n1. We have been to like 9 docs to figure out wy he still has flu like symptoms (low grade fever, body aches, unbelievable fatigue, and sleep issues). It is so depressing to see this as a parent. He can not right now even walk around the block. This is what his counselor asked him to do. He is to mow the yard tomorrow (they are all saying to encourage small bouts of exercise and we have very little yard to mow) . .. but you know what he said tonight? Wake me up very early so I will be able to drink some coffee and get some energy to mow the lawn. In spite of not being depressed according to the docs and the counselor, he sleeps 14 to 18 hours per day (averaging 16 hours per day). We have him on a homebound school program. And in spite of it all our family members just think we are not "tough enough" parents .... that we have allowed HIM as a 16 year old to be in charge. It is just heartbreaking. I know how terrible I feel with a low grade fever and severe exhaustion (I have fibromyalgia from a tractor trailer accident) and no one else relates. The rest of the world seems to thinik we are crazy. I do hope your loved one is doing better and if you find out any sort of other diagnosis or treatment let us know. Now we are learning why they call medicine a PRACTICE. This is why we have not had answers. Oh my prayers are with you, your loved one, and our family too. It's heartbreaking and I am so glad I found your post (-:
Mama Dye
Quote:
Originally Posted by kbowyer24
MY BEST FRIEND'S HUSBAND 33, WHICH IS PERFECTLY HEALTHY,NEVER HAD ANY HEALTH PROBLEMS, STARTED HAVING BODY ACHES ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH, BY SUNDAY HE WAS SO SICK WITH A FEVER, BODY ACHES, AND HEADACHE HE COULDN'T GET OUT OF BED. hE WENT TO THE DR. MONDAY THE 16TH. ONLY CHECKED WITH A STETHOSCOPE! TOLD HIM HE HAD THE FLU AND WAS STARTING TO GET PNEUMONIA. SO PUT HIM ON ANTIBIOTICS. BY WEDNESDAY THE 18TH HE WAS WORSE MY FRIEND CALLED THE DR. AND TOLD THEM BUT THEY SAID ANTIBIOTICS TAKE A WHILE TO START WORKING. THURSDAY GOES TO ER HE IS SO BAD THEY END UP PUTTING HIM IN ICU BECAUSE HE HAS PNEUMONIA IN 4 OUT OF 5 LOBES AND BY FRIDAY HE IS ON RESPIRATOR. THEY HAD TO LIFE FLIGHT HIM TO WEST PENN EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. HE WAS ON 100% OXYGEN. BUT TO TRY TO MAKE THIS A LITTLE SHORTER. THEY TESTED HIM FOR H1N1 IT CAME BACK POSITIVE. IT HAS NOW TURNED INTO ARDS. THERE HAS BEEN SO MANY UPS AND DOWNS THROUGH THIS. TODAY IS DECEMBER 18TH AND HE IS STILL ON 75% OXYGEN, FINALLY JUST NOW STARTING TO SHOW IMPROVEMENT. THE XRAYS OF HIS LUNGS ARE STILL VERY CLOUDY, HOPING ITS NOT TURNING INTO SCAR TISSUE. BUT WE THINK HE IS GOING TO PULL THROUGH. THE DR'S CAN'T EVEN GIVE US A TIME FRAME BECAUSE ITS NEW TO THEM ALSO. THEY SAID DON'T EVEN EXPECT HIM HOME FOR EASTER. i WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE ELSE KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, OR KNOWS ANYONE THAT HAS HAD A CASE LIKE THIS. I HAVE DONE SO MUCH RESEARCH BUT AM HAVING A REALLY HARD TIME FINDING OTHER CASES LIKE THIS.
THIS FLU IS ABSOLUTELY CRAZY ESPECIALLY IN A VERY ACTIVE AND HEALTHY PERSON.
In 2009 when there was an epidemic somehow I got H1N1. At first I thought it was a regular cold. I took over the counter drugs Tylenol, Iboprofen but those drugs ones that would usually help me did not that time. Then I've noticed that my fever won't come down at all despite what I did.
I went to my local physician who did a swab nose test (which btw is horribly inaccurate) and should not be even performed. The test comes back negative. Physician puts me on an antibiotic just for safety. A day later not only that antibiotic had no effect on me what so ever but my fever was sky rocketing.
My husband drove me to hospital's A ER they did tests, sent me home. Next morning my fever was 102.8 went to the same ER at that time they did swab test came back negative again but x-ray showed I was having Pneumonia. So that stupid young resident doctor despite of my complains of high fever for 5 days now and unable to take fever down with Pneumonia now she sends me home! She said in her report "Recovering" they gave me a huge dose of fever reducer (hospital's strength) and she thought I was recovering....
The SAME day I was in vegetative state at home. Unable even to make trips to bathroom. Sitting there like a zombie in heat not caring for anything pretty much ready to die. My husband drives me to 3rd ER to SECOND hospital in 2 days there when I arrive, they take my vitals and send me straight into ICU.
They immediately called Infection Specialist who did some study on me and test and then nurses wearing space suits started coming into my room. I remember laying in bed in ICU and mumbling to my husband "I don't think I am going to make it" at that time I could only speak short sentences/words.
They put me on ventelator and had to pump settings to 100% oxygen at that time I had full blown ARDS. I required Roto-prone bed and spent 2.5 weeks on my tummy. Because of that I had severe Edema to face and my eyes came out of their orbits. I looked like out of horror movie. My eyes won't even close (I was in medically induced coma at that time) with trech stuck in my throat. So my eyes dryed up despite nurses using eye drops on me and I've lost more than 60% of my vision.
I've spent 48 days in ICU, 28 days in hospital recovering, 60 days in rehabilitation! I survived yes. I did develop heart complications and have very bad Asthma now. It's been 2 years almost since I got sick. They applauded me in hospital when my husband was wheeling my wheele chair out with me. I remember arriving home and not able to make simple steps from garage to kitchen area. I had to be carried from sofa to bed, I had to be carried by 2 people to take a shower. I am fortunate to have good relatives who took care of me around the clock but I am mad at that first hospital's ER for unable to correctly diagnose my sickness who refused to give me Tamiflu drug that's known to stop virus from spreading. The ER that sent me home with Pneumonia despite my cough with blood and x-ray showing pneumonia.
Two years after my illness I am still weak, in pain every day, forced to take meds for heart and Asthma meds.
