Surviving Cold and Flu Season When You're Chronically Ill - Part One

Time flies when you are sick in bed!  January is over and I spent most of last month being sick with the flu or recovering from it. With this season's flu widespread in most states and an epidemic is some, I'm not the only one who has gotten or will get ill. So let me share with you my strategies for dealing with viral illnesses on top of my chronic ones.

Part One: Planning Ahead

Vaccines:  In the past, I have gotten both the yearly influenza and the one-time pneumococcal vaccination for the bacteria family that causes pneumonia, meningitis and septicemia.

I usually do O.K. with the influenza vaccine, except for one year when I developed a massive migraine headache afterwards.  That made me hesitant to get the shot the next year, so I skipped it.  I did muster up the courage to get vaccinated in 2011 and did O.K. once again.

This year, I was unable to get vaccinated in Fall 2012 for the current flu season because of other medical problems I was dealing with post Hepatitis C treatment.  Needless to say, once you get sick, getting the vaccine is pointless.

It is important to know that you should get vaccinated when you are feeling healthy and postpone the shot when you are sick.  There is a vaccine that is administered as a nasal spray that contains live virus (LAIV) and people living with certain health conditions like diabetes should not get this type of vaccination. Due to allergies and severe vaccine reactions, some people should not get vaccinated at all.  You can read more about flu shot precautions and contraindications at the CDC website.

Antiviral Medications:  There are antiviral medications available by prescription only to treat the flu.  They work best when taken within the first 48 hours of flu symptoms.  Which means you need to know what the symptoms of the flu are  and get in to see your doctor right away.  Better yet, talk to your doctor at the beginning of Fall, before flu season starts, and discuss having the medication, or a prescription for it, on hand just in case. Read more about antiviral medications for treating the flu at WebMD.

Sick Day Plan: If you live with diabetes, chances are your endocrinologist has already talked to you about developing a sick day plan.  This is also a good idea for the rest of us living with chronic illnesses too.  Creating a plan involves talking to your doctor about specific actions to take when you get sick.  Here are some question you might ask:

• What symptoms are O.K. to treat with self-care at home and what symptoms need a doctor's attention?
• What symptoms can be handled with a phone call and which ones need to be treated in the office, at the Urgent Care clinic or Emergency Room? 
• What cold or flu remedies do I need to be avoided to prevent drug interactions?
• Should I keep certain medications, like anti-nausea pills or suppositories, nasal sprays, inhalers and/or antiviral flu medication on hand?
• Where should I go for medical care after-hours on the weekend and evenings?

Wash You Hands: The number one way to prevent getting the flu is to wash your hands, especially when you return from public places like the grocery store, restaurants and, yes, even your doctor's office.  The second is to train yourself not to touch you face with your hands, which is how the virus usually gets into your eyes, nose and mouth where it likes to hang out.

Stock Your Cupboards and Medicine Cabinet:  The last thing you want to do when you are sick is make a run to the drug or grocery store.  Make a point of checking on what cold remedies and fever reducers you have, especially the expiration dates, and make a list of what you need at the beginning of Fall.  You may also want to buy a stash of quick-to-prepare sick day foods like electrolyte replacement drinks, shelf-stable juices, tea, canned soups and crackers to have on hand as well.

Next time I'll discuss strategies for coping when you do get sick and how to get better as quickly as possible.

PLEASE NOTE:  The intent of this article is to provide general health education information and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.  When in doubt, consult your doctor for the care that is right for you.

Question of the Week: How Do You Manage Sick on Top of Chronic?

Image via Wikipedia
A lot of what I write about is inspired by my day-to-day life with chronic illness. So since I have spent the last 16 hours bellyaching--literally, because of a stomach virus--I thought it was time to talk about how I manage sick on top of chronic. You know, how I deal with the occasional to frequent stomach viruses, colds, influenza and other acute and self-limiting illnesses that everyone gets.

Plan B

While most healthy people seems to be able to soldier on when they get sick, for me catching a cold or stomach bug means implementing Plan B. This includes:

1. Canceling out-of-the-house trips
   
2. Enlisting my support system's help
3. Scheduling tons and tons of extra rest
4. Using a grocery delivery service like Yummy.com to deliver sick day staples
5. Going to, or at least seriously considering, a trip to the doctor
6. Cutting back on my daily activities

Patience

I also know that I am going to have to be patient while I battle a viral illness. In the past, it has taken me up to two weeks to get over a simple common cold. Then I have to anticipate the post-illness flare-up of my fibromyalgia pain and chronic fatigue symptoms. Which means returning to my normal baseline from a common cold can take 4 to 6 weeks total.

Prevention

In light of the major changes a cold or flu brings, I have spent some time research preventive measures that I can take to avoid getting sick. I am diligent about washing my hands and avoiding touching my face with my hands, especially when I am out in public. Certainly spending most of my time at home has cut down on my exposure to viral illnesses. Well, that is until my husband brings something home and gets sick himself...

When I was first diagnosed with diabetes in 1999, I got the pneumonia vaccination. I also used to get an annual flu shot up until 2008, when the shot that year provoked a massive migraine headache. Since then, after talking to my doctor about it, I have decided to skip the flu shot.

One positive change I have noticed is the result of taking a daily Vitamin D supplement after being diagnosed with a low Vitamin D level. I've definitely seen a decrease in the number of viral infections I get since my levels have returned to the normal range. When I do get sick, my symptoms don't seem to last as long. Apparently there is scientific research to back up the cold and flu prevention power of Vitamin D.

So What Do You Do?

I'd love to hear about your sick day Plan B and what prevention measures you take to avoid colds and the flu. Please leave a comment here or head over to the Oh My Aches and Pains Facebook page and join the discussion there.

Saving Them Up For Summer

Image by DBarefoot via Flickr

I've hit a rough patch lately when it comes to my health. I didn't seem to have many viral illnesses over the winter months, which is somewhat unusual for me. Not that I am complaining, mind you. That said, it appears that all those viruses have been following me and have finally caught up to me now.

A few weeks back I had a horrible stomach virus. Since last Thursday, I've followed that up with a rip roaring upper respiratory infection.

After running fevers for the last three days, I reluctantly headed to Urgent Care Sunday to get checked out. After examining me and sending me for a chest x-ray, they decided that I had influenza. They pumped me up with some fluids and gave me some Tylenol on top of the ibuprofen I took for my fever and sent me on my way with a prescription for Tamiflu.

To be honest, I'm not sure I have the flu. Since I got back from the doctor's, I've been feeling better and so far no fever. I filled the prescription, but I suspect I have missed the critical 48 hour window to start taking it, so I am going to pass. I guess it's good to have it on hand in case I get the flu in the next 18 months.

What has me more worried is the trend I am experiencing of catching viral illnesses in the summer. Since 2007, I seem to be catching a cold every August. This year, it's been two viral illnesses in July. I always though summertime was my reprieve from getting sick, which is one of many reasons summer is my favorite time of year. But that seems to be changing...

Is this something other people have been noticing too? Or this is another associated condition with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome?

Either way, I wish this trend would stop because I have a garden full of vegetables that need tending and I'll be damned if I am going to let all my hard work wither under the hot sun!