[?ushk@r]

Thread exists!

Swine Flu Information

[jassi]

Originally Posted by emkay456

Coming back to the topic of H1N1, homeo is only prescribing how to get the human body to increase immunity or encourage it to fight the virus and alleviate the symptoms. Putting it in another way the objective is to allow the virus to run a mild course and not aggravate into secondary complications ( due to which death occurs ). So the word "cure" is misplaced in the case of a flu which has a fixed period course and is not a disease like cancer !!

I just pray that the vaccine for H1N1 does not get produced because for the sake of 33 % (as put by Mr Azad as those who would contract H1N1 ) the other 77 % would get injected with the virus to develop immunity !!

I completely agree with this post. A homeopathic medicine like belladona (i might be wrong here) can help prevent complications from swine flu!

[black12rr]

This is a good point ,I have cold and cough on sat and sunday , now(Monday) its reduced or gone 90 % , should I worry and get checked ?

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

Probably a dumb question.

Why should I worry, if the symptoms are identical to those of the normal flu?

PS: can we rename the thread to
"Swin flue Information ..all doctors and patients check in and share info"

[vasoo]

I read one good article by a doctor on swine flu and our general health care scenario in a recent issue of The Hindu. See the link below

The Hindu : Open Page : Why should we be afraid of swine flu?

See some quotes below...

We are not really afraid of typhoid, tuberculosis, leptospirosis, diabetes, HIV, malaria and a host of other infectious and non infectious diseases which are flourishing in our country. The apathy towards the basic issues in health care is really appalling. Why should we be afraid of swine flu alone? The medical profession is busy and happy treating diseases, confining to its own insulated and comfortable compartments. I happened to read with concern the comments made by some that we are not equipped to face the threat of swine flu, as if we are already well equipped to face the threat of all other communicable diseases;

The developed countries are worried since they have controlled all infections by proper waste management, safe drinking water and good nutrition for all and press the panic button the moment they come across any one of them.
They would have shown similar panic if typhoid, viral hepatitis, leptosirosis or TB occur in much lesser numbers than we see in India. Why are we not similarly worried about these diseases which kill several thousands annually? Let us not panic merely to show that we are also developed and evolved.

One more world environment day had passed — we behaved like the developed world by planting one or two trees here and there and having a talk on ozone layer and green house effect and that is it. We overlook environmental issues like poor waste management and unsafe drinking water everywhere.

We must prioritise and spend on health care first and then on disease care.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Originally Posted by black12rr

This is a good point ,I have cold and cough on sat and sunday , now(Monday) its reduced or gone 90 % , should I worry and get checked ?

NO! DON'T WORRY! Please read my earlier posts carefully.

Try to keep unnecessary questions and comments down, otherwise important info will get pushed at the back and newcomers to the thread may miss it.

[black12rr]

Thanks Tejas ,sorry for silly question .

MODERATORS: Can we grant first post to doctors like tejas and others so that they update all the Vital and latest information in first page .

[tsk1979]

@tejas, the N95 is indeed out of stock at most places. It lasts longer than the surgical mask, and need not be replaced after couple of hours.
Today I read even Vit C has gone extinct of the shelves. Rumor is that it will return with a higher price tag. Time to stock up on lemons(the real ones, not Automotive lemons)
And while media goes gaga over 7 deaths, hundreds have already died due to cholera and Gastro. MCD of all cities must be feeling relief that for a change people are not blaming them for dengue etc., which strike in monsoons!

[RajeshK]

Recently in India, there were many lives claimed by Chikungunya and Dengi fever and these viruses are still very active in many part of Kerala. But Swine Flue is more discussed. Any specific reasons?

Are Farma Majors showing more interests in Swine Flue?

[navin]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

Clinically it is extremely difficult to identify swine flu from normal flu for the first one week.

Originally Posted by alpha1

Two days back a school kid gave up life to Swine Flu in Pune.
Few points here:
1. Hand sanitizers DO NOT work. Flu is cause by virus and not bacteria. Hand sanitizers work by killing bacteria. It has got no effect on virus. For virus you have to physically get rid of them by using soap and then rinsing it off.

2. Swine flu, or even normal flu is not something to be taken lightly. Different bodies have different susceptibilities.

Since this is a new strain, most ppl's bodies (especially kids) don't have antigens to counter (most of our bodies are somewhat resistant to seasonal flu)

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

Try to keep unnecessary questions and comments down, otherwise important info will get pushed at the back and newcomers to the thread may miss it.

Tejas and co.

Thank you for the information. This problem seems to have 2 parts.
1. Clinical. How to determine if a person has swine flu and still have time to save the person. After all the symptoms of flu and swine flu are the same (or similar). Using Tamilfu un-nesscarily will only make the virus resistant to the drug and the virus could mutate into a more virulent strain. If a person is determined to have the flu virus how to determine if the virus is the common cold or the swine flu. What is window of time one has to get him self tested and treated for the same.

2. Psychological. How do you stop a city like Mumbai from functioning. Every day 6 million people use the local train system to and from work. Another 3-4 million use busses (BEST and Contract) and other public transport systems to and from school (many of them kids) and other appointments.

I have been up till past 11pm last night trying to calm parents in my son's school (my wife one of the class reps). Many mothers have gone into panic mode. Some have given their chauffers paid leave, limited the movements of their household staff and are limiting the movements of their children (no public places or playgrounds).

Guys, lets stick to getting advice only from QUALIFIED DOCS and not from all and sundry. DO NOT MEDICATE yourselves even if it is homeopathy or ayurveda. If you suspect you have symptoms seek the help of a TRUSTED physican.

Tejas, I know you are Mumbai based. What is the situation on the ground with respect to
a) testing centers
b) supply of Tamiflu
c) number of cases being successfully treated - the media only reports the deaths (8 in India so far) which spreads the panic.

The public hospitals in Mumbai (KEM, Nair, JJ, etc..) are often crowded and visiting these places might put you at risk. How does the BMC/State intend to tackle this problem.

[aaggoswami]

Just now read in today's newpaper that there are some cases coming up in Vadodara too. And there are reports that daily many people travel from Mumbai and Pune to Vadodara. I am actually a bit tense now.

Where can we get the N95 masks and what will it cost ?
Also what is life of the mask ?

[emkay456]

Originally Posted by jassi

I completely agree with this post. A homeopathic medicine like belladona (i might be wrong here) can help prevent complications from swine flu!

The medicine needs to be decided on few parameters like :

whether the patient is restless, sleepless
whether lying down gives comfort or stting position
pain is throbbing, moving etc..
whether the symptoms include excessive thirst or the reverse
the color of the sputum

From my net reading, I find gelsemium, bryonia, aconite etc can be used. Rhus Tox is good for alleviating body ache.

Disclaimer : I am not a qualified doctor but from childhood have been using Homeo medicines. Presently giving my children for this epidemic : Epinechia 1x ( Schwabe India patented medicine) for boosting immunity. Dont plan to give this even for long durations.

[vasudeva]

Originally Posted by navin

Tejas and co.

Thank you for the information. This problem seems to have 2 parts.
1. Clinical. How to determine if a person has swine flu and still have time to save the person. After all the symptoms of flu and swine flu are the same (or similar). Using Tamilfu un-nesscarily will only make the virus resistant to the drug and the virus could mutate into a more virulent strain. If a person is determined to have the flu virus how to determine if the virus is the common cold or the swine flu. What is window of time one has to get him self tested and treated for the same.

Earlier I had posted a Lancet August 2009 article `Prescription of anti-infl uenza drugs for healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis'.

It says ```Any strategy that increases the availability of the drugs to the general public, consequently increasing the rates of inappropriate use, could increase the chances of viral strains developing resistance. Surveillance showed a substantial increase in the rate of resistance of the H1N1 subtype of type A infl uenza to oseltamivir (which is Tamiflu) across Europe over the 2007–08 influenza season. During weeks 1–4 of the 2008–09 influenza season (Dec 28 to Jan 24), 1291 of 1362 isolates (95%) collected from across 30 countries, showed resistance to oseltamivir. In the USA, resistance was at 12·3% during the 2007–08 infl uenza season, which increased to 98·5% during the first half of the 2008–09 season. It is also worth noting that H1N1 is often associated with milder illness than other influenza subtypes, and the oseltamivir-resistant subtypes remain sensitive to zanamivir (which is Relenza).

It also says `In response to the recent outbreak of swine-origin influenza A H1N1, in May 2009, oseltamivir was made available over the counter in New Zealand. This is the first country to make antiviral drugs available to the public without prescription, and should show the effect of increasing availability of influenza drugs and the rate of oseltamivir resistance.

I think what the public health authorities are seeing is so far not uncontrollable, population wide level of pandemic, and thus the need to preserve the only ammo available so far. If it is available OTC, anyone with a cold or even a viral may take tamiflu. When the real H1N1 version strikes, they may be helpless. However, if H1N1 becomes a pandemic with attack rates in double digits, testing all may become impossible, and any one with even suspected symptoms may be just given Tamiflu without testing.

The fear is that if this virus develops double digit (>20 or even 30% attack rates or 20-30/100 people infected), and the infected have no effective antiviral agent (because they have taken tamiflu earlier or have got tamiful-resistant virus), there could be a global population collapse.

I know personally regarding HIV that the same fear prevails in HIV transmission. People go on drugs, feel better, start skipping doses or even stop it, viral load becomes detectable, and that virus has a higher chance of resistance to their existing and any new potential medications. The same resistant virus can be transmitted to others. Similar thing happens in TB (MDR and XDR).

In my opinion, perhaps at this low prevalence rate, it is better to not sell Tamiflu in the same way as say Crocin. People may just pop Tamiflu for even a minor cold.

[kalpeshc]

So basically, if one has regular symptoms, we just get treated by our regular physicians whether it is fever, cold or cough. Only if it does not subside in 2-3 days does one have to get tested for swine flu right?

The problem with the testing centers is that, once you go there, there are high chances of you getting infected, especially infants, even if one does not have the flu. This is just a fear that one has and may not be true.

How can one build immunity in infants or even adults for that matter?

[crn12]

Thanks all for the great info, I was surfing the net & came across this link:

WalesOnline - News - Health News - Don’t give children swine flu drugs, says Oxford research

Don’t give children swine flu drugs, says Oxford research

[prince_pervez]

Got this via mail forward.

PLEASE GO THROUGH THIS

My dear President,
I agree with you that swine flu awareness is needed, but there is no need to be panicky and join the publicity propaganda carried out by media and others which acts as a vehicle to spread misconception than to spread scientific information.

These are few facts about swine flu when discussed with the leading
epidemiologists.

1) Swine flu, that is H1N1 flu is not new, first detected in 1987

2) Infective stage of flue is 5 days, 1 day before and 4 days after onset of symptoms

3) The best way to prevent it spreading is asking patient having symptoms of flu like fever cough and running nose to take rest at home for 4 days so he does not transmit it

4) Masks are of limited value if any, in this disease, it can spread
through droplets on your skin, through contact etc, and I have seen that the masks in Pune are worn as fashion statement, while walking on road today morning I saw people wearing masks coming out for a morning walk with their dogs!, many wearing masks around their necks, and so on, infect these masks shall act as the vehicles to carry the virus, instead, avoiding crowded places or cinema halls or malls where air conditioners are on, is advisable, because you get recalculated air, where the virus density multiplies

5)Death after H1N1 flu is not common, infact infections like measles is taking toll of thousands more every year, and we are oblivious of the facts. Swine flu is being blown out of proportion by media trying to create hysteria among lay people.

6) Fever accompanied by respiratory distress, should be immediately notified which is likely to be a complication of H1N1 flu

7)The mortality is less than .01 percent of those
affected, that means may be one in 10,000 affected is likely to suffer the life loss.

8) If you remember, 2 years ago SARS was blown out of proportion, what
happened? Humans develop immunity to the virus, the same is going to happen, we develop immunity in due course of time, the virus is in the air, you can not stop it, our body is already developing the immunity so nothing to panic. We need to take care of children and elderly who have less immunity and do not let them go to crowded places that are all.

WE MUST START THIS CAMPAIGN OF NOT TO BE AFRAID OF THIS FLU AND LET YOUR DAILY WORK CONTINUE AS NORMAL, NO MASKS FOR ORDINARY CITIZENS, HEALTH CARE WORKERS OR SPECIFIC EXPOSED TO LOT OF CROWDED ENVIRONMENTS MAY BE BENEFITTED, NOT PROVEN.

I am amazed to hear that people are selling masks of RS 20 each which are available to less than Rupee 1 in the market. See who is getting benefitted?

Please spread the scientific info, do not join the band wagon and stick to
science, that should be the order of the day.