We scored an ‘A’
Last Wednesday (July 21), I started experiencing massive head-aches right after finishing my breakfast.
And by lunch time it was such a bad-ass one that I had to pop in 2 x 650mg of Uphamols = 1,300mg equivalent of paracetamol. But my big body would probably need this large dosage. Till evening the headache was pounding still and got more intense, to which another 2 Uphamols of the same dosage was taken. By now I started developing fever and just prior to bedtime, sponged myself to cool down. Air-con was on at 23C, to keep overall temperatures low.
Next day, Thursday (July 22), after a roti-canai (pratha) breakfast – all the fever and headache worked up an appetite – which was good news, I went in to my GP clinic. She diagnosed a possible viral fever and prescribed a cocktail of medications: flu tablets, antibiotics, cough preparation, fever-relieve tablets, and some phlegm treatment pops.
She explained to me that if by the end of the 3rd day, I wasn’t any better, I should see her again. Which means on Sunday morning (July 25).
All fine. I responded well to the treatment and of course, I overdosed my fever tablets as usual. Afterall, I am an almost 90kg bloke, and agreeably some 9kgs overweight. The excess dose could be used as an emergency measure if things got nasty.
However…. on Friday (July 23) afternoon, my wife started developing symptoms: fever, dizziness, cough.
And by evening it got worse so I took her in to her company panel clinic chap.
After running some routine tests like temperatures, chest examination, throat inspection, this physician suggested that she do an Influenza A diagnosis test.
So, a nasal swab was taken and wallah… in 10-minutes time the results were in. She scored an ‘A’. Yes, Influenza A. The bloke said it could be H1N1 or it could also be H3N2 or one of those combinations of H and N, you can put in any numbers in between them as you fancy! A certain R2D2 robot from StarWars also came to mind at this point. Afterall, I too, was in the process of recovering, remember?
Immediately I got into action and I rang my physician based in a private hospital, to verify some details.
So here’s what this specialist explained to me:
1. Influenza A is the common cold.
2. It is not necessarily the deadly H1N1 strain, only a blood test would verify that.
3. The Influenza A diagnosis test via nasal swab is only valid when you are running high temperatures. So, if your temperature is back to normal after popping in fever tablets, then it would not show. It would only flow RM45 down the drain from your wallet. So here’s a tip: if a physician suggests that you do an Influenza A nasal swab test, only agree if indeed you are running a temperature. Else, don’t agree. It is likely you may even have the virus in you, but the diagnostic test will not be able to tell if indeed your body temperature is normal.
4. If tested positive: do not panic. It is not H1N1 necessarily. According to this specialist, H1N1 is now in the past, and unless a new wave of attacks were seen everywhere, it is unlikely so.
5. It could be the H3N2 or H whatever.
6. Start immediately the cocktail of medications for flu: Vitamin Cs, Clarinase, Actified (these are common cold treatments), cough preparations, sore-throat treatment, the whole works including antibiotics. And take these medications more religiously than your religion. Your life depends on it.
7. Call in the big boys: If your symptom is within the 12 – 18 hours range, then you should start treatment using heavy artillery. Yes, bring in the big boys: Tamiflu or Fluhalt. These are heavy duty treatment. If your symptoms have been more than 18-hours, then you likely have missed the boat. You probably won’t respond to this heavy artillery.
Therefore, timing is important. So, if you discover yourself being dragged down with a massive headache out of the blue, cough, and then start running fever, you are wise to go in for treatment.
ps – Scoring this ‘A’ cost us RM230 in clinic bills. So, be prepared!
