Influenza A

[Cheryl2424]

My daughter who is 13 and has CF was diagnosed with Influenza A on Friday. They started her on Tamiflu right away and her flu symptoms are gone (fever, body aches and so on) BUT she has a terrible hacking wet congested cough and is wheezing. When I listen to her I hear what sounds like bubbles popping, and wheezing. She has these long and drawn out coughing spells and is very pale. I talked to her doctor this afternoon and we started her on her steroids and probably tobi nebs will start up tonight. I guess what I'm asking is have any of you or your children had influenza? How did it turn out. My gut feeling is that tomorrow she'll be admitted, but I'm hoping the steroids will kick in and we'll avoid a hospital stay. By the way, she had a flu shot this year.

 

[Cheryl2424]

My daughter who is 13 and has CF was diagnosed with Influenza A on Friday. They started her on Tamiflu right away and her flu symptoms are gone (fever, body aches and so on) BUT she has a terrible hacking wet congested cough and is wheezing. When I listen to her I hear what sounds like bubbles popping, and wheezing. She has these long and drawn out coughing spells and is very pale. I talked to her doctor this afternoon and we started her on her steroids and probably tobi nebs will start up tonight. I guess what I'm asking is have any of you or your children had influenza? How did it turn out. My gut feeling is that tomorrow she'll be admitted, but I'm hoping the steroids will kick in and we'll avoid a hospital stay. By the way, she had a flu shot this year.

 

[anonymous]

I assume you're doing CPT? Might be a good idea to increase the number of treatments to get that stuff moving out.

 

[anonymous]

I assume you're doing CPT? Might be a good idea to increase the number of treatments to get that stuff moving out.

 

[JazzysMom]

Since the flu is a virus you need to really be diligent in your/childs part. The nebs & CPT are the key as well as hydration. The more she gets up, the quicker she will get better. I am sure it will be draining on her tho so make sure she gets rest. I dont think they will do much else in the hospital except the iv's which she may/may not need at this point. Good Luck & keep us updated!

 

[JazzysMom]

Since the flu is a virus you need to really be diligent in your/childs part. The nebs & CPT are the key as well as hydration. The more she gets up, the quicker she will get better. I am sure it will be draining on her tho so make sure she gets rest. I dont think they will do much else in the hospital except the iv's which she may/may not need at this point. Good Luck & keep us updated!

 

[Cheryl2424]

We had increased her BD's to 4 times a day-we always have to bring her up from twice a day every time she gets sick. And we are pushing fluids and food. She actually "turned the corner" today and is doing much better. I even think she may be back in school before the end of the week. I need to learn to be patient and give the meds a day to actually start working. I just get so scared sometimes, especially when we've always been told how dangerous influenza is to a child with CF.

 

[Cheryl2424]

We had increased her BD's to 4 times a day-we always have to bring her up from twice a day every time she gets sick. And we are pushing fluids and food. She actually "turned the corner" today and is doing much better. I even think she may be back in school before the end of the week. I need to learn to be patient and give the meds a day to actually start working. I just get so scared sometimes, especially when we've always been told how dangerous influenza is to a child with CF.

 

[skh]

I read your post yesterday and went home from work and my 15 yr. daughter with CF told me about how many kids at school that are sick. My daughter had her flu shot this year but I am always worried about her catching it. It's good to know that Tamiflu really does work if you start it right away. It's times like these that I just want to put my child in a bubble!

Sue

 

[anonymous]

Ds's doctor writes us a script each year for tamiflu, which we file at the pharmacy. His first year he wasn't old enough to get his flu shot until December -- he needed to be 6 months old and the flu hit our area really really hard a couple weeks before he could get vaccinated.

Anyway, if the flu starts going around school, our family, town... and DS starts to get a cold, we're supposed to fill the tamiflu script. 'cuz in order for it to be effective, you pretty much have to catch it before you really have any symptoms. Tamiflu is supposed to help reduce the symptoms, shorten the time that you have the flu by a few days AND make it so you aren't as contagious to others. So our doctor also wrote US prescriptions for it. And I did end up filling it for myself after my ditzy intern showed up to work with the flu, coughing all over the community food in the break room....

Liza