Allergies? Or Coronavirus??

This post is in no way intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new healthcare regimen, and never disregard medical advice or delay seeing help because of something you read on this website

Let me tell you about last weekend.  The skies were sunny.  The temperatures were summer-like. The Man of the House cut the grass for the first time this year.  The breezes were blowing.  The pollen was flying.  And me... I somehow managed to not take my allergy medication or use my daily asthma-control medicine on Friday night.  Which meant that I was sniffling, had a scratchy throat and was feeling a little tight chested

I'm not going to lie.  I. Was. Freaking. Out.  Even though every logical part of me knew it was allergies, that didn't stop the Coronavirus panicked portion of my brain from going on marathon trips to "what if" town.

No one wants to needlessly worry they may have Covid-19 if it's nothing more serious than spring allergies.  On the other hand, no one wants to brush off early symptoms of the virus as being "just allergies", potentially putting others at risk.

First of all, whether you think it's coronavirus, a cold, or allergies - you should already be following CDC guidelines to help reduce the spread of the illness - including social distancing, hand washing, and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces. Having said that...

How do we know whether our symptoms are allergies or Covid-19?

The biggest clue seems to be the presence of a fever (or lack thereof).  In most cases of the novel Coronavirus, there is a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more.  Seasonal allergies typically don't cause a fever.

I found the following chart very helpful in easing my concerns about what I was experiencing.

 For example, along with some mild asthma symptoms, I had sneezing, sinus congestion, but no fever.  Clearly allergies!

A little Zyrtec, regularly using my asthma medication, and a day of rain to wash away some of the pollen had me feeling good as new.

If you are a allergy sufferer, take your allergy meds.  Make sureyour asthma is well controlled.  If you have symptoms that may be related to Covid-19, or if you have any doubts, talk with your health care provider or local department of health.

Stay home.  Stay safe.  Better days are coming.

Flu Paranoia

I admit it... all this media coverage about the flu outbreak is getting to me.

When I go to the gym CNN or FoxNews is always on the TVs.  And they are always ( I mean always) talking about the latest flu statistics.  With nothing else to do while on the treadmill than listen to this, my mind starts reeling off into the possibilities...

Anyone in here could have the flu and I wouldn't know it.

What if the last person on this treadmill had the flu and didn't wipe down the handles after they finished?

Yes, it's gotten bad enough hat I wipe down the machine before and after I use it. 

It's not just at the gym either. 

The other day I returned a movie to the RedBox and began worrying about who might have used that touch screen before I did.

Especially since the machine was right outside CVS.  I could just imagine sick people stopping to get all their flu survival med and a few movies.  That one had me scrambling around inside the car searching for some hand sanitizer.  Ugh...

And before you even get started - yes, I know that a flu vaccine is probably a good idea.  Especially with my level of paranoia.  Let's just say I have some personal issues with the flu shot dating back to the year they gave us shots at work and I still ended up in bed for a week with the flu virus.  It's my baggage to deal with.

In the mean time, I'm stocking up on hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, and vitamin C.

That's What They Say

I got my flu shot this past Friday.  Yeah.  Bravo.  Big pat on the Back for the Queen B.

I haven't gotten a flu shot in years.  Not since they convinced me to get one, despite my fears and misgivings.  And wouldn't you just know it.. that February a case of influenza knocked me right out.  Which infuriated me.  I got the shot and still had a raging case of the flu?  Well, that won't happen again!  And I've been boycotting the shot ever since.

But this year, the Man of the House and I made the decision that we and the Little Man will get the shots.  Seems like a good preventative move, with the Princess's Tadpole due in the middle of flu season.  Got to do what we can to help keep him healthy.  So, when they made the yearly offering at work - I filled out the paper work and got into line.  I gritted my teeth, fought down the mild panic attack that occurs each time I think about a needle piercing my skin, bared my arm and offered it up to the nurse administering the vaccine.

I know what they say.  You can't get sick from the flu.  It's made with dead virus.  And the logical part of my brain believes it.  But there's still that other part of my brain.  The part that boycotted the shot after managing to get the flu despite having the vaccine.  The irrational part of my brain.  Or maybe it's not my brain.  Maybe it's the stuffiness in my head making me think otherwise.  Or my sore throat.  Or lack of oxygen to the brain from the coughing.  Maybe...

And it's most likely a coincidence that almost everyone in the office that received the vaccine last Friday is complaining of the same symptoms.  The more likely scenario is that someone else in our staff meeting that same day was either sick or getting sick and shared the germies with the rest of us. 

Because you can't get sick from the flu vaccine.  That's what they say...