Hello everyone! I am in TX and had TWO patients this weekend with this virus. They are both on large amounts of fluids, getting Zofran and Reglan IV with no relief. They are in extreme pain from the constant vomiting and dry heaves. (Sorry if I offended anyone with this).
This is a bad one folks!! It drops you to your knees, wrings you out and makes you feel absolutely horrible. Please, I can not stress enough how important it is to not wait too long prior to going to ER. After about two days, your body needs fluids. Your body really starts to do damage to your kidneys and other organs. Be wary if you can not keep even sips of water, or chipped ice down.
Also remember to use good oral care and throw your tooth brush away when you are better!! You don't want to reinfect yourself.
Well I just got out of the hospital for the 2nd time in two months. I have enough steroids and antibiotics to win the tour de france, I doubt if there is a germ, virus, flu on earth that could survive my system right now. So bring it on.
I hate to tell you this legalmania, but steroids can suppress your immune system.
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/drugs/corticosteroids/hic_corticosteroids.aspx
snip: How do steroids work?
Steroids work by decreasing inflammation and reducing the activity of the immune system. Inflammation is a process in which the body's white blood cells and chemicals can protect against infection and foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses. In certain diseases, however, the body's defense system (immune system) doesn't function properly. This might cause inflammation to work against the body's tissues and cause damage. Inflammation is characterized by redness, warmth, swelling, and pain.
Steroids reduce the production of inflammatory chemicals in order to minimize tissue damage. Steroids also reduce the activity of the immune system by affecting the function of white blood cells.
Steroids are really important and help in many disease processes, but be extra careful against exposure to illnesses of any kind right now!! ((HUGS))
Oh brother. One of the bosses had this last week, and he came in on day 3 and breathed on me, and handed me a bunch of files and paperwork to do. Sigh.
The news just said that the hand sanitizing gels and wipe are not good. Wash hands carefully with soap and water.
I have been looking up recommended methods for disinfecting things, but can't use this method at work. Thoroughly wash surface with soap and water. Then, make the disinfecting solution. 1/4 cup Clorox to 1 gallon water (or 1 tablespoon to 1 quart). Wipe surface with solution and allow to air dry a minimum of 2 minutes. I've always used more I am sure b/c I just let the bleach glug, glug, glug into the water bucket, guess that is okay. That's all I have. Still fascinated and frightened by germs, viruses, bacteria, all those things.
Tell your kids to sing their ABC's and then Happy Birthday and that is a good hand washing!! PLEASE follow the bleach recommendations!! There is a very important reason for this! If you mix too much bleach in the water, it actually can leave a film when you wipe surfaces. That film is a germ attracting magnet and can hold all those germs in place. Think of the old fashioned furniture polishes that built up on furniture until lint, dirt etc would stick to it, leaving behind a visual effect of what a sticky film can do.
Mr. Izzy was stricken with something a few months back that I am convinced was norovirus. Sorry to be graphic, but I have never heard retching sounds like that in my life. They were so horrifying and unlike anything I had ever heard before that I stayed home from work to keep an eye on him.
He couldn't keep anything down, not even tiny sips of water, and I was worried about dehydration, then I remembered something I had read about ice chips. I crushed up ice to snow-cone consistency in the blender and gave it to him in a cup with a spoon, and by taking tiny bites spaced far in between, he was able to keep it down and avoid dehydration until he was well enough to keep larger amounts of liquid down.
Just posting this to offer the ice chips solution to anyone suffering or caring for someone suffering from this.
If you can't keep ice, small chips or shaved ice are the best, down, go to the ER!! Dehydration is dangerous!!! The best thing you can do, is rest your gut. Keep it empty. If you are in the hospital on IV fluids that is possible, at home, it is not. Your body has to have fluids!! When nothing is left in your gut, you will still throw up. You just wont throw anything up, or it will be bile. If you throw up bile, rinse your mouth and gargle immediately. That is acid and burns your throat!!
Not trying to be an alarmist, I just saw this bug in action this weekend and it is awful!! Remember, children and elders are more prone to dehydration complications. Be careful everyone!!
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