H1N1 scare?

joleine

So I know I should probably ask a wider audience or ya know, wait a week to ask my doctor.. but I'm dying for opinions..

Last weekend (Labor Day) my husband and 9 of our friends (and I) attended the Penny Arcade Expo (Gamer convention) up in Seattle.  There were 70,000 geeks all abound in one convention center for 3 days straight.  Most of which, I can bet you are not hygiene minded.

That being said, 4 of the people that went in our group came down with a flu bug, 1 of which is confirmed H1N1.  Of other people that went to the convention, there have been about 30 confirmed (or so they say) cases of H1N1.

My husband has been sick (cough, aches, fever, sneezing, etc) since Sunday and on Tuesday I made him go to immediate care.  The doctor there just seemed more annoyed than anything that he even wasted the time to come in, until he told her I was pregnant.  So she did the swab test for influenza and H1N1.  She said they'd let him know today if it was a "flu" and if it was a flu, then it would take another day or so to know if it was H1N1 or not.  The only reason they even bothered to test him is if I come down with symptoms, then they'll know what it is and can give me an anti-viral right away.

But I'm thinking, since one of the people that was IN our group has H1N1, then hubby probably does too.  He's been at home all week and we've been trying to keep his germs to himself and away from me, but I've not had ONE SINGLE symptom.  Which is GREAT.

Here is my question though (sorry, that was really long for a quick question) .. Since I've pretty much already been exposed, should I bother with the H1N1 vaccine?  I didn't even really want to get it to begin with, but hubby has been bugging me to get it when I get my regular flu shot (which I don't normally get, and am only getting because I'm pregnant)..

What do you all think?

EDIT: Hubby just told me that the immediate care office just called, it IS Influenza A, but the lab is not testing for H1N1 anymore, if you want an H1N1 test, you have to go to the hospital (which um, no, that copay is TOO high) but that we can pretty much assume that it IS H1N1, as H1N1 is the only "Influenza A" that is going around. 

Angelcake

I would definitely get the flu shots.  The shot is passed on to your baby through you and once outside of you, they can't have it until they are 6 months old.  I myself am not so afraid of the H1N1.. I think it has been soo hyped up!  I would like to know how many people have died in this same length of time as the H1N1 with the regular flu?  People die from the flu.  It has been proven that this thing is not even as strong as the regular flu so I can't figure out what everyone gets so nervous about.  

I had the flu this year when i was about 14 or so weeks pregnant and I have never been so sick in my life.  I never get the flu shot because the 1 time that I did it made me sick for several days.  BUT.. this year, after being sick I will surely get the flu shot.. I also don't want to be getting the flu around the baby.  Although I am reading that if you are breastfeeding, baby won't get your sick germs.  

I would go in as soon as you can and get the flu shot.  I know I am going to prob at my next dr. appt.  I wish I would have known that it takes 3 weeks for the vaccine to get through to baby cause I would have so gone before now.  Baby is the only thing that really worries me about the flu.  Too many people touching him and stuff.  If they aren't so worried about the flu next year, then I most likely won't be getting him a shot.  

joleine

I'm not overly worried about H1N1 itself. I was mostly worried because I've heard that the H1N1 vaccine contains mercury

The problem that people are facing with H1N1 is if they already have a compromised immune system (young people, pregnant people, people with HIV, etc) it can turn into pneumonia really easily if they don't take care of themselves, and that is what kills them

I don't normally get flu shots either, as the one time I did, I got ridiculously sick. I don't normally get sick except for around February each year I get a really bad cold/sinus infection that likes to turn itself into bronchitis (never a fever, I rarely run a fever) and since I'm due in February, probably better to be safe than sorry and just get the damn flu shot

Angelcake

LOL  You know, I just went in to have my blood pressure taken.. could have TOTALLY gotten my flu shot and decided to skip it today.  LOL  Oh man!  I hate shots!! 

I didn't know the H1N1  vac had mercury.  That can't be good. They were also saying on the news yesterday that boys under age 26? (I think it was) should get it because it is like a vaccine for genital warts.

joleine

I've heard here and there about the mercury, so who knows! hahah.. I hate shots too, which is why I'm waiting to have it done at the doctors so I can squeeze the crap out of hubbys hand while having it done

Angelcake

LMAO!  You know... When I had to have my Rh- shot, I was totally expecting to get it in my hip.. worked myself all up about it... and then, when the nurse came in she said," Do you want it in the hip or arm?"  !!! I got freaked out.. so then I told her HIP!  Since that was where I prepared myself to get it! LMAO  And you know.. it was SOOO much better for me than the arm. I think from now on if I get shots, they need to be in my hip!  Maybe you should try it!  I actually cry like a baby when I get shots and this lady did it so quickly... she didn't even say she was doing it... just did it and I said, THANK YOU!  THANK YOU OH MY GOD!!! LMAO  Serious drama queen when it comes to shots!!

joleine

So I called my OB's office to tell them that he has the flu and see what they thought about it.  The doctor prescribed Tamiflu to take as a preventative measure and I'll check in with him regarding all of it next week when I'm there for my appointment.  I probably wouldn't be too worried about it, except hubby came down with a pretty high fever last night.. Annoying!

msuef17

This is so difficult isn't it???!!!!  I am an elementary teacher at a school where several kids got the swine flu last year and this whole thing is freaking me out!!  I have been reading up on it and pretty much every article I've read says that pregnant women should get the vaccine (even though it's not available until October).  However, it HAS NOT been tested in pregnant women, they are only just now testing and results won't be available for a long time.  I have to say, I seriously question putting anything in my body while pregnant (I am 9 weeks along).  I do think that I will get the regular flu shot but unless my doctor is seriously bothering me to get it, I am skipping the H1N1 vaccine... I hope that I won't regret it but...