H1N1 creeping in closer

[DrakeMaiden]

Right, I agree. I was just erring on the side of considering that your immune response is pretty much immediate and that that means you have "been exposed" to it. Don't you make antibodies to everything you are exposed to? That is my understanding, anyway.

I often tell people my body is fighting something off . . . because even though I don't have any visible symptoms, I can always tell. I think people tend to shy away from me when I tell them this, even though I am pretty sure there is no way I am contagious. Maybe I just have a different level of considering myself exposed to something?

 

[me&thegals]

DM--I think I know what you mean. I sometimes have this low-grade sense of "coming down with something" that never materializes. I figure it was something my body fought off before coming down with full-blown symptoms.

 

[Ldychef2k]

If you are going to get it, you will get it.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

DM--I think I know what you mean. I sometimes have this low-grade sense of "coming down with something" that never materializes. I figure it was something my body fought off before coming down with full-blown symptoms.

Yes. I consider it an early warning system and I take better care of myself, and it goes away.

 

[patandchickens]

Right, I agree. I was just erring on the side of considering that your immune response is pretty much immediate and that that means you have "been exposed" to it. Don't you make antibodies to everything you are exposed to?

Sort of... but if you are only exposed to, like, one cell of it ("a tiny amount"), then you will not have any meaningfully increased immune response to it next time you encounter it.

The immune system is actually very multifaceted, and protects you in a whole *variety* of ways, not just the sort of "poster child" version.

I think we are pretty much agreeing in general and I am getting too much hung up on being a biologist

Pat

 

[Javamama]

I do not go the vaccination route for me and mine. Just no reason to. We do what we can to prevent, and I know what to do to minimize symptoms, so I feel confident in that.
I believe we already had it. My kids both had flu run through their classrooms, it has not been clarified what strain it was, but the health dept said that regular flu hasn't hit this area yet and upwards of 95% of cases tested have been H1N1. My son had all the symptoms, I started treating all of us with D3, garlic capsules, probiotics, and epsom salt baths and he got through it in about 3 days, with a cough that lasted a few days after that. DD#1 had very mild symptoms, and the rest of us never got it.

I also do nothing to suppress fevers. That's how the body fights.
Some people poo-poo on natural treatments, but it works for us.

When I feel something coming on , I start a fast and drink large amounts of unsweetened red raspberry leaf tea and usually feel better within a day.

These are just my methods and like I tell everyone, feel free to take it or leave it. You have to do what feels right for you.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Pat --

It's ok . . . I was getting hung-up on terminology.

So, I think we can agree that if you boost your immunity you are less likely to get really sick.

So you are saying that if a phagocyte (sp?) gets there first, there will be no antibody trails?

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Yep, thats when I break out my blueberry jelly & hot tea with lemon, take scads of Vit C, D & E, take a twice daily dose of echinacea and eat lots of soup.
Few years back (wow, almost 11 now...) DH came down with the flu. Knocked him on his butt for 12-14 days, really serious. He was on tamiflu, an antibiotic & ibuprophen/tylenol for well over a week. I caught it from him and was only sick for 3 days and took no otc or prescription meds. That's when he started listening, a little bit, to my crazy ideas on food & supplements.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Don't forget the hot & spicy asian foods. You need to eat them regularly, when you are sick, you know.

 

[patandchickens]

well, in part yes. And I am under the impression that is the normal fate of random individual disease propagules we come into contact with.

But also, even when something more interesting happens , if there are just a few bacterial cells or viral particles in the body, there are few B and T cells created, also therefore very little in the way of memory cells created either. I am under the impression (but it has been a long time since I took these courses, or TA'd relevant labs!) that *very* low exposures create an unreliable, or no, lasting immune response.

Anyhow it is best to be in as good health as possible when there's bugs goin' round


Pat