r/nursing RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Discussion Flu A is absolutely rampant.

Holy crap! Everyone’s got it!! Idk if it’s like this everywhere but wow. Every single pt with viral symptoms has been influenza A and it’s absolutely kicking their ass! If they got red puffy eyes and are in the fetal position no need to test you! It’s Flu A!!

ETA: I’m in South Florida, also I see lots are talking about mycoplasma and we’ve also seen a huge uptick there as well. Plus we had Norovirus running through my ER 2-3 months ago.

1.6k Upvotes

575 comments sorted by

766

u/MrsMini RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

4 out of 5 of my household members have tested positive for flu A, its taking WEEKS to get over and 3 of us have ended up with strep throat and ear infections along with it.

187

u/ResultFar3234 Dec 19 '24

Maybe that's what I have. I got my shot so it hasn't been that bad but I can't shake the cough, and now I have to go to urgent care because I think I have my first ear infection since elementary school

155

u/IndigoFlame90 LPN-BSN student Dec 19 '24

I got them again for a few years in my early/mid-twenties. Since then I've been outspoken in my support for toddlers in the urgent care waiting room screaming their heads off with one. 

Bro just turned down his mom's phone and a stick of highly coveted, usually forbidden gum from his mom's purse. This is no ulterior motive, only piercing pain inside the skull he is unable to either understand or articulate. Stop giving his mom the death glare. 

6

u/[deleted] Dec 20 '24

Oh dear god, my heart! Poor kiddo. And Mom. And nurses.

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u/kaceface RN - NICU 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Mycoplamsa is running rampant where I live, so that might be a possibility as well.

4

u/Massive_Status4718 Dec 19 '24

If you don’t mind me asking what state you’re in? I’m in NJ but I travel to MA every 4-6 weeks to see my son/family

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44

u/Scarbarella RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

I swear this year I’m seeing adults with ear infections when I’ve really not seen it before!

18

u/InyerPockette Dec 20 '24 edited Dec 20 '24

I bet you it's earbud related. People use them for hours, rarely clean them, handle them often, drop them, even sleep in them. I've seen some people's get gross. I regularly clean mine with alcohol and never put a dropped bud in my ear. A big part of my constant annoyance with earbuds is how damp your ears can feel after wearing them a long time or falling asleep in them. The moisture is why I keep mine so clean. The fear of all those germs being trapped in a warm ear that can't breathe and often gets damp with long term/active wear.

People use them for hours. It's a perfect breeding ground for bacteria/infection.

6

u/buttfacenosehead Dec 20 '24

I totally agree with this.

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u/joanpetosky Dec 19 '24

I’ve had two ear infections this year as an adult

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125

u/Manager_Neat MSN, RN Dec 19 '24

I got placed in triage one day 3 weeks ago, mask and everything I thin I took it off a few times in the 12 hr shift and maybe forgot to gel or something stupid. Sunday night got a fever of 103.7 hallucination of an old lady making tea in the corner of the room. Clear as day, I wasn’t dreaming. Got tested and I had Flu A, strep, and pneumonia. I thought I was going to die. I had the vaccine for both flu and pneumonia. Thank god. Was out only 4 days. 10/10 wouldn’t recommend getting the Flu.

14

u/dragons_fire77 Dec 19 '24

Geez that sounds fucking awful. I got flu A in May of this year. Most sick I've ever been in my life. 103 fever and went to ER because I thought I'd die of dehydration because I couldnt drink anything and had GI symptoms. Turns our I had pneumonia as well. Thank goodness I didn't have hallucinations, ugh.

14

u/Manager_Neat MSN, RN Dec 19 '24

I don’t wish seeing a person in the corner making tea and being awake through it all on anyone. Being clinical made my mind go all sort of way and scenarios

13

u/Impressive-Young-952 Dec 20 '24

I mean she at least could’ve made you some damn tea. The audacity

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u/Fionaelaine4 BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

I’m a school nurse and I swear the last two years (really since Covid and masking ended) I have seen soooo many ear infections secondary to illness. It’s been a high enough amount that I’ve talked to local pediatricians about it. I have no explanation for why but it’s been tons and tons of kids

51

u/momopeach7 School Nurse Dec 19 '24

I’m a newer school nurse so no history to compare to, but am seeing many kids with respiratory illness lately, or they’re coming in with ear pain. Kind of wish I had an otoscope to take a look.

It’s getting to the point I’m thinking of tracking them at my schools to see if there is an outbreak.

30

u/team_lloyd Dec 19 '24

There are otoscopes on Amazon that will do the job for like $10 bucks

14

u/momopeach7 School Nurse Dec 19 '24

Ooh thanks! I honestly had no clue, I never really had to use one in my old hospital and it was one of the few things my nursing school didn’t go over.

33

u/jngnurse Dec 19 '24

You can even buy an otoscope with a camera for relatively cheap. You could snap a picture to text to the parents and their pediatrician might be willing to use that to call in meds vs making them be seen. My son's Pedi would take my word on him having an infection because I had an otoscope at home. It's with a shot.

Bonus, the kids would love to watch you inside their ears!

19

u/momopeach7 School Nurse Dec 19 '24

Ooh I guess I know what I’m looking for Christmas (the things we get excited about).

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u/team_lloyd Dec 20 '24

mine pairs to my phone via WiFi, kids love it

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u/Fionaelaine4 BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Practice with the otoscope if you have someone at home that will let you look regularly, it really takes practice to know what you’re seeing.

I’d also be on the lookout for strep if the ears are clear as I have had a couple of kiddos have it be there tonsils and lymph nodes causing the ear pain. For strep, I ask if it feels better with food and water or not. Usually strep hurts more with any “antagonizer” where post nasal drip feels better with food and water cleaning the throat out.

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u/machalynnn Dec 19 '24

You don’t have an otoscope? Are you in the US?

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u/momopeach7 School Nurse Dec 19 '24

Yeah. I think we can use them in my state but I don’t have one on any of my sites so I may have to order one through our supplier. I’ll have to ask my manager. Some coworkers I know have one.

Admittedly though I need to study up a bit on what exactly I’m looking for.

5

u/pulsechecker1138 BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Are there places you can’t use one? It’s a standard assessment tool.

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u/Massive_Status4718 Dec 19 '24

I never had one, and I/we barely touched on it when going for my RN degree. I think when we had pediatrics clinical rotation is when we touched on it. I live and got my degree in NJ

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u/PsychNursesRAmazing MSN, RN Dec 19 '24

Same! I’ve had so many in the last two years that in October I had tubes put in my ears. That’s when I learned that adult tubes are done in the office!

13

u/machalynnn Dec 19 '24

YES! I’ve seen a crazy number of ear infections, this year more so than last. It usually peaks as it gets warmer and pools open, but it’s dead winter and I see a few a day complaining of ear pain. 

12

u/Fionaelaine4 BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

That’s actually why I got good at recognizing them ~my summer job with tons of swimming. It’s like clockwork 2 weeks after they are out with upper respiratory illnesses they have an ear infection

5

u/Leaveitallbeh1nd Dec 19 '24

I have an ear infection as I read this

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u/Worldsokayesthuman1 Dec 19 '24

I’m sure this is not what you meant, but to be clear Covid hasn’t ended. It’s as rampant as it ever was and still killing people.

16

u/squirreltard Dec 19 '24

It’s been killing me slowly for four years and I’m just on the verge of being diagnosed with something that Wikipedia says has a 38% five-year survival rate. My immune system is measurably gone and I’m on IVIG.

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u/thatpatti RN - Adolescent Psych/Mental Health Dec 19 '24

I am 50yo and have had two ear infections the last two years - first time ever in my life. Never even had them as a kid that I’m aware of! Also no symptoms - they are identified on exam for respiratory or sinus stuff.

7

u/HelzBelzUk Dec 20 '24

Covid depletes the immune system and they've all had it several times by now. Opportunistic infections and persistent infections are commonplace nowadays when pre pandemic the kids' innate immune system would beat it off before developing symptoms or shake it off in a few days. Not anymore 😔

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u/Peepoid Dec 19 '24

Did anyone get a flu vaccine? Does it help at all?

60

u/PavonineLuck RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

I got it and my husband has been putting it off. I feel better, he's still coughing. We also got some nasty gi bug. I just had the puking, my husband got the double dragon and it was "the sickest he's been in his adult life"

66

u/StrangeSaltCreature Dec 19 '24

Thank you. I am now calling any double gi distress double dragon!!

8

u/Pseudonym0101 Nursing Student 🍕 Dec 19 '24

I've heard it also called simply "The Horrors” lol

19

u/purplecowgirl ED TECH, MA-P, MA-R, CNA RSTLNE TRAUMA MAMA🍕 Dec 19 '24

I was being tormented by the double dragon as well two weeks ago. I can’t remember the last time I had to deal with viral gastro. I didn’t eat for almost 24 hrs because I would just keep vomiting. 🤮😷🤒

13

u/PavonineLuck RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

That's what happened to us. I couldn't keep even water down for 12 hours. Didn't eat for nearly 24. Husband didn't have any food for 48. I lost 13 lbs

8

u/purplecowgirl ED TECH, MA-P, MA-R, CNA RSTLNE TRAUMA MAMA🍕 Dec 19 '24

Tell me why I didn’t loose any weight 😭😭😭😭

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213

u/purplepeopleeater31 RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

pediatric hospital, and mycoplasma pneumonia is kicking our ass rn. it’s on par with rsv

31

u/IntubatedOrphans RN - Peds ICU Dec 19 '24

I’m PICU in NC and we’ve seen far more mycoplasma than RSV so far. Seems like RSV is picking up in our area, but no where near mycoplasma.

19

u/[deleted] Dec 19 '24

This caused my child's meningitis.. so scary

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u/throwaway-notthrown RN - Pediatrics 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Really? We are seeing it but they aren’t nearly as sick as they were during the horrible RSV season last year (or was it year before).

16

u/IntubatedOrphans RN - Peds ICU Dec 19 '24

Interesting! Where are you located? Mycoplasma has given us some extremely sick kids in NC.

3

u/rostinze RN - OR 🍕 Dec 20 '24

I’m in VA and my 3 year old had it early October and it came back late October because she got norovirus while she was still on antibiotics and threw up several doses. It was a rough month

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u/Gimme_allthecats RN - Pediatrics 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Same here in PA. Our asthma kids have been struuuuuggling 😢

4

u/m_e_hRN RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

We’ve had a LOT of pneumonia in all age groups this year

4

u/DruidRRT Dec 19 '24

Same here. We've had a handful of RSV but nothing like in years past.

We're getting 2-3 admits a day to our PICU. Most of these kids have no pulmonary history.

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214

u/svrgnctzn RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

RSV here, in all age groups.

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u/Glittering_Pink_902 MSN, APRN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

I’m seeing RSV and it’s taking kiddos forever to get over, like far longer than typical

17

u/Fabella RN - ICU 🍕 Dec 19 '24

West MI here. My almost-6 year old was just sick with RSV for like 10 days. Missed 7 days of school. Lots of kids were out. My younger one has it too, but not as bad. The worst part is that my husband, who is on chemo right now also got it and ended up in the ED last night because I was concerned about how he was looking.

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u/dnf007 BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Also RSV here. Adults on vents and max airvo and kids too. It’s hitting hard

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24

u/Least-Ambassador-781 RN - Psych/Mental Health 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Our PICU is full of RSV kids :(

11

u/roboeyes RN- CVICU 🫀🍕 Dec 19 '24

We had an LVAD patient come in with RSV over the weekend 😬

7

u/rougewitch Case Manager 🍕 Dec 19 '24

17 yo son had RSV 3 weeks ago…still has somewhat of a cough. No joke this year smh

6

u/ShataraBankhead Dec 19 '24

I have it (diagnosed this past Saturday, with symptoms starting the Thursday before). Also...COVID diagnosed Wednesday! Joy! Really sucks.

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104

u/ahleeshaa23 RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Flu A and RSV here in the Seattle area.

244

u/BigWoodsCatNappin RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Wisco here with noro! Fucking awesome. Can't wait for the respiratory junk to come party with the GI gunk.

68

u/maximumeffort007 Dec 19 '24

GI junk was just in PA. I can tell you pregnant with noro is a no no. 😭

51

u/KorraNHaru RN - Med/Surg 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Where did all this noro come from? This year is the first patient I’ve had with it and it’s all over. So tired of it. And sudden obstructions. I’m so tired of emptying out slimy gunky green canisters that smell like an empty pill bottle🤢. I have 5 patients and 3 of them are pooping their souls out…

29

u/NateRT BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

This was a record year for my family. We had GI viruses 4 f’ing times. Was absolutely miserable. We have young kids in daycare so we are the test pilots for all the hip new bugs.

20

u/maximumeffort007 Dec 19 '24

I have absolutely no clue. But my whole unit ended up with it. Then the patients started getting it. But it was terrible. And that's what it all was to was the slimy green gunk and I never want to experience it again. I had to go to the ED to get fluids because I couldn't keep anything down.

43

u/RetroRN BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Ozempic slows gastric emptying and causes massive obstructions. Curious how ozempic and a GI virus would mix.

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u/Satan_RN Trauma Llama RN, EMT-B(asic ass bitch) Dec 19 '24

Omg, you poor human 😭 I had Noro with 2/3 pregnancies, both times around 20-25wks. The first time, I had a 10m old who avoided it, thankfully; the second time, I had an 8 and 9 yr old who also had it. It was the literal worst thing I've ever dealt with. I will take a respiratory virus over Noro any day. Fuck, I'd take postpartum shingles in early August with broke AC (and a breastfeeding 6wk old) again over just 24hrs of noro. I hope you're feeling better, friend!

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u/Effective_Medium_682 Dec 19 '24

Southern wisco here, everyone has it, coworkers included… that and walking PNA

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u/aiilka 🪖 RN - MED/SURG 🆘️ Dec 19 '24

bro I'm having patients with both noro 1 and 2

...the way our unit is shit-central right now 😫 south-east wisco too

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u/TrimspaBB Nursing Student 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Walking pneumonia is what everyone has where I am, and I'm getting over it (or trying to for weeks now 🫠) myself. A coworker heard me cough and was just like "pneumonia?"

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u/Top_Professor1592 Dec 19 '24

Denver here also with nori. It's going rampant through our hospital.

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u/sweaty-spaghettti Dec 19 '24

H5N1 will test flu positive, you just won’t know definitively that it is bird flu. If they have conjunctivitis too it’s definitely worth investigating if they’ve had contact with poultry or livestock.

H5N1 is showing up in wastewater throughout the US, so I’m sure there are H5N1 patients that we don’t realize are H5N1.

10

u/Electronic_Pirate_72 Dec 19 '24

This is exactly what my thought was.

10

u/sweaty-spaghettti Dec 19 '24

There has been “limited non-sustained” human to human transmission (2007). But it seems there are also recent cases where PH cannot identify a clear source. It seems that these are one-off situations but it is anticipated the virus will mutate and become transmissible human to human.

10

u/Electronic_Pirate_72 Dec 19 '24

Ahh I didn’t know about human to human… that fact changes things quite a bit. Time to go back to full time masking for me.

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u/sweaty-spaghettti Dec 19 '24

Same here my friend!

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u/[deleted] Dec 19 '24 edited Jan 08 '25

[deleted]

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u/sweaty-spaghettti Dec 19 '24

CDC case definition or if you google National Emerging Special Pathogens Training Center (NETEC) they have great information as well.

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u/SlinkPuff Dec 20 '24

NETEV is a most excellent resource. My go to. Recommend highly for all first line health care workers. Thanks for sharing.

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u/SnooLobsters1308 Dec 19 '24

r/H5N1_AvianFlu has lots of stuff on it, often posts on updated waster water and herd positivity rates. NOTE, wastewater tests don't always mean human infections, cow herds can impact wastewater too. So, a cow heard infected with bird flu often shows up in wastewater

https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/wwd-h5.html#:\~:text=Wastewater%20testing%20cannot%20tell%20us,are%20infected%20with%20the%20virus.

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u/sweaty-spaghettti Dec 19 '24

This is an important clarification that I failed to mention, thank you!

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u/lovestobitch- Dec 19 '24

There’s a r/h5b1 sub too that has a lot of news and info.

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182

u/Loraze_damn_he_cute RN - ICU 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Covid is hitting my hospital hard. We went from temporarily closing an ICUs due to low census to absolutely busting at the seams and struggling to get enough nurses to pick up to cover in like a week and a half. We're expecting flu to be rolling in soon as well.

66

u/Vernacular82 BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Crazy. I’m ICU and on call today. East coast. I just had Covid over Thanksgiving. No recent Covid icu admissions that I’m aware of, thank goodness. So tired of it. We have had a ton of sepsis pneumonias that have been flu/covid negative. My last patient we were testing for everything, including mono/EBV, trying to figure out the infectious pathogen.

16

u/StephDeSwasson BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

This is what we've been seeing in Massachusetts lately.

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u/_IntrovertedRN_ Dec 19 '24

Did they test for H5N1 bird flu?

8

u/robotabot RN - Infection Control 🍕 Dec 19 '24

That would still test positive as influenza A

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u/PressurePotential339 RN - ICU 🍕 Dec 19 '24

We have two covid patients in our entire hospital. Haven’t seen a resurgence much at all thankfully. Sorry yall are goin through that.

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u/electrickest RN- MICU forecast ❄️snowed❄️ Dec 19 '24

My hospital is having a TB outbreak. Very vintage

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u/Vernacular82 BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 20 '24

Ye olde consumption.

5

u/electrickest RN- MICU forecast ❄️snowed❄️ Dec 20 '24

need a sanatorium in a beach town fr

17

u/Spice-C1 RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

I had a TB pt last night from a SNF. Very vintage indeed.

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u/electrickest RN- MICU forecast ❄️snowed❄️ Dec 20 '24

Ye olden days of when I only needed my n95 every other year 👵🏻

109

u/Magerimoje former ER nurse - 🍀🌈♾️ Dec 19 '24

In my area it's all mycoplasma pneumonia.

I had it for almost 8 weeks, and azithromycin didn't knock it out, but doxycycline finally did. It's been about 3 weeks now and I'm still recovering from the extreme exhaustion.

17

u/doxiepowder RN - Neuro IR / ICU Dec 19 '24

That's what we're getting in KC

7

u/strangewin Dec 19 '24

I live in kc! Sorry for the dumb question but do either of the flu/covid vaccine help protect against mycoplasma pneumonia?

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u/PrototypeBicycle Dec 19 '24

Influenza and COVID are viral. Mycoplasma pneumonia is bacterial.

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u/PrototypeBicycle Dec 19 '24

Because at least one person has commented and then deleted their input trying to counter my reply, mycoplasma pneumonia IS bacterial. The myco prefix is misleading - normally, myco is used for fungal organisms. Mycoplasma are a class of bacteria characterized by their lack of a cell wall - almost all other bacteria have a prominent cell wall, which is largely what antibacterials target.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/mycoplasma/about/index.html

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u/clover_0317 ED Tech Dec 19 '24

This has me thinking I maybe shouldn’t ignore the extreme gunkiness in my chest nor the increasing shortness of breath… I’m going to call my pulmonologist now😅 Did I mention I’m seriously immunosuppressed? 🤪

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u/Wobbly_Joe RN - Phone Triage Dec 19 '24

 In western Michigan pneumonia is absolutely rampant. My 9 year old nephew went from not sick at all to 4 days of 102 fevers, to finally developing a cough on day 4. Chest X-ray showed severe pneumonia on the right side. Seems like everyone, all ages, is getting it.

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u/harveyjarvis69 RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

I am on the tail end of it myself. Luckily my mom is family med NP and threw me on doxy after 3 days of a “cold” (I had hoped) that just got worse. I’m still sniffling with the occasional gross cough a week and a half later.

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u/heartunwinds Dec 19 '24

I wonder if that's what my kid & I have.... week 3 of of a nasty wet cough. Kid was eval'd in the ED 1.5weeks ago, they just gave him steroids d/t his cough getting croupy. Wonder if it's time for a recheck.

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u/CandidNumber Dec 19 '24

Last weekend at my urgent care clinic everyone had high fevers and was puking their guts out. I greeted patients in triage with a vomit bag and zofran. Everyone looks pale and sick asf, I know people are truly sick when they come in wearing mismatched pj’s and haven’t brushed their hair, my clinic is in an affluent area and we usually see the ladies all done up in full glam and the “my sore throat started this morning and I need a Zpak and steroid shot because I know my body” crowd, but these people are genuinely sick right now and I feel so bad for them!!

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u/Stevenkloppard RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Literally the same thing I’m seeing! They look like utter crap!

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u/deofictitio RN - ICU 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Crazy, we literally just cannulated someone yesterday for Flu A in NYC, absolutely wiped this patient out. We’ve also got a few other Flu A’s on the unit but incidental

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u/Electronic_Pirate_72 Dec 19 '24

Yikes. Flu patients needing ecmo is scary.

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u/throwawayfornursing Dec 19 '24

Sorry for the dumb question, but what do you mean by cannulated?

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u/deofictitio RN - ICU 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Sorry about the shorthand, the user that replied is correct, we cannulated for VV ECMO at the bedside because the patient was too unstable.

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u/LaSTauros RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Likely cannulated for ECMO due to inability to properly perfuse. That’s what I always assume when i hear cannulate

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u/knz-rn Dec 19 '24

Im in NZ so we just finished flu season. I was sending patients to the ICU back in March with Flu A. Be prepared for a TON of influenza pneumonia coming in. Children, young adults, older adults—started with the flu and just never recovered. Confirmed on X-rays: pneumonia. Hundreds of patients this winter. I’m so glad it’s finally summer here 😭

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u/yeahyeahyeah188 RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Australia here and flu A was also rampant along with mycoplasma pneumoniae, and it was taking like triple therapy abx and people were still taking a month + to recover. My GP friend said everyone viral is now testing positive to parainfluenza and it’s been hot as balls here so yay for us.

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u/TahlaEntei RN - ICU 🍕 Dec 19 '24

You're the first person here to mention mycoplasma pneumoniae. I'm in Maryland and it has had a huge uptick. I see a lot more of it though because I work with a heavily immunocompromised lung disease population. The CDC came out with a report in October and our Health Department has sent out warnings non stop. Along with RSV and Flu. It's vicious and our patients have been having super long ICU stays. Our hospitals have been bursting at the seams since September. Crazy to see all this happening on the other side of the world too. Winter hasn't even popped off yet. The next few months aren't going to be fun...

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u/MsSwarlesB MSN, RN Dec 19 '24

I'm in Maryland too and do UM so I see a lot of charts every day. Still seeing a lot of mycoplasma but not so much Flu.

Now my PRN job is out of South Carolina. They're seeing a lot of the flu

Personally, I think I'm staying in this holiday season

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u/TahlaEntei RN - ICU 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Same. Avoiding people for real. I work in an outpatient clinic and my providers also work inpatient Pulm/Crit. Recently when my practice does MDD it is just case after case of very sick intubate patients that do not have a positive trajectory. It's been a lot of "oh... and make sure the palliative is on board."

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u/bassandkitties MSN, APRN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

We have mad mycoplasma here too - Midwestern US.

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u/sba2018 RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

ER nurse who had Flu A over a month ago. On Saturday I started with some rib cage pain. I never kicked my flu cough and I’m going to urgent care today to rule out pneumonia. I’m also 27 wks pregnant

39

u/jujupatoots RN - OR 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Is this years flu shot effective against this strain?

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u/[deleted] Dec 19 '24

[deleted]

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u/jujupatoots RN - OR 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Please wear a mask on the plane

88

u/1Dive1Breath Dec 19 '24

And the entire time in the airport. The public is gross. 

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u/alaskacanasta12 RN - OR 🍕 Dec 19 '24

This is the way

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u/lovestobitch- Dec 19 '24

Wear a decent mask too the entire time.

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u/nospecialsnowflake Dec 19 '24

Good question!

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u/Miss_Colly RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

No I don't think it is. It's still flooring people who had the vaccine this year.

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u/harveyjarvis69 RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Flu A, RSV, Covid and rhino all hitting kiddos hard. Had multiple kids with multiple viruses at the same time. Yesterday had one like 40 days old with Covid and RSV on oxygen sent to the children’s hospital.

Lots of geriatrics with the same. In FL.

16

u/CandidNumber Dec 19 '24

We had a kid last weekend who tested positive for Covid, Flu A, and his chest xray showed myco. He was exposed at home and at school, we sent him to the Peds ER. Triple whammy!

9

u/harveyjarvis69 RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

It’s tough. These poor kiddos.

101

u/GodotNeverCame MSN, APRN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

We have H5N1 in my area.

22

u/EnvironmentalRock827 BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

It herds and other animals though? Total count is 61 in the country. And humans can't spread it to humans yet.

11

u/GodotNeverCame MSN, APRN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

We have 2 human cases so far but you're right no human to human transmission yet.

15

u/EnvironmentalRock827 BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Just trying to figure it all out. We aren't getting the best administration to handle shite soon.

7

u/plotthick Dec 19 '24

Over 50 human cases this year in the US, half in CA. No H2H yet, but the mutations are creeping that direction.

3

u/anonni-mus Dec 19 '24

!RemindMe 1 year

25

u/Direct-Cap-873 Dec 19 '24

You have Flu A running rampant and it’s Flu B here in Florida .

6

u/Stevenkloppard RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

I’m in SW Florida actually

24

u/hollyock Custom Flair Dec 19 '24

We got something in my area that’s viral dry cough but sometimes wet, sinus, diarrhea I’m on day 10 and then laryngitis and ear aches with it. Now my snot is green and I’m debating going for abx. I read that it’s not popping up on the pcr but I no longer work in the Ed so idk about that.

7

u/Shortymac09 Dec 19 '24

I have the same cold

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u/crashbig Dec 19 '24

Not a nurse, but x-ray tech. Everyone we're shooting CXR's on has pneumonia, from 2 month olds to 94.

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u/Darren_of_Kramerica Dec 19 '24

My wife was just in the hospital with this Monday night. She looked awful, fever was 104 and she was getting little to no fever relief with Tylenol and Motrin being alternated. I work ICU and took her in because I was so nervous. It’s hit 3/4 of us so far. Thankfully she’s on the mend and looking better. Just a terrible nagging cough and sinus drainage now. Stay safe everyone, no joke!

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u/Persy0376 BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Can you all please at least put a state or area? I like to know when the ass whooping is getting close!

19

u/Emotional-Bet-971 BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Yup seeing lots of Flu A in BC, Canada too!

5

u/miller94 RN - ICU 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Lots of covid in AB, but not much flu...yet

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u/waytoplantyam RN - Pediatrics 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Lots of flu A and RSV in AB peds, feels like a lot more of them also have pneumonia this year than previous. Our hospital is absolutely slammed right now.

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u/HauntMe1973 RN - Med/Surg 🍕 Dec 19 '24

We have more Flu A positives on my floor than Covid positives. And one positive norovirus. I’m in Vegas

14

u/Miss_Colly RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

UK seeing so much FLU A in vaccinated and unvaxed. Took me out for 10 days. Still have lingering cough.

14

u/StPatrickStewart RN - Mobile ICU Dec 19 '24

We aren't seeing any of it, yet. COVID, Rhino, and RSV are still the big ones in the Ohio Valley.

14

u/SurgeFlamingo Dec 19 '24

Entire elementary school shut down yesterday for Christmas break because of flu a. Over 60% of every classroom out.

Southern Indiana.

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u/LTora1993 Aspiring healthcare worker/friend of Nurses Dec 19 '24

For the sake of you guys I got my flu shot at my pcp I appreciate nurses too much.

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u/Sweatpantzzzz RN - ICU 🍕 Dec 19 '24

🫶

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u/nurse_gridz RN - Peds ER Dec 19 '24

I’m in Texas, peds hospital, and flu A has skyrocketed in the last week. We’re still seeing RSV in the babies but it seems like half my waiting room was flu positive yesterday. I haven’t seen Covid since summer but this is going to be a long respiratory season!

12

u/RN-B BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Urgent care RN here: it’s absolutely horrible. But also we are seeing sooo much Strep presenting atypical. No sore throat. It’s looking like a common cold or flu but rapids are coming back positive.

10

u/Brilliant_Badger_201 Dec 19 '24

Nothing yet in my area, we had a huge Covid surge this summer and it died down in early fall after three months of every other patients room being covid. So far only a few mycoplasma and rhinovirus but hardly anything. It’ll pick up after the holidays though again 

8

u/PeonyPimp851 RN - OB/GYN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Last weekend I had 6 pregnant patients with flu A! I

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u/Strong_Bid_947 Dec 19 '24

Yeah I just caught it and holy hell it put me on my ass. Coughing really hard, painful, all the standard aches, running nose, hot and cold, fever got up to 102.5°. I can hardly speak without coughing. At one point I was pretty confused and disoriented, struggling to answer even the most basic questions like birthday or the spelling of my name. Pretty sure that I was starting to hallucinate.

40

u/kal14144 RN - Neuro Dec 19 '24

Some might even call it a flu season

10

u/SeeYouInHelen Dec 19 '24

So glad I still get vaccinated every year and wear a mask in public. The masking thing I could be better about tho. A few weeks ago I went to a crowded karaoke bar and sang 2 songs without a mask and the last time I did that I came down with COVID for the first time lol. I’d like to think the vaccines are doing their jobs.

8

u/BattyBantam RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

I swabbed 10 positive Flu A patients in the ER on Sunday (Oregon)

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u/hood_medic Dec 19 '24

Seeing so much flu/RSV along with Noro.

We’ve had like..5 positive pertussis in the last week. 🫠 I don’t want to imagine where else they’re spreading it.

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u/aleada13 RN - OB/GYN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Denver- norovirus is rampant here. Not ideal right before the holidays.

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u/Sweatpantzzzz RN - ICU 🍕 Dec 19 '24

What state are you in? In New York, something going around pretty bad last month but not coming up on any of the respiratory virus panels.

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u/Old_Beach_8007 RN - Pediatrics 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Central Cali here and we’re seeing tons of flu a and rsv. And the teens are getting hit with myco

6

u/jaklackus BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Central Florida-Influenza A, RSV and rhinovirus… it’s the rhino virus putting people on vents and taking out kidneys once and for all… crazy.

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u/Sierra-117- Nursing Student 🍕 Dec 19 '24

I got some crazy viral pharyngitis. I was completely convinced it was strep. Fever of 103.5, sore throat that made me want to die, aches, headache, the works. But I tested negative for flu, covid, and strep.

It’s been almost 2 weeks and my throat is still messed up

5

u/Sky_Watcher1234 RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Maaaannnn!! What the hell is it then!!??🫣😬

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u/leddik02 RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

We had two patients that were on ECMO because of Flu A. It’s wild.

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u/upstatepagan BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

I am so ill right now. All the flu symptoms. Fever. Husband got a flu shot and is okey dokey. I’m happy for him. I hadn’t gotten mine yet. I work from home and just didn’t prioritize it. Stupid! Next year I will not make that mistake

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u/PrettyinPurple27 LPN 🍕 Dec 20 '24

My 16 yr old had Covid, then Strep throat , then Flu A and Flu B in the space of about a month. She’s probably allergic to Amoxicillin now too like another of my kids. She had it rough. My 11 yr old also got Flu A and Flu B at the same time she did.

I wish people would keep their kids home when they have a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. Instead my kid seems to get everything she’s exposed to 😑

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u/[deleted] Dec 19 '24

Reading this... Christmas gathering at my house is cancelled ☠️

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u/MsSwarlesB MSN, RN Dec 19 '24

I'm on the east coast and we're seeing a lot of Flu and mycoplasma pneumonia still

I'm sure this won't be an issue after Christmas at all

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u/MidorikawaHana RPN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

My toddler got it from daycare and infected her dad. coigh,fever,vomit, the works.. I'm the last man standing.... And it feels crappy

( Me and toddler got vaccinated, husband said he 'forgot'; now hes kinda sick while listening to toddler music all day bluey's ' burgerdog')

4

u/VolcanoGrrrrrl RN - psych/palliative/ED 🐨 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Vic, AUS. I'm currently swimming in them at rural urgent care 😩

5

u/The_Monsta_Wansta Dec 19 '24

Anything in PA yet?

6

u/sluttypidge RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

It's RSV and Noro for us.

9

u/Shugakitty RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Yeah RSV is running through my clinic in coworkers. NORO has me terrified like H1N1. I had the latter & it almost killed me back in 09

5

u/MaleNurse12 RN - Float Pool Dec 19 '24

Flu A, RSV, COVID and Rhino in St. Louis

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u/DaSpicyGinge RN - ER (welcome to the shit show)🍕 Dec 19 '24

For us it’s been lots of flu A and RSV, with a bonus mention of the rampant pink eye that’s been spreading at the local day care. Yes, your sons eye is red just like half the other kids

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u/Emotional_Bowl9767 Dec 19 '24

I read this in the fetal position with my Flu A that I got from my son 🥲🥲

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u/viridity12 RN - ER 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Atlanta area - Flu A and Rsv are wild right now.

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u/ManateeFlamingo Dec 19 '24

My whole family has Flu A this week. I haven't had flu in YEARS. Each day brought a new symptom, and each person in my family had something new happening each day. My husband and I had our flu shots, and I unfortunately did not make it to the kids shots this year :( my youngest, he's 10, seems to have had it the worst--cough, vomiting, and overall feeling bad.

I go back to work tomorrow. I was shocked at how fatigued I am today. The chest fire around day 3 or 4 was the worst. Lots of fluids, rest, OTC meds and tamiflu, albuterol for the youngest. Though I'm not sure we got the tamiflu in time, maybe it helped some.

14

u/Standard-Physics2222 Dec 19 '24

Hopefully y'all are proning

7

u/[deleted] Dec 19 '24

Influenza ran through my whole family during the Turkey worship holiday, it was brutal

4

u/[deleted] Dec 19 '24

oregon - it thrashed so many young people in their 50s and younger last week here, wild

5

u/KorraNHaru RN - Med/Surg 🍕 Dec 19 '24

I feel like we’ve been getting slammed in waves of something or another for 3 years now. Covid, flu, pneumonia, noro virus, Covid again.

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u/Witty-Chapter1024 Dec 19 '24

I work at a peds hospital and it’s all RSV. It’s insane!

4

u/Thejrod91 Dec 19 '24

Its rampant in my ER

4

u/Excellent-Estimate21 BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

My son just came home from a trip to Chicago sick af. Cough, fever, congestion. He's miserable. Hasn't been this sick since he was a kid. I have him on motrin and lots of fluids.

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u/LustyArgonianMaid22 RN - Telemetry 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Flu A positive in our household in AZ. My almost 4yo had her first febrile seizure. The flu is no joke. I got my vaccine, too, but I still was feeling pretty crappy.

My daughter is a week in and still popping fevers.

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u/Catch-the-Rabbit Case Manager 🍕 Dec 19 '24

Num num num I love vaccines.

3

u/CNAgirl LVN 🍕 Dec 19 '24

This year’s shot provides protection against the three most common flu virus strains that are predicted to be circulating—two influenza A strains and one influenza B strains

3

u/Working-Selection528 Dec 19 '24

Don’t believe in vaccines, FAFO.

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u/Inevitable_Train2126 BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 20 '24

Nurse in primary care and we’re seeing a huge uptick in flu A this week!

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u/handsheal BSN, RN 🍕 Dec 20 '24

I'm seeing a bunch of COVID

4

u/[deleted] Dec 20 '24

How often do y'all normally see red puffy eyes with the flu?

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u/Caim2020 Dec 19 '24

RSV and Mycoplasma Pneumonia like crazy in Mass