I found out on Friday that I have potentially been exposed to slap cheek/parvovirus through work, and was encouraged to contact my doctor for advice. My Ob just said avoid contact with the infected (duh) and if I develop any cold or flu like symptons to request blood tests checking for an active infection/immunity. Didn't seem too worried and honestly neither was I, I have been exposed to slap cheek about 5 times in the last 13 yrs at work and it was only a potential exposure.
Naturally since Saturday lunch time I have been gradually coming down with a cold, to wake this morning with a really sore throat, coughed alot all night and felt like I was running a temp. DH freaked a little and said I needed to get to the GP so I walked in first thing and luckily straight into a cancelled appt.
They are testing for parvo immunity/activity and are rushing the results for tomorrow morning 10am, but the GP wanted to treat me for swine flu with Tamiflu. Just in case. Due to my mild flu symptons and at the time borderline temperature. She stressed it's precautionary and she's not saying she necessarily thinks I have swine flu, but better to be safe than sorry.
DH and I had discussed and agreed that I wouldn't be getting the swine flu vaccine, hadn't even thought about being treated for possible swine flu. I said I needed to think about it, and I wanted to have the parvo results first to rule that out, and have managed to get an appt. with my Ob this evening to discuss it.
Any advice? I don't think I'm that sick, I don't feel great but I don't feel really awful, just like I have an annoying cold. My temp seems stable..... guess I need to wait and see what my Ob recommends? And what the parvo tests show? Not at all how I thought my morning would play out
Parvovirus isn't as bad in pregnancy as I think people make out. Obviously better to be safe than sorry, & it can cause m/c, but I think that'd be more in the first tri.
2 of my kids have just had it. DS was around 2 of my pregnant friends. I told the one only 13 weeks to avoid him, but she wasn't real careful & the other's (30 or so weeks) youngest DS has just had it & both were fine.
Another friend, not pg, did get it though. It really knocked her around. She got it from her DS. The worst part she said was the badly aching joints & headache behind her eyes. She had to go stay with her mum for 3 days.
Thanks, and I'm not too worried about the parvovirus either, being in the 2nd tri. Plus I really do think I'll have immunity as I've been exposed to it so many times over the years. It's the tamiflu proposal that has thrown me a little! And their urging me to make a decision as treatment can only be in the first 24 - 48 hrs of symptons appearing....
I'm thinking a little bit of a chocolate and a snooze on the couch might be the best possible treatment for me atm DH has organised to come to the Ob with me this afternoon so we'll see what he has to say. It really comes down to weighing up which risk to take I guess.
My sister had swine flu & they didn't give her the tamiflu coz the gp she saw really believed there was no point to it. Since it is a viral thing, I'm thinking he's right, but I'm not a doctor.
She had it really bad with high fevers for a week, then was over it. I think mum & I had it too, but different. Like we were getting the flu, but it just never hit. Lasted with a cough for about 6 weeks. But we weren't real sick iykwim. I honestly thought at the time I'd have taken the sick for a week & thats it, over the almost, not quite sick, but still feeling like crap, for 6 weeks!
Yep I'd rather be knocked down hard for a shorter time than the sickness drag on and on and be a real pita.
Good news is no current parvo activity, but not showing any immunity either which suprises me. They just said if I start to feel worse to get in and they'll want to test again.
As for the tamiflu, we all agreed it was a little overboard to be treated just in case, especially since it prob wouldn't have been within the 48 hr window either. Been keeping my eye on my temp which has stayed down and am feeling better today - just have a wicked cough now that's all.
Slap cheek and swine flu - what a morning!
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DH has organised to come to the Ob with me this afternoon so we'll see what he has to say. It really comes down to weighing up which risk to take I guess.
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