Question about Stomach Virus contageousness?Ok, now I don't know if my brother had the stomach flu (and yes I know the stomach flu is a virus not a "flu"... but stomach flu is it's nickname. Has been for a long long time. I'm in highschool and I know the stomach flu and the flu is different, so please don't lecture me on how the stomach flu is actually gasteralelagiaghsgibgah. lol
anyhoo.
we don't know if he had the stomach flu or food poisoning. a few days ago he went to help his in-laws put in a deck. He said he felt really good all day when he went to help them. It was really hot out and he was in the direct sun for hours... then after they went out to eat and he had some chicken... (and also to mention, he's got high blood pressure and has to take meds for it.)
a few hours after going out to eat and when they were done with the deck, he started puking and poopin. The next day he was fine, yesterday he was fine, and today he felt good... so we don't know if he was sick, if it was his high blood pressure, if it was because he had a reaction to his new BP pills, the heat or bad food.
but anyhoo.
I'm trying to avoid getting sick because I have asthma, and whenever I get an average cold I have issues... stomach viruses and influenza bugs are worse. I can say I was seriously sick with Influenza A last in 2005, and I haven't had the stomach virus since 2000 (knock on wood and thank God.) So I've been very careful because I worry if I get seriously sick, it could be really bad. (just like with this swine flu, the ones who are dying are people with health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and stuff.)
I admit, it's all made me a serious germaphobe... worse than Adrian Monk if you ever saw that USA show "Monk" about the OCD detective.
anyhoo again...
My mom told me to stop freaking out.. that if he did have the flu, he's most contageous before he even knows he's sick. Once they are actually sick, they're almost over being contageous because they're pooping and puking the virus out of their body, so there is less of a virus to shed...
and it's all but gone within a few days after he's recovered.
Well I read online that it could take up to 2 weeks to be uncontageous.
my mom said the operative word is COULD. She said the majority of the time it's passed being contageous in a few short days... and if he were sick with the flu... his wife would have already been sick too... (since it takes a few hours to a week for symptoms to hit... and if you start shedding the virus before he knew he was sick, since it's been several days since he was sick, she'd have been sick by now. Especially since she's pregnant and she's more suseptable to getting sick. Plus he was spending a lot of time here visiting us around this time and we're still fine.
So I don't know. Should I still be worried about getting sick, or is my mom right that he's probably past the contageous stage.
the reason I ask is because we're traveling 6 hours to close on a house we just bought... and my brother is driving because he is meeting some friends and cousins for a camping trip. I hate to be in a car with him if he's still contageous.
Seth, if it wasn't deadly by any means...
why do over 35,000 people around the united states die from influenza a year... people are dying from the swine flu, especially people with asthma, diabetes, ect.
I know the stomach flu isn't a "flu" but if it triggers a bad asthma attack (which it did in 2000 when I last had the bug... knock on wood it stays that way) wouldn't that mean it puts me at serious risk for complications?
-rdalemd
Just because no symptoms are present does not mean the virus is gone. Sometimes in life we have to make our own decisions.
-Seth
1. BP meds wouldn't cause gastrointestinal problems, so it's unlikely to have been a bad reaction to them
2. No offense to your mom, but she knows little about microbiology. Viral load makes you more or less contagious. This business of being most contagious because realizing one is sick is nonsense. The sicker you are, the higher your viral load, the more contagious you become.
3. People around you would not necessarily get sick, depending on immune strength, immunizations and previous bouts with the flu. While it is likely, it isn't a guarantee.
4. The only 'shedding' the body does of the virus is a cough. Breathing could be applied here but that's a normal process. The virus can also be transmitted in body fluids, and it is often found in saliva so don't be drinking from a sick person's glass.
5. The flu is an inconvenience at best. It isn't deadly by any means, especially in the United States. You'll feel terrible for a couple of days, but that will be about all the impact it has on your life. Don't worry so much about being sick.
6. If your brother is able to drive for 6 hours, he is not likely to be sick. Don't worry about it.
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