Why Are So Many People Landing In Hospital

[emmie]

with the flu. I thought, and going on experience that the best thing is plenty of bed rest, drink fluids, take paracetamol or equivalent. But NHS
Scotland is inundated, they are struggling to cope with this outbreak.

[anneasquith]

I know ducksie, hopefully this will improve soon. Adding to the countrywide problem is staff illness as well :-(

[jennyjoan]

Cousin called last night and said she had quite a painful cold sore on her lip. Then she said one of her colleagues had one too and blamed my cousin for being on the phone etc.

Yes be hygienic.

The Catholic Church don't want the people shaking hands - Peace with you - I never shake hands so no worries there.

[Gromit]

I believe we are suffering from a new strain - Australian flu. So it is going to affect more people than normal.

The NHS not coping is due to Trusts closing wards/reducing beds to save money. While they just about cope most of the time, they get found out when there is a spike of ill health that is above what they planned for.

[Baldric]

Had Flu once, don't want it again. 20 years or so back. had an en-suite bathroom at the time, had to roll out of bed and crawl to the Loo. Seriously not nice.

[emmie]

Baldric, i used to get them because of our crappy work policy of allowing those with heavy colds, flu to come to work and pass them around the office. I have had the flu more than once and its horrible, i do know that much.

[melv16]

I've had gastric flu. I was living in a house with a downstairs toilet. Got caught short at 3 in the morning, rushed downstairs, sipped on the third step from the bottom....you can guess what happened next :-(

[anneasquith]

Serious suggestion Melv, keep receptacles near bed .

[melv16]

Hind sight is a wondrous thing, Anne :-)

[anneasquith]

I know, Be prepared in future :-)

[hc4361]

The elderly and people with respiratory conditions such as asthma and in real danger of dying of flu if it affects their breathing.

Voltage, if you are interest enough to want to post on here you don't have flu.

[ducksie]

hc I fall into the asthma and nearly the elderly part of that category, we have the aussie flu here but there is another strain (over here ) more than the aussie flu, I just seen a lot of letters h and numbers so meant nothing to me only keep away from everyone - as for the Catholic church no shaking hands, ours haven't done that in a while, since swine flu I think - maybe at Christmas we're invited to but depends on the priest, now the head honchos say no

[pastafreak]

Since last Thursday I've had what I describe as the cold from Hell. Sore throat, ears full and hurting, constant sneezing, aches,so bunged up I feel as if there's a plastic bag over my head and it's being drawn tighter. Getting very little sleep as I can only sleep propped up. No major fever thankfully, but I can see where someone who's never had flu would think this is it. Really horrendous.

[emmie]

Pasta hope you feel better soon. If you have the flu, and believe me when i say i sympathise then the whole world feels like its about to cave in.

[hc4361]

How are you propping yourself up, pasta? I often have to sleep like that and find the only way of doing it comfortably is to lay 3 pillows lengthways from the headboard, side by side, then put two or three pillows across.
This props me up, supports my shoulders and neck and stops me sliding down

[anneasquith]

As an aside, check amazon for " nursing pillows "

[anneasquith]

Hc, V shaped pillows .

[pastafreak]

hc...I found I could only sleep in a highish backed armchair propped against multiple pillows. I use the sofa as a footrest. I tried in bed, and couldn't get the support. Maybe I'll try your way.

[Sqad]

hc4361 is quite correct......more elderly people with underlying treatable conditions such as congestive cardiac failure, type 2 diabetes, ischaemic heart disease all being kept on the fringe by medication. A dose of flu can push them over the edge and hence need hospital treatment.
Also, daughters and sons out to work, cannot or will not look after their parents in times of need and these patients cannot be safely left at home alone.

[sunny-dave]

A propos of sqad's comment about uncaring (or unwilling to care) families, I saw a shocking figure that said that around 50% of beds on General Hospital Wards (ie not critical or highly specialised care) were occupied by people who could/should be better cared for at home.

Is this the true root cause of the current 'crisis' ?

[murraymints]

I was wiped out for 3 weeks and have only really felt better in the last day or 2... could not even keep water down.. it is rife up here !