Author Topic: Normal cold vs OI (Read 8082 times)

PeteNYNJ · « **on:** December 07, 2007, 09:44:54 am »

Hi Gang

Hope everyone is doing well. It is FREEZING in NYC and everyone I know is sick. I avoided all cold until last night when I woke up cough. Now I feel like death.

I know it is just a common cold (no fever, manageable symptoms, etc) but in the back of my paranoid head I ask "what if this is an OI?".

What do all of you do in this situation? Do you air on the side of caution and go to the doctor? Copays add up so I would hate to go to the doc for every sniffle.

When should you get nervous?

Thanks for your responses in advance. Sorry for spelling errors but it seems the spellcheck button has vanished from here.

DanielMark · « **Reply #1 on:** December 07, 2007, 10:16:51 am »

Pete,

I've had a head cold for about a week, and my only concern with colds is that they don't develop into a chest cold. IF it did and didn't run its course after ten days or so then I might consider seeing a doctor. But that's just me. I don't run to the doctor for every little thing. If you’ve had your Pneumovax shot, I wouldn’t stress too much about it, and certainly not after only a few hours.

Daniel

dgr20002 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 07, 2007, 10:19:14 am »

You will get the same colds, etc that everyone else does. You know your body and you will know when something really is wrong. I don't think going to the DR with every symptom that arises will do you any good, or your wallet. If you feel really bad you can call your DR if he is the type that returns calls promptly. Otherwise I would suggest doing what most people do and that is get something for a cold/flu at the drug store. Make chicken soup or whatever you like and get some rest. Hopefully you have had a flu shot.

David

btobaby · « **Reply #3 on:** December 07, 2007, 10:44:10 am »

I worry about the same thing. I've had a cold all week and with a cd4 of only 127 and no flu shot it could become much more. If I'm not better in another week, I'm going to the Dr..

Iggy · « **Reply #4 on:** December 07, 2007, 10:46:16 am »

Unfortunately there is no way to tell with every cold or incident of not feeling right if it is something more than what it appears to be on the surface. On the flip side of the same coin, I think having HIV means needing to be vigilant of your health even when you are certain that it is just a cold.

My own rule of thumb is not to consult the doctor everytime I don't feel well, however to be aware if the duration or severity of what I am feeling is sort of outside the normal range of what I have felt when it was previous "just a cold"

I really don't think there is an exact science to how we monitor ourselves so much as a good gut instinct.

leatherman · « **Reply #5 on:** December 07, 2007, 11:00:07 am »

Ten yrs after I was last hospitalized with pneumonia, I still freak out every time I start getting really sick. Both times I was hospitalized with pneumonia (one PCP and one regular - and nearly died both times), I thought I simply had the flu when I went to the ER (puking at least once an hr for 6 hrs prompted each visit). Even though medicaid pays for my medical bills, I have to be VERY VERY sick before I go to the ER because they have that bad habit of keeping me! (Since my tcells have never gone over 300 in the last 15 yrs, I religiously take my Bactrim to prevent another bout of pneumonia)

It's another reason why pneumonia is such a problem in hospitals - many people end up in the ER already very sick with pneumonia before it's diagnosed as not the flu.

However, a cold is just a cold and there ain't no cure for that.

minismom · « **Reply #6 on:** December 07, 2007, 03:38:42 pm »

I agree with everyone here. I normally only freak out when mini runs a fever (like she did last week) that Tylenol won't take care of in 30 minutes and i don't know her numbers. Her PID said that if "it" doesn't run its course in 7 days, or if it drops into her chest, she needs to come in for a chest x-ray. Our dr. is good about having us wait in a different place from everyone else - peds offices are really nasty, germy, places. Also, mini doesn't have a GP or pediatrician. Everything is coordinated through her PID, who acts, I guess, as her pediatrician. That way, I don't have a lot of differing opinions about her care. Hope you feel better really soon.

mum

Queen Tokelove · « **Reply #7 on:** December 07, 2007, 04:36:14 pm »

It seems like everyone I know is getting sick. I still have a cough which I have had for about a week now. My doctor prescribed some Mucinex which helped break up the mucus but did nothing for the cough. I bought some otc cough medicine which seems to be helping. I had my flu and pneumonia shot so I am not too stressed. I think it's prolly due to the change of weather.

PeteNYNJ · « **Reply #8 on:** December 07, 2007, 04:42:47 pm »

Thanks everyone...I had my flu and Pneumo shots as well. I have a normal immune system at last count a month ago.

I was asking more in general then just myself. I have heard stories of poz folks who ignore a "cold" or "flu" to find out they have PCP.

I guess where does the line fall between being proactive about ones health and being a worry wart?

Probably different for everyone, but just wanted some opinions.

edfu · « **Reply #9 on:** December 07, 2007, 10:58:42 pm »

One clue to remember is that a cough from PCP is usually dry. A wet, mucus-filled cough is usually not PCP.

I'm reassured I'm not the only one in NYC (and elsewhere) who's freezing and coughing. I don't know why, but the temperature here is bothering me much more than usual. The wind chill at night has been down in the teens and 20s for a week now.

StrongGuy · « **Reply #10 on:** December 08, 2007, 01:08:36 am »

Rest assured, colds are running rampant like the fucking Plague.

I'm sitting here typing this with a fucking stuffed up nose and cough thanks to my co-workers and or boyfriend (I choose to blame them all)

I'm ready to throw my fucking Purell hand sanitizer out the window. Useless shit.

But I'm not angry

Mike

(who is using the word "fucking" repeatedly because that's about as close as I'm getting to it until our fucking colds subside)

bear60 · « **Reply #11 on:** December 08, 2007, 09:19:36 am »

Edfu: "One clue to remember is that a cough from PCP is usually dry. A wet, mucus-filled cough is usually not PCP. "
...................................
Pete
This statement is soooo VERY important. A runny nose and a productive cough do not add up to OI. OI's are very different. In fact so different that sometimes there are no symptoms until you end up in the hospital. And often people ignore symptoms thinking that the weight loss is normal or whatever....so mind games about illness are to be avoided if you can. Regular doctor visits and a good health team in place and functioning is the big thing to have going for you.

PeteNYNJ · « **Reply #12 on:** December 08, 2007, 02:47:49 pm »

Bear and Efu - noted

This is a cold. I have to say I am lucky - I havent had a cold in over a year. Guess it was my time

boo

At least it is a little warmer out.

BT65 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 08, 2007, 11:04:27 pm »

OMG, it's freezing here in Northcentral Indiana. And I notice it a lot more than I used to. I remember I used to run around outside with my coat wide open and no gloves. Now, I don't go outside when it's this cold (30's) without my coat being zipped, gloves on and a scarf! What's the deal?

edfu · « **Reply #14 on:** December 09, 2007, 12:11:30 am »

In my case I've attributed my new sensitivity to the cold to issues of aging. I'm 65. I cannot believe it has anything to do with HIV.

PeteNYNJ · « **Reply #15 on:** December 09, 2007, 01:13:05 pm »

Edfu - I am 32 and noticing the cold more than before but so have my friends. It seems in NYC the cold is also damp - like winter in a coastal town...gets in your bones.

BobF · « **Reply #16 on:** December 09, 2007, 03:29:44 pm »

I feel the cold alot more too ... I was always too warm, but now have a big down parka and always keep gloves handy. My hands seem to be always cold.

Hmmmmm......

J.R.E. · « **Reply #17 on:** December 09, 2007, 08:00:21 pm »

Pete,

Hope your feeling better. I guess I will have to join you in the world of the sick !! I started noticing a scratchy throat Friday evening. No elevated temperature though. By Saturday night, my nose was running, like a tap was left on. I've been wiping it so much, looks like I got a big ole booze nose !!

Lots of sneezing too.

I was supposed to go into work tonight at 11:00pm, I decided to call in sick, only to find out two others had already called in sick. At least I have the night off tonight. A lot of this cold stuff has been going around the workplace.

Take care of yourself-----Ray

wishihadacat · « **Reply #18 on:** December 10, 2007, 10:07:39 pm »

There are so many colds going around that you can catch one just be reading this thread. Even my neighbor's cat is coughing up mucous instead of hairballs, and this morning I saw two rats in the subway carrying off a box of Kleenex. As Bear and the others have noted, you needn't worry about it unless its a dry cough, and if you feel more fatigued than usual on top of that, get yourself over to your MD ASAP. If your cough is nice and juicy, drink a lot of fluids, get a lot of rest, and pray to God that the writer's strike will end before you die of boredom.

manchesteruk · « **Reply #19 on:** December 11, 2007, 03:23:09 am »

I'm surrounded by sick people at work at the moment, it's a miracle i've not got a cold yet. Little tip for you though keep your nose warm! Cold weather constricts the blood vessels in the nose and shuts off the warm blood that supplies the white cells that fight infection. Hence why colds seem to happen so much in winter. That's probably complete bollocks isnt it haha I doubt that would do you much good being sat in a room full of sick people!

Chris

dixieman · « **Reply #20 on:** December 11, 2007, 11:18:00 am »

Oh that's awful... colds, flu, stomach virus, all kinds of things floating around down here.... and its 82 degrees outside... I'm still having to run my air at home. Hopefully we will have Christmas weather where the days do not get over 70 degrees during the day....

PeteNYNJ · « **Reply #21 on:** December 11, 2007, 07:03:08 pm »

this cold is still kicking my butt...I stayed home from work today. I feel guilty about staying home but I have had to a lot this year (for various reasons). I think I finally got control because I seem to be in the "draining" mode. Yuck and Yuck.

It could be worse, it could be the flu so I am grateful

Ok - back to the couch....thank God for Tivo

Pete

minismom · « **Reply #22 on:** December 12, 2007, 12:10:34 am »

We've had runny noses here since...1997? Just when I think we're all finally safe, it just starts all over again. It doesn't help that last week we had 6 inches of snow and today was near 70 degrees...in WV...in December! If this keeps up, I may have to re-evaluate my opinion about global warming

Mini had an awful time with "normal" things (bronchitus) turning into bigger things (gram negative bacterial blood infections - 6 of them!). That's the main reason I pretty much go on all night vigils at the first sign of a runny nose. And don't get me started about what happens when she runs a fever $:-\$

thunter34 · « **Reply #23 on:** December 12, 2007, 12:21:29 am »

I'm notorious for having "regular" illnesses that come on and don't go away for ages. I have been very fortunate to not have many of the "big name" OI's, but I typically get colds that are rather severe and last for weeks. I can recover from one only to come down with another epic one a week or two later. Spent the better portion of last winter sniffling, sneezing and generally feeling like poop.

lucas clay · « **Reply #24 on:** December 12, 2007, 03:47:32 am »

seems like the cold bug has me in its grip also.
i was getting dizzy yesterday, i don't know what that's all about.
sick to my stomach the day before.
today i have a headache from hell, stuffed up nose, cough, sick to my stomach again. still dizzy
man i feel horrible.and my toe still hurts.

Lucas

Queen Tokelove · « **Reply #25 on:** December 12, 2007, 05:01:22 am »

I'm still sick too but am getting a bit worried now. I won't hijack Pete's thread to whine, I did my own for that...

But hopes things doesn't get worse. I got caught in the rain when I had to walk home from the dentist yesterday....Damn cab!!!! My hair was soaked and so was my pants... It has been cold here too in NW Pa but for some reason, the snow has been kinda mild.

Forums Index

Welcome

Author Topic: Normal cold vs OI (Read 8082 times)

BobF