Is this threat 4 real ?

[doctorwhocares]

The "usual winter flu strain" will be cheesed off when they come back from their summer break, and discovered that some pigs have stolen their thunder. Is this being overblown and not a real threat? It is hard to say for sure, as we are being bombarded with mixed messages. Regardless people should be cautious as there is certainly no harm in exercising reservation. And there is always the possibility, the A(H1N1) is this year winter flu strain, eager to do their bits. Just a bit earlier. It must have been a boring summer break. They must have their equivalent of a global crisis. So this early appearances must be some sort of stimulus package for them. It seems to work. The powers that be are greatly stimulated. Scarced resources are re-directed to a threat that for all those with synapsing neurones can see is no more virulent than the usual strain. Amazing how one can get addicted to being interviewed on TV to perpetuate what will be retrospectively described a fiasco if not mass hysteria among doctors who should know better.

[doctorwhocares]

Panic here, panic there, panic everywhere.

On the weekend, a patient presented after 5 days of a febrile illness. But he also had abdominal pain, vomiting , rigors & jaundice.He was scared of being quarantined, thus the late presentation.Well it turned out he was septic from an acute cholecystitis.

Tonight a woman presented with an acute febrile illness. Her clinical findings were consistent with pneumonic changes in the L lung field. But the private x-rays refused to x-ray her on the advice of a so call infectious disease specialist. And she was turfed across to the flu clinic. If only they synapsed their neurones.

So if the health professionals panic, don't blame the public if there is widespread riots or mass hysteria!!

[doctorwhocares]

What did the flu clinic do to the woman?

Their point of care kit testing was negative. So they send her on her merry way; telling her she had a "normal flu", and she was ok to fly the next day.

Remember this is a patient who is 81 yo, with an O2 sat. on room air of 89%, localised crackles on the L lower lobe, with rigors.

The whole family was glad she was allowed to fly home on an 8 hours flight.

I am waiting for a phone call from Qantas.

In their focus on the swine, they forget the actual diagnosis.

So what will happen to the MI or other acute vascular events with coincidental flu illness?

Don't bother attending the local private hospitals.

They cant handle the pressure; confounded by a disgraceful lack of Specialist Physicians on call.

[doctorwhocares]

The Singaporean rang me up for the test results from the Flu Clinic; from Singapore.

It was like extracting an impacted wisdom tooth trying to chase the results.

Finally I rang up an old colleague who obvioulsy loves that place considering he is still there after 20 years.

There was no swab done.

They did a blood test: WCC 22.1 & CRP 132.

Well that's more consistent with Pneumonia than a Flu.

Amd we all knew she was allergic to Penicillin. It was documented.

Ce La Vie.

Someone should tell those x-ray people, if they dont think a mask or double masking is not good enough to stop transmission, then they should advised the director general of Qld Health.