My friend has been diagnosed with swine flu I sit next to her for some lessons and I have been severely tired headaches diarrhea vomiting and aching muscles are these symptoms of swine flu?

Answer 1

Yes, those could be symptoms of influenza, but without a physician examination and lab testing there is no way to know for sure if it is the Swine Flu or seasonal flu.

A quote from CDC Information (see link below in related link section):

"If you live in areas where swine influenza cases have been identified and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed."

The clinics and doctors' offices are very busy screening for the potential 2009 Swine Flu in patients, if you have the above described circumstances and symptoms, telephone your health care provider for advice. Do not go to the health care provider location unless you telephone first. If you go unnecessarily, you risk exposure to the virus at the office when you may not have had it in the first place.

The only way to be sure it is the 2009 Swine flu is lab testing. If testing is advised by your care provider, the CDC describes the appropriate tests as:

"... a respiratory specimen would generally need to be collected within the first 4 to 5 days of illness (when an infected person is most likely to be shedding virus). However, some persons, especially children, may shed virus for 10 days or longer. Identification as a swine flu influenza A virus requires sending the specimen to CDC for laboratory testing." Update: there are now "field test kits" that the CDC has provided regionally for providers and labs to be able to do preliminary testing to detect the presence of Novel H1N1 cases.

When to seek emergency care according to CDC:

"If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

* Fast breathing or trouble breathing

* Bluish skin color

* Not drinking enough fluids

* Not waking up or not interacting

* Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held

* Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

* Fever over 101 F (or fever with a rash)

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

* Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

* Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

* Sudden dizziness

* Confusion

* Severe or persistent vomiting"