Our experience with "the flu".

[cleanaturalady]

 Flu is going around at an alarming rate at the schools where my kids attend.  The four of them are spread out between three different schools in our district and in each school there have been a number of kids out with diagnosed flu and with flu-like syptoms.  This has been going on most of the school year thus far.  Since this is unusual for this time of year in our warm-weather area, I have taken a few percautions to keep my kids' immune system strong so that they stay well, or at least are able to stave off the worst effects of illness when it comes their way.  They have been taking vitamin C and zinc supplements, eating well, getting plenty of rest, drinking lots of water and washing their hands as often as I reminded them to.

I thought that we might just make it through the cycle of illness unscathed until last week when my youngest was hit hard by the worst sickness he has experienced in a long time.  He woke up on Wednesday with a headache, sore throat, cough, upset stomach and a fever of 101°.  I immediately gave him some elderberry extract that I had on hand.  I had bought a bottle of it early in the month after reading great things about the properties that the black elderberry had against the flu virus.  I gave him a teaspoonful of the elixir three times a day for the next three days. 

After the first day I thought he was fairing better than some of the other kids I had heard about who had been exhibiting the same symptoms as he had.  The second day I wasn't so sure, though.  He had a really bad day with lots of vomiting, dizziness and a fever that peaked at 102.8°.  I was starting to be skeptical of the alternative treatment at that point, but it was 10:00 at night, so I waited until morning to see how things were.  He woke up on Friday morning, day three of his illness, feeling good - with no fever, sore throat or nausea.

Of course, our story is only anecdotal, since I have no way of knowing if he actually had a form of flu because I never took him to the doctor yo be tested.  The reason I didn't take him in is because I don't have much faith in the testing process itself after reading stories like the one from CBS News which reported that the cases of true Swine flu may be over-estimated due to a breakdown in the CDCs reporting system.   Other news agencies are reporting that the rapid test that many doctors are relying on to diagnose flu are providing the doctors using them with any number of false negative results.  These two pieces of information, when looked at together, left me with little trust in the reliability of a test at this time, so I thought it best to just deal with what we had and try the elderberry remedy and see how it went.  I am glad I did.

My son, age 10, has no residual symptoms from his illness - no lingering cough, recurrent fever or headache.  The only thing he complained about was sore calf muscles, which I think is probably more from laying in bed for three days than anything else.  Of course, I am not a doctor and I am not recommending that everyone chuck western medicine this flu season in favor of elderberry extract, but, in otherwise healthy individuals, it may be an alternative for some to avoid costly doctor visits and prescriptions for Tamiflu.

Tags: flu, test, alternative, medication, tamiflu, swine flu, elderberry extract

Add A Comment

[beanielips]

Oct. 25, 2009 at 8:18 PM

I think that there are varying degrees of the flu.  Mine lasted for about 4-5 days where I was really wondering if I should go to the Dr.  When I called, they said that there was no point in being tested because until it turned into a respiratory problem the best treatment was to control the fever, push fluids and get rest.

While I think that there is a real threat out there, I think that common sense should prevail.

[cleanaturalady]

Oct. 25, 2009 at 8:23 PM

Yea, I know what you mean, beanielips.  I am glad I gave him the remedy.  There is no way to know how bad it would have been if I hadn't, but he is well now and I am glad.  He was one sick little boy.

(Original Poster)

[used2chaos]

Oct. 25, 2009 at 9:05 PM

We've started using it as a preventative, thanks to you and Dest.  *fingers crossed*  I'm glad he is all healed up, with no lingering effects!

[Jeangenie]

Oct. 25, 2009 at 9:39 PM

I've been hearing about elderberry lately, and your post solidified my interest in getting some. Thanks!

 

[Guinhyvar]

Oct. 25, 2009 at 9:52 PM

Thanks, Kimberly, for posting this. I will definitely check that out.

I'm glad your son is feeling better.

[uggs-lover]

Oct. 25, 2009 at 10:28 PM

Woot woot!!!!! I am so overly paranoid of the ickies right now....even know we homeschool, we still come across icky germs, and I so do NOT want anything coming our way. How does that work in prevention, my dear??? We have been doing lot's of garlic and ginger......

[aurorabunny]

Oct. 25, 2009 at 10:36 PM

I'm so glad that he's doing better.

I think A LOT of us are sitting and scratching our heads right now wondering if our children had it or didn't.  I know Brody was sick for a week and the day after he got sick we found out that he had been closely exposed to H1N1.  But he never got a fever, and his illness was very mild.

But he also takes vitamins, supplements, eats a very clean vegan diet and we have been eating elderberries too.  So maybe he had it and fared better than others?  Maybe he didn't have it at all? 

Who knows, I just hope we can stay healthy for a while and you guys too!

[cleanaturalady]

Oct. 25, 2009 at 10:38 PM

Uggs, I haven't come across any research that shows elderberry works as a preventative, but I have been told by a couple of people that it does.  I don't know where they got their information on that though.  Definitely the vitamin C, zinc as well as vitamin D are a good idea though because their have been studies that show these to be great immune system boosters.

(Original Poster)