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Swine flu man fears for wife
By LYN HUMPHREYS - Taranaki Daily News
Last updated 05:00 09/07/2009
A Taranaki man is unimpressed that his swine flu went undiagnosed and is now fearful that he put his pregnant wife, co-workers and friends at risk.
Now back at work, the 26-year-old sales manager says his and his wife's experience with clinicians in the last week leaves a lot to be desired.
But Dr Lester Kelly, one of the five directors of New Plymouth's Care First, where the man first went for treatment, says the symptoms of the H1N1 swine flu are impossible to distinguish from the seasonal influenzas sweeping the region.
The death of a 49-year-old Christchurch man at the weekend took the swine flu deaths in New Zealand to five.
Meanwhile, Taranaki now has seven confirmed cases of swine flu, the latest being a 33-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman. Actual numbers will be higher as only a small number are now being tested, the Taranaki DHB says.
The 26-year-old victim, who does not want to be named, said he first started to feel ill last Wednesday morning.
Because his wife was in the early stages of pregnancy, he decided to drop in to the walk-in GP clinic at Care First.
"I asked was there any chance of my having swine flu. He said no you've just got some of the symptoms." He left with a prescription for antibiotics, Ibuprofen and an anti-nausea drug. The GP also took a routine swab.
But by night time he was much worse. On Thursday he vomited all night, was shaking uncontrollably and drenched in sweat.
By the weekend he was feeling fine and went out shopping with his wife and visited friends.
On Monday he returned to work but at 4pm was rung by the Taranaki DHB heath protection unit to say he had tested positive for swine flu and should be in isolation at home.
He was shocked by the news, worrying about how many people he might have unknowingly infected - and especially concerned for his wife.
The couple felt they were given confusing information. Only one person, from the health protection unit, had been able to answer their questions, he said.
When his wife was left in a room by herself for 45 minutes wearing a mask while waiting to see her GP, she walked out in disgust.
"She was pretty upset. It's not been a good experience. I think people have to push for a test," the man said.
Dr Kelly responded: "It's impossible for any doctor to look at anyone with symptoms of flu and say you've got swine flu because they are the same thing. People don't come in oinking."
Care First was a sentinel practice for monitoring influenza in the community and swabbed a few patients. "If he'd gone to any other practice he wouldn't have had a swab."
Clinics were required to place people in isolation and issue them with masks if they had flu symptoms. Care First was "crazy busy" and he challenged any GP to see patients on time.
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Dr Kelly said there was hysteria about swine flu. Flu symptoms could be mild or very bad. "Every death from swine flu will be reported but there will be a lot more deaths from seasonal flu."
If a patient had a complaint, he urged them to talk to staff
By LYN HUMPHREYS - Taranaki Daily News
Last updated 05:00 09/07/2009
A Taranaki man is unimpressed that his swine flu went undiagnosed and is now fearful that he put his pregnant wife, co-workers and friends at risk.
Now back at work, the 26-year-old sales manager says his and his wife's experience with clinicians in the last week leaves a lot to be desired.
But Dr Lester Kelly, one of the five directors of New Plymouth's Care First, where the man first went for treatment, says the symptoms of the H1N1 swine flu are impossible to distinguish from the seasonal influenzas sweeping the region.
The death of a 49-year-old Christchurch man at the weekend took the swine flu deaths in New Zealand to five.
Meanwhile, Taranaki now has seven confirmed cases of swine flu, the latest being a 33-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman. Actual numbers will be higher as only a small number are now being tested, the Taranaki DHB says.
The 26-year-old victim, who does not want to be named, said he first started to feel ill last Wednesday morning.
Because his wife was in the early stages of pregnancy, he decided to drop in to the walk-in GP clinic at Care First.
"I asked was there any chance of my having swine flu. He said no you've just got some of the symptoms." He left with a prescription for antibiotics, Ibuprofen and an anti-nausea drug. The GP also took a routine swab.
But by night time he was much worse. On Thursday he vomited all night, was shaking uncontrollably and drenched in sweat.
By the weekend he was feeling fine and went out shopping with his wife and visited friends.
On Monday he returned to work but at 4pm was rung by the Taranaki DHB heath protection unit to say he had tested positive for swine flu and should be in isolation at home.
He was shocked by the news, worrying about how many people he might have unknowingly infected - and especially concerned for his wife.
The couple felt they were given confusing information. Only one person, from the health protection unit, had been able to answer their questions, he said.
When his wife was left in a room by herself for 45 minutes wearing a mask while waiting to see her GP, she walked out in disgust.
"She was pretty upset. It's not been a good experience. I think people have to push for a test," the man said.
Dr Kelly responded: "It's impossible for any doctor to look at anyone with symptoms of flu and say you've got swine flu because they are the same thing. People don't come in oinking."
Care First was a sentinel practice for monitoring influenza in the community and swabbed a few patients. "If he'd gone to any other practice he wouldn't have had a swab."
Clinics were required to place people in isolation and issue them with masks if they had flu symptoms. Care First was "crazy busy" and he challenged any GP to see patients on time.
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Dr Kelly said there was hysteria about swine flu. Flu symptoms could be mild or very bad. "Every death from swine flu will be reported but there will be a lot more deaths from seasonal flu."
If a patient had a complaint, he urged them to talk to staff
