Self-Care Pocket Guide • Cold, Allergies, and Such
Influenza

“Low-cost, Convenient Flu Shots for UT Students”

Go to healthyhorns.utexas.edu in October for our Annual Campus-wide Flu Shot Campaign schedule. We encourage everyone to get a flu shot -- but especially students with asthma or other chronic illnesses.

Overview

Influenza (the "flu") is caused by a number of influenza viruses. The flu strikes most frequently in colder months. Many flu symptoms overlap with those of a severe cold, but the flu is much more incapacitating. Expect to be confined to bed from a few days to a week or more. Flu shots can dramatically reduce your chances of getting the flu. Antibiotics are ineffective against flu viruses, but there are prescription drugs that can shorten the duration and reduce the severity of flu symptoms if started within two days of their onset.

Signs and Symptoms

• Sore throat
• Fever—often greater than 102 degrees F (38.8 degrees C)
• Mild to severe body aches
• Extreme fatigue (at times being unable to get out of bed)
• Headaches
• Cough
• Nausea/vomiting

Self-Care Measures

• Make yourself drink 8 ounces of water, juice, or sports drinks every waking hour.
• Take an OTC analgesic for fever and body aches. For fevers that don't come down after taking one kind of analgesic, try alternating ibuprofen and acetaminophen every 3 hours. Take the recommended dose of ibuprofen and wait three hours. If your fever hasn't come down, take the recommended dose of acetaminophen and wait 3 hours to see if your fever responds.

Red Flags

CALL THE UHS 24-HOUR NURSE ADVICE LINE 475-NURS (475-6877) IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING OCCURS:

• You suspect you have the flu (not just a bad cold), your symptoms began within the last 48 hours, and you want to be evaluated for a prescription anti-flu medication.
• Fever of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C) or higher that has not come down within 6 hours after beginning to alternate ibuprofen and acetaminophen as described above.
• Extreme headache.

CALL 911 OR GO DIRECTLY TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING OCCURS:

• Severe headache and stiff neck with fever or shaking chills.
• Severe difficulty breathing.
• Severe dizziness, weakness, confusion, or stupor.
• Unusual dark spots (much like bruises) of any size on your skin. This can be a sign of meningococcal disease which progresses rapidly, can be fatal, and requires immediate medical care.