Playa Cough / Playa Lung ?

[ygmir]

So the burn ended 3 weeks ago and I've still got Playa lung (something I never had before, having attended for most of the last few years). I'm coughing all the time, and really tired sleeping 3 hours more per day than usual while still having no energy. After several years of being careful with dust masks, this one dusty year was the one I stopped being careful (yeah, I know...).

Go. To. The. Doctor.
sheesh.

If you are still hacking 3 weeks after the Burn, you don't have "playa lung", you are sick. Trust me on this - I was hacking so bad the week after I got back I could barely get any rest, and had similar symptoms to you. Turned out to be bronchitis (which I'm still treating, even though it's way down now). This DOES NOT mean you have bronchitis - it means that you NEED. TO. GO. TO. THE. DOCTOR. and get checked out.

How is this not obvious to someone who's been feeling like crap for 3 weeks?

[Dr. Pyro]

Eric, they could be the same kind of idiots that think you shouldn't vaccinate your kids or wear seat belts. Go to the doctor? Take personal responsibility? What do you think I am, a Republican?

[Simon of the Playa]

Take personal responsibility? Who do you think I am, Bernie Sanders?

fixed that for ya...

[pink]

Me and apparently at least 7 other members of my camp got sick after the burn. Not playa lung, because my roommate caught it from me. Some kind of crud is going around, with varying symptoms. And it's exactly the kind of thing that could turn to bronchitis easily; I was about to go to the doctor ( started getting sick Friday afternoon, so I suffered the weekend) when I started feeling better.

[Meat Hunter]

Because I live way out in the woods and do not come into contact with a great number of people in my daily life; I am seldom sick at home.

As a result, I do not build-up the immunity that comes with all the little sniffles that being in contact with a great number of people provides.

Tuesday after the event I awoke with a fever, that on my 5 day drive back home turned into bronchitis and an ear infection that brought this ol' man to his knees. On the way home, I made stops at a clinic in Fernley, NC and hospital emergency rooms in Boulder City, NV and Tucumcari, NM. I arrived home on a Sunday evening and was able to see my doctor early Monday morning. He was undecided whether to admit me to the hospital or treat me and send me home. After 2-1/2 weeks recuperating at home, I was finally on my way to mending.

Whatever it was, it appears that it infected a good number of burners and very quickly. A measurable number of folks at the airport drove home sick and one person ended-up with pneumonia.

I wonder if the medical folks saw this coming and sent any swabs in for analysis?

[Simon of the Playa]

i knew i should never have sat down next to that dirty naked bass culture krispy kritter when i went to get coffee.




thats my story and i'm sticking to it.

[AntiM]

I heard norovirus was going around. That's a special sort of hell.

I felt very sick on our packout day, but it turns out I had not read a label on the water enhancer well enough. I am that sensitive to sodium benzoate that I develop early stage flu-like symptoms. I declined a lot of hugs without good cause, dang.

[Ratty]

Meathunter, Take care of yourself now so you mend. I'm glad your feeling better.
AntiM, Put me down for two next year. (Hugs. Not viruses.)

This year I was more conscientious about wearing a face mask so no playa lung for me. BUT three weeks have gone by and the skin is still peeling off of my feet. I didn't know I had playa foot. No rough spots. I wore socks and shoes the entire time. I didn't vinegar them like usual and now it shows. I hope it stops when I get down to size 7 and a half.

[Meat Hunter]

Us older folk just do not recover as fast as we once did.

For the sake of my personal survival next year, I am thinking that it will be more, "Good to meet you and howdy do's" than hugs......from four feet back. I might even wear a black shirt and play "no hugs" Gate Person.

Ratty. I am now fully mended and out & about again.

[Roundabout]

I imagine that the immense amount of dust is at the root of most people's post playa illnesses. All that dust in one's lungs has to weaken the immune system and allow for various bugs and viruses to take hold. I had a sharp pain in my upper left lung and trouble breathing when I left the playa. After about 10 days it went away.

[JohnEBGud]

Maybe Playa dust is the wrong kind of dust, but "Valley Fever" is caused by a dust born fungus and is prevalent in the west. Not a fun disease for those having a severe reaction.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coccidioidomycosis

[Simon of the Playa]

according to the CDC, one would have to have contacted it somewhere other than Black Rock.

http://www.cdc.gov/features/valleyfever/


although they happen, cases are quite rare in Northern Nevada.


so i guess you are probably wrong in your postulation.

[Savannah]

Immense amounts of dust +
sleep deprivation +
pathogens you don't normally encounter due to either a smaller or vastly different population +
the virtually inevitable let-down of decompression +
the Autumnal ebbing of sunlight
=
SICKNESS

* If you are feeling shitty way more than average, and it is affecting your breathing, heart rate, or you're bleeding out both your ears or similar, call 911.
* If you are average (or more) levels of sick for 3 weeks . . . see a doc, you might need antibiotics.

* If you were a virgin and feel like ass, but aren't particularly sick--just blue, and discombobulated and pissy = this is called "Decompression" (or occasionally: Dashed Expectations). Decompression happens to many a Burner, and the harder and more arduous the Burn, the harder it can hit, especially if the legend didn't measure up to the experience. The wind and dust and cold of 2015 represent a variety of authentic playa experience that folks in the last 4+ years have been largely spared. If you maintained your sense of humor for most of it, KUDOS! You are made of tough stuff, and should consider returning. You should also look up Burners and regional events for your location and commiserate with people who understand.

* If you're fine but your voice is still trashed, do shots of lemon juice several times daily, and make hot tea with honey at least twice a day. Did anyone tell you to stop hydrating? No? Keep going.

* Google vitamin D deficiency, and consider taking some daily in the Autumn/Winter (but don't take any wisdom from a site selling it). I take a lot of it, because the Pacific Northwest is a Vitamin D Deadzone, starting . . . now.


. . . I am subject to playa throat like crazy, and usually lose my voice by the end of the week.

As usual, my voice was indeed affected. However, this year I did shots of lemon several times a day, and left the playa with my voice at 70% instead of 20%. Quite an improvement! I did not quite use the intensive regimen that Gaminwench uses (hers involves more tea, etc, while still on playa) but I credit her on-playa activities and her advice here with motivating me to realize I could do a lot better by my voice than I have in the past. Thank you, Gaminwench!

[tatonka]

still have a slight cough , was a little under the weather when I got to BM , then I didnt drink or eat right and by the time I got home I was sick took some ibuproven which helped , then got some ammoium AD . That really helped , been feeling good for over a week now and put some weight back on. The skin on my hands tho , is peeling like blisters , just dry dead skin coming off.

[BBadger]

I don't/didn't get playa lung, but during that dust storm I think some of that dust came from adjacent hills and was not the melt-in-your-lungs playa dust. That stuff was definitely making me choke and gave me a sore throat for a little bit.

[gaminwench]

Licorice sun tea, for the WIN.

I make licorice (good for the lungs) sun tea every day for my campmates and guests.
In 16 years, there's never been a case of playa lung on my watch.
(I wear a silk shemagh during major dust events; last time in 2007, none this year.)

I'm a voice teacher, vocal health is important to me.
The playa trashes the vocal chords, the membranes, the lungs.

Lemon juice, pickle juice, and vinegar are all acidics that counteract the alkali of the playa dust;
Licorice tea soothes and rejuvenates the airways.

(((Savannah)))

[mudpuppy000]

I don't/didn't get playa lung, but during that dust storm I think some of that dust came from adjacent hills and was not the melt-in-your-lungs playa dust. That stuff was definitely making me choke and gave me a sore throat for a little bit.

Yeah, I had a sneezing fit on Saturday during the big storm. That never happens to me out there, usually just when I'm exposed to something I'm allergic to.

[pink]

I usually lose my voice before the gate even opens, but this year I drank a lot of pickle juice and it came back. I was hoarse but could talk.

[maryanimal]

I was getting a bad cough about Friday and on the way home the sore throat and raspy voice started, by Saturday I was so sick, I contracted a nice case of bronchitis and a sinus infection. Now 3 weeks later, cough is going away and sinus infection is gone but my lungs still hurt. Sometimes a little hard to breath. Another Dr. visit is in order and lung xrays.

Other than that I feel good. Still trying to get back into the default world. It's somewhat difficult this year.

[LuvMaker]

I believe their is a good chance that I got Valley Fever (VF) while attending and working the Burning-Man event. I was there for 3 weeks inhaled copious amounts of dust, I was caught in multiple dust storms blowing orange/brown dust in from the neighboring communities. One of those communities is Washo county whom has reported 5 cases of VF from tribal members who never left the Reservation = which puts VF in that county. Fatigue and flu like symptoms started w/in 2-3 weeks of leaving the event which correlate w/ the incubation period...

When I ask Burning-Man's health department about informing the community about taking preventative measures for VF they say its not relevant, and have been dismissive about VF in the past conversations that I have tried to have w/ them. They have even refereed to a 40+ year old maps re VF. I believe they are afraid of the implications that this might have on the event...
Anyone demonstrating any respiratory issues should be tested immediately, its a simple blood test that you must request. most doctors are completely ill informed about the disease and according to the CDC it is rampantly miss-diagnosed. If left untreated it can be potentially fatal...

Here is their email if you wish to ask BRC any questions about VF - which I encourage:

911@burningman.org

[Token]

I believe their is a good chance that I got Valley Fever (VF) while attending and working the Burning-Man event...

Did you have the test done and have confirmation it was Valley Fever?

With a transient population of 80K people from far and wide, and the high density of the population, there is a much better chance you caught a more common bug that shares the vague symptoms of valley fever.

VF remains very rare in the latitude of BRC. It is much more common in AZ and the CA Central Valley.