Post-playa flu: Did you get it?

TheJudge · Post by **TheJudge** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 10:04 am

Came down with a mysterious flu or cold exactly 24 hours after returning. heavy congestion, a fever, hard to breathe, etc.

Anyone else get a weird sickness shortly after returning?

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 10:10 am

Some people get hit by it when they go from a very low humidity environment to a rather humid one. Add to that the buildup of playa dust in the lungs turning to playa mud (Ewwww...) and the change of elevation.

Yeah, I got it too - expected it. Don't look forward to it, but it happens. Part of the joy of membership!

bb

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 10:10 am

Yeah, I've got the same thing. At first I was thinking it was related to the frog pond water or giardia but that was ruled out. Mine turned into bronchial pneumonia. Lots and lots of antibiotics later I'm finally snapping out of it. I hope your symptoms are not as nasty as what I've been fighting or else I know you're miserable.

ubu · Post by **ubu** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 10:11 am

I would conjecture that a major factor might be the lack of sleep. I did not get any flu symptoms myself, but lack of sleep is often the factor that does make me vulnerable to catching flu.

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 10:18 am

There is another factor - or 2 really - we were in a relatively sterile environment and re-intoroduced to our germy "default" world, and also we were exposed to 35,000 strangers from all over the world... THAT has something to do with it as well...

bb

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 10:23 am

I slept for five days after I got back from Reno after my dehydrations epidode. Was perky on Sunday and Monday, got up early Tuesday and packed our bins woke up the mrFishist and did most of the driving home. Slept Wednesday, Thurs, Fri and Sat. Back to work on Monday.

TheJudge · Post by **TheJudge** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 10:45 am

I've seen this happen before, but this was the first time it hit me. And BOY HOWDY did it hit me this year!

I'd like to know exactly what causes this. Are there any doctors out there that would like to hazzard a guess? I'm sure the ancient algae in the dust combined with the drastic change in climate and 37,000 people MIGHT have somethign to do with it, but would like to know more.

My co-workers all want to kick my ass since I brought it back and infected them. My little gift to the rest of the mundane world, I guess. heh.

Cosworth Magellan · Post by **Cosworth Magellan** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 10:51 am

Ah, good old Playa Plague...

Increased succeptibility to any and all forms of disease. Caused by some combination of the following:

-Poor personal hygeine practices
-Dehydration and damage to mucus membranes
-Heat exhaustion
-Sleep deprivation
-Questionable sexual encounters
-Massive intake of intoxicants
-Rapid changes in metabolism due to any of the above

Somehow I managed to avoid it this year. I've no idea how.

robbidobbs · Post by **robbidobbs** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 11:21 am

I got a cold on the day before leaving. Lingering cough of goo. Station 3 hooked me up w/ pseudophedrine, and away I danced.

ZaphodBurner · Post by **ZaphodBurner** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 11:35 am

Miz Sharika and I both caught a cold within a week of coming home again this year.

Must have something to do sleep deprivation, dehydration, returning to a wet, cold environment and complete system compromise.

-c

thinkcooper · Post by **thinkcooper** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 2:12 pm

.hmmm... had a nasty chest cold, that luckily only lasted about three-four days, right after the playa. I attributed it to my coughing, sneezing teenage daughter that greeted us when we arrived home.

Post by **AntiM** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 4:44 pm

I've got a nasty cold right now, probably not playaesque in origin unless it has a long incubation period. I've been holed up at home, and only been out to sstock the house once, so I'm guessing the shopping cart at the commissary got me.

I think playa flu is like going back to school flu, you get all these kids from all over playing together, they don't wash their hands very well, and get strange new germs from all over the place all over each other. Toss in dry, irritated lungs and you have a remarkable germ factory up and running.

--Ever-- · Post by **--Ever--** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 10:05 pm

Big YES.

Left Sunday afternoon. Spent the evening in the Bay area. Drove to San Diego all Monday. Woke up mid-night with uber chills/fever. Sick all day Tuesday (first day of classes..), went to the emergency room that night (thought I might have had an oncoming ear infection). Tonsilitis, suspected to be strep throat. Pinicillin + pregnazone and I was better by the next evening.

But yeah, I was definitely hit hard and fast by something. I must say I ate rather healthy during the four days I was at BM but sleep was definitely to a minimum.. It's really interesting to hear similar symptoms from a few of you, especially the ones that were hit in the same manner (w/in 24hrs and hard..)

HappyCJ · Post by **HappyCJ** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 8:17 am

I am still recovering.

I hate this one, too, because it has been one symptom at a time. One day congestion. One day sore muscles. One day grumpy. One day sneezing. One day coughing....

The cough is almost gone (last of the symptoms, I think), but boy has it been annoying.

Still got that nice raspy bit of Playa Voice, though! Makes my Wolfman Jack impression really work! :-)

- CJHappy

mars · Post by **mars** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 6:56 pm

Uh-oh...I had PRE-playa flu...I hate to think what THAT means! (turning around to flee from angry mob)...

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 6:57 pm

Oh no you don't. Get back here!

mars · Post by **mars** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 9:15 pm

(spoken from secret hiding place before dashing off again) I thought I was spreading LOVE!

////////////////////////////////////////

gawul · Post by **gawul** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 9:58 am

i got sick too, but it wasnt respiratory. mine was the type that keeps you in the bathroom for 'quality time' which lasted at least a week after i got home.

i thought it might be something i ate, but geeze

waltsnipe · Post by **waltsnipe** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 1:38 pm

Yep....we had a a bit of the cold thing going 'round SCARAB Camp by the end of the week. Mine lasted about a week after getting home. Not too bad, but definitely sucked the energy out and had a little "yellow" associated with it. It may have been the champagne bottles we passed around at the Burn, or we may all just be getting older......

Post by **actiongrl** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 1:52 pm

I stayed an extra five days post-event, and it hit me the day after I left. That was a week and a half ago, and I'm still coughing uncontrollably and markedly congested and tired.

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 3:31 pm

I swear, it's not a virus, it's climactic... I was there 3 days post and I had the expected playa dust cough, but it didn't hit be full bore until I got into this nice moist California air... I think it was all the dust in the lungs turning into nice, sticky playa mud... and like you, I still have this damn cough!

bb

RedHeaven · Post by **RedHeaven** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 12:19 pm

I had the playa HACK....did not use my scarf enough. I will next year. Oh and all those kisses were bound to spread some germs....got a little sore throat.....its subsiding now.

Dustdevil · Post by **Dustdevil** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 12:37 pm

It hit me about two days after I got home. Lingering cough, etc. It lasted about five days. Wife had no symptoms at all.

ravenluv · Post by **ravenluv** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 10:28 am

thanks for the post. i wondered what the heck that was and assumed it was playa lung. didn't know where it will lead, but i think it's gone.

each year my lungs have felt slightly stressed just before leaving. this year i was a resident longer than ever. my bad was in only donning a dust mask once, briefly, at the temple burn. it was probably made worse by post-BRC long-haul sleeplessness and hovering around in a humid environment for five days.

it's funny how each year the playa reveals a new way to kick my ass physically.

Oubliet · Post by **Oubliet** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 12:42 am

A couple of friends that I camped with got sick, but I was okay.

I was really wiped out and tired out for the week after returning from the playa.

geekster · Post by **geekster** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 10:17 am

I got a little bit of a sore throat for a few days after coming back but that was it. I suspect it has a lot to do with:

People arriving from all over the world bringing germs with them that they may well have immunity to.

Much touching, shaking of hands, sharing of drink (someone else's camelback,cup,water bottle for a little hydration?), sharing of smoke, kissing, etc. All this contact allowing germs to spread.

Less frequent washing of hands due to less availablity of running water.

Many of these germs have various incubation periods and may not present symptoms until a week or more after exposure.

Secrets of not getting sick: Get plenty of rest, stay hydrated, wash your hands every chance you get, watch what you put in your mouth.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 10:30 am

geekster wrote:wash your hands every chance you get

Consider that Purell "gel" a small amount can fit in your pocket and you can "wash" as often as you like.

geekster · Post by **geekster** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 10:45 am

Does that stuff really work all that well by itself?

http://www.colostate.edu/Orgs/safefood/ ... n3s06.html

Research has shown that hand sanitizers can be as effective as hand washing only in certain situations. The type of soil which may be present on hands can significantly alter their effectiveness. Because dirt, food or anything else on your hands can make the alcohol less effective, it is important to first wash hands with soap and water. Some confusion has occurred as a result of the 2002 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines "recommending alcohol-based gel as a suitable alternative to hand washing for health-care personnel in health-care settings." Because many healthcare workers routinely must clean their hands multiple times per hour, the use of alcohol gels while moving between patients has been shown to favorably impact hand-cleansing adherence by staff due to time saved over traditional hand washing methods. However, the guidelines apply only to hospitals and clinics. These are not appropriate for and do NOT apply to those in foodservice settings.

I would suspect that life and disease transmision at Burning Man would be a closer parallel to food service environments than to clinical environments.

The CDC guidelines for hand hygiene in healthcare settings do not apply to those in foodservice primarily because the types and levels of soil on the hands are quite different. The types of pathogens most commonly transmitted by hands in health-care settings (primarily lipophilic, nosocomial pathogens) differ from those in retail and food-service settings, where fecal bacteria and enteric non-lipophilic viruses, such as Norovirus are more of a concern. Food workers often have wet hands and hands contaminated with proteinaceous and/or fatty materials, which can significantly reduce the effectiveness of an alcohol gel. Therefore, soap, friction and running water still remain most effective in removing the types of pathogens food workers might encounter. Both the FDA Model Food Code and the Colorado Retail Food Establishment Rules and Regulations make the provision that hand sanitizers may be used by food workers in addition to, but not in place of proper hand washing.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 11:16 am

Okay. For what its worth, the mrFishist does use that as an EMT but that would also be in conjunction with other BSI procedures.

Post-playa flu: Did you get it?

Post-playa flu: Did you get it?

Yup.

Not Just Me

Not the flu