I wouldn’t worry too much. Something like 80% of people who are infected either have no symptoms or very light ones. I’ve had the light version myself, and it only included extreme dizziness for a day, and a killer headache the next.
I’ve always thought that West Nile virus was, for the most part, overblown - a legitimate concern, sure, but not worthy of the panicked reaction it gets.
I didn’t know for sure as I didn’t have a blood test. However, the summer camp I was working for at the time had had I think 4 or 5 cases that summer, and two of the major initial symptoms were dizziness and headache. The vertigo was the worst; I could hardly stand up for dizziness. The camp nurse watched me for a couple of days, and when I had no other symptoms, she told me I’d probably had a light case of West Nile since my symptoms fit the bill and we’d already had so many cases.
When you get it bad, it can be really terrible though. One guy I know was laid up for a month and a half. I was pretty lucky.
Of course you Know that I Know, that having Failed to nurse Ernesto back to cyclonic health and coax him on Up the Coast & thence the Connecticut River for to pound my Butt with Stormsurges & windborne Debris ;> ~ you have now posted this Westnile business merely as a Fallback method of Alarming me with something Else :}, which of course it Does ;}. I wouldn’twannasuggest that you Bug yer Ould Man but let’s just say it’s not only the mosquitoes that Suck, here :]. /// But enough of this silliness, it’s getting on to Sunset which is when the Fish bite fiercely :> so I must head on over to the Wethersfield Swamp Pond to try my Luck. (Surely Wethersfield’s not on the Infected List, right? :)
“…it only included extreme dizziness for a day, and a killer headache the next…The vertigo was the worst; I could hardly stand up for dizziness. The camp nurse…told me I’d probably had a light case…When you get it bad, it can be really terrible though…”
Hm. / OTOH, Kristin, if that’s West Nile Lite, maybe I’ll just stay home after all. :>
Waw haw haw! :> Always trust Alasdair to unfurl the bold bright banner of Political Incorrectness on-&-for any-&-all Occasions. :) Shame on you, Laird A: what you Mean to cite (ye bigfat Meanie :) is ditziness, O thou bravehearted Dizzy Gillespie, extreme Ditziness. ;>
August 30th, 2006 at 1:46:24 pm
I wouldn’t worry too much. Something like 80% of people who are infected either have no symptoms or very light ones. I’ve had the light version myself, and it only included extreme dizziness for a day, and a killer headache the next.
August 30th, 2006 at 1:57:53 pm
How did you know it was West Nile?
August 30th, 2006 at 2:07:47 pm
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PANIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY!!!!!
Just doing what Brendan says. ;)
I’ve always thought that West Nile virus was, for the most part, overblown - a legitimate concern, sure, but not worthy of the panicked reaction it gets.
August 30th, 2006 at 2:12:27 pm
Much like SARS was.
August 30th, 2006 at 3:25:10 pm
I didn’t know for sure as I didn’t have a blood test. However, the summer camp I was working for at the time had had I think 4 or 5 cases that summer, and two of the major initial symptoms were dizziness and headache. The vertigo was the worst; I could hardly stand up for dizziness. The camp nurse watched me for a couple of days, and when I had no other symptoms, she told me I’d probably had a light case of West Nile since my symptoms fit the bill and we’d already had so many cases.
When you get it bad, it can be really terrible though. One guy I know was laid up for a month and a half. I was pretty lucky.
August 30th, 2006 at 6:42:36 pm
[clears throat / soundcheck / ok, in 5 / 4, 3, 2, 1…]
MAAAAAAAH!!! :)
Love,
~ “EVERYBODY” :>
Of course you Know that I Know, that having Failed to nurse Ernesto back to cyclonic health and coax him on Up the Coast & thence the Connecticut River for to pound my Butt with Stormsurges & windborne Debris ;> ~ you have now posted this Westnile business merely as a Fallback method of Alarming me with something Else :}, which of course it Does ;}. I wouldn’twannasuggest that you Bug yer Ould Man but let’s just say it’s not only the mosquitoes that Suck, here :]. /// But enough of this silliness, it’s getting on to Sunset which is when the Fish bite fiercely :> so I must head on over to the Wethersfield
SwampPond to try my Luck. (Surely Wethersfield’s not on the Infected List, right? :)“…it only included extreme dizziness for a day, and a killer headache the next…The vertigo was the worst; I could hardly stand up for dizziness. The camp nurse…told me I’d probably had a light case…When you get it bad, it can be really terrible though…”
Hm. / OTOH, Kristin, if that’s West Nile Lite, maybe I’ll just stay home after all. :>
August 30th, 2006 at 7:03:59 pm
LOL Dad.
Kristin: extreme dizziness for a day, and a killer headache the next … Sounds like a good night at The Backer to me. :)
August 30th, 2006 at 7:57:45 pm
First Lyme Disease, and now this. I’m keeping my ass out of CT.
August 30th, 2006 at 8:28:36 pm
LOL, Brendan! Sadly, your observation is quite accurate. :)
August 30th, 2006 at 10:08:58 pm
So West Nile makes its victims blond for a day ?
Curiouser and curiouser !
August 31st, 2006 at 12:52:24 am
Waw haw haw! :> Always trust Alasdair to unfurl the bold bright banner of Political Incorrectness on-&-for any-&-all Occasions. :) Shame on you, Laird A: what you Mean to cite (ye bigfat Meanie :) is ditziness, O thou bravehearted Dizzy Gillespie, extreme Ditziness. ;>
August 31st, 2006 at 1:26:29 am
I will, of course, defer to your much greater experience with such things, O Venerable Loy !