Playa lung and who got sick after BM?

[ron5657]

I heard its common for ppl to exhibit cold like symptons after Bm. Dust deep in the lungs, coughing etc. Anyone experience this?

[Dustdevil]

Cold and flu like symptoms. I departed on Tuesday, felt sick on Wednesday and today I have my energy back. Last year I had no symptoms but I had the same thing after 05'.

[jalinde]

I got cold-like symptons after bm and I NEVER get sick. EVER!

Perhaps the lack of sleep depresses the immune system and we really do have colds?

[Toolmaker]

I stopped coughing out the playa in my lungs yesterday. I didn't bother with dustmasks, wound up giving em to others here and there. A bandanna did the trick for me but my lungs are fucked from the trades anyway. Most folks should wear at least N95 out there. The dust is in the harmful/toxic range so bandannas and doc masks are not sufficient.

[ron5657]

last year i had the coughs for a few days, but this year as soon as i was headed home i turned the AC on and i started sniffling lol. No headache or pains just a congested resp system. When i talked i sounded like i had a cold but felt fine. But i'm feeling better now.

[robbidobbs]

Get over it, it will heal itself in a month.

[AntiM]

I'd begun Advair right before the burn, four days only, and dropped it because the mouth rinsing thing and remembering to use it was too much for me. I did fine, no coughing, wheezing or chest pain on the playa or now. Haven't used my inhaler in over two weeks. I only used scarves during the whiteouts too. My asthma settled down wonderfully on the playa.

Know what gives me flu symptoms? Fatigue, body aches, sore throat, swollen glands, cough, headache? Any product with sodium/potassium benzoate in it. Flavored waters and diet sodas have a lot of it. Worth checking if you think you may be sensitive, just start reading labels. I feel and look at lot better since I weeded that crap outta my system. I know, I nag, but if it helps one person it is worth it.

[motskyroonmatick]

I never use a mask and have never had any bad symptoms in fact I cough more at home than on playa. Oh I did have one bloody nose. Dehydration.

[K-mom]

I woke up sick this morning and I didn't even go to the desert.
Does anyone know if this bug can travel through ePlaya ?

[BitterDan]

By Wednesday (week of the burn) I had a sore throat. Went to Moonshine Tavern on Thursday, sore throat gone (thanks Moonshine XXX).

On Saturday night I felt like shit and skipped the man burn. It went away after a few hours though.

Now that I am home I have a little bit of a tickle in the throat but no lung problems. Of course, I wore a dust mask whenever conditions were present that would require one.

One of our campmates had a horrible sinus infection the whole time but Nasal Spray seemed to alleviate it somewhat.

[barnz]

I'd begun Advair right before the burn, four days only, and dropped it because the mouth rinsing thing and remembering to use it was too much for me. I did fine, no coughing, wheezing or chest pain on the playa or now. Haven't used my inhaler in over two weeks. I only used scarves during the whiteouts too. My asthma settled down wonderfully on the playa.

I also started Advair right before hitting the playa, and was very spotty with remembering to use it (and not always using it when I remembered, also b/c of the mouth rinsing thing).

But I had a much easier time breathing this year than last. Last year I wore my dust mask a LOT, this year only during the storms and intermittently during the burns when there was an excessive kick-up of dust.

No Playa Lung here!

[Ugly Dougly]

I suspect Valley Fever

[AntiM]

I suspect Valley Fever

My dad had that in the 60s. Nasty. Oh, you can tell the difference between it and asthma.

[Tiger Lily]

[quote="BitterDan"]By Wednesday (week of the burn) I had a sore throat. Went to Moonshine Tavern on Thursday, sore throat gone (thanks Moonshine XXX).

On Saturday night I felt like shit and skipped the man burn. It went away after a few hours though.

Now that I am home I have a little bit of a tickle in the throat but no lung problems. Of course, I wore a dust mask whenever conditions were present that would require one.

One of our campmates had a horrible sinus infection the whole time but Nasal Spray seemed to alleviate it somewhat.[/quote]

I loved Moonshine Tavern!
They gave me a neat little shot glass and let me hang out behind the bar!

[trypical]

NETI POT.
works wonders. doesn't keep the dust out of your lungs but it keeps your sinuses kleen!!

[Ugly Dougly]

Ginger is a good treatment.

[Catwoman69y2k]

It was quite dusty out there for sure!

I was already warned of this and rather than being an unprepared virgin, I tried to see about bringing both bandannas and a respirator mask. It did the trick. I only had a bit of coughing the first day at BM and than a bit of coughing during the first day off-playa. That really was about it...and there was one dust storm where I got seperated from my dust mask.

Kat

[Dork]

I usually get a little sick when I return home, but this year I had zero problems on or off the playa. Also very few little red bits coming out when blowing my nose on the playa compared to previous years (what the hell are those??? No, wait - I don't want to know) Maybe it's because I now live in a climate similar to the playa, so my body was used to the dry heat and altitude? Not sure. I was on the playa longer than I ever had been and the drive was the most brutal.

[barnz]

Also very few little red bits coming out when blowing my nose on the playa compared to previous years (what the hell are those??? No, wait - I don't want to know)

Okay, Playa LUNG is a much more sociable ailment then playa NOSE. We don't want to go there....

[server47]

oh yeah i did. at first i thought maybe it was from the kissing booth , or the lack of real food. or maybe just lack of sleep.

[mdmf007]

I have yet to wear a dust mask at all - and I can feel the twinge of playa in my chest when I leave. Just feels like I am winded a little - takes a few days to go away.

no bloody noses

later

[BAS]

Well, when I went in 2006 I already had a sinus infection, so I don't know if the infection got worse on its own, or the playa made it worse.... Definitely didn't seem to help, though. (I also got really dehydrated, I think, probably the sinus infections fault.)


(I also blame the sinus infection for my decided to write "The American Dream" on one of the wood blocks at the Temple. Considering the 2008 theme, I may have to do some sort of repeat of that.)


B.

[gaminwench]

Licorice tea is nature's gift to your respiratory system - 8 years on the playa, never had trouble - I dose the folks in my camp regularly with licorice tea, and *we* all do just fine...

[Valkyrie]

I had no lung problems, but I've had an icky post-nasal drip that's only just now clearing up since I returned from the playa. I had issues with scabs inside my nose and that kind of stuff out there, but I blame that on the sheer dryness, and the dust was only an irritant. I figure the PND was just a symptom of re-introducing my sinuses to moisture.

[skeetsh00ter]

i've had cold like symptoms for the past week and a half. At first i thought i caught it from my 2 roommates who were both sick when i got back, they got better quick and i'm still sick! beginning to think i might still have some playa dust down in my lungs. (totally worth it though :) )

[Toolmaker]

RE: Nose issues mentioned

bits of red are likely blood that is dry, small scab chunks etc

saline nasal spray should keep your nose hydrated

if you bring the saline and don't use it enough a chunk of babywipe in the nose feels great and stops up the bleeding (hard to find spiderweb on the playa)

[barnz]

The best thing I've ever found for keeping my nostrils hydrated is aquafor. (Or basic petroleum jelly - but keep away from open flames...oh wait... )

[Valkyrie]

Oh, I like the petroleum jelly idea. I really find nose sprays extraordinarily annoying and would rather take the scabs over having to use them.

[BAS]

I prefer a saline rinse to saline spray (just pour it in one nostril, and let it drain out the other). Never tried it on the playa-- just started using the stuff in early 2007-- it seems to have helped my sinuses and nose in day to day living, though.


I think I did use some Burt's Bees lip balm on my nose out there, and seem to recall it worked okay. (At any rate, it smells pretty good up in my nose....)

Just my US$0.01.



B.

[ricochet]

The best thing I've ever found for keeping my nostrils hydrated is aquafor. (Or basic petroleum jelly - but keep away from open flames...oh wait... :lol: )

Be careful with petroleum jelly. It can end up in your lungs and won't go away. See http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/petroleum-jelly/AN00947

Saline spray works great for me, usually I just do that at the end of the day to clear out the dust before sleep.