The symptoms for seasonal flu and H1N1 are similar. They are:

  • Fever of 100 degrees or more
  • Chills
  • Cough and/or sore throat
  • Headache, muscle aches
  • Fatigue
  • Sometimes nausea and/or vomiting, diarrhea

If you have one or more of these symptoms:

  • Stay at home or in your residence hall room. Avoid going to classes, work or social gathering until you have no fever for 24 hours without taking fever reducing medication.
  • Drink at least 2 liters of clear fluids (water, Gatorade, non-diet 7Up, ginger ale, broth, tea with sugar or clear Jell-O. Soft drinks are OK, but non-caffeinated drinks are better.
  • You may take a decongestant for congestion and a runny nose, or an over the counter cough syrup for a cough.
  • To reduce a fever you may use ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), or Tylenol as directed. 
  • Avoid aspirin.
  • For vomiting, do not eat or drink anything until you have not vomited for four hours. Then sip on liquids, as listed above, for 24 hours. Avoid plain water. It frequently does not stay down at this stage of the illness. If vomiting has stopped, you may gradually resume your normal diet, starting slowly with mild foods (crackers, rice, applesauce, toast) and progressing to regular food. 
  • Call Student Health Services for advice, or if you are concerned, at 406-657-2153. If you come to Student Health Services with these symptoms, you will be asked to wear a mask to protect other patients.
  • If your symptoms get worse, or get better, then get worse, seek medical care.

Seek medical care if you have:

  • A fever of over 102 degrees that does not come down to 100 degrees with medication
  • Severe headache and/or stiff neck
  • Severe cough not helped by over-the-counter cough medicines
  • Shortness of breath
  • Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
  • Sudden dizziness
  • Confusion
  • Vomiting that prevents keeping down clear liquids
  • Flu like symptoms improve, then return with fever and worse cough

People who are at high risk for complications of flu like illnesses should seek medical care as soon as they develop flu like symptoms.