Have you got your flu shot?

[alpha]

Warning!!! Do not view this unless you want to know the possible outcome!!!

http://videos.komando.com/2009/10/27...u-shot-result/

[Norm in Fujino]

I'm not afraid of the big, bad flu shot, will be getting mine first or second week of Nov.

[JSUPreston]

I'm interested in some straight talk from some of the Doc's on the board. You see, we had H1N1 at my house in August. All 4 of us took Tamiflu. Then, 2 weeks ago, 3 of us came down with regular Type A. At this point, do we need to even consider the shot or is it too little too late for us?

In the past, I have not taken the shot because I do get sick afterwards. It has happened to me several times, so I know it's not just a coincidence. Maybe an allergic reaction to something in the shot? I don't know, but I recently talked with a couple of nurses I know about it, and they have heard about this as well and they told me that if it makes me sick, don't get the shot.

[gsmittle]

Getting mine on Friday. No problems at all the last couple of years, and the third arm now growing out of my forehead has been downright useful.

g.

[chopnhack]

That is pretty bad, my mother came down with this after receiving the flu shot, then being exposed to mulitple viruses on a cruise.... We are not really sure, but most of her many MD's agreed that there was a connection

https://health.google.com/health/ref...Barre+syndrome

It took her years to recover and she almost died.

[billwmeyer]

Since I was diagnosed as a type II diabetic several years ago, I have gotten the season flu shot every year, except 1 year when it was in short supply. I got my seasonal flu shot last week at work, and if they offer the swine flu shot, I will get it. I have never had any problems with them.

Bill

[radhak]

We have never taken any flu shot, and each season it's the same discussion - should we/shouldn't we? LOML is big on avoiding medication as much as possible, so it's mostly her steadfast belief versus my ambivalence, and you can guess who's been winning till now .

From what I've heard of it, the flu vaccine works by 'giving' you a tiny amount of flu so your body builds up anti-bodies for it; that said, it should be no surprise many get sick after the shot...? Maybe those who don't have a problem have already built a strong defense to flu? (a very unscientific and layman interpretation - maybe y'all don't need to take the shots any longer?)

Btw Chop, a close friend has been struck down by the GB Syndrome since Aug 11th : his nervous / muscular system was shot 90%, so for all practical purposes he has been paralyzed, with very, very slow progress. Friends and family are just happy that he's able to breathe part of the time now without the ventilator. The doctors were keen to know if he had any flu shots earlier, and then determined his case was triggered by some stomach infection. But yes, even the minuscule chances of flu shot causing that could give anybody nightmares...!

Did you say your mother took years to recover ? Oh, the poor wife of my friend !

[parnelli]

We have never taken any flu shot, and each season it's the same discussion - should we/shouldn't we? LOML is big on avoiding medication as much as possible, so it's mostly her steadfast belief versus my ambivalence, and you can guess who's been winning till now .

From what I've heard of it, the flu vaccine works by 'giving' you a tiny amount of flu so your body builds up anti-bodies for it; that said, it should be no surprise many get sick after the shot...? Maybe those who don't have a problem have already built a strong defense to flu? (a very unscientific and layman interpretation - maybe y'all don't need to take the shots any longer?)

The flu shot contains DEAD flu virus. You can't get the flu from the flu shot.

[radhak]

The flu shot contains DEAD flu virus. You can't get the flu from the flu shot.

And I always wondered how I'd have made out as a doctor... ! Sorry, my bad!

<note to self : google before posting...>

[billwmeyer]

The flu shot contains DEAD flu virus. You can't get the flu from the flu shot.

The flu shot is this way, but as I understand it, the nasal spray for the swine flu is a live virus.

Bill

[Ed62]

Got my flu shot last week. We get them every year. I won't get the H1N1 shot unless they have them to spare. At my age, I probably don't need it as much as younger people.

Ed

[Richard in Smithville]

I get my flu shot every year. LOML is type II diabeties and we all get the shot to try and minimize any exposure to her. Also we plan on looking into the h1n1 shot( or spray ) as the possible results of not having it is just too scary. I also await feedback from one of the Docs.

[MilDoc]

Flu shot is indeed a killed virus. You can not get the flu from the shot. Pure utter hogwash. What may happen is you are exposed to another upper respiratory virus a few days before the shot, get the shot, then get sick the next day or so and blame the vaccine. However, some of the known side effects of the shot include soreness / redness / swelling at the injection site, low grade fever (< 100.5), some muscle aches, mild nausea. You can have similar side effects from almost any vaccine.

The nasal mist for both Piggy and seasonal flu is "live" but attenuated, ie, it can not survive at normal body temperature but can survive and produce immunity in your nasal passage. But you can experience runny nose, headache, sore throat, cough - which are far less than true flu symptoms and resolve rather quickly. Children can also have wheezing, muscle aches, and vomiting. Nasal mist is not for those < 2 years of age, asthmatics.

These reactions to any flu vaccine often last only 1-2 days, so if you are sicker than that after the vaccine, don't blame the vaccine!

As for Guillain-Barre Syndrome, even the 1976 Swine vaccine had an incidence of 1 in 100,000, a bit higher than expected if no one was vaccinated. The risk with newer vaccines is approximately 1 in one million. You are more likely to get GBS from the flu itself, EBV (mono virus), cytomegalovirus, a bowel infection with C. jejuni (+ diarrhea, often bloody), and other infections.

Right now almost 99% of the flu in circulation is Swine flu in most areas. Seasonal flu is rare in most areas so far.

IF you had a confirmed case of Swine Flu, you may or may not get the vaccine. Up to you. BUT, a positive "rapid flu test" for influenza "A" is not proof of Swine Flu. Unless your sample was confirmed by RT-PCR (and most are not), then I would get the vaccine.

There is also the possibility that, if you had confirmed Swine Flu, AND took Tamiflu within the first 48 hours, you may NOT have developed sufficient immunity to avoid getting it again.

[annunaki]

No

I never get Flu shots.
I eat healthy (21 Years Vegan Diet) and keep Immune System strong

[chopnhack]

That is some really interesting information on GBS MilDoc, do you have any sources? I would like to look more in depth on that. I so far have avoided flu vaccines because of this event - it was only about 4 years ago so I haven't missed much by way of vaccination, but I work with the public and have 2 small children to consider.
And yes, Radhak, her progress was slow and took quite a bit of rehab. In men it hits harder initially so I don't know if he will recover quicker or not.