Does the flu shot really work?

[Zuri]

I will just say this: if a flu shot could have prevented what I now have to accept as my normal, I would have gotten it in a heartbeat. Anyone can argue the pros and cons of anything.

The devastation that H1N1 has had on my life can not be minimized. Everything has changed. I mean everything. My life expectancy has decreased dramatically and I am only 58.

I would never advise anyone AGAINST a vaccine for any reason, nor would I endulge in conspiracy theories either. It is a personal choice. I am only a witness to the "I wish I had" or "It can never happen to me" thinkers. I was once one of those...

 

[pinklilies]

Dr. Oz may have spoken about the H1N1 vaccine as it was coming out. There were no tests for its efficacy initially. There was not a date provided on that link and it was on a chiropractor website? who is not held to the same standard as an MD.

Like always, consider the source. Educate yourself. You are your own best friend and can only decide what is right for you and yours. IMOO

Zuri, I'm wondering why you quoted my post. Are you advising I educate myself?

 

[FrostOwl]

<Snip> God Bless Zuri! I appreciate your respecting one's right to their own choice. You, of all people, could be one of those, " How dare you not get the shot, I could have caught this from you because you didn't get the vaccine!" But you don't blame others, and I commend you. (One poster here blamed her husbands evil co-workers who were coughing, when he could have got it from handling a grocery item. There's no way to know). <Snip>

There is a difference between blaming someone for having caught the flu, and saying that people who have, or suspect that they have, the flu (or any other airborne infection) should stay at home instead of going to work or school, as the flu is contagious and spread by air. It's not an act of bravery to go to work while having an infection, by doing that they will spread the infection, and it will most likely take longer for themselves to get well again.

 

[FrostOwl]

Eat Well. Sleep Well. Move Well. Limit all of the stressors in your life and the question "Does the flu shot really work?", will be irrelevant.

The question should be "Is the flu shot necessary?"
For the vast majority of people, I do not believe it to be necassary.

Again
1) Limit and minimize stress.
2) Eat ridiculously well 90% of the time.
3) Get good quality sleep in the right amount for YOU.
4) Move Well and then move often.

The problem with the above 4 tips is that the majority of folks in the western world have no idea how to go about that. And our education/medical/health systems do a piss poor job of teaching us.

If you don't make your own health & well being your #1 priority, then getting quick fixes like the flu shot and other Big Pharma toxic chemical cocktails probably but regretfully makes sense in this day and age.
JMO

Add to those:
5) Wash your hands with soap and water frequently
6) Stay at home when having the flu or any other airborne infection

 

[LinasK]

(One poster here blamed her husbands evil co-workers who were coughing, when he could have got it from handling a grocery item. There's no way to know).



When they are through with the "Ginnie pig" stage, and develop a inoculation that stands on more solid ground, I'm in. Until then I'll be watching... from a distance. (Good luck to the "Early Adopters"!)

BBM. Yeah, my husband's co-worker did cough directly on him multiple times "She was coughing a lung out", so I know for a fact that she infected him and I will continue to blame her (and him for not getting his shot in time)!!!

And the Army doesn't require the flu shot for no good reason!

 

[LinasK]

There is a difference between blaming someone for having caught the flu, and saying that people who have, or suspect that they have, the flu (or any other airborne infection) should stay at home instead of going to work or school, as the flu is contagious and spread by air. It's not an act of bravery to go to work while having an infection, by doing that they will spread the infection, and it will most likely take longer for themselves to get well again.

BBM. Can't thank this post enough!!!:clap::clap::clap::goodpost:

 

[MzOpinion8d]

Add to those:
5) Wash your hands with soap and water frequently
6) Stay at home when having the flu or any other airborne infection

I get frustrated at the local school district because usually if my kids are sick I keep them out 2 - 3 days because a)they need rest and b)they shouldn't be going to school spreading it around. If some other kid had been kept home long enough maybe mine wouldn't be sick! But they have a limit of 10 days absence before a dr note is required for every single absence after that. I'm an RN! I literally assess people and treat them for illnesses daily, and advise them on the appropriate time frame to return to normal activities. So stupid.

They don't get sick a lot, but if I keep them out 3 days then it only takes 3 instances to almost be at that limit. When you're dealing with colds, ear infections, sore throats, stomach bugs...3 days isn't unreasonable for recovery.

 

[LinasK]

It turns out that the flu shot works better than the Flu Mist. DD got the Flu Mist last Fall and still got the flu in March.

 

[1&2&3]

Does the flu shot really work? It's a $50 million dollar guess! It is advertised strongly enough and pushed by all doctors to put money in the doctors and big pharmaceutical pockets. Have you ever flatly refused your doctors advise to get the shot and seen their reaction?

Why do so many people who take the shot still get the flu? The doctor's answer is always the strain going around wasn't in the shot given. What?? Really!!

Another thing to stop and ask yourself, if you go to the doctor sick with what appears to be the flu, why must they perform a flu test to see if you have the flu? Another $20 something charge. Not too many years ago, doctors could diagnose the flu by the symptoms, a "test"was not needed. I actually refused the test a few years ago and my GP of over 20 years told me they couldn't diagnose the flu then!? My reply was " I don't need a test for your medical training. All I want is medicine for this non-stop cough". She was pissed, but it was my money too.

Being I am allergic to the flu shot, I cannot take it. However, three of my adult children are in the bio med field and their advice and warning is to not take the flu shoot. They are in the inside workings, high levels, with lknowledge of ingredients, drugs, and reactions.

This is a topic similar to religion and politics. Each person has their mind made up and it can quickly lead to a full blown argument! I am expressing my personal opinion only and do not want to start a nasty discussion.

 

[cocomod]

Here is an interesting situation going on in Utah this year regarding the flu mist rather than the flu shot.

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=40412210&ni...es-for-answers-after-daughter-8-dies-from-flu

 

[LinasK]

Being I am allergic to the flu shot, I cannot take it. However, three of my adult children are in the bio med field and their advice and warning is to not take the flu shoot. They are in the inside workings, high levels, with lknowledge of ingredients, drugs, and reactions.

.

And I worked for years in the medical field and my advice is strongly to get it!!! And I've had the full-on flu more than once. I will always get it and from now on my daughter is going to have to suck it up and get the shot rather than the Flu Mist.

 

[cocomod]

I believe very, very strongly in the flu shot. I personally normally get a flu shot. One year, I was busy and I was sick when I took my kids in to get their shots, so I didn't get mine. The next month, I found out I was pregnant. I was over-joyed!! The following month, my (now-ex) husband got the flu (he NEVER believed in the flu shot), and he passed it along to me. For the first time in my life, I was down with the "real live" influenza. I had never experienced it before. I was down in bed for 7-10 days with a high fever for 5-6 of those days. The following week, I found out that my baby had died likely due to my high, high fever. I had a miscarriage a few days after that. Most people have NO idea what the "real" flu feels like. It is NOT a 24 hour or even 48 hour deal easy to get over. And, after the 7-10 days, it takes another week to gather your strength back. This is for a healthy adult. Can you imagine what it does to the sick, the weak, the young infants, or the elderly?

I believe in the research that I have done that the small percentage of risks from the flu shot FAR, FAR outweighs the percentage of complications from the FLU. IMVHO

:moo: :moo: :moo:

 

[skitten]

I always get the shot every year

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I had planned to get a flu shot today during my six month visit with my Allergy/Asthma Specialist. Nurse told me what happened to their shipment of the vaccine and Dr. Ross confirmed.

Evidently, the 2016/17 vaccine delivery (hundreds of doses) was attempted at the office on Friday, September 2, the Friday before Labor Day. The office is usually open from 8:00AM until 1:00PM on Fridays but was closed for a 4-day holiday weekend. Redelivery was made the following Tuesday, September 6 after the box had spent the long, hot weekend on a delivery truck. The vaccine requires refrigeration, so the entire shipment had to be tossed. Replacement delivery was expected today, but I was there first thing this morning before shipment arrived. I don't need an appointment and might go later this week. I will get pneumonia vaccine next Tuesday during my annual visit with my PCP.

 

[Minette]

I know lots of people say they never had the flu until they got a flu shot, but I have to really wonder: did they have the full-blown flu or a milder case perhaps somewhat ameliorated by the flu shot? I say this will all respect, but I have had a mild fever, etc. due to the flu shot and I have also had the flu once or twice before I regularly got the shot and....I would never, EVER not get the shot again. Two solid weeks of feeling like it hurts your bones to lie in bed but you are too weak to get up, mustering your resources for like an hour to have the energy to get up and go to the bathroom then being so exhausted that you could sleep for hours if only your very bones and muscles didn't ache, the unbearable chills followed by being too hot to let anything touch your skin, sometimes several fluctuations within a few minutes. No, I won't go without the flu shot again. I like my chances better with even a reaction to the shot.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Had my flu shot this morning during my annual physical. No sweat

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I am afraid to say I have only had the flu once in my life when I was 22 thinking I may jinx myself.

I have been around loved ones throughout my life who did get the flu and never contracted it from any of them even though to many of them I was the one nursing them back to health.

However; I am going to chance getting a flu shot this time and so is my hubby who also had the flu only once before in his 30s. It has always been free through our insurance carrier. The reason I have been reluctant to try it again is the only time I ever had a flu shot in my entire life was when I was 22 and it was the only time I had a severe case of the flu about two months after getting the shot..

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Do they give a different shot for someone over 65? I will be 70 on Christmas Day. :

 

[MelmothTheLost]

I had a flu shot once and was sick (flu-like symptoms for about 48 hours) from the injection, so I never got another.

You do know that was just bad luck? All flu vaccinations involve dead virus do you cannot get flu from them? You just had the misfortune to come into contact with the flu virus around the time you were vaccinated and before you had full cover.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

You do know that was just bad luck? All flu vaccinations involve dead virus do you cannot get flu from them? You just had the misfortune to come into contact with the flu virus around the time you were vaccinated and before you had full cover.

I'm going to trust my bright, competent PCP on this one. We spoke about the flu and pneumonia vaccines during my annual visit this morning. She recommended the flu vaccine just as she had during my annual visit last year. She knows my medical history (I'm 66) and what is in my best interest