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Flu shots? For them or against ?

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  • comptonelizabeth
    comptonelizabeth Posts: 1,701 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    I had my flu jab last week. I'm asthmatic and also on immunosuppressants for a long term condition, so here in the UK I get it free. The rest of my family also get it free because of the risks to me and they've had it done too
    For the record (I'm repeating myself I know) the nurse told me that the jab will be less effective for me. So I could still get flu but it reduces the risk. Other people getting the jab reduces it still further.
    She also told me it takes around 21 days to take effect (so those saying they got flu afterwards may have been incubating it or been exposed to it before the jab had taken effect ) It only protectsagainst certain strains. And - this is new to me - the immunity isn't permanent - it lasts around 6 months.
    I'm tired of hearing: only immunocompromised people should get it. It's the opposite. If more healthy people had it, the risks to me and other vulnerable people would be reduced.

    Re the bolded, I read an article recently (can't remember where) by a medical pro who suggested to their patients more vulnerable to the flu to wait until at least October to get the shot. Said that the protection does trail off and you are more likely to get the flu toward the end of flu season rather than early (August and September). So better to cover your butt so to speak for the end of the season rather than the beginning.

    I also read that studies show people who get shots in the morning experience less tenderness in their arm than those who get the shot later in the day. They don't know why, but I'm all about stacking the deck in my favor when all else is equal :). I have two little nephews and my parents are in their 70s, so I will be heading to CVS this week or next to get my shot. I have been blessed by what I can only assume is a strong immune system and good luck, as I hardly ever get sick, but the people around me are not always that lucky.

    That's interesting - thank you , will remember that next year! Did have it done in the morning, very little soreness :)
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,165 Member
    kgirlhart wrote: »
    kgirlhart wrote: »
    I've never had the flu so I don't get them. I am not against them though. My daughter has asthma and she is a school teacher. She has always gotten them. If I worked in healthcare or at a school I probably would, but I just usually don't spend the money on it. All in all I am pretty pro vaccines.

    All insurance should cover it...I've never had health insurance that didn't cover immunizations 100%. I've never paid for a flu shot and I get them every year.

    Your daughter has asthma and you don't get flu shots? I can't even...

    My daughter is an adult and she lives 200 miles away from me. If I were to get the flu I think she would be safe. When she lived at home she always got the flu shot but I did not. I have never had the flu.

    It would cost me about $20-$25. Like I said, if I worked at a school or in healthcare I would probably get one, but I don't so I never have bothered.

    One thing I don't think you realize is that each year the shot changes. So each shot you get (or the people who are around your daughter, with asthma) gives you an immunity to a new strain of virus. So over the years, you are building an immunity to many strains.

    I am really struggling to understand. Would you tell the people who work with your daughter to not get flu shots? Because that's the risk you are putting everyone else in. You don't go to the grocery? The gas station? You never touch anything that other people touch? You literally only see three people in your office, and that's it? What if one of those three people has a loved one who would be seriously affected? Really? You're that selfish?

    I realize that it changes every year. I would never tell anyone not to get a flu shot. My daughter who is at risk for flu always got them and still does as an adult. You can call me selfish if you want. There have been plenty of times that they will only give flu shots to people who are at risk because they don't have enough and they only will give them to the patients who they think need them.

    And yes there are literally only 3 people in my office and 2 of them aren't even here every day. There are plenty of days that I don't see anyone besides my husband.
  • dsboohead
    dsboohead Posts: 1,899 Member
    I get a flu shot every year, have not had a cold or flu in 5 years, since starting the shots.

    Ditto for me too!
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    edited October 2017
    kimny72 wrote: »
    Oh, and re the study linking flu shots to miscarriages:

    http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/09/new-study-finds-link-between-flu-vaccine-and-miscarriage-it-real

    There have been many studies over the years showing flu shots are safe for pregnant women, this is the first one to suggest any risk, and it isn't exactly convincing.

    I find much more frightening the fact that a number of nurses and other ancillary healthcare pros have shown up in this thread posting conspiracy theories and Facebook headlines.

    It's quite amazing, not just here, but at my work too. :confused:

    Edited to clarify.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Apparences can be deceiving. Eat an apple. I hear it is good for the bones.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    I'll be getting mine next week. :)
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    I got into a discussion with my dental hygienist yesterday about flu shots. Well, she got into a discussion. I just asked if they were required at that dentist office for the employees. She had her hands in my mouth and was holding sharp instruments, which was probably for the best since she had all kinds of odd beliefs that I am glad I couldn't refute without biting her.

    Maybe I should stick a hand in my own mouth when people start talking about this.
  • shannonwaters2395
    shannonwaters2395 Posts: 44 Member
    I don't think it's particularly important for healthy individuals but it is life saving for at risk groups like the elderly and those with certain conditions.

    I'm not at risk- and now work requires me to have it every year because I come in regular contact with at risk people. I fully support it being mandatory for certain positions- spesh health pros- because then the flu shot not only HELPS protects the recipient, it also helps protect the contacts of the recipient.

    No qualms about it being a gov conspiracy and I pay $15-$30 for it.
  • EatingAndKnitting
    EatingAndKnitting Posts: 531 Member
    Even doctors fall victim to the "I got the flu shot and got sick so I shouldn't get the flu shot" fallacy.

    My mom is elderly, diabetic, and home bound. She sees a podiatrist every six months that comes to her house to trim her toenails and check her feet. They were talking about the flu shot this last week when the doctor stopped by, and it turns out that this doctor doesn't get them!

    She works with the elderly, in their homes, and doesn't get a flu shot because she got one once and got sick afterwards. So post hoc ergo propter hoc, it was the flu shot and she shouldnt get them.

    My mom can't get the flu shot because she's egg intolerant (or believes she is). I know there are egg free ones out there, but she won't get those either.

    I'm not really happy with this doctor. She runs her own practice, so no one can make her get one, but she's putting all her patients at risk.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    I get a flu shot every year and just got mine this year.

    I once caught the flu w/in the 14 day immunization period but I don't believe that I got it because of the shot. If that was so, I'd catch the flu every year and I don't. In fact I haven't had the flu for over 5 yrs. Don't know if that's because of the shot or not but IMO it's better to be safe than sorry.

    I also get every other immunization that is recommended.

  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    I'm going to get my flu shot today so pray for me because apparently I might die

    Update: I'm still alive.

    Considering this was posted on Friday the 13th, I'm thinking this was actually her ghost posting.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    I got mine - had a small lupus flare in response to it, which is not uncommon for people with lupus - it sounds bad until you realize that having full-fledged flu would almost certainly have caused a severe lupus flare. Since a flare for me typically means circulatory system inflammation, vasculitis, and heart problems severe enough to make me bedridden for days, the little flare I had - headaches and vasculitis spots on my feet for a few days - is definitely a bargain. Here's hoping that our vaccine this year is a better match in the Northern Hemisphere than it has been in Australia, they had a terrible flu season this year.
  • GettinFitInMN
    GettinFitInMN Posts: 24 Member
    For. Every doctor I know says get it. I didn't one year and was out of work sick for a whole week. Never missed it after that.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,282 Member
    On the point about egg intolerance/ allergies - it is true that glue vaccine is cultivated in egg culture.

    However the amount in the vaccine is absolutely minimal.

    Unless you have an anaphylactic reaction to the tiniest contact with egg particles - extremely rare in adults - then you can safely have flu vaccine.

    People who get a rash or get nausea, bloating etc from eating eggs are sometimes avoiding flu vaccine completely unneccesarily.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    https://medsask.usask.ca/documents/newsletters/33.4%20annual_flu_immunization.pdf

    ".....Dr. Skowronski’s group reported that study participants who received the 2014–2015
    vaccine without vaccination the year before had significant protection against influenza A(H3N2) but those who
    had received the identical 2013-2014 vaccine the previous year had no increased protection and those who were
    vaccinated three years in a row actually had an increased risk of contracting influenza compared with unvaccinated
    participants......

    This is not the first study to find an association between previous vaccination and reduced vaccine effectiveness......"
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    LOL autocorrect glue vaccine. I wonder what Siri must think of human viruses?
  • Rosemary7391
    Rosemary7391 Posts: 232 Member
    I wonder, as this thread is still rambling on on this particular website... what would the effect on public health be if all the effort expended on increasing flu vaccine uptake was put into preventing obesity?
  • celiah909
    celiah909 Posts: 141 Member
    I get the shot every year. When my now 18 year old daughter was 3 we got the flu at the same time. I’ve never been so sick. We were in bed for nearly 2 weeks and I dropped 15 pounds. It was awful- i do think my immunity is up because of that illness but I’ll try to avoid ever having the flu again
  • celiah909
    celiah909 Posts: 141 Member
    I make my kid get one, because I don't want to deal with him puking all over the place (mother-of-the-year material, I am). I get one because I hate puking. Hubby never gets one.

    The flu shot doesn’t prevent the stomach flu/rotavirus.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    I wonder, as this thread is still rambling on on this particular website... what would the effect on public health be if all the effort expended on increasing flu vaccine uptake was put into preventing obesity?

    Totally unrelated. Would lowered obesity rates prevent flu deaths?

    I’m anti death in all the ways it stalks us.
This discussion has been closed.