How Do You Feel About The Flu Shot?

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  • RunningAddict
    RunningAddict Posts: 548 Member
    I did end up taking the flu shot =( I had to in order to keep my job. I can see that there is a vast difference in oppinions here. I can say that the day after my shot I felt like total crap not sure if it was a mental issue or mainly physical but either way... I was joking with my mom the other day and told her I was going to have to find another job before next flu season lol but I'm guessing this will catch on quickly at all health facillities and its going to be a requirement everywhere. I just don't like meds period-unless i'm sick and need them.
    I can see that I'm not the only one that feels that way. I was also told that since I'm a needle phobia that if I would have said something sooner I could have had the nasal spray-after researching that I'm not so sure that is a good idea because the nasal spray is partially living-from what I read anyway.
  • calliope_music
    calliope_music Posts: 1,242 Member
    i got it because i work with kids, and the kids i work with are...well, gross.
  • b00b0084
    b00b0084 Posts: 729 Member
    I myself am highly upset that everyone here is being forced to take a flu shot regardless of whether you want it or not. It's either take it or lose your job- I have never taken one and I don't want one! What are your thoughts about the flu shot?
    I have never had one and never had the flu. My brother got ONE and within a week he had the flu. The flu shot is a strain of the flu. So why take the flu shot to keep you from getting the flu when the shot gives you the flu?
  • b00b0084
    b00b0084 Posts: 729 Member
    No, thanks. I don't so much have a problem with the vaccine itself, it's the other stuff that concerns me. Like thimerosal, squalene, mercury, formaldehyde. And there's no guarantee the strain you get inoculated against will be the one you could possibly get infected with. The last time I got the flu was in 1994 after I got a flu shot.

    I know someone who is about to have a baby who told her parents and in-laws that if they wanted to see the baby they would need to get flu and hepatitis shots. If she said that to me, I guess I wouldn't be seeing the baby for a while. :( That seemed pretty overreactionary to me.
    I agree. If they have the flu keep the baby away from them, but for the babies immune system to grow around 2 mo they need to be exposed to germs. Without the exposure their immune system will not grow to protect them from germs and viruses in the future.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    I myself am highly upset that everyone here is being forced to take a flu shot regardless of whether you want it or not. It's either take it or lose your job- I have never taken one and I don't want one! What are your thoughts about the flu shot?
    I have never had one and never had the flu. My brother got ONE and within a week he had the flu. The flu shot is a strain of the flu. So why take the flu shot to keep you from getting the flu when the shot gives you the flu?

    The flu shot doesn't contain any active flu virus, it contains proteins that various strains of flu carry, and our body learns to make antibodies to those proteins, so when they encounter them as part of a virus, they know to react. It takes a few weeks, so reports of someone getting flu straight after having the vaccination are pure bad luck - you caught it before your immune system had kicked in and started producing antibodies. You can't get flu from the vaccine.
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
    I have never had one and never had the flu. My brother got ONE and within a week he had the flu. The flu shot is a strain of the flu. So why take the flu shot to keep you from getting the flu when the shot gives you the flu?
    The flu vaccine is either a killed virus (injected) or an inactivated virus (nasal spray). If you are not immunocompromised you can NOT get the flu from nasal spray, and no one can get the flu from the injected vaccine. It takes several weeks for your body to develop the antibodies that provide immunity, so if your brother truly had influenza a week after getting the shot (and keep in mind that many people call things "the flu" that are not actually influenza anyways) then he had already been exposed before getting the vaccine.
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
    delete this
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
    My body responds poorly to flu shots-- it's worse than any flu I've ever had. I have a strong immune system, and I don't spend much time around children or the elderly, so I don't see the point of getting the shot and having to be home with flu-like symptoms for two weeks.


    Can I ask when you last had one? I used to react very badly, I was in bed for a week after having one when I was 15, but they are very different now. I had mine 3 weeks ago and didn't notice a thing.

    Last time was in 2005. They were giving them out free at work so I got one, and then had to use up all my sick leave recovering from it.

    I suspect it might have to do with the weight/size of the person. My girlfriend and I can't handle the flu shot, and we're both small adults.
  • b00b0084
    b00b0084 Posts: 729 Member
    I have never had one and never had the flu. My brother got ONE and within a week he had the flu. The flu shot is a strain of the flu. So why take the flu shot to keep you from getting the flu when the shot gives you the flu?
    The flu vaccine is either a killed virus (injected) or an inactivated virus (nasal spray). If you are not immunocompromised you can NOT get the flu from nasal spray, and no one can get the flu from the injected vaccine. It takes several weeks for your body to develop the antibodies that provide immunity, so if your brother truly had influenza a week after getting the shot (and keep in mind that many people call things "the flu" that are not actually influenza anyways) then he had already been exposed before getting the vaccine.
    See it drives me nuts to hear people say that it is a dead strain because I have gotten into many an argument with my doctors over it for them to finally admit that the shot can cause people to get the flu.
  • I get one every year and would get one even if my employer did not ask me to get one or provide the shot. However, you should be able to sign a declination statement and may have to watch a video if you do not want to get the flu shot. The flu shot is much easier to get than the flu, just my 2 cents. :flowerforyou:
  • RunningAddict
    RunningAddict Posts: 548 Member
    I get one every year and would get one even if my employer did not ask me to get one or provide the shot. However, you should be able to sign a declination statement and may have to watch a video if you do not want to get the flu shot. The flu shot is much easier to get than the flu, just my 2 cents. :flowerforyou:

    Nope, won't work here. Our employer rewrote their policy ( It was handed to me by the director on paper) so it is now part of the policy that if you don't take the shot they have the right to terminate you- I'm not overdoing it at all. You will seriously lose your job. I was one of the last to get it and the reason I did was because my Director started emailing me because the records showed that I hadn't had it done.
    There is only one way out and that is with a statement from your doctor on letterhead dated signed stating that you should not take the shot due to allergies and so forth....Only problem for me was that my doctor is afilliated but for the most part no doctor is not going to tell you not to take it because they are mostly for it unless you do truely have an allergy to something in it.
  • SarabellPlus3
    SarabellPlus3 Posts: 496 Member
    I have never had one and never had the flu. My brother got ONE and within a week he had the flu. The flu shot is a strain of the flu. So why take the flu shot to keep you from getting the flu when the shot gives you the flu?
    The flu vaccine is either a killed virus (injected) or an inactivated virus (nasal spray). If you are not immunocompromised you can NOT get the flu from nasal spray, and no one can get the flu from the injected vaccine. It takes several weeks for your body to develop the antibodies that provide immunity, so if your brother truly had influenza a week after getting the shot (and keep in mind that many people call things "the flu" that are not actually influenza anyways) then he had already been exposed before getting the vaccine.
    See it drives me nuts to hear people say that it is a dead strain because I have gotten into many an argument with my doctors over it for them to finally admit that the shot can cause people to get the flu.
    Can you explain what your doctor said when he "admitted" this? I have never heard of a doctor, actually any person with appropriate medical background thinking this, it doesn't make any logical sense, so school me on how that could be logistically possible. :) I don't mean that snarky, I'd just like to know, if you mean something other than possible "flu-like symptoms" from most likely hypochondria, but also possibly an allergic reaction or something of that nature.
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
    See it drives me nuts to hear people say that it is a dead strain because I have gotten into many an argument with my doctors over it for them to finally admit that the shot can cause people to get the flu.
    Well, I'm sorry it drives you nuts to hear facts.

    http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm

    "There are two types of vaccines:
    * The “flu shot” — an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. The flu shot is approved for use in people older than 6 months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions.
    * The nasal-spray flu vaccine — a vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses that is given as a nasal spray (sometimes called LAIV for “Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine”). The viruses in the nasal spray vaccine do not cause the flu. LAIV is approved for use in healthy* people 2 through 49 years of age who are not pregnant. (*"Healthy" indicates persons who do not have an underlying medical condition that predisposes them to influenza complications.)"

    If you don't want to believe the CDC and hundreds of other medical professionals, I don't know what else to tell you.
  • KayteeBear
    KayteeBear Posts: 1,040 Member
    I've never gotten it as far as I remember. I might've when I was a child but I haven't gotten it for the last 10 years or so and haven't been sick. I rarely ever get sick. Everybody at school could get sick, I never would. My whole family (4 others) could get sick and I wouldn't. For me it's just not worth it to get the shot. When H1N1 went around we were all told we should get the shot but my mom let us have a choice (I was in school still at the time, same with younger brother) and I chose not to. I think I got the flu just slightly but not that much and a day later I was feeling fine.
  • I wouldn't do it !! It messes up your DNA! My Aunt decided to quit because of it. No one should be forced to get a shot if they don't agree with it! Have you read what is in the shot?
  • ennaejay
    ennaejay Posts: 575
    I get one every year and would get one even if my employer did not ask me to get one or provide the shot. However, you should be able to sign a declination statement and may have to watch a video if you do not want to get the flu shot. The flu shot is much easier to get than the flu, just my 2 cents. :flowerforyou:

    Nope, won't work here. Our employer rewrote their policy ( It was handed to me by the director on paper) so it is now part of the policy that if you don't take the shot they have the right to terminate you- I'm not overdoing it at all. You will seriously lose your job. I was one of the last to get it and the reason I did was because my Director started emailing me because the records showed that I hadn't had it done.
    There is only one way out and that is with a statement from your doctor on letterhead dated signed stating that you should not take the shot due to allergies and so forth....Only problem for me was that my doctor is afilliated but for the most part no doctor is not going to tell you not to take it because they are mostly for it unless you do truely have an allergy to something in it.

    you may be able to claim religious exemption?? whether or not you are religious, your employer can't prove or disprove that; and not allowing one to practice their religious beliefs is discrimination. maybe a church could sign a document for you???

    ::edit:: being forced to have anything injected into your body against your will is WACK. :sick: suffering the flu is pretty rotten, but chances are you won't get it next season... take your vitamin D and strengthen your immune system by eating right. What's your employer going to mandate next????? *shudder*
  • the last time i got a flu shot was when i was 13 (15 years ago) and i ended up getting the flu. i haven't had the vaccine or the flu since then. but if i was told i'd have to get the vaccine, it wouldn't be a big deal.
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
    It messes up your DNA!
    :laugh: [Citation needed]
  • wamaverick
    wamaverick Posts: 68 Member
    Okay I read the first three pages of comments on this....

    First and foremost I would like to say I am in favor of vaccines, but I'm also a statistics girl.....and nobody has brought this point up in the first three pages of comments I read so hopefully I am not repeating what someone else has said.

    The single reason I do not get a flu shot is that they start working on NEXT YEARS flu shot, RIGHT NOW! Okay now I'm sorry but I have a degree in Medical Laboratory Technology. I'm not stupid, I work with Doctors, nurses, the elderly and the sick. But you can not tell me that the folks in the laboratory at the CDC can predict the flu that will strike next year, when the weather man can't accurately predict the weather all the time.

    Here's the deal they take the most likely 20 strains of flu that they think will hit next year based off of numbers and calculations from statisiticians and mathematical wizzes and say "Use these 20, to make your shot"

    Sorry there are billions of strains of the flu and they mutate and genetically code themselves overs so they are more resistant. So no thank you I will not take a flu shot when there is NO real statistical chance that the "20 strains" they picked are going to be the one of the billions strains of the flu that could be going around next year.

    Sorry I'm not gonna do that and no I'm not a granola person. I just think that if you want to not catch the flu, eat properly, stay hydrated, get plenty of rest, stay away from sick people, wash your hands and don't touch your face. If you are sick with the sniffles, a cough or cold or anything else for GOODNESS sakes for everyone else STAY HOME!
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  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    To all the people who think that your immune system is fine and so you don't need a shot - It's not about YOU. It's about herd immunity and making sure you are keeping the frail and immune compromised people safe!
    Your selfishness is hurting or even KILLING others. Good job.

    Seriously.. Get off your damn soap box.

    It is about the individual person and their rights.. and if they don't want one, then you need to respect that. End of story. Just like they are respecting your right to call them selfish and tell them they are killing people.

    Not sure why you seem angry and telling me to "get off my soapbox" if you are also saying in the same breath that I have the right to be ON my soapbox.

    Totally confused. :) I never said people should be forced to have a flu shot. I said it's the responsible thing to do. How am I not respecting their right to be irresponsible? Of course I am. But don't expect me not to call them out on it!

    NOT getting a flu shot lowers herd immunity and puts babies, the elderly and the immunocompromised at risk of sickness or even death.
    If you don't get one for silly reasons, I have every right to consider you an *kitten* and I will certainly tell you so!

    Edit: Typo Queen

    By calling them out on it, you're not respecting them. In fact you're being just as much of an *kitten*, if not a bigger one.

    I'm confused as to how calling people selfish and telling them they are killing people is being respectful.. cause it's not.

    I also didn't say you had a right to be on your soap box.. I said people should respect your views. I can respect your views, but still think you need to get off the soap box and cut the drama.
  • kallibrae
    kallibrae Posts: 209 Member
    I don't usually get the shot. I had H1N1 last year and thought I was going to die. I'm still not sure about getting the shot this year...
  • I have to get one for volunteering, and I don't want to at all! I think my body's capable of fighting off infections on its own, and I actually know some people who got sick with the flu after getting the shot.
  • I've had the flu shot for 7 or 8 year have never gotten sick. I am horriable when sick would rather have the choice of having the shot than the flu
  • Ebbykins
    Ebbykins Posts: 420 Member
    Only when pregnant. Otherwise no one under my roof gets them, just personal preference, never have had them when I was younger, myself, my husband and my kids, very rarely get sick with the flu. Now if there is ever a vaccination for strep throat I might consider that, seems to be the only thing I ever get! LOL. I don't consider it "odds" either that we haven't gotten the flu often or having been "lucky" we just practice good hygiene, avoid germy sickly places and dietary prevention, seems to do the trick.
  • Ebbykins
    Ebbykins Posts: 420 Member
    Okay I read the first three pages of comments on this....

    First and foremost I would like to say I am in favor of vaccines, but I'm also a statistics girl.....and nobody has brought this point up in the first three pages of comments I read so hopefully I am not repeating what someone else has said.

    The single reason I do not get a flu shot is that they start working on NEXT YEARS flu shot, RIGHT NOW! Okay now I'm sorry but I have a degree in Medical Laboratory Technology. I'm not stupid, I work with Doctors, nurses, the elderly and the sick. But you can not tell me that the folks in the laboratory at the CDC can predict the flu that will strike next year, when the weather man can't accurately predict the weather all the time.

    Here's the deal they take the most likely 20 strains of flu that they think will hit next year based off of numbers and calculations from statisiticians and mathematical wizzes and say "Use these 20, to make your shot"

    Sorry there are billions of strains of the flu and they mutate and genetically code themselves overs so they are more resistant. So no thank you I will not take a flu shot when there is NO real statistical chance that the "20 strains" they picked are going to be the one of the billions strains of the flu that could be going around next year.

    Sorry I'm not gonna do that and no I'm not a granola person. I just think that if you want to not catch the flu, eat properly, stay hydrated, get plenty of rest, stay away from sick people, wash your hands and don't touch your face. If you are sick with the sniffles, a cough or cold or anything else for GOODNESS sakes for everyone else STAY HOME!

    This ^^^ Precisely this.
  • M3CH4N1C
    M3CH4N1C Posts: 157
    I myself am highly upset that everyone here is being forced to take a flu shot regardless of whether you want it or not. It's either take it or lose your job- I have never taken one and I don't want one! What are your thoughts about the flu shot?

    There is a website called healthnews.com that features a guy named Mike Adams. Make sure you get the one with Mike. He talks about how the FDA and the government are slowly taking away our health rights especially in regards to vaccinations, vitamins, and organic foods. Another good website that talks about this is prisonplanet.com. There are studies that suggest that vaccinations are responsible for many diseases and sickness today but the truth is being white washed. In Texas and in California they have already passed laws for pre-teens to get vaccinations for sexually transmitted disease's, without a parent's consent. These vaccination's are being linked to autism and a number of other ailment's today. I mean we are dealing with a government that pardoned Nazi war scientists and assimilated them into american science and research, during operation paperclip. I probably shouldn't even be posting things like that in a country where human rights are being violated in ways we can't imagine. No wonder Occupy Wall St. isn't going away quietly.
  • M3CH4N1C
    M3CH4N1C Posts: 157
    I get one every year and would get one even if my employer did not ask me to get one or provide the shot. However, you should be able to sign a declination statement and may have to watch a video if you do not want to get the flu shot. The flu shot is much easier to get than the flu, just my 2 cents. :flowerforyou:

    Nope, won't work here. Our employer rewrote their policy ( It was handed to me by the director on paper) so it is now part of the policy that if you don't take the shot they have the right to terminate you- I'm not overdoing it at all. You will seriously lose your job. I was one of the last to get it and the reason I did was because my Director started emailing me because the records showed that I hadn't had it done.
    There is only one way out and that is with a statement from your doctor on letterhead dated signed stating that you should not take the shot due to allergies and so forth....Only problem for me was that my doctor is afilliated but for the most part no doctor is not going to tell you not to take it because they are mostly for it unless you do truely have an allergy to something in it.

    I would talk to a lawyer or file lawsuit. That's some form of new age slavery. There is no proof it helps people with sickness. Read the Bible, and you'll learn that God doesn't approve of these things. Your body is a sacred temple and so is your DNA.
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
    Loaded with a mega dose of mercury.
    Not going to start an argument about the safety of thimerosal. But the FluMist nasal spray vaccine and all single-dose vials do not contain thimerosal.
    and we survived
    Lucky you. Approximately 36,000 people a year are not so lucky.

    AGREED! Count among those people asthmatics, premature babies, and others with respiratory issues!
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