Flu Shot Thoughts & Experiences Please

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melsmith612
melsmith612 Posts: 727 Member
in Chit-Chat
Every year my employer has someone come in to give free flu shots to their employees and immediate family. I have never taken advantage of the free flu shot because I'm terrified of it. Mind you, I'm not afraid of needles or injections in general JUST the flu shot. Most people I have known who have gotten the flu shot have gotten sick with flu-like symptoms within a week of having it. I've seen a grown man in great shape drop like a fly immediately after his injection for no apparent reason. Personally, I'd rather take my chances with extra hand washing.

So my question is: Do you get the flu shot? Or have you? And what is your experience? Am I unnecessarily paranoid?

My personal philosophy is that a person's body needs to get sick in order to make antibodies so they don't get sick the next time that bug rolls around but I don't exactly run around touching germy surfaces & rubbing my eyes, nor do I obsessively apply hand sanitizer. I'm only considering the flu shot this year because one of my nephews started school this year and I know I'll be around him at all of the holiday gatherings - and let's face it, school age children are HUGE magnets for germs/colds/flus.
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Replies

  • corn63
    corn63 Posts: 1,580 Member
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    I don't get it as I don't get sick usually during the flu season. However, if I worked around those at risk (IE: Children, elderly etc) I probably would. More so to protect them from my germs.
  • campbum
    campbum Posts: 21
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    personally i get mine because of where i work .... i need to fight the bug to the best of my ability so as not to bring it into the long term care home i work at .... my boys (3,5) and my husband however do NOT get theirs ... i usually have a flu like reaction shortly after i get it but then i am fine for the rest of the season. i never got it last year because i was going for surgery in a week and since it tends to make me sick my surgeon advised me not to or id have to reschedule surgery if i presented symptoms on the day of surgery!
  • digitalbill
    digitalbill Posts: 1,410 Member
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    I got it once about 10 years ago and a few days later, I was picking out burial plots and writing my last will and testament.
    OK.. not really but, I DID get really sick.

    I have not gotten one since and I have not gotten the flu either.
  • desiv2
    desiv2 Posts: 651 Member
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    I never get the flu shot, I never get the flu.

    My coworkers get it every year, they get the flu EVERY year.

    It was enough to convince me that I wasn't going to contemplate getting one anymore.

    I don't know if there is actual proof that the flu shot could/would give you the flu or the symptoms, however. Just my personal experience.
  • skonly
    skonly Posts: 371
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    I have gotten them for a few years because I'm of those auto-immune disorder people. I'm not doing it again. The only problem I've ever had was extreme arm pain at the injection site last year. I never really got the flu anyway and don't want to put anything in my body. I did get the pneumonia shot once and still got it anyway that year. In general though I've only known one person to get sick after the flu shot.

    I think it is a personal choice and really depends on a persons individual health.
  • qballjr13
    qballjr13 Posts: 174 Member
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    You can not get sick from the shot. It takes two weeks to develop immunity to influenza after you get the vaccine. If you get the flu within two weeks of getting the shot, you were probably exposed to the virus right before or right after you were vaccinated. The vaccine is made from killed (shot) or inactivated (nasal spray) virus and can't give you the flu.
    I suppose if you have an already compromised immune system than anything is possible but the risk of the flu without the shot is not worth it!
  • JPod279
    JPod279 Posts: 722 Member
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    According to a doc I spoke to when the H1N1 outbreak was going on and I was trying to decide if I should get my girls vaccinated he adivsed me that the flu shot is supposed to be derrived from a "dead" virus where as the one you inhale is supposed to be the "live" virus but weakened. As such, you aren't supposed to get sick after the shot but you can have some symptoms after the inhaled vaccine, and you COULD get people around you sick as, again, it is a "live" virus they give you. However, I have had the shot and gotten sick afterwards and gotten the shot and not gotten sick. Plus, my wife (an RN) saw where there was a study in Canada that basically said there is no difference in people who get the shot versus those who don't in it protecting them. Same numbers still got sick. Now, the CDC in America said the Canadian vaccine is a different vaccine than the one in America.

    Now, with all that if your head does not currently hurt might I suggest hitting it against the wall a few times. Personally, I do not get the shot, my wife doesn't get it, and we don't have our girls get it. But I do get the pnuemovac every 4 years as I no longer have my spleen.
  • carriempls
    carriempls Posts: 326 Member
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    I never used to get it because I’ve always been a healthy person. I prefer to wash my hands and be cautious like you.

    I got one for the first time last season as my bf was diagnosed with MS. Since it’s an auto-immune disease, anything that affects his immune system can trigger an attack, so it’s just that much more important for him to be as healthy as possible. So I did it for him.

    I had no symptoms or side effects. I’ll be getting one every year now. In fact, I think mine is scheduled next week (my company does the same as yours).
  • sugboog29
    sugboog29 Posts: 630 Member
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    I got one last year...no problem. I've gotten mine this year...no problem. I don't usually get the flu but since I work with the public now I would rather be safe than sorry. It's each persons choice. I know some that get very ill from theirs and others like me...no problem!
  • aj_31
    aj_31 Posts: 999 Member
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    Never gotten the shot and never gotten the flu.


    My daughter asked for the shot, got it, she got the flu. Last year she didn't get the shot and she didn't get the flu.
  • melsmith612
    melsmith612 Posts: 727 Member
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    If I had to guess, I'd say I haven't had the flu in over 10 years... I really can't remember the last time I had it or any other fever inducing illness. Because of that I wonder what the real value of the flu shot is - if I'm not getting the flu anyway maybe I already have enough natural resistence to it or maybe I just haven't come into contact with it. I guess part of my concern is that I'm unsure why flu shots have been made such a high priority for people in recent years... Is it because we really need them or because Big Pharma wants every man, woman & child walking into their local Walgreens to buy 3 vaccines?
  • smiley245
    smiley245 Posts: 420 Member
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    We do o't get the shot. Never really saw the benefit of getting it,
    Last time was about 9yrs ago because my ex husband insited we all get it so we don't die (he was slightly paranoid)

    If I worked in the medical field, or directly around the elderly, young children or ones with compromized imune systems then I would get it.
  • coliema
    coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
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    I used to get the shot when I was younger and my parents took me to get it, but now that I have a choice I do not get it.
  • katamus
    katamus Posts: 2,363 Member
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    I've never been immunized. For anything. Ever.

    I never have gotten a flu shot. Coincidentally, I've also never gotten the flu.

    (Sidenote on that: I work with the public. In a cell phone store. Meaning I get pretty close and personal with germs and still rarely get sick.. Maybe about once every 3-4 years except for a terrible sore throat when the weather gets cold.)
  • desiv2
    desiv2 Posts: 651 Member
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    You can not get sick from the shot. It takes two weeks to develop immunity to influenza after you get the vaccine. If you get the flu within two weeks of getting the shot, you were probably exposed to the virus right before or right after you were vaccinated. The vaccine is made from killed (shot) or inactivated (nasal spray) virus and can't give you the flu.
    I suppose if you have an already compromised immune system than anything is possible but the risk of the flu without the shot is not worth it!

    This makes sense.
  • melsmith612
    melsmith612 Posts: 727 Member
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    You can not get sick from the shot. It takes two weeks to develop immunity to influenza after you get the vaccine. If you get the flu within two weeks of getting the shot, you were probably exposed to the virus right before or right after you were vaccinated. The vaccine is made from killed (shot) or inactivated (nasal spray) virus and can't give you the flu.
    I suppose if you have an already compromised immune system than anything is possible but the risk of the flu without the shot is not worth it!

    This makes sense.

    I disagree but I wasn't going to say anything. I think the average person's risk of contracting the flu is not nearly as good as the companies promoting the shot would like you to think. I also think that any vaccine that needs to be taken/boosted every single year isn't a vaccine at all. I've been vaccinated for many other things but never had to go back every year for it to be done again. Some part of me deep down inside truly believes the "flu shot" is a money making scam. Call me paranoid...
  • cheerforsteelers
    cheerforsteelers Posts: 686 Member
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    I never get it though free ones are offered around here.
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
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    I rarely get the flu, so I never get the shot.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,143 Member
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    I have had it for the past 2 years. I never got the flu and I wouldn't have even known I had the shot....no side effects, if thats what you are concerned about.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    The flu shot doesn't prevent you from getting sick. It helps prevent you from getting killed by the virus.

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