Flu Shots? thoughts

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  • DatMurse
    DatMurse Posts: 1,501 Member
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    People who are immunocompromised shouldnt be running around with normal people in the first place. It is one of the precautions medical professionals tell them.

    Because people who are immunocompromised don't have bills to pay, especially medical bills.

    If they are immunocompromised, the flu is really the least of their worries.

    They are not supposed to be around normal people in crowded areas or be in too much contact, bottom line. You dont see chemo patients running around

    Really? I will be sure to call work and tell them I can no longer come in because I am not "normal" and should not be around the general population. I have asthma, compromises my immune system. Funny though, my Dr. seems to think I should live a normal life. BTW my wife has a severely compromised immune system. I got the flu shot as did she but still ended up with her hospitalized because someone at work got the flu and I ended up taking shed virus home to her on my clothing.
    You are saying your asthma is compromising your immune system? Ok lol



    YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



    Have you EVER had an asthma attack?!? I'm sorry but this is where I put my foot down.

    Get educated before you start making comments like that son.
    So other than the inflamation causing bronchoconstriction, and closing your airway. Please tell me how it makes you more susceptible to infection.
    I will be waiting on you to explain the pathophysiology of how it affects your immune response since you are educated

    First off do you have asthma?

    Answer my question and I'll humor yours.
    no, but I asked you the question first on the pathophysiology of asthma lowering your capabilities of fighting off of an infection
  • DenyseMarieL
    DenyseMarieL Posts: 673 Member
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    I've never gotten one. I didn't buy into the hype of the H1N1 shot either. I do, on average, get sick once every other year, for about 4 or 5 days. I can live with that. (sucky time off work, but time off work it is) lol
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    Never got, always sign form at work refusing it. As long as job doesn't make it mandatory, I'll politely turn it down. My immune systems been pretty good to me so far.

    This was me until 2 years ago. Worked well, and I hadn't had the flu in at least 10 years. I usually get a cold every other year, but not the flu. Then my work place made it mandatory (health care system). Ironically, both years I've gotten the vaccine, I've also gotten the flu.

    Now, I work in immunology, so I'm not a nutter that thinks the vaccine infected me - plus, the incubation period would have been too long for that. But, I also know that ANY vaccine puts additional stress on your immune system and that makes it easier to catch a disease that you've not been protected against inside a certain window.

    My guess is that the stress was enough to allow a flu strain not in the vaccine to get by my immune system. Either that, or the strains of flu for the last couple of years were more virulent than usual, which didn't seem to be the case.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    *sigh*

    Double post
  • KelARita7
    KelARita7 Posts: 2,694 Member
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    My whole family gets them! My husband and I get them through our jobs and the kids get them through their doctors office.
  • mathjulz
    mathjulz Posts: 5,514 Member
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    My little guy has some immunity issues. He can -- and should -- have the vaccinations, but he is at greater risk for getting sick anyway. So everyone in the family gets flu shots. Grandparents who want to be close to him, too. It's just not worth the risk to not. I appreciate every person who immunizes themselves and contributes to the "herd immunity" in our area, too.

    FWIW, I don't get the flu, or if I do I don't get very sick at all. Doesn't mean I can't pass it on, though.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    People who are immunocompromised shouldnt be running around with normal people in the first place. It is one of the precautions medical professionals tell them.

    Because people who are immunocompromised don't have bills to pay, especially medical bills.

    If they are immunocompromised, the flu is really the least of their worries.

    They are not supposed to be around normal people in crowded areas or be in too much contact, bottom line. You dont see chemo patients running around

    This is quite ignorant. What about people with autoimmune diseases who are taking immuno-suppressants? They may not be severely immuno-compromised, but still at risk. Many are active people who work, go to the gym, etc. There are also people who have had transplants, are doing very well and living normal lives, but must take immuno-suppressive medications to help prevent rejection. I could go on...

    eta: apologies to lithezebra. I posted before I saw that you had already addressed this (quite well, too). :flowerforyou:
    For them to avoid crowded areas and using caution with contact is the most basic of teaching of people who are immunossed status. If they go to the gym depending on tgeir degree they have to wear full gloves. It will vary to the degree but people who are in nadir stage of chemo have an extremely low wbc.

    You are 100% incorrect. There are varying degrees of immuno-suppression and there are LOTS of illnesses that are treated with immunosuppresive medications These patients are NOT advised to stay out of contact with people. Not everyone taking "chemo" has cancer or is severely immunosuppressed. Not everyone who is immunocompromised has "extremely" low wbc. You are really digging a big hole here because it is clear you are ignorant of a huge range of treatments for various illnesses that involve some degree of immunosupression, and not all require the kind of risk management you are describing.
    Do you even know how this conversation started? They were talking about people should get the flu shot because of immunocompromised people.

    Yes, I know. There are many immunocompromised people walking around and it helps them when others are vaccinated. Many people are on medication to DELIBERATELY suppress their immune systems because they have autoimmune diseases or have had organ transplants. Many of these people are only slightly immunocompromised, so they are NOT advised by their doctors to avoid people, or quit their jobs, or wear gloves at the gym, etc. However, they are at higher risk when it comes to communicable illnesses. It is helpful to these people if others are vaccinated against various illnesses. There are varying degrees of immunosuppresion and not all of these people are advised by their doctors to avoid public places (as YOU stated repeatedly).

    but we werent talking about people that are slightly immunocompromised. We are talking about people that if they got the flu it could cause some serious problems

    Digging hole deeper.

    Even people who are slightly immunocompromised can have serious problems if they catch the flu. Not being able to fight it off 100% will often land you in the hospital. Don' forget that flu kill plenty of non-immunocompromised people every year.
  • sharonfoustmills
    sharonfoustmills Posts: 519 Member
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    No one in my family has ever gotten a flu shot. No one in my family has ever had the flu either. I really think it is all random chance with germ exposure, and no flu shot can protect against all strains, so you might get the shot and still get the flu, just a different strain of it. It's really just a personal choice, what you believe you should do.
  • angmarie28
    angmarie28 Posts: 2,792 Member
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    Never, I know a few people that got them, and they ended up getting the flu, but worse than normal, so no flu shot for this family, we are all pretty healthy and rarely get sick though
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    People who are immunocompromised shouldnt be running around with normal people in the first place. It is one of the precautions medical professionals tell them.

    Because people who are immunocompromised don't have bills to pay, especially medical bills.

    If they are immunocompromised, the flu is really the least of their worries.

    They are not supposed to be around normal people in crowded areas or be in too much contact, bottom line. You dont see chemo patients running around

    Really? I will be sure to call work and tell them I can no longer come in because I am not "normal" and should not be around the general population. I have asthma, compromises my immune system. Funny though, my Dr. seems to think I should live a normal life. BTW my wife has a severely compromised immune system. I got the flu shot as did she but still ended up with her hospitalized because someone at work got the flu and I ended up taking shed virus home to her on my clothing.
    You are saying your asthma is compromising your immune system? Ok lol



    YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



    Have you EVER had an asthma attack?!? I'm sorry but this is where I put my foot down.

    Get educated before you start making comments like that son.
    So other than the inflamation causing bronchoconstriction, and closing your airway. Please tell me how it makes you more susceptible to infection.
    I will be waiting on you to explain the pathophysiology of how it affects your immune response since you are educated

    First off do you have asthma?

    Answer my question and I'll humor yours.
    no, but I asked you the question first on the pathophysiology of asthma lowering your capabilities of fighting off of an infection

    Isn't this a little ridiculous? There's no argument medically over whether asthma compromises the immune system. Head over to PubMed, do a search for vaccine studies with immunocompromised subjects, as an easy example. Look and see how many use asthmatics as their study groups. What difference does it make whether she knows the specific pathophysiology?

    Oh, and BTW, don't forget that many asthmatics are on a regular course of steroids. I assume you aren't going to argue that steroids have a suppressive effect on the immune system?
  • dalgal26
    dalgal26 Posts: 781 Member
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    I get one every year :)
  • sk_pirate
    sk_pirate Posts: 282 Member
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    People who are immunocompromised shouldnt be running around with normal people in the first place. It is one of the precautions medical professionals tell them.

    Because people who are immunocompromised don't have bills to pay, especially medical bills.

    If they are immunocompromised, the flu is really the least of their worries.

    They are not supposed to be around normal people in crowded areas or be in too much contact, bottom line. You dont see chemo patients running around

    Really? I will be sure to call work and tell them I can no longer come in because I am not "normal" and should not be around the general population. I have asthma, compromises my immune system. Funny though, my Dr. seems to think I should live a normal life. BTW my wife has a severely compromised immune system. I got the flu shot as did she but still ended up with her hospitalized because someone at work got the flu and I ended up taking shed virus home to her on my clothing.
    You are saying your asthma is compromising your immune system? Ok lol



    YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



    Have you EVER had an asthma attack?!? I'm sorry but this is where I put my foot down.

    Get educated before you start making comments like that son.
    So other than the inflamation causing bronchoconstriction, and closing your airway. Please tell me how it makes you more susceptible to infection.
    I will be waiting on you to explain the pathophysiology of how it affects your immune response since you are educated

    First off do you have asthma?

    Answer my question and I'll humor yours.
    no, but I asked you the question first on the pathophysiology of asthma lowering your capabilities of fighting off of an infection

    OK. So here we go.

    There are many stimuli out there that can cause an asthma attack as you probably already know. Asthma being a chronic inflammatory disease, can be triggered by influenza symptoms. Influenza is a respiratory illness. Don't get it confused with gastrointestinal things. That's something else altogether. Being that influenza is respiratory it can trigger a series of bronchospasms which can turn into a massive asthma attack and can hospitalize the person. Pneumonia can also develop from influenza in a person suffering from asthma. Believe me, it has happened to me.

    Considering everywhere I go and everyone I talk to says asthmatics, regardless of age, need the flu vaccine, yes...it is kind of important for asthmatics as IMMUNOCOMPROMISED to get vaccinated. We just don't have the capabilities of fighting this stuff off as someone who has "perfect health" would.

    Hope this helps.
  • sk_pirate
    sk_pirate Posts: 282 Member
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    Isn't this a little ridiculous? There's no argument medically over whether asthma compromises the immune system. Head over to PubMed, do a search for vaccine studies with immunocompromised subjects, as an easy example. Look and see how many use asthmatics as their study groups. What difference does it make whether she knows the specific pathophysiology?

    Oh, and BTW, don't forget that many asthmatics are on a regular course of steroids. I assume you aren't going to argue that steroids have a suppressive effect on the immune system?

    Thank you!!
  • mindidily
    mindidily Posts: 196 Member
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    I am military and have been required to get one the last 12 years. Prior to that, I never got one. Either way, I've never had the flu. But I'm still pro vaccine. My kids get them. The little guy (2) actually got flu mist this year instead of a needle and he did fine with it. My older one (4) for sure gets it, but he has to get the needle as he has asthma, eczema and egg allergy (though tested fine to get the standard shot). He hates it but for as many times as we have to go to the doctor or the ER for asthma flare ups, I don't want anything else to worry about that might get him.
  • DatMurse
    DatMurse Posts: 1,501 Member
    Options
    People who are immunocompromised shouldnt be running around with normal people in the first place. It is one of the precautions medical professionals tell them.

    Because people who are immunocompromised don't have bills to pay, especially medical bills.

    If they are immunocompromised, the flu is really the least of their worries.

    They are not supposed to be around normal people in crowded areas or be in too much contact, bottom line. You dont see chemo patients running around

    Really? I will be sure to call work and tell them I can no longer come in because I am not "normal" and should not be around the general population. I have asthma, compromises my immune system. Funny though, my Dr. seems to think I should live a normal life. BTW my wife has a severely compromised immune system. I got the flu shot as did she but still ended up with her hospitalized because someone at work got the flu and I ended up taking shed virus home to her on my clothing.
    You are saying your asthma is compromising your immune system? Ok lol



    YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



    Have you EVER had an asthma attack?!? I'm sorry but this is where I put my foot down.

    Get educated before you start making comments like that son.
    So other than the inflamation causing bronchoconstriction, and closing your airway. Please tell me how it makes you more susceptible to infection.
    I will be waiting on you to explain the pathophysiology of how it affects your immune response since you are educated

    First off do you have asthma?

    Answer my question and I'll humor yours.
    no, but I asked you the question first on the pathophysiology of asthma lowering your capabilities of fighting off of an infection

    OK. So here we go.

    There are many stimuli out there that can cause an asthma attack as you probably already know. Asthma being a chronic inflammatory disease, can be triggered by influenza symptoms. Influenza is a respiratory illness. Don't get it confused with gastrointestinal things. That's something else altogether. Being that influenza is respiratory it can trigger a series of bronchospasms which can turn into a massive asthma attack and can hospitalize the person. Pneumonia can also develop from influenza in a person suffering from asthma. Believe me, it has happened to me.

    Considering everywhere I go and everyone I talk to says asthmatics, regardless of age, need the flu vaccine, yes...it is kind of important for asthmatics as IMMUNOCOMPROMISED to get vaccinated. We just don't have the capabilities of fighting this stuff off as someone who has "perfect health" would.

    Hope this helps.
    We are not talking about medication. We are talking about asthma itself and you said asthma attacks.

    Nothing in your babbling talk about how asthma attacks lower your capabilities of fighting an infection.

    Obstruction due to asthma does not mean you immune system is hindered

    Thanks for not being educated
  • sk_pirate
    sk_pirate Posts: 282 Member
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    .
  • sk_pirate
    sk_pirate Posts: 282 Member
    Options
    People who are immunocompromised shouldnt be running around with normal people in the first place. It is one of the precautions medical professionals tell them.

    Because people who are immunocompromised don't have bills to pay, especially medical bills.

    If they are immunocompromised, the flu is really the least of their worries.

    They are not supposed to be around normal people in crowded areas or be in too much contact, bottom line. You dont see chemo patients running around

    Really? I will be sure to call work and tell them I can no longer come in because I am not "normal" and should not be around the general population. I have asthma, compromises my immune system. Funny though, my Dr. seems to think I should live a normal life. BTW my wife has a severely compromised immune system. I got the flu shot as did she but still ended up with her hospitalized because someone at work got the flu and I ended up taking shed virus home to her on my clothing.
    You are saying your asthma is compromising your immune system? Ok lol



    YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



    Have you EVER had an asthma attack?!? I'm sorry but this is where I put my foot down.

    Get educated before you start making comments like that son.
    So other than the inflamation causing bronchoconstriction, and closing your airway. Please tell me how it makes you more susceptible to infection.
    I will be waiting on you to explain the pathophysiology of how it affects your immune response since you are educated

    First off do you have asthma?

    Answer my question and I'll humor yours.
    no, but I asked you the question first on the pathophysiology of asthma lowering your capabilities of fighting off of an infection

    OK. So here we go.

    There are many stimuli out there that can cause an asthma attack as you probably already know. Asthma being a chronic inflammatory disease, can be triggered by influenza symptoms. Influenza is a respiratory illness. Don't get it confused with gastrointestinal things. That's something else altogether. Being that influenza is respiratory it can trigger a series of bronchospasms which can turn into a massive asthma attack and can hospitalize the person. Pneumonia can also develop from influenza in a person suffering from asthma. Believe me, it has happened to me.

    Considering everywhere I go and everyone I talk to says asthmatics, regardless of age, need the flu vaccine, yes...it is kind of important for asthmatics as IMMUNOCOMPROMISED to get vaccinated. We just don't have the capabilities of fighting this stuff off as someone who has "perfect health" would.

    Hope this helps.
    We are not talking about medication. We are talking about asthma itself and you said asthma attacks.

    Nothing in your babbling talk about how asthma attacks lower your capabilities of fighting an infection.

    Thanks for not being educated

    You don't have asthma.

    I do.

    I never mentioned anything about medication in this post.

    Can you read?
  • tyrantduck
    tyrantduck Posts: 387 Member
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    yuppers, i get one every year and so does my daughter. if we can protect ourselves, i say why not? i'd rather sit through the 24-48 hours of discomfort from the after-effects of the shot than deal with a week of being stuck in bed.
  • fayeliquete
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    I have never gotten the flu shoot and I do not believe I ever will. I have not gotten the flu and it is unusual for me to get a cold.
    In the fall until spring I use Spring Valley Natural Echinacea 2 capsules 2X per day (it is a Dietary supplement for the immune system) and I also take L-Lysine 1000 mg per day. In the Summer I cut back to every other day. My Doctor is aware that I use natural herbal dietary supplements. I am not fond of drugs, and the side effects.
    Most of my friends and my husband get the shoot and they get the flu! ! ! They also get bad colds.

    What ever works best for you, it is a personal choice.
  • darkestdayz
    darkestdayz Posts: 117 Member
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    The shot this year is 3 strains only, and once again, the H1N1. They've included the H1N1 every year since 2009. I haven't had a flu shot since 2008 and I haven't been sick either. Got one every year up until then because I have asthma. When they drop the H1N1 from the vaccine, I'll resume getting the shots again. Just my own personal little conspiracy theory thing.


    http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/vaccine-selection.htm