Don't forget to get your Flu Shot!

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Replies

  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
    I and my two sons got it Saturday morning. I had the shot, they took the nasal spray. How anyone could be afraid of the tiny, wussy little needle they use is beyond me...

    Thanks for the backhanded insult.

    For me, it's not the needle that scares me, but the person wielding it. Nothing better to increase my anxiety than a person who jabs the needle in and spends a few minutes digging around for a vein. And I don't mean repeated injections either. I mean actually stabbing me and using the needle already in my body to search for a vein.

    OT: I'm not getting a flu shot.
  • ImpracticalGirl
    ImpracticalGirl Posts: 59 Member
    Cait_Sidhe wrote: »
    I have a terrible phobia of needles. Hyperventaliating and all. I'd rather get the flu. SOO.. no thanks. :pensive:

    Just FYI, most influenza vaccines are a nasal spray.

    really???

    Not in Australia they aren't - all influenza vaccines here are an injection.

    Have not heard of nasal spray flu vaccines - afaik, no vaccines for anything are yet available as nasal sprays. I certainly havent come across any in many years of working in immunisation.

    Please let us know which country you are in, where there are nasal spray vaccines.

    Canada, and it is even covered by the public health plans in most provinces. Nasal spray influenza vaccines apparently work wonderfully for healthy kids, at least better than the injectable variety.
  • mantium999
    mantium999 Posts: 1,490 Member
    salladeve wrote: »
    I'll never get another flu shot! I got one last Thursday morning and by Thurs evening I was broke out all over with terrible hives. My face arms & chest are covered in raised painful hives, and now I'm taking prednisone to try to counteract the reaction.

    Come to find out thimerosal is a preservative in the flu shot I got.

    From the CDC FAQ "Although no evidence suggests that there are safety concerns with thimerosal, vaccine manufacturers have stopped using it as a precautionary measure.The only vaccine that still includes thimerosal as a preservative is the multi-dose inactivated influenza vaccine. There are other formulations of flu vaccine that do not include thimerosal. "

    WARNING if you have a sensitivity to this preservative, I found out the hard way.

    If there are formulations without the preservative, then why would you refuse to get it. There are several variations of the shot for those with reactions to the most common shot.

    Edumacated herself to what specifically caused her reaction....writes off the vaccine entirerly going forward, even in the face of alternative solutions. Logic is strong.
  • ImpracticalGirl
    ImpracticalGirl Posts: 59 Member
    Cait_Sidhe wrote: »
    I have a terrible phobia of needles. Hyperventaliating and all. I'd rather get the flu. SOO.. no thanks. :pensive:

    Just FYI, most influenza vaccines are a nasal spray.

    um...no, they aren't. They are an actual shot...with a needle.

    No they don't have to come with a needle. At least not my neck of the woods.
    http://www.flumistcanada.ca/flumistconsumer/en/
    Cheers.
  • ImpracticalGirl
    ImpracticalGirl Posts: 59 Member
    spicy618 wrote: »
    Not trying to be funny. A serious question. If others around you take the flu shot, aren't they protected?
    I've never had a flu shot, but my mom (89) does. We don't live together, but I visit her often. Is she protected from me?

    Yes, she most likely will be protected from you infecting her.
    But, are you sure everybody else you cross paths with is also vaccinated? Elderly people with multiple health issues, chemo patients and young kids may not be able to get the protection thru vaccination. It's up to to the rest us, the healthy ones, to create a barrier for them.

    Food for thought.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    davemunger wrote: »
    My employer offers it for free, but they are not doing it until Oct. 30. I have type 1 diabetes, and getting sick creates havoc on my blood sugars (I mean more havoc than normal even). I'll be glad to get it when possible, but I'm not sure how long it takes to work... chances are that early Nov., I'll get sick before the vaccine takes effect. :/

    If you have insurance you can go to any urgent care facility or something like "Minute Clinic" to get the vaccine. It is free.

    It is technically free with my insurance, but if I go to urgent care (there is no such thing where I live in a rural area, so I would have to drive 90 min. to the nearest) or setup with the dr., they will charge a co-pay for a dr. visit. So then the vaccine is free, but not the dr. visit to get it. I can't get it covered if I go to a pharmacy because I've never found a pharmacy within a 3 hr. drive that will take my insurance for a flu shot (because it is medical). They will take my insurance for pharmacy benefits, but not for a flu shot. Part of that is because I live in Iowa and my insurance is through an insurance company in Michigan. I believe that is one of the reasons that my employer just sets up with the local hospital to come in and give shots to employees for free - because then it really truly is free.
  • ImpracticalGirl
    ImpracticalGirl Posts: 59 Member
    dakotababy wrote: »
    spicy618 wrote: »
    Not trying to be funny. A serious question. If others around you take the flu shot, aren't they protected?
    I've never had a flu shot, but my mom (89) does. We don't live together, but I visit her often. Is she protected from me?

    This! I dont understand why there is such a push for people to get the flu shot. I mean, if you want to be protected - get the shot! If not, then whatever! Those to had the shot should be protected right? So does it make a difference if I get my shot or not?

    Honestly, I envy you. You never get sick yourself and no one in your family or circle of friends you actually care about is immunosuppressed from chemotherapy or as a result of having a life saving organ transplant. Meaning they can't get the vaccine themselves, but "then whatever".
    Cheers.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    _dracarys_ wrote: »
    I hate needles.

    *is covered in tattoos*


    That's very hypocritical
  • rowlandsw
    rowlandsw Posts: 1,166 Member
    No thanks here, I don't trust the doctors or the people making the stuff.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    rowlandsw wrote: »
    No thanks here, I don't trust the doctors or the people making the stuff.

    You don't trust doctors for medical procedures and pharmaceutical companies who create vaccines?

    I bet you go to a homeopathic "doctor"
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    wheird wrote: »
    _dracarys_ wrote: »
    I hate needles.

    *is covered in tattoos*


    That's very hypocritical

    *snicker*
  • dayone987
    dayone987 Posts: 645 Member
    zyxst wrote: »
    I and my two sons got it Saturday morning. I had the shot, they took the nasal spray. How anyone could be afraid of the tiny, wussy little needle they use is beyond me...

    Thanks for the backhanded insult.

    For me, it's not the needle that scares me, but the person wielding it. Nothing better to increase my anxiety than a person who jabs the needle in and spends a few minutes digging around for a vein. And I don't mean repeated injections either. I mean actually stabbing me and using the needle already in my body to search for a vein.

    OT: I'm not getting a flu shot.

    You do know that the flu shot is given intramuscularly, not intravenously? Hence, no digging around for a vein. Just a quick jab to the deltoid.

  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,977 Member
    Trignon wrote: »
    Can't believe there are still people who think they can get the flu from the shot.

    It is not a live vaccine (some vaccines are live vaccines, such as measeles and chicken pox) so it is not possible to get the flu from the vaccine

  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,977 Member
    salladeve wrote: »
    I'll never get another flu shot! I got one last Thursday morning and by Thurs evening I was broke out all over with terrible hives. My face arms & chest are covered in raised painful hives, and now I'm taking prednisone to try to counteract the reaction.

    Come to find out thimerosal is a preservative in the flu shot I got.

    From the CDC FAQ "Although no evidence suggests that there are safety concerns with thimerosal, vaccine manufacturers have stopped using it as a precautionary measure.The only vaccine that still includes thimerosal as a preservative is the multi-dose inactivated influenza vaccine. There are other formulations of flu vaccine that do not include thimerosal. "

    WARNING if you have a sensitivity to this preservative, I found out the hard way.

    Can I ask what country you are in?

    again, because in Australia we do not use multi dose flu vaccines - all flu vaccines are single use only.
    But, just like we dont have nasal spray vaccines here, they may be in other places.

    Anyway, like PP said and your own quote says, there are other formulations without thimerosal so why dont you just have one of them?

  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    I always love these threads with the high and mighty telling everyone what they should do. Luckily most of us live in countries where we have free choice so can make up our own minds whether those on their high horses agree or not (I am not saying if I will or will not have the vaccine as that is a personal 'FREE' choice)
  • Bonita_Lynne_58
    Bonita_Lynne_58 Posts: 2,845 Member
    Got mine last week. I get one every year. The one year I didn't get mine, I had a baby girl in the hospital having surgery...and guess who comes down with the flu? Yep, ME! Absolute worst timing.

  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member

    _Zardoz_ wrote: »
    I always love these threads with the high and mighty telling everyone what they should do. Luckily most of us live in countries where we have free choice so can make up our own minds whether those on their high horses agree or not (I am not saying if I will or will not have the vaccine as that is a personal 'FREE' choice)


    Lol
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    zyxst wrote: »
    I and my two sons got it Saturday morning. I had the shot, they took the nasal spray. How anyone could be afraid of the tiny, wussy little needle they use is beyond me...

    Thanks for the backhanded insult.

    For me, it's not the needle that scares me, but the person wielding it. Nothing better to increase my anxiety than a person who jabs the needle in and spends a few minutes digging around for a vein. And I don't mean repeated injections either. I mean actually stabbing me and using the needle already in my body to search for a vein.

    OT: I'm not getting a flu shot.

    You should be very afraid of that person. Flu shots are not given in a vein. There would be no reason to dig around for anything.
  • fobs13
    fobs13 Posts: 1,080 Member
    edited October 2014
    Got mine through work 2 weeks ago. My arm was really sore afterwards for 2 days but great to get it free at work. My husband has a heart condition and has gotten it for years with no adverse affect so gave it a go this year.