Flu jab?

Influenza is a mutating virus with multiple strains so there's no such thing as immunity in this case. Getting the vaccine does give you a 'mini-flu' (which is how the vaccine works, it gives you the virus so your body can build of defenses against it), but it affects different people to varying degrees. Some feel just as bad as having the full flu, some don't even notice. Because the shot doesn't protect against many strains of flu and because of the low probability of getting the flu, I skip it.

After actually getting the flu one year and being out of work for a full month, I get the flu vaccine every year. I figure if it prevents me from getting even one strain of flu, it was worth it. I never feel sick afterwards.

I have it every year. It doesnt make you feel ill as such but i sometimes get minor symptoms of a cold. The after effect i get is the feeling of a heavy, bruised arm where its injected.

Worth it though as it lasts all year round

The flu shot is not a live vaccine, and there is literally no chance of a non-live vax giving you the virus-- there is a chance that YOU will have a rare reaction that causes you to feel icky, though. And no, that's not super likely. (eta: Actually, I forget, I think the nasal mist we have here in the US might be live? Still, my kids have gotten it, no problem. It's still very unlikely to bother you in the least. And FYI, the nasal mist of course doesn't hurt at all, and the shot from the flu vax is the tiniest needle ever, hardly feel it, truly.)

I've had the flu vaccine pretty much every year, when there hasn't been a shortage anyway. My kids get it every year as well. None of us has ever had even the tiniest reaction. None of us has ever gone on to have the flu, either. Of course, there's a chance we wouldn't have gotten the flu, anyway, I'm a 'better safe than sorry' kind of person, and the reality is, though people think of "the flu" as the 12-24 hour throw up bug, the real flu, influenze, offers days or weeks of misery; no thanks.
The other thing is, if you contract it, you're probably spreading it to a few people. I might say "oh, I'll survive the flu, no big deal,' but if I get it, I probably give it to my immuno-compromised mother, or some stranger who just had a liver transplant at the grocery store, before I ever show a symptom, and it might kill them. So it is a big deal.

I find the logic of avoiding the vax because multiple strains of flu exist a little fuzzy-- yes, there are tons of strains. And yes, they pick the few that are likely to be the worst in the upcoming season to innoculate against. The reason those strains don't go on to spread as much is precisely because so many people get the shot.

Influenza is a mutating virus with multiple strains so there's no such thing as immunity in this case. Getting the vaccine does give you a 'mini-flu' (which is how the vaccine works, it gives you the virus so your body can build of defenses against it), but it affects different people to varying degrees. Some feel just as bad as having the full flu, some don't even notice. Because the shot doesn't protect against many strains of flu and because of the low probability of getting the flu, I skip it.

This is absolute bollocks. The flu jab (at least in the UK) is not a live vaccine. It will not make you feel ill. Your arm might be a bit sore for a day.

I had the flu and pneumonia vaccines and went for a run the same day.

With all due respect, it is not "absolute bollocks" and it does make me "feel ill."

I have had the flu shot 3 times and every single time, without fail, I spent the next day or two in bed alternating between a high fever and chills. The high fever and chills happened within 24 hours of the shot so I can't help but feel there is a strong causal relationship between the shot and the high fever and chills I experienced.

It should also be noted that I have gone on to get the flu later in the flu season after every time I got the flu shot while in those years I have not gotten a flu shot I have not gotten the flu. While I don't think there is nearly as strong a causal relationship (if there is one at all) between my have the shot or not and my getting the flu later or not, it was enough to convince me to not get a shot for the last few years.

I have gotten it every year for a while. Usually no reaction. I got a pretty high fever this year. 101 I was better the following morning.

The thing is, you can find people who will say "I've had sex unprotected 978 times, and I've never gotten pregnant." And that may be interestingly true. But I'm going to go ahead and trust science, kwim? The flu vax is not a live virus, there is no scientific way if gave you the flu. There is possibly a magical way, I suppose, but not a scientific one. LOL Though there is a chance you have a reaction, perhaps you're allergic to an ingredient or something to that effect-- it's not the flu. And if you react, then by all means, avoid it!

There are people who have gone on to get "the flu" after geting the flu shot. This is possible, but scientifically (not anecdotally, not magically, but scientifically), you're protected, and you just had the bad luck of getting a different strain, or more often, you had something else and called it "the flu." There are still tons of people who think "the flu" is a gastro-intenstinal virus, let alone other misconceptions, so I don't really put a lot of stock into all the anecdotes that abound on the internet regarding this, and I hope readers of this thread don't, too.

If you don't like getting shots you can always get the flu mist.

Influenza is a mutating virus with multiple strains so there's no such thing as immunity in this case. Getting the vaccine does give you a 'mini-flu' (which is how the vaccine works, it gives you the virus so your body can build of defenses against it), but it affects different people to varying degrees. Some feel just as bad as having the full flu, some don't even notice. Because the shot doesn't protect against many strains of flu and because of the low probability of getting the flu, I skip it.

BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAAH It gives you a "mini flu"...can you please be any more wrong? the virus in the flu shot is DEAD.

There no such thing as a living or dead virus because the definition of what is living or dead is still up for scientific debate for these microorganisms. Yes, it can be inactivate, but the principle is to inject flu viruses into your body to evoke an autoimmune response. Don't take my or anyone else's word on it:

"Each injected seasonal influenza vaccine contains three influenza viruses: one influenza type A subtype H3N2 virus strain, one influenza type A subtype H1N1 (seasonal) virus strain, and one influenza type B virus strain."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza_vaccine

"The nasal-spray flu vaccine — a vaccine made weakened flu viruses that is given as a nasal spray (sometimes called LAIV for “Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine”)."
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm

Pardon if the illustration made people chuckle, this was not the intent. There is sufficient testimony here with people who work in healthcare (as I do) to validate the ill feelings after getting the shot. Note please I said "some feel just as bad as having the full flu..." as in "experiencing the symptoms that are also found in the flu".