Do you get the flu shot?

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I did this year, Ihope it works! Last year I got the flu so bad i was in the hospital for 3 days{try nursing twins in the hospital w/ a 102 fever}.I know they had some problem making the right mix but I was able to find the shot at a hospital clinic.

-- renee oneill (oneillsr@home.com), November 02, 2000

Answers

Renee, I plan to get one, every winter for the past 2 years I've been getting it bad too, I have chronic bronchitis, so I think it would be a good idea. Our county is offering it for 5.00 dollars at clinics set up at our local churches next week. Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), November 02, 2000.

I had to get it since I'm working at the hospital now, but this is the first time, so I don't know how well it will work. My husband has been getting them for years (also working at a hospital) and though he gets sick once in a while, I don't remember him actually getting the flu, so maybe they do work, at least to minimize the severity of the illness. Actually, I'm not a very good test case, since I don't usually catch things anyway. Though I've had a headache for a week and a half, and that seems to be going around at work.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), November 02, 2000.

Nope, the few times I've had one, I got sick. Don't usually get the flu anyway.

-- bwilliams (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), November 02, 2000.

Did you know that last years flu outbreak was caued in part because the flu shot that they concocted was for the wrong virus type? Apparently what happened was that how the powers that be decide what strain to include in the flu shot is by looking at what flu China is dealing with the year before. The virus actually moves around the globe and takes a year to get here in the US. Well what happened instead is that the strain that we all had was from Europe instead. (I may have gottenthsi backwards-doing it from memory.)

That in conjunction with a particularly nasty strain...well that made for an epdemic here and in the UK and Europe.

Hopefully we will avoid that this year. I don't get flu shots-I don't trust them.

Sarah

-- Sarah (heartsong85@juno.com), November 02, 2000.


Wouldn't get one iffen you put a gun to my head!! People with strong immune systems, which is pretty much under your control, dont get the flu....... Earthmama

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), November 02, 2000.


I respectfully disagree, I have been trying for years to strenghten my failing immune system, astragalus does help a lot but my WBC tests don't lie, something is amiss, I am willing to try all alternatives. I will try the shot once, if I don't like it, or it doesn't work, no more shots. I don't hesitate to get tetanus shots, or the polio vaccine, there is a greater risk if the disease is contracted than the risks of the vaccine itself. Have you ever watched a child die of diptheria, not a pretty sight. Jusy my opinion, Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), November 02, 2000.

How did you manage to get a flu shot? I just made the rounds of the doctors and pharmacy on Monday. There is a shortage of flu vaccine this year and it will be rationed. The drug companies have plenty of their new drugs to take after you get the flu though. We are already is trouble here in Utah with repiratory illnesses. My son has Whooping Cough!

-- Cheryl (bramblecottage@hotmail.com), November 02, 2000.

There seems to be plenty around here. Best wishes for your son's speedy recovery, try the above mentioned astragalus root. Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), November 02, 2000.

My apologies if I sounded callous, Annie. I have no intention of dismissing people's suffering. I do wholeheartedly believe what I said, however,I'm also aware of how most of us have unknowingly degraded our immune systems by unnatural lifestyles. I believe in the wisdom of Nature: whole, unadulterated food and water, as few outside chemical influences as possible, which to me, means no pharmaceuticals except in dire emergencies. I am suspicious of most anything the medical establishment recommends, including vaccines;I have surrendered to a few in my family : tetanus, and diptheria when the kids were small and I wasnt yet such a 'question authority' type weirdo; I think there is always a natural alternative. And no, I never hope to see a child die of dyptheria, or anything else; that is my whole point.I suspect most vaccines, besides their oftimes potent side-effects, suppress our bodies' ability to naturally fight illness. But, of course, this is my suspicion, and, as most things I say, can easily be taken with a friendly grain of salt. Blessings, Earthmama

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), November 02, 2000.

No, I don't

-- Carol in Tx (cwaldrop@peoplescom.net), November 02, 2000.


Got one once, when living in Missouri. For some reason, we were supposedly going to be hard hit by the virus of the year, and they recommended everyone get one. So I did.

I got the WORST case of flu that year that I have ever had. My entire body ached so badly I was crying all the time. Plus I had to throw up. The only "good" thing is that those really horrible symptoms only lasted two days, then I began to get better.

So, I decided not to get flu shots again, and I haven't had a case in years and years. Not even when I worked in a hospital. Can't remember the last one.

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), November 02, 2000.


The outfit I work for offers free flu shots for all us employes and I've gotten one for the past five or six years. I get bronchitis real bad so I make sure to take one. Some people say the shot gave them the flu. That's impossible.

-- Shooter (jcole@apha.com), November 02, 2000.

ABSOLUTELY NO, even though it's free. I see ALL the drug stores around here offering them for a small fee so what's the media hype about a shortage?

-- Sandy (smd2@netzero.net), November 02, 2000.

I'm with you Earthmama - try to keep it natural. Too bad our country is polluting us to death! I think flu shots for normal healthy people are a money making scheme cooked up by the pharmaceutical companies. - Julia

-- Julia in Tally (tofubiscuit@excite.com), November 02, 2000.

I think that I have the best of both worlds... I am not keen on over vaccination, see it too much in the vet clinic. But, we have three 11yr old foster kids who will be getting vaccinated free at school, seems like our Ontario gov't has more money than they need *G*. My three year old son likely has the best developed immune system going, breast feed for a long time and now drinking goats milk and a home grown diet. I rarely get sick, who has the time *G*, and hubby is afraid of needles. So, we will see how the year goes. If the vaccine works, the foster kids shouldn't be bringing any germies home from public school, and that would be great. I suspect that once my son is school age, I would still skip vaccinating him, but we will see how this year goes. I do see merit in vaccines for those with diminished immune systems though, but am hesitant when it isn't merited. Healthy living everyone, Marci

-- MarciB (daleb@kent.net), November 02, 2000.


Earthmomma, I agree with your basic premise, but in a natural environment the attacking viruses and dieases would kill all who are not resistant enough, leaving only the most healthy to carry on the species, and would thus balance out, both attacker and victim waging an equal war of adaptation. This is not allowed to happen now, we are messing with Mother Nature's great plan in our efforts to save lives at all costs. So what are our alternatives? We must use drugs, vaccines, and medicines very carefully and sparingly, weighing the risks against benefits constantly. As an example, you and your family run a higher risk of sudden cardiac arrest during Novocaine use at the dentist's office, than any reaction from a vaccine, but few people know of it. I also think vaccines should be given one at a time, allowing the body to utilize them properly, rather than the whole set that's given at times to children, I think it can overwhelm some people's systems, and therein where a lot of the trouble can start with hyperreactions. I appreciate your input, though! Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), November 02, 2000.

Never have and never will. Up here in MN, all my friends that have received the flu shot in the past seemed to get more sick from the shot than from the flu.

-- Bill (sticky@2side.tape), November 02, 2000.

Actually last year's flu season was not any worse that previous years. It's just that now that the big pharmaceutical companies have the flu drugs they hype the flu season in the news to make it seem like it's worse. I should know, I work for a company that makes one of the drugs.

The reason why there is a shortage this year is because the labs that make the vaccine had difficulty growing one of the flu strains that goes into the vaccine. The big chains like WalMart snatched up the available supply to vaccinate the "worried well" who have the money to pay for the shots. Meanwhile the charities and public health who vaccinate folks who truly are in need of the shots are left in the cold until the next batch of vaccine is finished, which should be by the middle of the month.

My advice is to leave the vaccine to the people who really need it, the elderly and those with chronic respiratory problems. For the average healthy adult a case of the flu isn't any more than an inconvenience.

-- Sherri C (CeltiaSkye@aol.com), November 02, 2000.


I have gotten shots twice, both thru the school that I work for. The first time I got a bit achey, and the second had no real side effects at all. And last year I was pretty healthy, just two colds that lasted a week, no biggie. The corporation said that because of the shortage, we wouldn't get the $2.00 shots unti November. Hope it doesn't hit before then.

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), November 02, 2000.

I'm with Earthmamma on this one. I think diseases work on somewhat of the same premise as cancer. Every one in the world has cancer cells in their body, wether or not we actually get cancer depends on our immune system. It's up to us to keep immune. My husband, myself, and our three unvaccinated kids never get sick, not even snotty noses. Herbs and raw fruits and veggies are the way to go (no, we aren't vegetarians).

-- Julie (julieamc@excite.com), November 02, 2000.

I'm with Earthmama and Julia-NO WAY!

-- Cathy Horn (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), November 02, 2000.

Our company gives em free. Makes a big difference. Now their talking about doing precautionary TB screenings too.

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), November 02, 2000.

My answer is yes every year, it's offerde free at the hospital I work at, can't have all the workers off sick when the hospital is full! The rule for me at work is I can't have my shot until three o'clock Friday. I react every time with flu simptoms. I still get it every year because I have pretty bad asthma, I only do this so I can breath! On a little side note our county in our state has the highest asthma rate. Several people I know either have asthma themselves or their children do.

-- becky (dandelion_01@hotmail.com), November 02, 2000.

We don't take them--the worst case of flu I ever had was after takeing a shot---will NEVER do that again!!!!!! Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), November 02, 2000.

Yes.Nearly died last time I had the flu(I was 21).Respiratory distress,tachycardia,O2 saturation dropping like a rock.My lungs were so badly affected that I doubt they ever function at 100% again. While I am greatly looking forward to being with my Lord,I feel no cause to rush it.Especially since He has committed 2 precious children to my care...For me to refuse the flu vaccination would be foolhardy.

Blessings,~~~Tracy~~~

-- Tracy Jo Neff (tntneff@ifriendly.com), November 03, 2000.


NEVER NEVER again will we do the flu shot thing. I lined up my 4 boys to get the flu shot (my girls were too sick at the time with the lupus to get it) and they all got the shot. One after another, my oldest went first and by the time the other three had gotten their shots (they sit still, it went fast) my oldest was having a fatal reaction. He was 9 yrs old at the time. This was last years shot. His heart stopped, no breathing. His cries before his heart stopped still ring in my ears. "Mama, I can't see, Mama, I can't hear, help me Mama!" and he fell into my arms. He is ok now, he lived. He got a large dose of adrenaline and the ambulance was called. His heart was beating again before the ambulance got there, so that was good. He was sick for two weeks after the shot. My other sons had nightmares that they were going to die from the shot. My daughters felt bad for staying home instead of going with us, but they were sick. They were barely old enough to stay home and a girl their age got kidnapped that same day in our neighborhood, so that was real scary. I don't know if that girl was ever found. :-( Needless to say, this was before we moved to the country. We will never do the flu shot again. We all fuss when we see these drive by shot clinics, what if someone else has that reaction? Driving through, get a shot, drive off down the highway...not a good scene. Ok, my soap box is over. Please, please be careful about the shots!! We never get the flu anyway, so why bother? We were that year because we didn't want to risk making my one daughter who was so very sick with lupus problems, sicker. We were trying to be careful... :-(

-- Cindy in OK (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), November 03, 2000.

Cindy, before they gave me my shot a couple of weeks ago, the nurse asked if I was allergic to certain things (can't remember what all they were, but opne of them was eggs). Evidently if people have certain allergies they will react also to the vaccine, so that may be what happened to your son. I had to sit and wait for about fifteen minutes after the shot, to make sure I wasn't going to have a reaction -- they do this with everyone. But you are right -- drive- up shots are NOT a good idea.

And I think the reason hospital workers have to have the shots is to avoid passing the flu on to patients who are already weakened.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), November 03, 2000.


I was told that he probably had an egg allergy, but he eats eggs fine. Then I was told it was duck eggs used in the vaccine. He has not had a duck egg as ours are not laying yet, so I don't know about that. He has no other allergies that we know of.

-- Cindy in OK (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), November 03, 2000.

There is a risk of anaphylactic shock everytime you receive an injection of ANYTHING, including dentist's Novocaine. It is rare, but when it happens to you, or your loved one, it is serious trouble. Everyone should have on hand, and know how to use, injectable Epinephrine, stops anaphylactic shock immediately! Your doctor, or vet, can show you how to use it properly. You can buy it at the drugstore or order it from the vet supply houses, it also will save your life if you suddenly have a reaction to bee stings. Anyone who inoculates their own animals should have it for the same reasons. Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), November 03, 2000.

I keep my epipen close at hand at all times!! We all know where it is, just in case.

-- Cindy in OK (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), November 03, 2000.

Annie--you make a good point on the Anaphylatic shock. I have a very serious allergy to bee stings and keep the Epinephrine close by at all times. I really hate it but it could be matter of life or death and it isn't any fun at all.

-- Bill (Sticky@2side.tape), November 03, 2000.

I have never gotten a flu shot, and won't get one. I can't remember anytime I have had the flu. Steve gets one every year because his parents got him started on it. He is the one who brings home the colds to me. I will never get a runny nose unless he has one first.

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@msn.com), November 03, 2000.

My parents and I are the first in line every year for the flu shots. When I get it (and I do pick it up when it's going around) I get a major dose. After a couple bouts with sinus infections, I'd definitely rather have the shot. The last year I was working in an office, EVERYONE ELSE had a major dose of the flue, for 3 days I was the only one who came in....I was also the only one who had got the shot.

If you're generally healthy and don't usually get the flu, probably just as well if you don't get the flu shots. But for people like me, probably wiser to get them. Couple years in a row my arm swelled up in a goose egg around the shot, doc told me that if I reacted that much to the dead virus, probably would have had a major dose if I'd contracted the live virus.

On a side note, couple of people have mentioned the novocaine at the dentist's office. Couple of years ago I had noticed that whenever I had dental work done, after the freezing wore off I'd get major headaches. Asked my dentist if they had changed the formula, and he said yes, nowadays they're adding preservatives to extend the shelf life of the medicine, and some people have reactions to those. So...there is now a notation in my file, and I remind them every time I go in, to give me the "old-fashioned" formula without the preservatives.

-- Chelsea (rmbehr@istar.ca), November 03, 2000.


We usually get the flu shot. Got tired of being so sick every Christmas. I work very part time as a nurse and the hospital gives us ours for free. Husband pays for his. The shot doesn't usually give you the flu since it is a "dead" virus that they give you. Sometimes I think that we "think" ourselves sick. But I always get the shot when I know I have nothing big planned for the next week or so just in case. Older people and sick ones really should consider getting the vaccine.

-- Helena Di Maio (windyacs@ptdprolog.net), November 05, 2000.

Renee, the local free weekly papaer just came, they are out of the vaccine until further notice. Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), November 06, 2000.

The worst case of the flu I ever had (and it was really really bad) was the one year I took a flu shot. I was sick for a month with a dangerously high fever. The years I do get the flu it usually just last a week. The best way to prevent the flu is to stay home during the flu season.....stay away from Wal-mart and other busy stores and wash your hands often.

-- Amanda S (aseley@townsqr.com), November 06, 2000.

The only time I ever got the flu as an adult was the one year I decided to get a flu shot because they were giving them away for free where I work. I took it because I figured when I got old I might need it and I wanted to find out if I had any bad reactions to flu shots while I was still young and robust enough to recover easily from them. That winter, I got the flu. Haven't gotten the flu before or since and I don't intend to ever take a flu shot again.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), November 07, 2000.

I never get it. This whole vaccine issue is a touchy one. Not many people realize that there was an international conference on vaccines last year and the majority of the doctors agreed that vaccines are not safe. They are thinking that vaccines are the reason that more and more people have such debilitated immune systems that we can't even fight off simple illnesses. The theory is that if you don't let the body fight off disease by vaccines and over use of antibiotics that it never gets a chance to test it's immune system. There is a great book out called a shot in the dark which gives a very interesting perspective. Also you can call 1800-909-shot or visit their website for more info www.909shot.com . The woman who started the organization lost her son from a vaccine. Also the only cases of polio today are vaccine induced. My in-laws get the shot every year and get the flu every year. The doctor tells them that it would have been much worse if they hadn't gotten the shot. Personally I think those are scare tactics. There was pamphlet passed out to doctors back in the 80's by drug companies called "how to make a lucrative practice on the needle". That says it all for me.

-- evelyn Bergdoll (peontoo@yahoo.com), November 07, 2000.

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