Is there anyone else who doesn't get a flu shot?

[bbak30]

ER nurse here, so I'm required to get it. I've never gotten the flu. My entire family gets it and they have never been sick either.

 

[Hrhpd]

My DH isn't getting the shot this year because the last two times he got the shot, he became very sick...with the flu. I know, I know...but I can't convince him otherwise.

My DD is an epidemiologist and we've had some very interesting conversations. I choose to refrain. The last time I got one, I had 24/7 pain and constriction at the shot site....for 7 years. My doctor advises to avoid it.

And lastly...several years back in the mid 2009, I was reading on the world health organization site about very interesting article about a country in Europe who gave 'flu' shots to the public, which had actually been activated with a virus in order to test the spread of the virus in the community and to expedite approval for vaccines. They considered these 'advance' studies and used a mock up vaccine which contained an active ingredient for an influenza virus that had not circulated recently in human populations. In testing the mock up vaccines, they could release the virus into the population to mimic a pandemic virus to expedite regulatory approval.

At that tme, I realized the governments really don't mind using us as guinea pigs and as long as I still had a choice, I was exiting the building.

But I am an advocate for childhood vaccines, however I believe the current schedule is getting a bit overwhelming.

Here's the link to the WHO story for those who doubt. http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/notes/h1n1_safety_vaccines_20090805/en/

So, does your daughter recommend the vaccine?

Here is a better article that explains the mockup vaccine and that humans are not being used as unknown guinea pigs as inferred.
http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/special_topics/q_and_a/q_and_a_detail_000080.jsp

 

[MrsDuck]

Never gotten the flu, never gotten the shot - hoping it stays that way!

 

[bdcp]

DH and I have been getting the flu shot for almost 20 years and neither of us has had the flu during that time. My DH and I and our two DS had the flu twice at the exact same time (before we started getting the shot) when the boys were in elementary school and I said NEVER AGAIN. There are a lot of people who think they know what the flu is, but they don't. Our DS's both get the shot every year also. DH got his last week and he's perfectly fine. I'm getting mine in just over a week. Not sure when our DS's are getting theirs, but we all get them for free at work. Once you have really had the full blown flu with cough, fever, aches, completely wiped out for a week and then probably a secondary infection (pink eye, sinus, pneumonia) you will never, ever, risk getting it again and take any precaution you can. The only people I know that had the flu the last few years either didn't get the shot or happened to catch a strain that the shot didn't cover. No one I know caught the strains that were covered by the shot.

 

[bdcp]

Last year was the first year my son's elementary school gave the flu mist out in the classrooms. Weird because then it seemed like everyone at the school got the flu In all the years of taking my kids to that school I'd never heard of it being so widespread!!

Probably because last year they missed the mark on the right combo of viruses to vaccinate against and the strain that spread last year wasn't covered.

 

[phorsenuf]

Never had, never will.

 

[aprilgail]

The 2 years I did not get the flu shot I got the flu! The one year was when H1N1 was the "big news" and I got it that year and shared it with my daughter. It was the sickest I have ever been from an illness! Couldn't get up to walk to the bathroom without extreme effort. The next one was just the regular flu. Two years ago I got the flu shot but ended up getting a different strain of the flu.

 

[mnrose]

Fact: you can't get the flu from the flu shot. I don't care what you "believe."

I had the real deal flu ONCE. And, I never, ever, ever want to feel that sick again. It was awful. And, if you've had the "real deal" flu (not something people call the flu...like the stomach flu, or a bad cold, but Influenza), I'm thinking you'd agree. But whatever floats your boat.

We get the shot. Never gotten sick from it, because you can't.

 

[ReneeA]

I am mandated to get it if I want to keep my well paying, sought after job. I like my lifestyle enough that I choose to get the shot. I've only tested positive for the flu once, and I was so sick I thought I would die...and that year I didn't get vaccinated ( before it was mandatory).

 

[Hrhpd]

I'm probably the only one of the family that does not get the flu shot. I've done well at avoiding the flu and typical colds by eating well, and using a sun vitamin D light a couple times a week during flu season. I'll stand in front of the light 10 minutes a couple times a week. It's worked well for me, remaining flu free for nearly a decade, knock on wood, and I've noticed also that it's still common for others in the family to develop a nasty cold at some point during the season despite having the flu shot. Last holiday season for example we had a large family gathering, and everyone developed a terrible cold, except my father and I. (Rather a downer on holiday cheer.) In our group I was the only one that had not received the flu shot, and my father is the only other person in the family that is continuous about eating healthy to stay in shape.

What do colds have to do with the flu shot? The flu shot does not nor has it ever been promoted to protect against the cold virus. Getting a cold despite having a flu shot is normal.

 

[Hrhpd]

Fact: you can't get the flu from the flu shot. I don't care what you "believe."

I had the real deal flu ONCE. And, I never, ever, ever want to feel that sick again. It was awful. And, if you've had the "real deal" flu (not something people call the flu...like the stomach flu, or a bad cold, but Influenza), I'm thinking you'd agree. But whatever floats your boat.

We get the shot. Never gotten sick from it, because you can't.

I am mandated to get it if I want to keep my well paying, sought after job. I like my lifestyle enough that I choose to get the shot. I've only tested positive for the flu once, and I was so sick I thought I would die...and that year I didn't get vaccinated ( before it was mandatory).

These two posts say it all.

I firmly believe that misunderstanding is what fuels all these conspiracy theories about the flu shot. Many people just don't understand what the true flu is.

They get a shot and and then come down with a cold virus or a stomach virus, all common in the winter months, and point to the flu shot and say "see, I got the shot and now I am sick. It doesn't work."

 

[Colleen27]

I had the real deal flu ONCE. And, I never, ever, ever want to feel that sick again. It was awful. And, if you've had the "real deal" flu (not something people call the flu...like the stomach flu, or a bad cold, but Influenza), I'm thinking you'd agree. But whatever floats your boat.

I've had it once too, and it sucked. But I still don't get the shot. In 35 years of not getting a vaccine I've gotten the flu once. Unless I develop health issues that make the flu more than a miserable inconvenience, I'm willing to roll the dice on those odds going forward.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

Never had and never will.

 

[smokeyblue]

I am required to get a flu shot for my employment. If I don't, I have to watch all kinds of videos, sign documents, etc. That being said, I get the shot anyway. I have had the "swine" flu. I had to shut myself up in my apartment for over a week. The only people I saw all week were the people at Walgreens when I made my soup, gatorade, kleenex and medication run. My BF is a Type I diabetic and I couldn't chance him getting sick.

I think people can and do feel a little bit ill after getting their flu shot, but it is certainly not the flu.

 

[FINFAN]

So sorry you both got so sick. That's what I'm afraid of if I get the shot.

DD went ahead and got it at CVS last night...she said she will keep us posted on if she feels "weird" or off in anyway over the next few weeks. I will never really know if the shot or other things got me sick years ago, just know it wasn't fun. That said I also had to get a VZIG http://reference.medscape.com/drug/varizig-varicella-zoster-immune-globulin-human-343145
when 15 weeks pg with my DS~I was on the floor sick for 2 days so maybe I have a bizarre system

 

[Hisgirl]

My DH got the shot a couple years back but the efficacy wasn't enough to prevent him from getting a strain going around. And...he was diagnosed 4 days before our disney trip..in MAY! He got on tamiflu quickly and was able to go with zero fever and some energy. That was a surprise...May, of all things!

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I didn't used to get the flu shot, but at this point my immune system is so crappy that I will take any vaccine they will give me if there is a chance it will keep me from getting sick AGAIN. My DD and husband will get it as well because it is free and as a whole we do not react poorly to vaccines.

 

[cijay]

I've had the flu twice in my life but I don't get a shot. I think it keeps you from getting the flue - but just the strain that they've vaccinated you against, not all the others that go around. I can't help but wonder if it's like it opens the gates to all of the others. People I know who are so healthy get a shot and they get the flu.

Winters here are very cold, no virus could live outside and I wash my hands often, especially after having been in a mall.

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

We get it every year. Dh has asthma, when he gets the flu he is down for weeks with nasty secondary infections (bronchitis, etc). My oldest son spent 3 nights in icu with pneumonia two years ago, I don't want to take a chance on what the flu might do to him, either. His pediatrician actually called us the day the shots came in that year and told us to get him in immediately to get his.

yes, we still get colds, stomach virus, whatever else is going around. The flu shot won't protect against those. We've even caught the flu a time or two when the vaccinne didn't cover that year's strain. I've had the full blown flu, if there's even a chance that it can be avoided or the symptoms lessend, I'm all in.

 

[Squirlz]

Never got one as an adult. Can't remember if I did as a kid. I have never been sick with anything since I was very young.