Flu Shots

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KimbaFoxNatsume

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Over the past few years I've gotten sick more times than I'd prefer, despite the fact that I try to be pretty careful with handwashing. I don't normally get a flu shot but was wondering if maybe I should try it this year. The thing is though, whenever I get sick and go to the hospital, they've never actually told me I had the flu. So I don't know if any of my ailments has actually been the flu, and if there would be any worth in getting one. Thoughts?
 
For the younger adult population it is a crap shot. However, if you have it and give it to an elderly or infant it could be fatal. So that would be on consideration.

In my case, because of past health issues and surgery I need to get it to protect myself from other possible problems.

The other issue (speaking as a health care trained person) the flu shots are a crap shot in themselves because it is based on what was around at the end of the last flu season and hoping that it has not mutated or a different strain has developed during the summer. Global travel makes the issue even more problematic, because what has happened in one hemisphere can be transferred to another hemisphere and that is how the mutations occur.

Bottom line: better safe then sorry.

Egor
 
I agree with egor better safe than sorry. Especially with a weak or compromised immune system. Handwashing helps but the virus is still airborne. That's darn near impossible to avoid unless you never leave your house.
You're not guaranteed to not get sick but it really does help.

Luckily after working with kids I have an immune system of steel now hehe
*knock on wood*
 
Sheepies said:
Especially with a weak or compromised immune system.

in younger, healthy people, it's the opposite. cold and flu viruses are mostly harmless, but they exploit the immune system's symptomatic response for their spread and younger folk, with their less mature and often overly aggressive immune systems, do that job better than older folk and they therefore tend actually suffer more by their having more severe symptoms. it's the symptoms which ail thee, not the virus.
malnutrition and adrenaline will likely prolong a cold or flu, by deferring the symptomatic process which, once infected, you have to go through. usually though, keeping well-fed, warm and rested, that'll be 3 to 5 days. 'rested' also includes learning not to cough and sneeze your head off as this can cause more inflammation and cuts to your already inflamed throat and nasal passages, leading to secondary bacterial infections.
heat, inhaled as moist heat from a pan of hot water or dry heat from a heatlamp or toaster, will ease some of the symptoms as well as killing any viruses and bacteria along the nasal passages and throat. it's trial and error as to which works best for you, and it may a mix of both (i often find benefit in going from a moistened state directly to a drying out state). further benefits of heat are a bit speculative, but well-reasoned [as to the virus killing effect] and often 'grandmother cures' for colds and such (hot baths, feet in a bowl of hot water, etc).

not had a flu-jab for years. i have a naturally aggressive immune system and the last time i had a jab (for key-personnel, at that time), it triggered a response so that i may as well have had the flu.
 
I've been getting the flu shot since I've been teaching in school. I've been retired from that for a couple of years but I still get the shot. Even if you get the flu bug, they say having the shot can lesson the effects of the flu. I'll take anything I can get to not get sick or as sick as the flu can make one.
 
If you've been getting sick in the past, then it's probably a good idea to get a flu shot. I know I'm a hypocrite as I don't get flu shots since I hate needles and will usually try and avoid them whenever possible. Plus, I apparently have a great immune system and haven't gotten sick in 7 years. But as everyone else has said, it's better to be safe than sorry, especially if you have a history of getting the flu (or some other illness if hospitals claim its not the flu).
 
I never got flu shots and never got the flu either. I only get them now because my daughter insists that if I'm going to be around the grandbaby I need one.
Ran over to the Harris Teeter and got one in a few minutes.
 
Working with kid's I over looked the flu shot and didn't get it, Needless to say last week one of my students came to class sick and now I've been off work for 3 day's due to the flu. So i agree. Better safe than sorry.
 
I have gotten it in the last couple of years pretty much only because a member of my family has a compromised immune system and a regular flu that would set me back a day or two would put them in bed for a week or worse. Before that I never really bothered because it's the flu and it comes around every year.

That being said, if you have been getting sick it's probably something to think about getting. I was told I'd feel a bit off the day after and even have some pain in my arm from the shot itself, but I had neither happen. -shrug-
 
Gsmax said:
Plus, I apparently have a great immune system and haven't gotten sick in 7 years.

I once had a period where I went like, three years without picking anything up. But over the past three years my immune system has apparently gone to crap. In 2013 I got sick the day I was supposed to start training for a job, then from apparently working in cramped conditions around other people I picked something up two more times in the three months I worked there.

Fast forward a couple more years and a few more illnesses later, and this year in June I got sick after a trip to a racino. Late August I skipped out on some handwashing - despite knowing better - and picked something up from either a car cruise or a fair and got sick at the start of September.
 
KimbaStarshine said:
I once had a period where I went like, three years without picking anything up. But over the past three years my immune system has apparently gone to crap. In 2013 I got sick the day I was supposed to start training for a job, then from apparently working in cramped conditions around other people I picked something up two more times in the three months I worked there.

Fast forward a couple more years and a few more illnesses later, and this year in June I got sick after a trip to a racino. Late August I skipped out on some handwashing - despite knowing better - and picked something up from either a car cruise or a fair and got sick at the start of September.

Usually if you try to avoid getting sick that's when it happens.
 
Some research (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/822047) suggests that about 77% of influenza cases are asymptomatic -- meaning you're infected, and likely contagious, but not sick. The flu vaccine, while a crapshoot as others have mentioned, boasts (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm) an average efficacy of 50% to 60%. Meaning, on average it reduces 50% to 60% of the times you would have gotten sick, so based on the research this should increase your chances of staying healthy on a per-exposure basis from 77% to almost 90%. If you only expect to be exposed once or twice all season, that's not a very big difference, but it starts to stack up if you expect to be exposed repeatedly to different strains of the virus (once you've had an infection, symptomatic or not, you'll generally be immune to that strain thereafter).

I work in an office environment, and the flu usually sweeps through once or twice each year. I don't usually get a flu shot, FWIW.
 
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I got one this year, although I had not gotten one in the past 4 years. Went to talked to my Doctor and she said it is pretty cheap and easy insurance and really can not hurt. Well the stupid needle hurt and my arm was sore for a few days...but I am a wimp when it comes to needles.
 
I work for a hospital so it's required. The hospital provides the shots. I am petrified of needles so it's always scary lining up to get one, but i do it because I must!


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I've been pretty random about getting flu shots, to be honest. If they're thrust in my face, I do it, if not, I might pass. I'm not advocating that approach, it's just been my reality for the past few years.

I used to get a couple of colds each year, but seldom any worse. The last few years, if I get anything, it's the vague sense that I might be coming down with something. But that something never actually hits. I think my immune system is stuck on high alert, probably because I have two kids in elementary school and a wife who works at an elementary school, so all three of them are regularly coming home with things for me to fight off.

But as a piece of their overall immunity picture, I suppose I really ought to take a more proactive stance on immunization, so... I'll probably go and get a flu shot this year.
 
I get mine every year. Also got a pneumonia shot this year. Who wants to be sick. NOT ME LOL.
 
Well as usual I'm the mutant , due to severe egg allergy I have never been vaccinated to lots of things , but for the last 10 years winter comes and I am at home unless I have a very very important appointment that I can not miss or put off.

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I dont trust them
The bill gates program in Africa caused people to be paralyzed.
I have know a few person's it caused menial problem's
Before the shot they were ok.My aunt being one.
 
My mom and I got them at Walgreens today. So we'll see if it helps any!
 
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