Angel!
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Post by Angel! on Sept 23, 2014 22:07:22 GMT -5
I've never had the shot or (apparently) the flu. I was regularly vaccinated for chicken pox when I was a child, but I got the chicken pox anyway. Since there weren't any complications, I had a time of it. I got to take several days off school to basically eat, sleep, and play Nintendo. Was this a Canada thing? We didn't have a chicken pox vaccine when I was growing up.
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on Sept 23, 2014 22:56:52 GMT -5
I get a flu shot every fall. Never had side effects.
Also got the shingles vacine a couple years ago. My sister had shingles in her eye; I never want to experience what she went through.
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Formerly SK
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Post by Formerly SK on Sept 23, 2014 23:09:31 GMT -5
I've never had the flu. Got my first flu shot ever last year just because I now work in the health room of an elementary school. Got my 2nd flu shot ever last week. I figure I'm due for a severe case at some point given all the germs I'm exposed to. A shot seemed pretty harmless given my exposure level.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2014 6:59:42 GMT -5
never had a flu shot, never had the flu except once when I was pregnant with DS1. none of my kids have ever had a flu shot except DS1 once when he was around 18 months and had reactive airway disease, my kids have never had the flu.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Sept 24, 2014 7:11:23 GMT -5
DD has an egg allergy. Someone from this board found her a place in Tampa where she could get the spray! I get the shot every year. First because I taught school and it was free and you pretty much were pressured into it. They even came to your school to administer it. Now I have to and I think I have to add pneumonia to it because of DF and his transplant.
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cael
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Post by cael on Sept 24, 2014 7:27:44 GMT -5
I've had the flu shot the last 6-7 years since I've been at my job (which is in public health). I did get H1N1 back in 09 but luckily it was mild and I had only had the seasonal shot prior to that, not the new one they produced. Last year I got what I can only imagine was the flu in October (while we were traveling, of course), because I didn't get my shot early like I usually do. I think our vaccine is coming in soon so I'll be having it whenever the nurse can give it to me. My arm is just sore for a day.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Sept 24, 2014 7:33:52 GMT -5
Got one as a freshman in college. That was the first time. Skipped a bunch of them after that. Then I developed asthma on top of my allergies which puts me in a new risk category. Of course I also got an egg allergy at the same time. I got the new egg free vaccine last year.
Having the flu would suck but the asthma puts me at risk of developing pneumonia on top of it. My lungs do not fight off that stuff very well lately. A three month bout with bronchitis was bad enough. I was damn near hospitalized for that. The ENT was sorely tempted to admit my butt to the hospital then. And they have some major superbugs around here so no thank you!
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steph08
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Post by steph08 on Sept 24, 2014 7:37:43 GMT -5
I never got the flu shot until October 2013, and I got it for two reasons: 1. I was pregnant 2. I got the flu in January 2013 two days before I was running a marathon that I had trained for outside through a Pennsylvania winter. I was pissed that all that training went to waste (I still ran, I was just really, really slow).
My work offers them for free, so I got one.
My only side effect was I had absolutely no sickness at all last year - not even a cold, nothing. I usually get a cold or two every winter and I figured being pregnant my immune system wouldn't be performing as well. Nope. I was healthier than ever.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Sept 24, 2014 7:39:42 GMT -5
What is it with this egg allergy? DD developed it I think somewhere in college. Is this odd or is it normal? She thinks she might be getting over it but I want her to get that flu spray again. She comes in contact with a lot of sick people. Even if she didnt, last semester of school, no time to have flu.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Sept 24, 2014 7:52:17 GMT -5
I don't think developing them later is usual but I could be wrong. For some people allergies get worse as you get older and I'm one of them. I had a really bad allergic reaction while on a west to east coast flight with a cat. My immune system never really recovered. When the allergy doctor ran tests all kinds of new stuff popped up. Some of those are gone but the egg one is still there.
Zib Walgreens and Walmart are showing in Tampa as having the flu nasal spray.
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Works4me
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Post by Works4me on Sept 24, 2014 8:09:18 GMT -5
Flu shot - used to get them when I was working but now that I am retired early due to lupus, I don't because I strongly prefer to limit my contact with anything that stimulates my immune system in any way. Also, my contact with the general public is extremely limited and is something that I can control.
I had the pneumonia shot several years ago and it broke about a 25 year run of pneumonia and bronchitis between Thanksgiving and New Years Eve - Every. Damn. Year! Even though this is year 10, I am not having one this year as again I prefer not to stimulate my immune system - basically, lupus is an over-active immune system.
My boyfriend at the time most generously shared H1N1 with me in the spring of 2009. We were both so sick he was vomiting in the shower while I was barfing in the sink then toilet. We were both so sick we were miserable - I went to the doctor when could feel it moving into my lungs while he tougher it out.
I believe that this is a decision that needs to be made by each individual and his/her PCP. It is not something that is right for everyone nor is it automatically wrong.
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on Sept 24, 2014 8:56:26 GMT -5
Technically, the flu can be deadly, although mostly for people with other risk factors.
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alabamagal
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Post by alabamagal on Sept 24, 2014 9:09:05 GMT -5
I've had Shingles ... it was awful (I had them on my head, forehead, and around my left eye.) I had it also just after I had my 3rd child. It was awful. And I would highly recommend the shot to everyone. I think it is recommended for age 60? I had shingles inmy early 30s.
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alabamagal
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Post by alabamagal on Sept 24, 2014 9:12:21 GMT -5
I've never had the shot or (apparently) the flu. I was regularly vaccinated for chicken pox when I was a child, but I got the chicken pox anyway. Since there weren't any complications, I had a time of it. I got to take several days off school to basically eat, sleep, and play Nintendo. Was this a Canada thing? We didn't have a chicken pox vaccine when I was growing up. I worked for the company that made the chickenpox vaccine and know exactly when it came out - 1995. Because it was right after all 3 of my kids had chickenpox. DS is 20 now. He had chickenpox when he was 6 months old and he caught it from my shingles outbreak, even though he is not supposed to. All kids his age are supposed to have the chicken pox vaccine for school and college, and I have to get an exemption for him because he actually had chickenpox.
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NancysSummerSip
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Post by NancysSummerSip on Sept 24, 2014 9:15:12 GMT -5
I get a flu shot. I had influenza years ago. Worst three weeks of my life. I wasn't sure if I was going to die, or if I even really wanted to live. That taught me a lesson. I've been getting the shots ever since. Other than the achy arm, no symptoms. My mother always had a horrible reaction to the shot (no egg allergies) and nev er could figure out why.
I'm considering the shingles shot. I'm too young to be covered by insurance, and it's a $225.00 shot. But I've had chicken pox, and live with someone who never did (DH got his first shingles shot this year, and his was insured).
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on Sept 24, 2014 9:15:20 GMT -5
I've had Shingles ... it was awful (I had them on my head, forehead, and around my left eye.) I had it also just after I had my 3rd child. It was awful. And I would highly recommend the shot to everyone. I think it is recommended for age 60? I had shingles inmy early 30s. I think they can give it to someone as young as 50, but it's generally done at 60. I asked, because my mom got shingles younger than 60 so I wanted to know how early I can get the shot!
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achelois
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Post by achelois on Sept 24, 2014 10:10:13 GMT -5
I always get the flu shot, no side effects.
Was mandatory at the hospital when I was employed for all employees. No shot=no job.
i nearly died of the Asian flu when I was five. Not risking it again. I was SICK. Remember it well.
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Works4me
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Post by Works4me on Sept 24, 2014 10:18:40 GMT -5
Question - despite repeated exposure as a child in the 1960's, as far as anyone knew I never had the chickenpox. Does anyone know what the recommendations are? I also wonder if they can/will test for any type immunity?
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on Sept 24, 2014 10:20:03 GMT -5
Question - despite repeated exposure as a child in the 1960's, as far as anyone knew I never had the chickenpox. Does anyone know what the recommendations are? I also wonder if they can/will test for any type immunity? My mom never believed she had the chicken pox as a kid either (and didn't get it when all 4 of her kids got it!), but she got the shingles in her 50's. It must have been rattling around in there somewhere!
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Sept 24, 2014 10:28:41 GMT -5
I had a minor case of shingles in my late forties. Once I turned 60 I got the shingles vaccine.
In her late forties, a good frind of mine developed internal shingles on the lining of her stomach and partially on her lungs. She suffered greatly for a while until they eased up.
Get the shingles shot when it is time.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Sept 24, 2014 10:40:48 GMT -5
Question - despite repeated exposure as a child in the 1960's, as far as anyone knew I never had the chickenpox. Does anyone know what the recommendations are? I also wonder if they can/will test for any type immunity? Go to your doctor and ask for a titer to be done. That is how they can test or immunity. When I started my practicums, I had no proof I was vaccinated because I had chicken pox. Rather than going to the lab to get titers drawn (it was on the other side of campus) I just had them vaccinate me. I figured that they had just essentially vaccinated me for shingles as they are the same virus. I think that the only difference is dose.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Sept 24, 2014 10:48:40 GMT -5
I never get these flu shots. My parents got them one year with pneumonia shots and my dad got very sick and they decided never again. I'm a real herbal remedy guru - been reading and experimenting for about 20 years now. I can knock anything out pretty quick with the right combination of herbs. Generally - i take a few doses if I sit next to someone sneezing or coughing on the train - any time I think I've been exposed to germs I take some yarrow, goldenseal, and mhyrr. I haven't been sick in several years. Sleep is another biggie, I'm vulnerable when I'm low on sleep, so I have to be careful of that. Also stress - which is more difficult to manage. short story: I prefer to tend to my immune system rather than vaccines. If there was something deadly out there - sure - but getting vaccinated against that average flu? I don't see the point. If you don't get the flu, good for you. But do NOT think that it can be deadly. While a coworker's wife was in medical school, she caught the flu. This was while she was in lass, not during her clinical rotation. She was (and still is) a health nut. The "simple flu" put her in the hospital on a respirator and she lost most of her fingers and toes as collateral damage from the flu. Today, she s a pediatrician and I've watched this woman draw blood from the veins of an infant with her stumps of fingers. However, she lost a year of medical school and ad to relearn things that most of us take for granted If you can be guaranteed the average flu, I want some of what you are drinking. Despite all of my knowledge in microbiology and immunology, I have no idea how you can do this.
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cael
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Post by cael on Sept 24, 2014 10:52:47 GMT -5
My friend's 29yr old husband just had singles, on his face. He has a scar above his eye, they were worried it would damage his eye (luckily so far it hasn't). Ugh, they said it was awful. My husband never had chicken pox but got the vaccine recently for schoolt. I had chicken pox and survived just fine except for a few scars! (vaccine came out after I'd already had it)
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Sept 24, 2014 10:53:19 GMT -5
I get a flu shot just about every year - my employer offers free flu shots as part of our health benny's.
I never got flu shots (before I was 35 or so...) I'm pretty sure I've had the flu quite a few times in my 50 years of life... I'm pretty sure I had the flu about 7 years ago for Christmas - It was very unpleasant (and I even had a flu shot that year).
I generally get an achey arm - some years worse than others. I may or may not have side effects I'm not sure. I can remember being headache-y and queasy with in a day of having flu shots in the past - but it's not unusual for me to be headache-y and queasy (hormonal changes tend to trigger them) so I'm not 100% willing to say the flu shot caused that as a side effect.
I've started taking a pain reliever soon after getting my flu shot - it helps with the achey arm and I haven't been headache-y or queasy the last 3 years I've gotten the shot. I suspect the pain reliever is effecting the 'achey arm' part - not sure if it's helping ward off the headache/queasies.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Sept 24, 2014 10:58:24 GMT -5
My mom has to get a flu shot because she's an OR nurse. She took 600mg ibuprofen every eight hours the day she got the vaccine. She had none of the side effects her coworkers had.
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cael
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Post by cael on Sept 24, 2014 10:59:46 GMT -5
Man - the achey arm is the WORST after a tetanus shot, amirite? I hate getting those. One shot I got last year hurt like a b*tch too, Hep A maybe? couldn't lift my arm fully for a day or two after that one.
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greeniis10
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Post by greeniis10 on Sept 24, 2014 11:18:11 GMT -5
My dad was having trouble breathing once and went to the doctor. They started testing him, said he had throat cancer and admitted him to the hospital and said he had days to live ! So he and my mom started making plans and all that, I got a ticket to fly home, etc. Then another specialist looked into it and discovered his lymph nodes were swollen from an allergic reaction...to a flu shot. What !!! I cannot even imagine how you all felt! What a terrible experience. Thankfully the cancer was a misdiagnosis, but still.
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Abby Normal
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Post by Abby Normal on Sept 24, 2014 11:24:23 GMT -5
I get the flu shot every year. It makes me a little nauseous some years. Others it is fine. We have the advantage of the company paying for them, and they come on site to do it- so I figure why not.
I've already had shingles. I got it when I was 16. It was horrible painful and I pray I never have it again.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Sept 24, 2014 11:26:22 GMT -5
Man - the achey arm is the WORST after a tetanus shot, amirite? I hate getting those. One shot I got last year hurt like a b*tch too, Hep A maybe? couldn't lift my arm fully for a day or two after that one. Pre-Jamaica I got TDAP, Hep A/B combo, and chickenpox in one day. Both my arms hurt! It was not my idea at all. My PCP insisted my immune system was compromised so I needed them before traveling internationally.
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cael
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Post by cael on Sept 24, 2014 11:30:41 GMT -5
I'm not immune compromised, but I think some of these vaccines are advised for anyone before traveling to some areas. The organization we visit in El Salvador requires them, and for Africa we just went to the travel clinic and got what they advise. I do think it was the Hep A that hurt so much. Also got typhoid for El Salvador, and yellow fever for Africa.
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