The Flu Shot

[JohnnySavage]

So Uncle Sugar just emailed me and told me to go to Walgrens and get my free flu shot. I'm torn because I like free stuff... but I've never had the flu. And I don't know where there's a Walgrens; but I could googlize that.

What's the opinion on getting a flu shot?

I'm leaning toward no.


Over the years I've sure abused my body and had more injuries than most; but, I can't recall ever being sick. Sniffles on occasion, but nothing that kept me in bed.

Part of me thinks it may not be a good idea to be injected with something.

 

[BabblingBrooke]

I get the flu shot every year. I trust my physician and she recommends it. I have not gotten the flu in years, I can't even remember the last time.

 

[Disgustipated]

Side effects are Autism but we all know the syringe is full of Lupas.

 

[JohnnySavage]

I get the flu shot every year. I trust my physician and she recommends it.

See... now that's part of my issue. I have a very strong dislike (I don't 'hate' anyone, but doctors come close) of doctors and don't trust any of them.

People are always saying they got the flu right after getting the shot - but then some dipshit doctor gets on TV and says there's no way you can get the flu from the flu shot.

 

[ryan8558]

I get the flu shot every year. Never caught the flu after the shot.

Also another thing to think about. Flu hits older people harder.

 

[gypsyTX]

One of my ex-coworkers got the flu shot every year. She also got the flu every year. No, not right after getting the shot.

I never get the flu shot. I have had flu exactly twice in my whole life, and it's been a while.

Unless you have a compromised immune system, you're better off eating/living healthy and staying away from it.

During cold and flu season I always keep black elderberry syrup around the house. Whenever one of us feels we might be coming down with some bug, we start taking it, and it always works.
Fortunately most grocery stores in our area carry it.

 

[toubab]

See... now that's part of my issue. I have a very strong dislike (I don't 'hate' anyone, but doctors come close) of doctors and don't trust any of them.

People are always saying they got the flu right after getting the shot - but then some dipshit doctor gets on TV and says there's no way you can get the flu from the flu shot.

They're both right. It's possible to get the flu after getting a flu shot, but not possible to get it because of a flu shot. That's assuming everything is done correctly.

 

[silver gurl]

Previously, I always received my vaccination, recommended by my doctor. I never had a problem. Then two years in a row, I suffered from vomiting, within hours after getting the shot. Maybe it was a certain strain of the vaccine that bothered me? I don't normally vomit.
Anyhow, I skipped it last year and will likely skip it this year.

 

[Que]

One of my ex-coworkers got the flu shot every year. She also got the flu every year. No, not right after getting the shot.

I never get the flu shot. I have had flu exactly twice in my whole life, and it's been a while.

Unless you have a compromised immune system, you're better off eating/living healthy and staying away from it.

During cold and flu season I always keep black elderberry syrup around the house. Whenever one of us feels we might be coming down with some bug, we start taking it, and it always works.
Fortunately most grocery stores in our area carry it.

This might be the advice to take. She certainly looks healthy and she seems to spend a lot of time in just her skivvies. If she doesn't catch the flu, you ought to be fine as long as Larry isn't out consorting with sick people.

I use the hermitage method for flu prevention myself.

I think I read somewhere that they guess right for which flu bug will be prevalent in the season they are making the batch for about 35% of the time. 65% of the time they are inoculating you against a strain that stayed home that season.

 

[lynn-23]

I think thats what happened last year; the strains chosen for the vaccine ended up not being the ones going around, so the shot was not very effective. Some years I have gotten it and some years I havent. I am young and in good health and I don't work in health care, so I don't think its that big a deal. During flu season just eat well, get rest, exercise, wash hands if you around people that are sick, etc. I have heard that the nasal spray vaccine actually has a weakened but alive virus and so you can get some slight flu-like symptoms afterwards but should be mild. But I don't know if that is true. I always had the shot and never had any problems. Flu certainly isn't any fun, but if you are healthy its not too bad. I honestly would rather have the flu than a bad cold. Flu goes away faster at least.

 

[oggbashan]

Flu can kill. For older people or those with an existing health condition the risks of a death or a very serious illness are significant.

The so-called 'Spanish Flu' during and immediately after the First World War killed millions more than that conflict. The medicines we have to fight flu are no better now than they were then. Antibiotics have no effect on a virus.

Why was it called 'Spanish Flu'? It didn't start in Spain, but most other countries censored reports of the flu to avoid panicking their citizens. Spain was neutral during WW1.

If we have a pandemic of flu, the flu shot might help but the death toll could still be higher than biological warfare.

 

[lemonbread]

I always get a flu shot, as do my children. I do it more social responsibility than because I think I will get the flu. I just want to keep my children safe, because flu can be deadly for them, and I don't want to run around, or have them running around spreading the flu in the community where we could infect someone, especially the elderly or other children.

 

[Riles]

Sure you can get mild flu symptoms after the vaccine, it's live. But getting a full blown case would be a different strain.

I have to get mine every year because I work in healthcare. I assume enough risks with my job, contracting illness by behaving recklessly isn't an acceptable one.

 

[Colonel Hogan]

If you're a young buck under 50 who obviously appears to have a strong immune system, I wouldn't worry much about it. I never had the flu, and the first time I got the shot, I swear I got the damn bug within a week.

No, they say. It's just that sometimes the shot can cause "flu like symptoms." If it wasn't for the "symptoms," sez I, I wouldn't give a damn about having the flu. The whole POINT of taking the shot is keeping my nose from running like a faucet.

But if you're pushing 60 or beyond, Ogg is right. Get the shot.

Two other shots I believe very strongly in. The pneumonia vaccine and the shingles vaccine. I had a mild case of shingles once. About the size of a fifty cent piece in the small of my back. I would have done anything to avoid a repeat of that. When the vaccine came out, I was running people off the road to get down to the local pharmacy.

 

[Hard_Rom]

I found I only got sick when working with lots of people with small children in school. I also believe the best way to immunize yourself is get the flu a couple of times. Will protect you better than any flu shot to have some natural immunity to flus. We live to clean and healthy sometimes.

I am healthy and a flu is not dangerous to me. Small children, old folk and seriously sick people is different. The flu can kill!

What are chances of you getting flu?
What are chances of you passing it on to young, old or sick?
Are you aged, unhealthy or parent of small child?

The study that linked autism to vaccines was disproved long ago. That was a bullshit story that just grabbed peoples attention. Unfortunately the disclaimer was not exciting news, so most never heard about it. Selective media.

 

[Adre]

Just got mine and feeling fine. Washing it down with a Bloody Mary.

 

[oggbashan]

Influenza isn't like 'man flu' i.e. a heavy cold.

If you have no idea what happened during the last 48 hours when you thought you might die, were shivering uncontrollably or sweating buckets, you might have had influenza.

If you had a cough, a sore throat, a running nose and a headache - you had a cold.

 

[ElijaRDC]

So Uncle Sugar just emailed me and told me to go to Walgrens and get my free flu shot. I'm torn because I like free stuff... but I've never had the flu. And I don't know where there's a Walgrens; but I could googlize that.

What's the opinion on getting a flu shot?

I'm leaning toward no.


Over the years I've sure abused my body and had more injuries than most; but, I can't recall ever being sick. Sniffles on occasion, but nothing that kept me in bed.

Part of me thinks it may not be a good idea to be injected with something.

My mom asks her doctor every year when she goes in for a check-up, and he always says that though it certainly won't hurt anything, he doesn't recommend them for anyone with a normal immune system, and that he himself doesn't get one.

 

[1HF]

We seem to get the flu regardless of the shot. One year my daughter and I skipped the flu shot. My ex and my son both got the flu shot. The boys got the flu and little miss and I were totally fine.

It may have been completely unrelated, but I stopped getting the shot after that. Some years I get sick, others I don't.

 

[ElijaRDC]

I think I read somewhere that they guess right for which flu bug will be prevalent in the season they are making the batch for about 35% of the time. 65% of the time they are inoculating you against a strain that stayed home that season.

Yeah, this.

 

[JohnnySavage]

For the record: I'm a healthy young man.

 

[ElijaRDC]

For the record: I'm a healthy young man.

Yeah I wouldn't bother.

 

[Colonel Hogan]

Influenza isn't like 'man flu' i.e. a heavy cold.

If you have no idea what happened during the last 48 hours when you thought you might die, were shivering uncontrollably or sweating buckets, you might have had influenza.

If you had a cough, a sore throat, a running nose and a headache - you had a cold.

I understand the distinction, and you're absolutely right about all this, but for a "young" man like Mr. Savage the point is, does this intervention make me feel better or worse?

Of course, in the eyes of the medical community that is not the point at all. The point is we're trying to prevent an epidemic here, and we don't give a damn how it makes you feel for a couple of days.

Being right about the wisdom and scientific facts of the matter doesn't make it any less of a tough sell to young studs and nubile maidens who've never contracted the flu after walking unscathed through throngs of infected unfortunates.

 

[toubab]

I understand the distinction, and you're absolutely right about all this, but for a "young" man like Mr. Savage the point is, does this intervention make me feel better or worse?

Of course, in the eyes of the medical community that is not the point at all. The point is we're trying to prevent an epidemic here, and we don't give a damn how it makes you feel for a couple of days.

Being right about the wisdom and scientific facts of the matter don't make it any less of a tough sell to young studs and nubile maidens who've never contracted the flu after walking unscathed through throngs of infected unfortunates.

We take a chance in getting our kids immunized in their early days and years, but if nobody took that chance the result would ultimately be worse for the population as a whole. Or so we're told.

 

[Colonel Hogan]

We take a chance in getting our kids immunized in their early days and years, but if nobody took that chance the result would ultimately be worse for the population as a whole. Or so we're told.

And no one in their right minds questions the necessity for that with regard to Typhus, Polio, Smallpox and Tuberculosis. The flu, while critically threatening to a specific demographic, does not represent a similar dire threat to the larger body politic.