whichwayisup Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Would like to know your thoughts on the Flu Shot? Are you getting one this year? If you've had a flu shot before, have you ever been ill afterwards (talking within a day or so after having the shot), and if you have been ill, how long did the illness last? My husband had a Dr appointment today, his Dr told him he HAD to have the shot, even though he's never had one before. Anyway, I told him earlier, just be prepared to have flu symptoms soon...Everyone I know who's had the flu shot has come down with fever, shakes and felt just awful. So, what I don't understand is, "they" say you CANNOT get the flu from the flu shot as it's a dead virus, WHY is it that so many get sick afterwards?? Link to post Share on other sites
Star Gazer Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I got one at the beginning of November on a Thursday morning. The following Friday night, I got a UTI (obviously not related). The first night of the UTI, I had a fever and felt achy and was sweaty all night. I thought it was related to the UTI (infection), but had never had those symptoms before. When I talked to my doctor, she said I was reacting to the flu shot. I woke up on Saturday morning with the UTI symptoms, but the "flu-like" symptoms were completely gone. Link to post Share on other sites
hotgurl Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I've had a flu shot before and I've never been sick afterwards. Link to post Share on other sites
Star Gazer Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I should add: I get one every year. Of the one or two years where I didn't get one, I got the flu and was sick like a dog. When I do get the shot, the worst I ever get is an annoying nose/sinus cold. Link to post Share on other sites
LucreziaBorgia Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I had to get one this year before I started chemo. I was ok the day of the shot, but the day after I felt like I had a bad cold, and the shot site was sore for a few days after that. I have heard more than a few people this year complain about feeling sick the day after the shot. I'm not sure why that is. On the other hand, my daughter, her father and my now exSO all had one too, as did several family members and they didn't have the bad effects. A few of my other friends did, though. I guess some people just react to it differently. Link to post Share on other sites
Author whichwayisup Posted December 6, 2007 Author Share Posted December 6, 2007 Thanks for the replies. So, I guess it's a hit and miss..We'll have to see what happens in the next day or two. (Good thing it's Thursday and he'll only have one day of work to suffer through if he comes down with any symptoms tonight - He won't take the day off if he feels crappy, I know him well.) Here's a stupid question (Germa phobe in me speaking now) - IF he does have the effects, IS it contagious? Link to post Share on other sites
tanbark813 Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I never get flu shots and haven't had the flu in years. I just take my vitamins. Link to post Share on other sites
Pyro Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I never have had one done. Never really thought about it and thus far I haven't needed one. *Knocks on wood* Link to post Share on other sites
dbtmarley Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I am supposed to get one every year, but this year I skipped. I am now regretting not getting it because I have been sick with the flu for 3 weeks. I never got sick after getting it, but I have heard people say they sometimes get a slight cold after getting one. Link to post Share on other sites
quankanne Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 people with chronic illnesses are supposed to get them to deter a "worse" case of the actual virus, but I've gone years without getting one and I did all right. I've never really had a serious problem with the flu until last year, but I figure that was more because it was a wicked stomach bug going around rather than my not getting the shot. Because other than that one bad bout last year, most of the time the symptoms are limited to my head/sinus/respiratory tract, so I end up with URI's for the most part. And so I would much rather stay on top of a five-year booster series for pneumonia than the annual flu shot, even though as a diabetic I should do the flu shots. as for reactions to the vaccine, they hit people in varying degrees. My husband usually gets sick, but I only get low-grade fever and a bit tired. Link to post Share on other sites
quankanne Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I just take my vitamins. that and using antibacterial sanitizing gels are the best defense against them bugs, they even help lessen the chance of getting staph, from what I understand. also, be alert this season – my SiL, who's a former nurse, said there's a deadly cold virus making the rounds this winter. Link to post Share on other sites
ShoeGirl Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I have never had the flu shot, but my job required me to get one this year. I got it two weeks ago and I didn't have any reaction to it. For the people who did have a reaction to the flu shot, have you had the flu in the past? It could be your body's immune system recognizing the antigen, I'll have to look into it and see what I can find. Link to post Share on other sites
Star Gazer Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I have heard people say they sometimes get a slight cold after getting one. Now that you mention it, I did get a cold about 10 days after the shot too. For the people who did have a reaction to the flu shot, have you had the flu in the past? I get the flu every year that I don't get the shot. Full blown, out-for-the-count FLU. Horrible. Keep in mind that those who do get "sick" as result of the shot don't get the flu-flu, just like a minor cold with some aches and maybe a fever, and it's only a day or two...much different than the flu. I'm assuming it's your body's way of recognizing it's been infected with something it shouldn't be. I mean, don't people get a little achy after EVERY type of vaccine? Link to post Share on other sites
Cobra_X30 Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Seriously if you get a flu shot... or you get one for your kids... make sure that it is preservative free! Thimerosol is not good for you... actually its a poison. Most medical professionals will tell you that the amount is so small that it cant hurt you. I believe this is true for some poeple, but why take the risk if you dont have to! Do not put this stuff in your kids either. Link to post Share on other sites
Art_Critic Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I've had a flu shot before and I've never been sick afterwards. I'm with Hot Chick.. I used to get them at the local drug store and have never been sick. I watched a segment on the Today Show this last weekend where they gave an on air flu shot to someone reporting and they asked the question of the Dr about the sickness thing.. He said that you cannot get sick from dead flu toxin.. it doesn't happen.. What happens is that people get a flu shot and then they get the flu before any antibodies are built up ( it takes a few weeks or a bit more for you to be protected from the flu ). So people think that it was the shot that gave them the flu.. most people don't know that your body has to make the antibodies before you are protected.. also.. The CDC makes a determination every year on the strain of flu that we will have and that is what they make the shot for.. sometimes we have a flu strain that the shot doesn't quite fit for and some people get the flu that have had the shot already. Link to post Share on other sites
Cobra_X30 Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 He said that you cannot get sick from dead flu toxin.. it doesn't happen.. What happens is that people get a flu shot and then they get the flu before any antibodies are built up ( it takes a few weeks or a bit more for you to be protected from the flu ). That's true.... but remember its a virus. It doesnt "live" by the same parameters as other organisms do. You can get a shot where not all the flu has been inactivated. Link to post Share on other sites
lovelorcet Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 The flu shot is a vaccine against multiple forms (about 2-4) of Influenza virus. There are many many many different forms of this virus and every year scientists try to calculate out which forms will be the most common and make the vaccine against those. Now let me make a point here, there is a big difference between the common cold (which can also be nasty for some) and true influenza. Anyway, so when you get the shot it is made so that your immune system reacts to it and builds up immunity to those particular influenza viruses. Part of this immune reaction are symptoms like fever, aches and so on. So you get a touch of the flu which carries a much lower risk of complications as compared to actually getting the flu. The CDC claims that about 36,000 Americans, most over the age of 70, die each year of influenza. Link to post Share on other sites
Trialbyfire Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 The flu shot is a vaccine against multiple forms (about 2-4) of Influenza virus. There are many many many different forms of this virus and every year scientists try to calculate out which forms will be the most common and make the vaccine against those. Now let me make a point here, there is a big difference between the common cold (which can also be nasty for some) and true influenza. Anyway, so when you get the shot it is made so that your immune system reacts to it and builds up immunity to those particular influenza viruses. Part of this immune reaction are symptoms like fever, aches and so on. So you get a touch of the flu which carries a much lower risk of complications as compared to actually getting the flu. The CDC claims that about 36,000 Americans, most over the age of 70, die each year of influenza. This is it. The flu shot is a mild dose of the virus. Link to post Share on other sites
Author whichwayisup Posted December 7, 2007 Author Share Posted December 7, 2007 This is it. The flu shot is a mild dose of the virus. Then why the F do ALL Dr's say "it's impossible to get the flu from the flu shot as it's a DEAD VIRUS". That's just crap. Ah well... Hubby is fine so far, knock on wood (too bad not his wood again), and went to work about an hour ago all happy.. Thanks for answering everyone! Link to post Share on other sites
lovelorcet Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 You don't actually "get the flu" but what do can get are some "flu like systems" and those being noncontagious for example. Link to post Share on other sites
Art_Critic Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 A link from the CDC's website.. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/pdf/vaccinekeyfacts.pdf also.. these links I found on the CDC's page http://www.pandemicflu.gov/ http://www.pandemicflu.gov/faq/vaccines/1077.html Link to post Share on other sites
Author whichwayisup Posted December 7, 2007 Author Share Posted December 7, 2007 You don't actually "get the flu" but what do can get are some "flu like systems" and those being noncontagious for example. So with those flu-like symptoms after having the shot, are those symptoms contagious to others???? Link to post Share on other sites
tanbark813 Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 So with those flu-like symptoms after having the shot, are those symptoms contagious to others???? No, the symptoms are your body's reaction to the vaccine. And, if memory serves, viruses aren't technically living organisms so the terms "live" and "dead" are a little misleading. Link to post Share on other sites
blind_otter Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 I've never had a flu shot but I have to get one this year because I'm pregnant. Link to post Share on other sites
tanbark813 Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 I've never had a flu shot but I have to get one this year because I'm pregnant. I don't think flu shots counteract pregnancies. Link to post Share on other sites
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