Do You Get A Flu Shot Personally?

[melilley]

The one year I got one, was the one year I got it. That made up my mind.

My kids have never gotten one, and this year the first year they got it so I believe it's true what they're saying about it being a really bad year for it.

So true, I never have my daughter get one and the one time I did, she was sick!

[bunnyslippers]

I got one, in 1997. Two weeks later, I was completely blind in my right eye. It is suspected that the flu shot kick-started an autoimmune illness in my body that attacks my eyes and my brain. Until the flu shot, I had perfect vision in both eyes, and had never had a serious medical illness.

Since the flu shot, I have lost my vision in one eye, almost lost it in the other, had a brain tumor, developed arthritis, and have psoriasis. I am only 37...I should not have this many illnesses!

Any time that I have been approached by a medical doctor to get the flu shot (due to pregnancy, suppressed immune system, line of work, etc.) once I tell them my story, the standard response is "Never mind. We have drugs to fight against the flu."

I am nervous this year...but I will never introduce that drug into my body, or my childrens' bodies, ever again.

[countrymom]

funny thing is, that the kids that get the flu shot here are always sick. The ones that don't rarely get sick. I started to notice this a while a go. I live where its cold, but I think the cold would kill any germs we have.

[Country Kids]

funny thing is, that the kids that get the flu shot here are always sick. The ones that don't rarely get sick. I started to notice this a while a go. I live where its cold, but I think the cold would kill any germs we have.

From what I'm understanding it doesn't have anything to do with temp. factor. It seems to be more about the moisture in the air I guess. They were saying something about it being a dry year so its not killing the germs.

[lovemykidstoo]

Funny you mention bedding as I was reading that people that shower at night are less likely to be sick and suffer from allergies. Its because you go to bed clean/clean bed. You get everything off from that day not the previous day.

Maybe that's why I never get sick because I shower before going to bed. I honestly rarely get sick. I got pneumonia 3 years ago and that's the sickest I've ever been. I did get the flu shot twice after that, but didn't get one this year. I have not had the vomit sickness for as long as I can remember. It's probably been 25 years. I do firmly believe in airing out the house once a week though. I open windows randomly throughout and leave them open for an hour just to get fresh air in.

[Michael]

I got one, in 1997. Two weeks later, I was completely blind in my right eye. It is suspected that the flu shot kick-started an autoimmune illness in my body that attacks my eyes and my brain. Until the flu shot, I had perfect vision in both eyes, and had never had a serious medical illness.

Since the flu shot, I have lost my vision in one eye, almost lost it in the other, had a brain tumor, developed arthritis, and have psoriasis. I am only 37...I should not have this many illnesses!

Any time that I have been approached by a medical doctor to get the flu shot (due to pregnancy, suppressed immune system, line of work, etc.) once I tell them my story, the standard response is "Never mind. We have drugs to fight against the flu."

I am nervous this year...but I will never introduce that drug into my body, or my childrens' bodies, ever again.

wow, that's an unreal experience.

I lost my sister from an allergic reaction to penicillin. It was before I was born. I have been very cautious about injecting anything into my body. I needed stitches when I was 15 and was given a tetanus shot which I was allergic to. I guess some people can handle shots better then others. I'm not one of them.

[Holiday Park]

If there are a few things I learned in my life, they are:

• Always EXPECT the UNexpected.
• Never underestimate an illness.

When I was a healthyteenager, I had a horrible case of the flu in the middle of summer. I was completely bed-ridden for 5 days, could not eat or drink, ended up on IV fluids in the emergency room, battling a fever of 104/105. During these 5 days, there were times in which I was actually delirious and hallucinating, there were times that I violently shook with shivers, there were times that I was soaked in sweat. I was very active at the time and ate extremely well (so health was not a concern). I also had not been ill in 8 years with anything significant at all.

I had this SAME experience when I was a teenager. But I didn't take my temp and my parents didn't even think of taking me to the Dr ( ) I basically took care of myself,and my mom might have been taknig of me,but I just don't remember. I remember drinking a lot of echinacea tea with honey,and taking lots of zink,and vitamin C (it really did help) . Anyway I didn't end up in the hospital that time. I recovered fine,and it was only 2-3 days maybe .
I got sick like that again, but there was fluid in my ears (so I couldn't hear) and fluid in my lungs. I knew there was fluid in my lungs because I could just tell. I couldn't breath so bad I had to convince my mom to take me to the DR . I ended up getting on an IV and felt much better. Turned out I had a bad case of bronchitis . BUT when I was younger, I had a habit of going 1-2 days without sleep or not eating as much as I should. I eventually learned that those are two things that mess up my immune system. So as I got older (late twentys, and now I'm 35) If I feel the slightest bit "off" or a cold or anything coming, I can tell because there is a lump in my throat,or my glands,or there is an ache in my head,and I feel achey all over. I start taking extra of everything. Vitamin D,C, Probiotics , Get extra sleep,eat a little extra and make sure to cut out dairy (I already avoid cow milk,but love my cheese)
And so it always only lasts 24-48 hours or less. Same with my kids.
I have never been that sick since then. I have had the flu though,since then . Just never that bad. And I have never had the shot.

[LK5kids]

The job I just left (after 14 yrs) strongly pushed for everyone to get the flu shot. I've never trusted them. My agency was a department of a hospital. That darn nurse who was head of infection control would hunt me down for weeks. I got by without getting it for years but they got more and more pushy about it. I really did not want to get the h1n1 shot, but they pushed me into it.

When I said I rarely get the flu I was told I could be a carrier and transmit it to a child and they could die. I worked with kids for my job...yikes!

My daughter was pregnant when the h1n1 scare hit. She had not wanted to get it and her midwife talked her into it and She miscarried soon after. We both always suspected that shot.

That said, flu can be vey serious and I understand why people get it.

[Sunshine74]

I have not had a regular flu shot ever (I don't think) but I did get the H1N1 nasal vaccine a few years ago. I am considering it this year though because it is bad in this area. One of my co-workers (who I work closely with) just came back to work after being sick with the flu for 5 days! She had it really bad- couldn't get out of bed almost the whole time. I have been catching everything this past year because I was out of work for so long with my knee injury that my immune system is not great.

[itlw8]

Mother is 91 and I usually have an infant in care so yes I get one every year.

I do all the healthy things so fight off most illnesses but that is also why I would be a risk to Mother . I could be carrying the germs yet fighting off the symptoms. So the whole family gets them and people with colds and worse stay away.

[JustMe]

5 years ago, my stepson's mom died from the flu. She was 25. That was the official cause of death on the death certificate.

Ever since then, I have gotten the flu shot, and I require everyone in my family to get one too.

[daycare]

never have never will......ask me again in 40 years....

[Michael]

5 years ago, my stepson's mom died from the flu. She was 25. That was the official cause of death on the death certificate.

Ever since then, I have gotten the flu shot, and I require everyone in my family to get one too.

From what I've heard, it is usually other conditions that cause death. Someone gets the flu and with a compromised immune system they contract something like pneumonia and die from that. I think it would be called a flu related death.

http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Non-food/Disease/why_do_people_die_from_the_flu_090920090850.html

The actual flu virus itself is not fatal; however, if it strikes someone whose immune system is compromised (the elderly, the young, pregnant women and AIDS patients), more serious complications often develop, which can ultimately cause the patient to expire. These complications typically occur when the patient actually appears to be getting stronger.

[JustMe]

From what I've heard, it is usually other conditions that cause death. Someone gets the flu and with a compromised immune system they contract something like pneumonia and die from that. I think it would be called a flu related death.

http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Non-food/Disease/why_do_people_die_from_the_flu_090920090850.html

The actual flu virus itself is not fatal; however, if it strikes someone whose immune system is compromised (the elderly, the young, pregnant women and AIDS patients), more serious complications often develop, which can ultimately cause the patient to expire. These complications typically occur when the patient actually appears to be getting stronger.

Good point. She actually had two causes listed on her death certificate, the other was sepsis. I also believe that she may have had a compromised immune system due to prescription drug abuse. Still, I am overcautious about the flu as a result, and probably always will be.

[tenderhearts]

I have never had a flu shot and do not ever plan on getting one unless I'm old and frail, and maybe even then I wouldn't, who knows.