So, anyone getting the flu shot?

[bleucloud]

Unfortunately due to Respiratory Disease I am almost forced to get it each year....and each year I spend 2 days sick afterwards. I don't think I would chance not getting it even though it will only cover me for certain strains and its not 100% effective. LUCKILY though I have never gotten the flu in years I recieved the shot!

[SoldierNurse]

Originally Posted by bleucloud

Unfortunately due to Respiratory Disease I am almost forced to get it each year....and each year I spend 2 days sick afterwards. I don't think I would chance not getting it even though it will only cover me for certain strains and its not 100% effective. LUCKILY though I have never gotten the flu in years I recieved the shot!

IMHO, you are wise. I never get the flu D/T "the shot". Actually, the past two years I've been fortunate to have the option of the nasal mist.

[bleucloud]

The shot is our only option here, we don't have a mist,

[orionseal]

Why all the hellaballue about the "SHOT", I get it every year,the one year I didn't was the sickest I ever got. Coincidence? Possibly, but so far so good. The shot hasn't given me trouble so-far. sometimes I get a little soreness in the old deltoid but a good dose of PT after the poke can usualy prevent that little side effect. I say go out and get it Cat, we like having you around and all that.

[cougarnurse]

Naaaah; still not gonna get it, and that's final.

[nickyjiver]

We always get offered free flu jabs every year, but all of us rarely take one. personally, I reckon that becasue we deal with so many sick people anyway, our immunity system is damn good and we shouldnt need the extra protection, not if you are reasonably fit and healthy. I know here, in the UK, its just a money spinniing exercize for the GP's. Each time we give a shot to our patients, the doctors get £12.00 in their pockets.

[cougarnurse]

I hear ya about the immunity bit, nicky. Back in the 'Stone Ages' (not really that long ago), everyone and their bleeding brother were coming down with Chicken Pox. Did I get them? Heck no! Only thing I got was a few zits. Mom is also certain I never had them, yet my titres say I have health levels.

No, I would NOT get this shot, either. MMR, DPT...yes. But not CP shot. Part of childhood.

[LivingDeadNurse]

yea i know people who have had the Cp shot and still have gotten the stuff. i believe your right its part of childhood. some disease you need to build up your immune system

[cougarnurse]

At times, I think I am too mean and ornery, and some bugs just don't even bother with me.

[Aaron C.]

I didn't give a ton of flu shots this year, but I probably gave a couple thousand last year.

Given that every year I hear every excuse in the book regarding the influenza vaccine I have done extensive research and always have materials available to me regarding the vaccine.

Most of the response is, "It gives me the flu". This is due to the fact that the vaccine used to be a live virus and actually could give you the flu, however nowadays it's a synthetic vaccine and you cannot get the flu from it. It can make you feel ill for awhile if you have not had it before, but it's not likely unless you are having a reaction to something in the vaccine itself, such as eggs.

If you get the mist, you can still get the flu because the mist does contain a live virus.

Of course you can still get the flu even if you get vaccinated. First of all, it takes awhile for your body to build up immunity to the virus so if you are exposed during that time you can still get sick.

Additionally, there are many strains of influenza and the flu vaccine is not going to be able to prevent all of them so while may be protected against certain strains of influenza, it's possible that you might be exposed to a more rare strain.

The needle is tiny and so long as the vaccine isn't really really cold, it's not going to hurt at all in most cases. A lot of times I have people question whether I even gave them the shot. If they tense up their muscles there may be some soreness, but typically it's painless.

The pneumonia vaccine is a different story altogether. That thing hurts like a mother!!!!

I get the flu shot twice every year. I get it as soon as we get vaccine in, and then I get it again in January...mainly because we always have extra vaccine left over that is going to get disposed of anyway, but also because it helps to get a booster because you can get the flu as early as October or as late as May.

The last year I did not get the vaccine I had the flu so bad I thought I was going to die and after three days needed a trip to the Emergency Room and IV fluids to rehydrate me. I don't EVER want to feel like that again and I damn sure don't want my kids to have to go through that.