Flu shots - yay or nay? (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

It's that time again for flu shots. I'm on the fence again on whether to get the shot or not. I haven't gotten a flu shot in quite a few years, and I usually do get sick big time during the fall/winter at least once, but I wonder if the flu shot would really help stave off a big bout of sickness (mainly sinusitis for me).

 

[LDfan]

Hell yes. My co-worker skeptics that didn't get the shot last year were all out for a week on their deathbeds with the flu. The shot will only protect you with the strains included in the shot and MAY give partial protection from other strains.
It won't provide any protection from colds or sinusitis which usually rides on the tail-end of a cold.

Contrary to popular belief it's impossible to get the flu from the shot itself. You can still get the flu in the weeks following the shot since you haven't built up antibodies yet or if the strain of flu is different than the ones included in the shot.

Getting the shot will only help you so it's probably worth it in the long run.

Jeff

 

[Ron-P]

No way! I've never gotten one and I never will. I believe if you take care of yourself, you can avoid the flu.

Contrary to popular belief it's impossible to get the flu from the shot itself

I dunno about that, my buddy got the flu the next day following his shot. Also, I went to the doctor 2 weeks ago. She asked if I'd had the flu shot, I explained about my buddy and she said it can happen.
Peace Out~

 

[Bill Catherall]

Every time I got the flu shot I got more sick in the following months than when I don't. So I don't get the shot any more.

 

[BrianW]

Contrary to popular belief it's impossible to get the flu from the shot itself.

I don't buy this for a minute. Three years in a row, I got a flu shot. Every time, I contracted the flu exactly a day and a half after the shot. Every time, I spent two weeks in bed as a result.

Never again. I'll take my chances with the flu viruses in the wild.

 

[Max Knight]

I've gotten the shot for the past few years. Never a bad reaction, and I've never gotten the flu since.

 

[Thang_N.]

My Grandmother gets one every year she is over 80, it helps her to avoid the flu .

sometimes I think medicine is about the will of the mind. If you believe enough it will work..

 

[Drew Bethel]

I'd say do it. I missed last year and cam down with a nasty flu later in the year. Never had any problems when I got the shot regularly.

 

[Michael Reuben]

If in doubt, consult your doctor. There may be factors in your medical history that make a flu shot more (or less) advisable for you.

M.

 

[KyleS]

Contrary to popular belief it's impossible to get the flu from the shot itself

Absolutely not true. You are assuming that they have actually killed every single virus cell before injecting it into you. Sure most of the time this is true but how do they know this for a fact did they use a microscope and check every single Virus Cell? I would however highly recommend these shots for people that have bodies which might not be able to fight off a full fledged attack (Like some elderly and young).
The other fact is that every year there are on average 3-5 major flu viruses that go around and when you get your shot you are usually just getting one of them.
I'll take my chances on staying fit, eating healthy, and avoiding (if possible) people that are sick. Plus why the hell would I pay someone money to stick a needle in me?
KyleS

 

[MickeS]

I've never had a flu shot (never even heard of it before I moved here 4 years ago from Sweden), and I can't remember the last time I had a flu.
What's wrong with being sick by the way, you get some time off work at least.
/Mike

 

[Walt N]

You cannot get the flu from a flu shot, however some people might experience some "flu-like symptom" for a few days but it's nothing like actually having the flu. If this happens at all, it's usually after a person's first flu shot and is unlikely to be repeated the following year. It is also possible to catch a different strain of the virus after receiving the shot. That can't be helped because flu shots play on the odds that the predominate strain of the virus going around will be the one to infect you. Usually this works, but of course there will be exceptions.

The last time I had the flu was about 8 or 9 years ago and it was so serious that for a couple of the many days it lasted I seriously thought I was going to need an ambulance. I'm no hypochondriac and will do just about everything I can to avoid going to a doctor, however I swore I'd never go through that again so I've been getting flu shots every year since. No flu since and the shots don't bother me at all anymore.

 

[Walt N]

BTW, facts and myths about the flu and flu shots are included on this page from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/flu/facts.htm

 

[Peter Kim]

Of course, I cannot confirm a connection, but the only time I got a flu shot (2 years ago), I was destroyed for a couple of weeks.

I've gone without for the last 2 years and have been vigilant about maintaining good health during the winter - I've been flu-free since.

 

[MikeAlletto]

I refuse to get a flu shot. I absolutely am scared to death of needles and shots in general. Don't know why though...just start shaking uncontrolably when they are about to stick me. I get sick enough to have to stay home a day or 2 from work maybe once or twice a year.

I've known too many people that get really sick just after the shot, I'll take my chances.

 

[Clinton McClure]

I got the shot two years in a row and came down with the flu within a week afterwards both times. Not flu-like symptoms, the all-out flu. A trip to my doctor confirmed that. High fever, nausea, muscle and stomach cramps, etc... you name it, I was doing it.

Matter of fact, the only two times I've had the flu are the two years I've had a flu shot. Maybe the flu strain being injected isn't as dead as they think it is, or while your body is busy mucking around with the dead virus, the real one slips in the back door and gets ya'.

 

[Armando Zamora]

Your immune system requires some time to produce antibodies to the strain of influenza in the vaccine that you receive. If you receive the flu vaccine at the height of the "flu season" you may not be fully protected thus you're still susceptable to getting sick. The earlier you are vaccinated, the better chance you are protected from the strain of flu when the season kicks in. Or the other scenario, as already mentioned, is that you contracted a flu strain not covered by the vaccine.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

I don't know the statistics on this, I can only go by personal experience. The one and only time I ever got a flu shot was in January, partway through my freshman year of college. I came down with such a raging case of the flu that I was in the hospital for four days and the college finally sent me home. I was virtually bed-ridden through February and wasn't fully recovered until March. I missed the rest of the semester and had to return to make up work over the summer.
Three other students were similarly affected that year. The school blamed it on a classmate of mine who had spent the Christmas holidays in Texas, where a weird variant strain had made many people very sick, and killed several. That may have been the cause, and the shot a coincidence, but I've never had a shot since - and have never had a case of the flu that bad either.
Regards,
Joe

 

[MikeH]

The other fact is that every year there are on average 3-5 major flu viruses that go around and when you get your shot you are usually just getting one of them.

According to Mom, Walt and Kyle are correct and really why would my Mom lie.
Mike

 

[Bob Graz]

I've gotten a flu shot every year for past 4 years or so. I haven't had a negative reaction and I haven't gotten the flu. I plan on getting one again this year.