Flu shots

• WebFire

  This is a hot topic every year around this time, and this year is no exception. With flu deaths being reported in the Toledo area, the topic as really amped up the last week or 2.
  
  Curious if you get the flu shot, and if it has prevented you from getting sick, or if it made you sick? Even though it is not supposed to make you sick, many (most?) people report being sick after getting it.
  
  There also seems to be a lot of misinformation on who actually has influenza, and who actually dies from it despite what the news says.
  
  Me personally, never had it, never want it. I don't think it helps, and the risk outweighs the benefit. But I still research it from time-to-time to see if I feel I'm doing the right thing.
  
  What say you?
• thavoice

  I have received one each of the last 4 years. It is mandatory.
  
  Each time I came down with a 24 hour flu 4 weeks from the shot. Dont know if it i from that, but it 4 years in a row, almost exactly at a month each tim.
• queencitybuckeye

  WebFire;1569559 wrote:
  What say you?

  I say the ignorance of the general public is disgusting. The science is clear. That people choose to believe wives tales and any other nonsense is appalling.
• Ironman92

  

  We had this thread fairly recently
• vball10set

  With a strong nudge from my wife, I got one for the first time last week, and for $25, I figured it couldn't hurt.
  
  
  edit: fwiw, I don't get sick either, and if I do, you can be damn sure I'm blaming the shot (and my wife!!!)
• Fab4Runner

  

  Never had a flu shot, never had the flu. Knocking on wood, obviously. I typically get one cold a year, but haven't been sick at all in the last two years.
• McFly1955

  

  I never used to get the flu shot, but I have each year since we started having kids a few years back.
  
  The first year I did the nasal mist, and I did get very sick the next day, and it lasted for about a day, felt like I was going to die.
  
  I've just gotten the shot since, and have had no problems.
• I Wear Pants

  queencitybuckeye;1569564 wrote:I say the ignorance of the general public is disgusting. The science is clear. That people choose to believe wives tales and any other nonsense is appalling.

  ^^^ This.
  
  The anti-flu shot sentiment seems very similar to the anti-vaccine sentiment which is one of the more dangerous movements. Not to mention it's absolutely fucking stupid.
  
  I've never had a flu shot to be clear, I just know they're effective. I'll probably start getting them after I get the flu once.
• vball10set

  McFly1955;1569602 wrote:I never used to get the flu shot, but I have each year since we started having kids a few years back.
  
  The first year I did the nasal mist, and I did get very sick the next day, and it lasted for about a day, felt like I was going to die.
  
  I've just gotten the shot since, and have had no problems.

  This is because the nasal mist contains the virus, and the shot does not.
• justincredible

  

  Never had a flu shot. Never had the flu. So bite me.
• McFly1955

  

  vball10set;1569612 wrote:This is because the nasal mist contains the virus, and the shot does not.

  Yeah, that's what the doctor told me, so eff the nasal mist for me going forward...
  
  Hey we don't want you to get the flu, so let's shoot some flu juice all up in your nose and give you the flu.
• WebFire

  vball10set;1569612 wrote:This is because the nasal mist contains the virus, and the shot does not.

  I've read that this year's shot contains a live virus for H1N1. Used to be as you said...mist had it, shot didn't.
• WebFire

  I Wear Pants;1569606 wrote:^^^ This.
  
  The anti-flu shot sentiment seems very similar to the anti-vaccine sentiment which is one of the more dangerous movements. Not to mention it's absolutely fucking stupid.
  
  I've never had a flu shot to be clear, I just know they're effective. I'll probably start getting them after I get the flu once.

  Curious, how do you know they are effective? A lot of info suggests they aren't effective, and that's how I feel for the most part. In fact, a lot of people diagnosed with flu have had the shot.
  
  Any stats out there to show effectiveness?
• vball10set

  WebFire;1569633 wrote:I've read that this year's shot contains a live virus for H1N1. Used to be as you said...mist had it, shot didn't.

  When I received mine I actually asked that question, and my doctor said it didn't. Maybe some do, I don't know.
• WebFire

  vball10set;1569635 wrote:When I received mine I actually asked that question, and my doctor said it didn't. Maybe some do, I don't know.

  Ok. I don't know either. Not sure how many types of shots there are. I know there is a different one for pregnant women.
• Heretic

  

  Fab4Runner;1569581 wrote:Never had a flu shot, never had the flu. Knocking on wood, obviously. I typically get one cold a year, but haven't been sick at all in the last two years.

  Same here for me. Weird in a way, because when I was young (elementary school and sixth grade), I had about anything a person could get as far as respiratory stuff: flu, bronchitis, walking pneumonia and I think croup. And since then, I'll get one or two light colds (as in, one or two days of bed rest and I'm back to at least 80-90% effectiveness where I have a light cough, but generally feel good), but haven't had anything serious.
• sportchampps

  I had it about three years ago. I got sick for about a week afterwards. I don't usually get the flu so I have choose not to get one since and also haven't had the flu since.
  
  My mom got a flu shot this year. She always get the flu shot Atleast for the last 10-15 years. Well this year because of her age they recommend a high dose shot for senior citizens. She got the shot. That night she started feeling bad and got up and started sweating really bad and passed out. I was there when it happened so I called 911. They came and took her vitals and everything checked out ok. They were very worried until I mentioned she had got a flu shot earlier that day. Once they heard that they said this is a "normal" side effect they see all the time. My mom was still worried and went to her doctors and checked out fine they all said it was probably from the flu shot. She has decided next year she will not be getting a shot for the first time in a long time.
• GoPens

  

  Started getting the flu shot 10 years ago, never have gotten the flu since. There is no live virus in the shot, there is weakened virus in the nasal version.
• GOONx19

  

  A flu shot can't give you the flu. It might not protect you from the strain that hits your area, but it certainly won't hurt you. (Unless you thing a flu shot hurts.)
• gut

  If you get one of the common strains going around that the shot could have prevented you WILL regret not getting the shot.
  
  If you're insurance covers it, then it's silly not to do it. Otherwise I can see how people feel scammed at $30....and so long as enough people are getting the shot, then theoretically your chance of catching one of the common strains are already very low.
  
  As someone who very rarely gets sick, my theory is it's good to get the shot to get some sort of antibodies into my system. I figure the next time I do get sick, even a common cold, it's going to be brutal.
• vball10set

  vball10set;1569612 wrote:This is because the nasal mist contains the virus, and the shot does not.

  GoPens;1569659 wrote:Started getting the flu shot 10 years ago, never have gotten the flu since. There is no live virus in the shot, there is weakened virus in the nasal version.

  Thank you
• ts1227

  

  I've got it the past few years because my workplace offered it, never did before that and probably wouldn't otherwise. I rarely get more than like a sinus infection each year, so it's just something I never think about.
• thavoice

  ts1227;1569667 wrote:I've got it the past few years because my workplace offered it, never did before that and probably wouldn't otherwise. I rarely get more than like a sinus infection each year, so it's just something I never think about.

  and that is how I was. My part time job makes them mandatory and it is free so I have no choice. Probably is a coincidence I get sick about a month afterwards. I know one time I got the nasal one.
• WebFire

  GoPens;1569659 wrote:Started getting the flu shot 10 years ago, never have gotten the flu since. There is no live virus in the shot, there is weakened virus in the nasal version.

  Did you often get the flu before that?
  
  Also, I'll look for some source about the shot. Not that I don't believe you, but I've seen it mentioned elsewhere that it changed this year.
• GOONx19

  

  ^ We were just taught immunizations in pharmacy school in the fall semester. I feel like that would've been mentioned. The vaccines for shingles/pox, nasal flu, rabies, and MMR are the only fairly common live virus vaccines.