Flu shots

[skypilot]

I should probably post this in the Health/Education/Social Policy thread but there doesn't seem to be that much activity over there so I'll post here instead.

My question is this: do you believe in flu shots? I'm 38 years old and I've never had one. The first and last time I had anything approaching the flu was in 1982. I've had my share of common colds which last for only a few days and never get bad enough that I'm bedridden. Even those are very rare these days since I've found something that I swear by which nips an oncoming cold in the bud. Anyway, are there any of you who've never had a flu shot? Do you think they're necessary--or effective? Am I pressing my luck?

[chiburb]

1. My thinking is...

If everyone else gets one, I won't have to!
(I know that's stupid, but it really is an example of my twisted thinking. Also, this might make a good poll in the Lounge...)

[montanacowboy]

2. I think for older folks

they are necessary - actually I have had one for the past 5 years and have never been sick or had any ill effects from one. (other than maybe a sore arm)

[FlashHarry]

3. Don't do it, man!

That's how they implant the tracking devices! :tinfoilhat:

[skypilot]

4. An "X-phile", no doubt

:)

[Capn Sunshine]

19. Isn't it already in our money

and our credit cards? They don't need that old school technology when they can follow your cell phone and the twenties in your wallet :tinfoilhat:

[Scottie72]

5. My comments:

1st question: Do you work in a place where you have a lot of contact with your co-workers. IE using the same phone, computer terminals etc.

I work as an Accelerator Operator and work in a control room setting. I have close contact with several my co-workers, with the high probability of cross contaimenation. Phones are used by several different people along with keyboard etc. The probability of catching something from a co-worker is actually quite high. Several of the members of the group I am in will receive flu shots for this reason. I also take part in the shots (my place of employment's offer the shots to anyone).

[MrMonk]

7. Like he ^^^ said --

Consider the likelihood of picking the flu up from others. I used to work outside in all weather and hardly ever got sick. Now that I work in an office and commute by train, I'm continually picking up colds, flus, etc. I'll be getting a flu shot this year.

[skypilot]

11. My current job...

...doesn't put me in alot of contact with my coworkers. I've worked at this job for a little over two years. There was a bug going around last week that most of my coworkers did seem to fall victim to. It missed me fortunately. My last job, however, was ideal for cross contamination. It was at a very high volume Borders bookstore and we were all answering the phones which never seemed to stop ringing. I worked there for 3 years and I got a cold once but it wasn't very serious.

[Lars39]

6. I've had the flu shot for the past 6 years, except I skipped one year.

That was the winter I got the flu. Awful. Not even close to being on the same scale as a cold.
I started taking the shots when my mother was diagnosed with cancer and my dad got pneumonia. Having kids of any age(toddler to teen) drags every know contagion into your sphere,too.

Being a paranoid handwasher has also helped keep the flu at bay. :)

[hang a left]

8. I don't trust government sponsored innoculations, period.

[MuseRider]

12. I don't blame you

but the flu can kill you too. Besides it is NO fun. See my post below.

edit for spelling

[Piperay]

39. Neither do I...

I have never had a flu shot and don't intend to and while I get colds I haven't had any kind of flu in about 30 years. :-)

[MuseRider]

9. I think

you should do it. They are killed virus so they should not make you sick. I missed last year when I was with my sick brother. This spring at the New Orleans Jazz festival in MAY I caught influenza, a bad case and ended up with pneumonia. You are still young but as you get older you may need these shots. I now have to get the pneumonia shot as well. Lovely. Anyway, influenza is nothing to mess with. (old nurse here)

[radwriter0555]

10. For those with fragile immune systems, I recommend them, the elderly,

persons with asthma, allergies; the folks who tend to get any bug that comes down the pike.

Folks like me, healthy as a horse, a cold once a year.. no. I oppose putting ANYTHING more into our system than nature already put there.

The body is an incredible machine capable of staving off the worst around us. Let the machine work for itself.

[skypilot]

13. I've been subscribing to your view, radwriter

but I also think that maybe it is something I'll do when I get older. Maybe.

[in_cog_ni_to]

14. My elderly parents

get one every year. I've never had one and really don't feel the need. I was at my son's pediatricians office the other day and they had a pamphlet about "Flumist" it's a nasal vaccine...if you don't like shots.

[DemExpat]

15. Skypilot...what have you found that nips your colds in the bud?

:D :hi:

DemEx

[skypilot]

17. "Really Raw Honey"

It's called Really Raw Honey. You can get it in health food stores. It's a bit expensive--something like $8.00 for a 12oz. jar. It is honey that is taken right out of the hive and jarred without being subjected to any kind of heat processes. Whenever I feel that scratchiness in my throat that signals an oncoming cold I put a spoonful of this honey on my tongue and let is dissolve slowly like a lozenge. It is REALLY thick. I'll also put it in tea. Then I'll drink lots of water. That usually takes care of business. I swear by this stuff.

[DemExpat]

21. I heard about that before...esp. honey from your home area.....

according to what I read...

Thanks,
DemEx

[skypilot]

23. Here's some info

http://www.reallyrawhoney.com/

[madrchsod]

16. never leave home

without it..taken them for the last few years and i`m glad i did. although you may get some effects of the flu,you don`t feel all that bad and usually lasts for a couple of days,not like the crap you face without a shot...

[AP]

18. Every time I've had a flu shot, haven't gotten flu. When I haven't

I've suffered.

Economies lose billions from people getting sick. That's bad.

[Capn Sunshine]

20. I've never had a flu shot

Ever. I'm in my fifties. I did sign up for one this year, so this will be a nice test.

I'm really more worried about viral outbreaks we aren't familiar with , like SARS last year.

[skypilot]

22. Capn Sunshine

Let us know how it goes. I hope I can get to MY fifties without one.

[kanrok]

24. I get one every year

I have for the past 6-7 years. I have two kids, and the oldest is school age. Schools are like petrie dishes and I can't afford to be on my back for a week or so. Better safe than sorry. BTW, they also have "pneumonia" shots as well.

[skypilot]

25. Pneumonia shots?!?!

I didn't know that!!!

[Lars39]

28. I know there's pneumonia shots that last 10 yrs. Yearly???Don't know.

[el_gato]

26. you don't even know what's in those shots

let your body work on it's own

[Skittles]

30. I was hospitalized

last time I let my body do its own thing with the 'flu. I'll take my chances with the shot, thank you.

[bicentennial_baby]

27. My dad has to

because he has MS, and his immune system is shot. I don't get them, and have'nt been sick so far. I think they're really most helpful to the elderly and people with compromised immunity.

[ramapo]

29. Never had one

I'm 48. Haven't had the flu since sometime in the '70s. I'll consider getting the shot when I'm older (or after I actually suffer through a bout of it).

[Silverhair]

31. Everbody's different, but they worked for me.

I have been taking them every year for about 20 years, execpt a couple of times I missed. I have rarely had the flu. However, the shots are only good against one strain of the flu. If a different strain is active in your area, you could get it.

It isn't a matter of "belief", like a religion. The scientific evidence is solid. Immunization works. That's how smallpox, as a natural disease was eliminated.

[scarlet_owl]

32. Don't need one.

Call me a baby, but I would rather get the flu than get a shot. I seriously don't like injections.

[nini]

33. I got one while grocery shopping last week..

a table was setup. I stopped, got the shot and contintued shopping. :-)

I haven't had one for a couple years but did this year because both of my nurse sisters said there are some really bad strains this year. I haven't had the flu in years so I assume previous injections have helped, but I guess you never really know for sure.

[SOteric]

34. I get flu shots.

Owing to a ravaging illness in my teens, I have a very weak immune system. My physicians pretty much strong armed me into my first few flu shots, but I quickly became a believer.

A flu shot doesn't mean you won't get the flu. Shots tend to immunise only against one or two of the more popular strains of the current year. You can still contract a dork-version of the bug that doesn't integrate as well socially.

Over a period of several years, however, you do retain some residual resistance from each of the immunisations. They basically teach your body how to fight the various infections it may come into contact with. If the bug you encounter is sufficiently close in family to one of those you've got 'on file,' you're good.

I get fewer cases of the flu than I did before I started getting the flu shots, and those I get tend to be milder and briefer. (Current case excepted).

With all due respect to the tinfoil hatters, the government has plenty of opportunity to track my whereabouts without a microchip, there's nothing interfering with my sex drive, and my bullshit detectors are in fine working order.

[seamarq]

35. totally believe in flu shots...

I can't wait until they come in and offer them at work. There are a lot of nasty bugs going around already this year.

edit for typos

[Nikia]

36. I haven't had one

I got flu in college my senior year. I missed two days of class and could have been officially excused longer but didn't want to miss the lectures since I learn better that way. The third day of classes that I would have missed my professors were worried about me. I started feeling better but was still coughing for a while. I ran track and was out from running for a week completely and a few more days of light work outs. I took the antiviral drug the second day of my illness. Before that, I had flu maybe three times as a child. I don't get flu shots. I don't like needles and have heard that some people get bad reactions to them. I figure that I am fairly young and healthy. If I get flu, I might miss a few days of work and be week for a few more but it isn't a catastrophe.

[Xithras]

37. I don't believe in that stuff

FYI, there's various emerging research indicating that the more your immune system works, the stronger it is. This kind of leads to an interesting conclusion...vaccines and medicines may protect you from their specific viruses or counteract specific maladies, but they may also lead to a longer term weakening of your immune response. Kids who grow up in DIRTY homes are also more likely to be healthier as adults and are far less likely to develop allergies.

Personally, I don't take ANY medicines unless I'm damn near dying and I RARELY get sick (haven't had the flu in about seven years, can't even remember my last cold), so I either have one hell of an immune system or I prove the point. I won't even take asprin for a headache :-)

[grasswire]

38. hm, aspirin prevents heart attacks and colon cancer...

...so you really ought to be taking a tab every day.

Regarding the flu shot -- I was reaallly sick last season with no flu shot. Sick for weeks. Coughing coughing coughing until my ribs ached so, and a raw throat and terribly sore tongue from cough drops, and just sick for weeks. I'm getting the shot this year.

[BritishHuman]

40. My employer offers them

I had one last year and didn't catch the flu (or feel any ill-effects from the jab). I've signed up to have one this year too.

[VOX]

41. I am a believer in flu shots.

I went without most of my life, and usually got a bout of the flu every January or February. With me, flu tends to spark a bronchitis, and then I'm down for a couple of weeks. About 8 years ago, I got bonafide pneumonia.

That episode convinced me, and I've gotten an annual flu shot ever since -- and I have to say that I've only had the flu once since then, and only a mild case.

If you tend to shake teh bugs off pretty easily, then you're probably okay. If your immune system's compromised in any way, or if you're a bit older, it's probably a good idea to get the shot.

[peacefreak]

42. I get one

I work at a bookstore & I swear that before people go to the grocery store to get their OJ & kleenex, they come in to get a book so they won't be bored. They stand in front of me wheeze, sneeze & pass me their money. EEEEecccccchhhhh. I was never phobic before, but shoot me up, baby!

[bikebloke]

43. Never had one, and probably never will

The last time I had the flu was in the mid-80's. There was a bug floating around that was knocking folk down for a week. I was pretty grotty for about 24 hours, then fine. I catch the odd cold, though I can trace those to stress and sleep deprivation (or out cycling in shorts too long under icy rain). But I've never been bedridden from a cold, not even as a kid. I once worked at a place where illness was a religion. Eejits were gobbling antibiotics like popcorn. Even for bad hair days. So when I caught the rare cold they panicked. Anything that would give me a sniffle would probably kill them.

I suspect I have a good immune sytem bolstered by a hale and hearty lifestyle.

[rene moon]

44. I wil get one

I had tuberculosis as a kid and my lungs are pretty crappy. I get congested very easily. Plus, the flu season is suppose to be really bad this year.

[trotsky]

45. I'm in my 30s and I always get them.

I never had a flu shot, and then just after Xmas in 1999 I came down with a doozy. 104 degree fever, was absolutely miserable, couldn't do anything for a week. Just barely managed to observe some of the Y2K fizzle.

Since then, I have gotten one every year, and not had the flu. Better safe than sorry. Plus contrary to what another poster said, I am pretty sure there are several strains in each flu shot, helps keep your immune system fine-tuned for whatever odd critter it might come in contact with.

[FloridaJudy]

46. Flu Shot?? No Simple Answer.

Do you have any serious health problems: diabetes? asthma? cardiac disease? immune deficiency? auto-immune disorder?

Are other people with serious respiratory problems exposed to you daily?

Are you over fifty years old?

If so, then you really need a flu shot!

If not, then I disagree with CDC. They're recommending flu shots for *everybody* this year. That only makes sense when a virulent strain is making the rounds. In that case the risk of getting influenza outweighs the side effects of the vaccine.

Remember the Swine Flu Panic during the Ford Administration? Remember how few people actually GOT the flu? Remember how many suffered serious side-effects from the vaccine?

I got my flu shot a week ago: I'm a health care provider. I have asthma. I'm fifty-five years old. I needed it.

But I wouldn't recommend it to any of my clients who don't.