Never gotten the shot or the flu! I see no reason to change the current course of action. Plus as a general rule, I like keeping needles outside of my body where they belong.

lootiemcwoot wrote:I'd rather not have a shot of mercury that is good for -LAST YEAR'S- Flu strain.

Psst. You absorb more mercury in your day to day life than is contained in a flu shot.

myxsomaxholiday wrote:Doesn't mean it sucked - you probably just got a different strain than what you were vaccinated for.

Right answer, wrong basis, I think. There doesn't seem to be a good understanding of why a particular strain is effective. The vax has a much better 'match' against what is seen in the wild for type A than type B, but the effectiveness of type B is much higher than type A. In any case, the protection is only running about 60%.

This may sound strange, but I'd rather be sick. I'm neither young nor old, and so I figure this is a good time to accumulate antibodies (as long as I self-isolate if I detect an infection to prevent spread.)

I have an amazing feature in my body called an immune system. I do my best to keep it functioning well by eating well and staying in shape, and it repays me by keeping me from getting the flu. Works like a charm.

llandar wrote:Psst. You absorb more mercury in your day to day life than is contained in a flu shot.

The mercury absorbed in my day to day life is not injected directly into my bloodstream. Now, dont get me wrong, im not against vaccines. But I only get vaccinated against things that are actually alive. Viruses are not alive.

I became sick with the flu for the first time at age 16 and I am now turning 60. That was the sickest I've ever been in my life - high fever, delirious, etc. I never want to repeat that. I was so sick I truly thought I was going to die. There was no vaccine back then.

I usually get a flu shot every year, but kept putting it off this season(I was moving, remodeling, etc.) and caught the flu about the time I was finally going to go get the vaccination. Dang! I was pretty sick only the first 3 days (nothing like when I was 16 though, just sleepy, tired and puny).

I think my earlier flu vaccines actually helped me get through it without becoming any sicker than I was. My hub had only had a flu vaccine twice or so in previous years and he was a sicker longer than I was with this year. Generally, he recovers from most illnesses far faster than I do.

Stomach flu? Do your research. It is always water or food borne illness caused by ingestion of bacterial contamination or Norovirus. Either could be called "food poisoning", which is somewhat more accurate. Norovirus is completely unrelated to the actual flu but people persist in calling it "stomach flu".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norovirus

After reading that, I'd be inclined to quickly leave any restaurant if someone threw up even far across the dining room.

There is no vaccine to prevent or treatment to cure Norovirus, but there are steps to prevent the actual flu in advance. One can prevent transfer of most any of the above by avoidance and proper disinfection.

I checked the CDC website when I had the flu. You are fully contagious one day before you experience even the slightest hint of symptoms, and remain contagious for five days after the first day you actually have symptoms. I delayed having Christmas with family until we had both passed those marks, especially since my husband's parents have become more frail and are both over 85. Neither has had a flu shot, by choice. If my father-in-law caught the flu, it would likely do him in.

One must be aware that the choice to not vaccinate oneself could mean one becomes a carrier a day or two before becoming ill oneself, exposing one's co-workers, one's own children, the children of others, and frail elderly people to the disease without even realizing it.

I fully believe that for the average person, the dangers of any vaccination are highly overblown and even if real for some folks, are far outweighed by the benefit to the vast majority. I am allergic and sensitive to a lot of things, but have never had a reaction to a vaccine of any kind, except perhaps a feeling of warmth in the body for a few seconds, or a slightly sore arm.

One must make their own decision, but should also realize that decision affects more than oneself. Whether one gets the vaccine or not, one should isolate oneself if one becomes ill. We had extended family drop groceries and at least one cooked meal on our doorstep while we were ill.

I've never had a flu shot, or the flu. I will never get a flu shot, because I apparently don't need one. I don't use antibacterial stuff on anything other my dishes, and I only wash my hands a few times a day. My immune system kicks all kinds of ass.

Last time I got a flu shot I caught the flu worse than I have ever had it in my life. Ill pass.

The flu is a killer, it is not a cold. If you ever had the real flu once, you will not miss an opportunity to try whatever to avoid a repeat. If you believe you are genetically superior to the flu, or are afraid of (or don’t understand how vaccines work), please accept my condolences if your luck runs out.

mishmash5 wrote:I've never had a flu shot, or the flu. I will never get a flu shot, because I apparently don't need one. I don't use antibacterial stuff on anything other my dishes, and I only wash my hands a few times a day. My immune system kicks all kinds of ass.

That's what Jim Henson said.

Saying "I didn't get a flu shot because I never get the flu," is like saying, "I don't need a spare tire because I never get a flat tire."

Just an FYI, you can't get the Flu from the Flu shot. It is not 100% effective, but it will make it less severe. They use a dead virus in the Flu shot. Also, it takes up to 2 weeks for it to become effective, so if you have already been exposed you would still get the flu just a lesser form. I definitely say get the flu shot. It is worth it. However, I would not recommend Tamiflu because of the high level of reactions to the medication.

lkreed1 wrote:I got a flu shot like every year, and ended up getting Influenza Type A. I'm debating getting one in the future. A close friend also miscarried after getting the flu shot. My toddler son also got his first and only flu shot, got the flu, was given Tamiflu, and ended up being allergic to that, so really debating getting him one in the future - he's 0 for 1.

No shot for me. Suppose maybe I should, Father's in a nursing home, quite frail. My immune system is bad.

But the surest way to get me to not do something is for the government to tell me over and over that I should do it. I figure whatever the flue does to me will be minor compared to what the IRS wants to do to me.

I am a scientist that in the past worked on vaccine research...I laugh when people say they got the flu from the flu shot since it is impossible...and Jenny McCarthy should keep her mouth shut. The flu shot just makes it so your immune system can do its job.

meadowlark wrote:I became sick with the flu for the first time at age 16 and I am now turning 60. That was the sickest I've ever been in my life - high fever, delirious, etc. I never want to repeat that. I was so sick I truly thought I was going to die. There was no vaccine back then.

I usually get a flu shot every year, but kept putting it off this season(I was moving, remodeling, etc.) and caught the flu about the time I was finally going to go get the vaccination. Dang! I was pretty sick only the first 3 days (nothing like when I was 16 though, just sleepy, tired and puny).

I think my earlier flu vaccines actually helped me get through it without becoming any sicker than I was. My hub had only had a flu vaccine twice or so in previous years and he was a sicker longer than I was with this year. Generally, he recovers from most illnesses far faster than I do.

Stomach flu? Do your research. It is always water or food borne illness caused by ingestion of bacterial contamination or Norovirus. Either could be called "food poisoning", which is somewhat more accurate. Norovirus is completely unrelated to the actual flu but people persist in calling it "stomach flu".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norovirus

After reading that, I'd be inclined to quickly leave any restaurant if someone threw up even far across the dining room.

There is no vaccine to prevent or treatment to cure Norovirus, but there are steps to prevent the actual flu in advance. One can prevent transfer of most any of the above by avoidance and proper disinfection.

I checked the CDC website when I had the flu. You are fully contagious one day before you experience even the slightest hint of symptoms, and remain contagious for five days after the first day you actually have symptoms. I delayed having Christmas with family until we had both passed those marks, especially since my husband's parents have become more frail and are both over 85. Neither has had a flu shot, by choice. If my father-in-law caught the flu, it would likely do him in.

One must be aware that the choice to not vaccinate oneself could mean one becomes a carrier a day or two before becoming ill oneself, exposing one's co-workers, one's own children, the children of others, and frail elderly people to the disease without even realizing it.

I fully believe that for the average person, the dangers of any vaccination are highly overblown and even if real for some folks, are far outweighed by the benefit to the vast majority. I am allergic and sensitive to a lot of things, but have never had a reaction to a vaccine of any kind, except perhaps a feeling of warmth in the body for a few seconds, or a slightly sore arm.

One must make their own decision, but should also realize that decision affects more than oneself. Whether one gets the vaccine or not, one should isolate oneself if one becomes ill. We had extended family drop groceries and at least one cooked meal on our doorstep while we were ill.

Just thought you would find it interesting that there is a lot of research going on right now for a Norovirus vaccine. There are clinical studies testing several right now.

I am very fortunate to have never contracted the flu during my life thus far. I have never received a flu shot in my adult life and have fared just fine.

On the other hand, I live in an area where the Mountain Cedar grows like weeds and turns nearly everyone into sneezing, sniffling, coughing masses of phlegm covered in wads of used tissues. Myself included in that rather unpleasant image. It is not pretty.

I take Zyrtec to stem the massive histamine reaction caused by that dastardly tree and its pollen. It is all I can do the stave off the otherwise inevitable throat infection that would follow without heavy medication.

Otherwise, my biggest dilemma is whether to buy the three pack of Kleenex at Wal-Mart or the twelve pack at Sam's Club.

gravityisweak wrote: Viruses are not alive.

That's an extremely close-minded way of putting it.

I'm honeymooning in Boston in a week and a half and didn't want to get on a plane without a flu shot.