Flu Shot?

Faye

Faye

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Should I bother to pay to get a flu shot tomorrow?

I have never gotten one before and do not know whether or not they would be worth it. Two years ago I got swine flu before the shot for it became available, but this is just the regular flu shot.

Are there any risks to getting it?
 
I've gotten one every year. Haven't had the flu since I was like 16 or something.

Just got mine yesterday.
 
I've never had a flu shot in my life... and I've also never had the flu, whether it be swine, avian, or just your regular old flu. I don't see the need for it, but perhaps I've just been lucky.
 
How much would it cost, how much do you have, and how important is your time? There are a lot of factors influencing your decision.

They haven't used life viruses in many years, so the risk of the vaccine making you sick is negligible.

No flu shot can defend against every strain of the flu. Each year medical professionals must decide which strains they think will be most widespread. Sometimes they are wrong. You can still get the flu even with the shot.

This year, they decided against making any changes to last year's vaccine. Anyone who got a flu shot last year should still have 60-80% immunity.
 
Honey Badger said:
I've never had a flu shot in my life... and I've also never had the flu, whether it be swine, avian, or just your regular old flu. I don't see the need for it, but perhaps I've just been lucky.
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You've been lucky. If I get the flu, I get it bad. So, I get a flu shot every year. It works for me.
 
Only once did I feel a "side-effect" and that was just feeling slightly run down for the evening. I'd personally rather get the shot and not have to worry about a full-blown flu.
 
Norton said:
You've been lucky. If I get the flu, I get it bad. So, I get a flu shot every year. It works for me.
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Yeah most people are not as fortunate as I am where health is concerned. My parents do not get the flu or flu shots and neither does my sister. Good genes I guess!
 
Yes, I would get one if I had the opportunity. There's been a huge debate on another forum I'm on about it, people can get naaasty on this topic. :P

My boyfriend had swine flu on my birthday last year and I got the flu afterwards, it fucking sucked.
 
Honey Badger said:
I've never had a flu shot in my life... and I've also never had the flu, whether it be swine, avian, or just your regular old flu. I don't see the need for it, but perhaps I've just been lucky.
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^This, but since I will be working in a hospital in a few weeks, and it's provided for free, so why not?
 
Eat right, stay healthy, wash your hands or use plenty of sanitizer. Never noticed a difference between flu shot vs. no flu shot when I would get mine. The only thing a Flu shot would do is get me sick if I was on the verge of it already, or not at 100% for whatever reason (cold, allergies, etc.).
 
I'm not concerned for myself as much as I am about my kids receiving it now. They sit in a filthy ol' petri dish all day.

We've never gotten vaccines for bird or swine. Think of it this way, during the time the mass hysteria was developing about swine ... employment was dropping drastically, which meant people with no health insurance coverage ... meaning they would have to fend for themselves or skip prescription medication. I believe pharmaceutical companies were responsible in creating the mass hysteria (possibly even creating the virus) since they were losing $$$$. I remember when my doctor asked me if I wanted the H1N1 vaccination ... I told him my above statement. He agreed. LOL

Mass hysteria = impulsive spending. I tend to just sit back and watch everyone run around like an idiot.
 
Hell no. I don't even take an Advil for a headache.

Best remedy for my immune system is exercise, seven hours of sleep a night, a clean diet, and a multi-vitamin every evening. If I get the flu, I get the flu. Load myself up with codeine and garlic and sleep for about 40 hours or so.

But then again, I haven't gotten the flu since high school.

Unless you work in a hospital or work with children or have a freakishly weak immune system to begin with, I really don't see the point of getting it.
 
I never bothered with flu shots until I was in my late 40's. I am not one to get sick. I think it has been over 2 years since I even had a slight cold, so I have no idea if I benefited from them or not.
I am very disciplined at washing my hands etc. but, there are Typhoid Marys in this world that feel indispensable, so they come into work to spread the joy around instead of staying home.
Anything extra I can do to head it off is worthwhile for me.
Besides, my insurance covers 100% of the cost.
 
I have had a compromised immune system ever since I almost died of blood poisoning when I was nine, so immunizations are very important to me.

Consider there is always the chance you can die from the flu.

Consider also that although you are recieving a dead form of the virus (it can't reproduce) you may have a small reaction to it. I've heard of people feeling a little sick after the immunization, but I've never heard of anyone coming down with a full fledged flu.
 
Well, I missed the date anyway. I completely forgot about it.

In a way I am kind of curious to be exposed to the flu (which might happen very easily given that I'm in college) so that I can see how well my immune system handles it. My immune system seems to be functioning better than it did before I went to Africa; I was sick there often, and I think that might have made it stronger.
 
Dragon said:
In a way I am kind of curious to be exposed to the flu (which might happen very easily given that I'm in college) so that I can see how well my immune system handles it.
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I can appreciate this curiosity, but I will hope that it is never satisfied in your case, or anyone else’s for that matter.

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I haven’t had a flu shot yet this season, but I am sure I will have one soon. My doctor insists I get one because of my diabetes.


cheers,
Ian
 
I get a free flu shot every year -actually our hospital administration strongly encourages it-mainly because it cut downs on staff short term disability due to flu, and cuts down on people CARRYING the flu and infecting others, even if they don't become ill themselves. Also, our union supports us if we decline vaccination. In turn, the hospital doesn't have to pay out sick pay if you come down with the flu during flu season after declining the readily available vaccination. It is a good idea for certain people for other reasons-ie. chronic conditions like cardiac, respiratory, prematurity in infants, and being elderly. In my case, next to the occupational ones, is my predisposition to pneumonia, in addition to having multiple broken ribs from a hiking accident a few weeks ago.
 
shannishannon said:
......it cut downs on staff short term disability due to flu, and cuts down on people CARRYING the flu and infecting others, even if they don't become ill themselves. ............
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the flu shot is a no brainer, except for the conspiratorialists
 
It has always been my practice to take good care of myself, eat properly (mostly vegetarian)...
Just let your immune system do it's job.
I too have never had a shot...
I also very very rarely get sick, maybe once every 4 - 5 years.
 
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