flu shot- yes or no?
Posted by ponycakes on Oct 31, 2008 · Member since Jul 2007 · 1491 posts
i saw a sign advertising flu shots at the little health clinic place. my mom doesnt really believe in flu shots, so i dont think ive ever gotten one. but now that im on my own..what do you guys think? worth the 14 dollars? is it vegan?
It's not vegan-the flu virus is grown in egg. That said, I get them anyway because I work retail, have a toddler, and my husband teaches at a highschool, so, we're high risk. One year my husband got the flu, and the shot saved me and my daughter. He could barely move for days.
I'd go for it. Actual, real influenza is horrible and not something you want.
Yeah, most definitely not vegan. This was the first year I've dealt with flu shots since I became vegan again-- last year I didn't get one, and the year before that I was O/L so I got one and didn't think much of it.
My workplace was giving free flu shots to all the full-time staff. I said nay. I don't think, with all the many variants of colds and flus around lately, that it could cover much more than your basic flu, if that.
http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/skeptical-cat-is-fraught-with-skepticism.jpg
Flu shots should be free (imho). I've never had one, and feel they're uneccessary, but I still don't think you should have to fork out money for one. Especially if it gives you the flu, or makes you feel all fluey sick (which happens to a lot of people), right after you get it. My vote is for no, but it's entirely up to you.
most people at my work (an elementary school) got flu shots last year, but the strain of the flu that went around was different than the shot, so most of them got the flu either way. I on the other hand, didn't get sick. I think its because i'm vegan. Ever since going vegan, i stopped getting bronchitis, strep throat, colds, flus... i just dont get sick much anymore. I would worry about it. AND the flu shot makes you immune to the flu by giving it to you. so it makes some people sick, just from getting the shot.
I too can't figure out how they know which virus is going to be the germ du jour before it actually hits.
All my friends here in Spain who get the flu shot actually come down with the flu as a direct result, and are very sick. I don't see how that helps, unless knowing when you're going to have the flu helps you plan your year.
this is the first year its not REQUIRED for work for me...however, i work with 4 kids under the age of eight who all attend public school and a compromised senior...I may elect to get eh shot anyways although I don't really like it, and is is def. not vegan...Ive never gotten sick FROM the shot but I get sick so often that even if i do get he shot, i still come down with other things. ehh...ive always had a low immune system, but at least I'm not getting flu...which i have had before and thought i was going to die. :-X
I think it all depends on how you feel. And how "high risk" you are. If you're prone to getting sick, around lots of kids, have a low immune system or you're a senior citizen I think the flu shot is well worth it.
Personally, I've never had one (maybe when I was little and high risk). Ever since I had my tonsils removed a few years ago I hardly ever get sick. Usually there's some kind of heinous flu virus or pneumonia going around on campus, but I always remain unscathed. Then I come down with something completely bizarre and different three weeks later... ::) (ie, 5th disease...)
I've always had a low immune system, but at least I'm not getting flu...which i have had before and thought i was going to die. :-X
I've never had the shot even though they are free for me because I'm asthmatic...but I'd never had the real flu until last year. Like VHZ I thought I was going to die, it lasted 2 weeks and I couldn't move, breathe or lie down, or really do anything except shake and cough.
So now that I know what it's like, I'd take a shot to prevent it - but that's my personal feelings. I don't like these stories of people getting the flu from the shot, that's a bit freaky! Look at how "at risk" you are and whether you think it would be worthwhile for you.
You absolutely can't get the flu from the shot. It's a dead virus. You can get a day or two of muscle aches and low grade fever, which is absolutely NOT the flu!!
I'm planning on getting one tomorrow or Saturday. My insurance won't cover it so I have to go to a flu shot clinic somewhere. I've gotten pneumonia from the flu in the past (one of those years with a flu shot shortage where i couldn't get vax'd) and I definitely don't want to go through that again!! Especially because I'm in a position now where taking antibiotics could cause a reoccurance of a superinfection for me. Additionally, I'm in grad school and Universities are a breeding ground for grossness, and my mom is having surgery in Dec so I'll be hanging out in a hospital. Flu shot, here I come!!
I've never had a flu shot, and I've never had the flu.......knock on wood!
I've never had the shot, or the flu. I work in a kindergarten center. 400 5-year-olds. Snot, vomit, and poop are part of my daily life experience. In the winter, when the heater's on and they're all shut up inside its really bad.
Maybe its all the garlic I consume.
Is Skeptical cat skeptical about the flu jab or your advice? Or both? He looks very skeptical.
Heh, I am skeptical cat. About the jab. :P
I once heard that there are two types of people who never get sick: those who have absolutely fabulous immune systems, and those who are constantly slightly 'under the weather' so nothing really bad gets them. *shrugs* Go figure. I think I've had the real flu only once or twice, but I know I've had some nassssty mutant colds over the last few years. One gave me a cough so bad I nearly vomited (it was worst at night), while it was at its peak, and left a dry tickling cough which remained for SIX MONTHS until I got another cold which shifted it. :o >:( ::) Usually I don't get sick as often as other people; although I did while I was working around lots of people, on the supermarket checkouts. Pleh.
I've never gotten sick from the flu shot. Like rabidchild said, its dead. I HAVE gotten sick from being at the doctor's office to get the shot, though. Maybe that's why people always say they get sick from it.
I always used to refuse it because it was egg-based. I felt immune to everything when I went vegan (Nov 05). Last year however, I came down with the flu and it was so painful, draining and made me cancel my trip to Italy during Carnivale. I ended up going two weeks later, but I still have never been to Venice during Carnivale.
My job offered the flu shot last week, but not in my bldg so I missed it. I'm not sure if I want to get the flu shot or not.
If you're under a lot of stress, around children, traveling (airports and other mass public transit), not getting proper nutrition or sleep you are definitely more susceptible to flu.
I think I got it last year because I was in Bermuda in January for work and had extra paperwork and stress. When I returned to the cold weather in Virginia my body gave in to the local germs. I will probably go to our health unit at work and get the flu shot before December. I will be traveling, I haven't been sleeping well and I'm under a lot of stress.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
There are three types of influenza viruses: A, B, and C.
Type A: Infects people, pigs, birds, horses, seals, whales, and other animals. Wild birds are natural hosts. Divided into subtypes based on two surface proteins – hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). There are 15 HA and 9 NA subtypes, and these can be combined in various ways. Currently, the three most common subtypes in general human circulation are H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2. These can cause epidemics – defined as a high incidence of disease in an area or population – and also a widespread geographic or global disease called a pandemic.
Type B: Normally occurs only in humans. No subtypes. Known to cause human epidemics, but not pandemics.
Type C: Only causes mild respiratory illness in humans, and is not included in flu vaccines. Not capable of epidemic or pandemic spread.
Types A and B are further characterized into genetic variants called “strains.” New strains are constantly evolving and take the place of older ones. While your body may have built up resistance against one strain, it may not be able to fend off its replacement.
Weeeell I don't know what they use here in Spain, but people do get really, really sick from it. As in darn near taking them to the ER. So yeah, you can get the flu from it. I don't have all the intense medical connections on the Internet ^-^that some people have, but I do have a lot of years of empirical observation of real humans on the ground.
I've been getting the shot for years & I'll get it again this year. I work in a hospital & although it is entirely elective, if we have an influenza outbreak, those not vaccinated are not allowed to work.
The vaccine does not have any live virus so it is impossible to get the flu from the shot. If someone gets sick right after the shot, more likely they had a bug in them at the time of the shot. Before we get the shot, the nurses ask about our immediate health. Do you feel well? If you say you've got a bit of something brewing, no shot!
There is lots of information that says vitamin D may be the key to being influenza free. Also being locked up in airtight buildings for months isn't healthy. We need a good healthy dose of sunshine daily, also if you're in the northern hemisphere, get out in that cold air....it's healthy. You can't get sick from being cold. All those cold medicine commercials lied. Bugs & virus' can't live outside in sub-zero temperatures, so they move inside where it's nice & warm & they multiply by the millions.
Here's a link, http://www.allanstime.com/vitamin_D_and_sun.htm
This one is very interesting, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/51913.php
Just FYI, in the States a lot of drug stores offer the flu shots on premises. You don't even have to go into the doc's office to get it, you can just pop in to a CV$ or something. I have a friend who is a nurse practitioner at Minute C1inic... it's a cool concept.
I've never had a flu shot and am also skeptical about them. While the shot won't give you the flu, it can certainly lower your immune system so that the germs circulating this time of year have an easier time attacking you. Also, the flu shot is made 6 months in advance of when flu season starts, so the manufacturers are just guessing about what strain of flu will be most common that year. So, if you get a flu shot, you might not get that strain of flu but your immune system is temporarily compromised from getting a vaccine and makes you more suseptible to other flu viruses, cold viruses, etc.
I vote no.
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