Does the flu shot really work?

Did you get a flu shot this season?

  • Yes

    Votes: 408 56.8%

  • No, I don't think they work

    Votes: 143 19.9%

  • No, they are not safe

    Votes: 91 12.7%

  • No, I have a health issue that doesn't allow it

    Votes: 21 2.9%

  • Other: please explain

    Votes: 55 7.7%
  • Total voters
    718

New Posts

Kimster said:
Has anyone ever gotten a flu shot and still contracted the flu?
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A few years ago I got the flu shot and also got the worse case of the flu that I had ever contracted. I have not gotten the shot since nor have I gotten the flu. I am not sure if it was just a fluke, but I am steering clear of the flu shot now days.
 
Another thing about the flu shot that most people don't realize,

You're not immediately immune. It takes your body about two weeks to get the antibodies in place.

I've seen people be super cautious before taking the shot, then right after they will be near sick people or share drinks or something, then get the flu and claim that the shot does not work.
 
Koshka said:
My small (population under 500,000) county currently has 3 people hospitalized in critical condition with the flu. Two are otherwise healthy people in their 30s. Last week a young pregnant woman here died from it. Yes, the flu can kill. Please, please get a flu shot.
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We have two people on ECMO life support right now from influenza at my hospital. Influenza can kill you- even if you're young and healthy. I've seen it.
 
I have never gotten the flu shot and I have not had the flu as an adult ( that has been a long time). I have been exposed to the flu but have never been sick with it as an adult. I guess I need to knock on wood.
 
There have been two deaths in the last 10 days in my area. Both young adults (35-45). Not with underlying diseases. One was sick for a week and died within a day of admission to the hospital. The other died 5 days after admission.

This one is hitting younger people because older folks have some immunity from prior influzena outbreaks or prior vaccinations.

This is a real and dangerous disease. Please don't ignore sound medical advice.
 
I get the Flu shot and have not had a flu
I work in a hospital and it is "highly recommended" we get the flu shot.
We are not forced to get the flu shot but IF ever we are in an Outbreak situation those who have not gotten the flu shot have been told that they would be prevented from working in the hospital.
 
Tulessa said:
Same here, and I was sick as a dog!! NEVER AGAIN!
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Not only did I have flu symptoms for @48 hours (fever, nausea, body aches, etc.), I got dizzy and nearly fainted immediately following the injection. I also had an itchy rash at the site of the injection. Never again is right.
 
Kimster said:
Has anyone ever gotten a flu shot and still contracted the flu?
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Yes-in the 70's, I got the Swine Flu vaccination, and a couple of days later, I was sicker than I'd ever been with the flu-to the point of nearly fainting. The same thing happened to my brother, when he got the same shot in a different state. I've never had another flu shot, and most years I don't get the flu, either!
 
Melanie said:
You would think as a diabetic I'd be out running to get a flu shot. But for the past 5 years, I've passed. My doctor does not advocate me getting one mainly due to the strains. My sister (also a diabetic) had one and immediately got the flu. I'm a SAHM, and try to avoid crowded places anyway. Doesn't mean I'll be in the clear, but keeping fingers crossed.
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Aren't you afraid your kids will bring it home from school? Also, watch the handle on the shopping cart at the grocery store.

I grew up in a house with 5 other kids, so have been exposed to a great many viruses, and get sick so infrequently that my husband says in the olden days they would have burned me as a witch-this is why I roll the dice on the flu shot. Also, the last time I got the shot I got very sick ( the shot may not have caused it, but didn't prevent it, either)
 
LadyL said:
I've never had the shot because of allergies but I've talked to all kinds of people who say they have gotten really sick immediately after getting the shot. I don't know if it's an urban myth or what.
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it's not an urban myth for me, or my brother-we both got really sick one year, and we weren't even living in the same state so one didn't catch it from the other
 
The last flu shot that both my daughter and I had was about 4 years ago. It was definitely longer than two weeks after that shot, I think it was around 4 months or so later, we both got the flu badly. She was the sickest I have ever seen her in her life before then or since. We haven't had the shot since then, and neither of us have had the flu since then. She only gets mild colds, maybe once or twice a year, and I've had about 4 colds since then, and two have become bronchitis. But no flu symptoms for either of us since those last vaccinations.
 
I always get a flu shot. I also travel a lot and have had several exotic vaccinations most people don't have to worry about, like typhoid and yellow fever. I did not get typhoid or yellow fever after having those vaccinations.

Are people who don't get the flu shot worried about getting sick from other vaccines, or just for the flu?? Me, I'm kind of addicted to life and if there's a chance I could be exposed to a horrible, painful, deadly disease and there is a vaccination that can prevent it, I am all OVER the needle.
 
H1N1 is out and about and spreading like wildfire… hence why this normal non shot person is going to call. Talked to my kids about it, too!

As for those who get sick. I always wonder, they say it takes about 2 weeks for the shot to work (for your body to recognize it and build up immunity). The virus is not live, I'm a full believer you were in contact with it prior to your shot. I may be blind to something else medically. btw I'm NOT a huge fan of vaccines though there are some I would never skimp on, many I won't touch. The flu shot is sort of a year by year thing for me… depending upon my panic level and my kids' panic levels. Sometimes only one or a couple of us get it!
 
Minette said:
I always get a flu shot. I also travel a lot and have had several exotic vaccinations most people don't have to worry about, like typhoid and yellow fever. I did not get typhoid or yellow fever after having those vaccinations.

Are people who don't get the flu shot worried about getting sick from other vaccines, or just for the flu?? Me, I'm kind of addicted to life and if there's a chance I could be exposed to a horrible, painful, deadly disease and there is a vaccination that can prevent it, I am all OVER the needle.
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I have a good friend who 15 yrs later is still suffering the almost deadly effects of GBS from a flu shot. I try to always weigh the risks/benefits. For the most part, it isn't deadly. H1N1 strain is a different story as are a few others. I also am a big believer in healthy eating (sometimes to an extreme others do not go to). I have 2 kids with 'issues' as we will call them for now and no, not autism. But I do worry about anything I put in them including vaccinations… and yes I did the major vaccinations but will not do others as they get older and have one that i could shoot myself for getting them.

To me, each year it is a new choice. This year i will call and see if there is anything available. Had a heck of a fall season and wish I did it earlier, but didn't so it is what it is.


(never been sick from a shot and never believe it is the shot, but in reality a few days if flu compared to two weeks is a small price to pay if you are truly getting the shot in order to avoid the real full-blown flu which is not a couple of days issue in anyway)
 
You can't get the flu from the flu shot. It's dead.
 
The spray is live virus (unlike the shot!), but not too many adults get the spray (if any)… I have only seen the spray offered to children and mostly via school vaccination clinics (around here anyway). There are some specific criteria one must meet for the spray to include no egg allergies.
 
lisser said:
The last flu shot that both my daughter and I had was about 4 years ago. It was definitely longer than two weeks after that shot, I think it was around 4 months or so later, we both got the flu badly. She was the sickest I have ever seen her in her life before then or since. We haven't had the shot since then, and neither of us have had the flu since then. She only gets mild colds, maybe once or twice a year, and I've had about 4 colds since then, and two have become bronchitis. But no flu symptoms for either of us since those last vaccinations.
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You probably (likely or definitely) had a strain not covered in that year's vaccination.

It seems that for the most part, people who are generally quite healthy are not at as much risk even if they do get the flu. The exception to that is the H1N1 strain which is proving to be the exact opposite.
 
:truce:
Minette said:
I always get a flu shot. I also travel a lot and have had several exotic vaccinations most people don't have to worry about, like typhoid and yellow fever. I did not get typhoid or yellow fever after having those vaccinations.

Are people who don't get the flu shot worried about getting sick from other vaccines, or just for the flu?? Me, I'm kind of addicted to life and if there's a chance I could be exposed to a horrible, painful, deadly disease and there is a vaccination that can prevent it, I am all OVER the needle.
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I'm generally pro vaccine. I'm up on all my other vaccinations, with the exception of my hep b booster, and my dd is fully vaccinated too.

The thought that H1N1 does seem to kill otherwise healthy people does unnerve me a bit, but the odds are still very low. I have better odds of getting killed in a car accident every single time I drive.

My biggest question about the vaccine is, how many of those who are admitted to the icu or who have unfortunately passed from the virus, were vaccinated for it this year? And of those, how many had the vaccine more than two weeks prior to landing in the hospital with it? I can't seem to find any data on that at all.
 
I had the flu shot about 10 years ago and was convinced it made me sick afterwards so I didn't get it for years. About 4 years ago I finally caught the full blown flu, diagnosed with a rather painful nose swab to confirm it. It was the sickest I ever remember being in my entire adult life. For almost two weeks I had a fever that I couldn't shake. I could not get out of bed. Then I couldn't breathe and had a horrible cough for weeks afterward. I got the flu shot every year after that and this year about two months ago. So far my husband has been sick as a dog and everyone around me has been dropping like flies. At work we have been short staffed for weeks, just when people get better, others are out. It's been a really sick month around these parts. As for me, I've been healthy aside from a couple day cold or two and I'm hoping (knock on wood) that it stays that way!

If I can avoid it, I don't EVER want to contract the flu again. Let's just say I fully understood why it kills elderly and very young. It was brutal.
 
sfbaynancydrew said:
I had the flu shot about 10 years ago and was convinced it made me sick afterwards so I didn't get it for years. About 4 years ago I finally caught the full blown flu, diagnosed with a rather painful nose swab to confirm it. It was the sickest I ever remember being in my entire adult life. For almost two weeks I had a fever that I couldn't shake. I could not get out of bed. Then I couldn't breathe and had a horrible cough for weeks afterward. I got the flu shot every year after that and this year about two months ago. So far my husband has been sick as a dog and everyone around me has been dropping like flies. At work we have been short staffed for weeks, just when people get better, others are out. It's been a really sick month around these parts. As for me, I've been healthy aside from a couple day cold or two and I'm hoping (knock on wood) that it stays that way!

If I can avoid it, I don't EVER want to contract the flu again. Let's just say I fully understood why it kills elderly and very young. It was brutal.
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I totally agree! Even though I'm suffering from a mild case of the flu right now (still had vomiting and fevers), despite getting the flu shot, I still highly recommend getting it because you NEVER want to have a full-on case of it. Been there, done that!
 
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