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Post by PenandInk on Nov 1, 2019 13:00:12 GMT
When I was a kid in the 1960’s, our family doctor was young and quite progressive. He convinced my parents to start giving us flu shots pretty early in our lives. Nobody else I knew got them or had even heard of them, and of course, being kids, we hated them. When I was in 7 th grade, there was a pretty big flu outbreak in our area. I remember being the only student in English class, with a substitute teacher. Ha ha. Good times. I had no idea how bad the flu could be and was jealous of all the kids who got to stay home.
In 1976, the flu shot was aimed at the “swine flu” which was supposed to be bad that year. I was student teaching, and I had a bit of a reaction to the shot—just got a little sick, like a mild case of the flu. Teaching is a difficult profession to just “take a day off” at the last minute, so I stopped getting the flu shot after that due to fear of getting sick.
So naturally in the early 80’s, I got full-blown flu. OMG I had never been so sick. It was pretty bad. Lesson learned, I’ve gotten a flu shot every year since then.
I know they only last a year, but the serum must do something to your immune system, so I figure I’ve got a 50 year build up of flu-fighting power. LOL.
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Post by misadventurous on Nov 1, 2019 13:03:10 GMT
I got one for the first time ever this year. I'm back to working in an office for the first time in six years and I'm traveling quite a bit, so I thought it might make sense. My company offered them for free, otherwise I honestly probably wouldn't have bothered going out of my way to get it.
Why are you listening to your chiropractor on any medical issue other than somethingsomething misalignment somethingsomething vertebrae? Chiropractors are NOT medical doctors.
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Post by jcm28 on Nov 1, 2019 13:20:57 GMT
I never got them until my hospital required them or, if we declined, I would have to wear a mask continually during flu season. Never had a problem with them. Got the “big” dose this year as I’m 65. Saw my doctor yesterday and incidentally asked her if she’d seen any flu yet. She said yes and it’s bad this year already. Some deaths have been reported. My daughter does medical coding and says there have been a big uptick of cases coming into the ED.
Janet
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Anita
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Post by Anita on Nov 1, 2019 14:00:05 GMT
Every year. My husband has a compromised immune system, so I do what I can.
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peppermintpatty
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Post by peppermintpatty on Nov 1, 2019 14:00:23 GMT
I'm another one who always gets one. I didn't want it racing through my family when my kids were younger, then my husband was immunocompromised for years, and now my mom lives in senior housing. I don't want to get it or pass it along to anyone else. Vaccination science is sound. Your chiropractor sounds like an idiot.AGREED!! Having a reaction to a steroid shot is no reason to avoid a flu shot. That's like not eating apples because you had a reaction to oranges.
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QueenoftheSloths
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Post by QueenoftheSloths on Nov 1, 2019 14:00:40 GMT
Nope....never have and I've never had the flu. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. This was always my philosophy. But this year, I have my new job that takes me out into stores around all the sick people shopping and my DH turned 65, so I thought it would be good to have a little extra protection. Plus, I was at the doctor's office this week for something else anyway. Having never had one, I was a little hesitant to get it at Target or someplace like that, so I had put it off, and it was nice to be able to get it at my doctor's office instead without having to make an appointment just for that.
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Post by tracyarts on Nov 1, 2019 14:06:23 GMT
I always get it. A former coworker of ours died from complications of the flu. He was an otherwise healthy and fit man in his 40s. It was shocking to hear about it. He went from flu to pneumonia to sepsis to coma to gone in less than a month's time.
We got ours late Tuesday afternoon, I felt really crappy Wednesday and so-so yesterday but am fine now.
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seaexplore
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Post by seaexplore on Nov 1, 2019 14:16:54 GMT
I do not get it.
21 year veteran teacher. Never have gotten it.
I do have asthma so 2 years ago, when I told my doctor I did not want the flu vaccine, he asked if I would get the pneumonia vaccine instead. I did. No regrets other than an arm that was sore for almost TWO years.
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Post by cadoodlebug on Nov 1, 2019 14:21:32 GMT
My parents got the Hong Kong flu in 1969 while they were staying at my apartment for the holidays. I worked for a bank who brought in nurses to give the flu shots. I've never missed getting a shot in 50 years.
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Post by alexa11 on Nov 1, 2019 14:26:16 GMT
I taught school for 25 years and only had the flu once in my 2nd year of teaching-never took the flu shot. I retired 14 years ago and got the flu about 5 years ago and it was AWFUL. Now I get the shot every year. I guess getting older made flu so much worse and I'm not willing to chance it again.
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hannahruth
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Post by hannahruth on Nov 1, 2019 14:26:32 GMT
Yes DH and I both get them every year plus we also have been vaccinated against pneumonia which is given every five years so we will be due again in a year or so.
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Post by holly on Nov 1, 2019 14:30:31 GMT
I work for a health district so I am required to get one. If we decline and there is an outbreak (which is almost always) you have to wear a mask while at work. No thanks. I’ve been getting my flu shot prior to this job though. I’ve had the flu and it sucks. I also had a friends mom die from it and she was a healthy person prior to getting it and was early 70’s. My DS has to get one because of his health history so our whole family gets them.
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Post by stampnscrap1128 on Nov 1, 2019 14:46:12 GMT
My husband and I always get a flu shot. Just got it about a week ago, in fact. DH is type 2 diabetic and my lungs are a bit on the weak side due to severe pneumonia years ago. I'm also a big believer in the herd mentality thing.
Before the flu shot, I got the flu once and it was awful. I've had bronchitis and pneumonia many times but the flu was worse. Now I did get a mild case of flu a few years ago because there was a strain going around that that year's flu shot hadn't covered. The dr. said the flu shot helped keep the severity much lower (even then, I felt like crap).
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Post by katlady on Nov 1, 2019 14:47:09 GMT
Every year since my company started giving them for free. Haven’t had the flu since, knock on wood. I do get at least one mild cold/bronchitis a year, but that’s it.
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Post by Restless Spirit on Nov 1, 2019 15:15:33 GMT
I’m standing in Costco waiting to get my senior flu shot. There’s a big line, long wait. There’s a major shortage in my city.
Costco has it, but it’s not covered by Medicare or my secondary insurance. I think that’s why so many people don’t get it. It’s almost $50 .
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pilcas
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Post by pilcas on Nov 1, 2019 15:29:00 GMT
My niece was just telling me her 28 yr old colleague passed away from flu complications. She was a normally healthy person.
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Post by ntsf on Nov 1, 2019 15:30:56 GMT
flu kills something like 40,000 every year. and your chiropractor is not a doctor.. so that opinion is worthless. if not contraindicated.. get the shot. save yourself and others. not perfect, but better than nothing.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Nov 1, 2019 15:34:29 GMT
I voted yes but there should have been an “other” or “sometimes” category because I don’t always get one. There have been years when I’ve been too busy to get in somewhere to get it, other years when I had been continually sick and didn’t want to get one when I was ill, etc. Then there have been years when I’ve gotten a flu shot twice for some reason (usually because I forgot I had done it earlier in the season).
I should make a point to get one pretty soon here, and to figure out where I can take my needle phobic kid to get the flu mist instead of a shot. The news here was reporting that the mist this year is just as effective as the shot, so if I can avoid having to listen to my kid wail for almost an hour straight that would be a very good thing.
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Post by scrapmaven on Nov 1, 2019 15:35:48 GMT
I always get mine. If you interact w/the public at all it's a good idea.
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Post by Delta Dawn on Nov 1, 2019 15:36:59 GMT
They didn’t make enough for us so I am having to wait until they get more in stock. Hopefully soon.
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Post by Patter on Nov 1, 2019 15:39:42 GMT
flu kills something like 40,000 every year. and your chiropractor is not a doctor.. so that opinion is worthless. if not contraindicated.. get the shot. save yourself and others. not perfect, but better than nothing. Yes! Our family doc says he never, ever understands it. This is a preventable death, yet, as you stated SO many people die from it each year because they don't get vaccinated.
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Post by newfcathy on Nov 1, 2019 15:46:01 GMT
I have been getting the shot for 25+ years. Ds & I got it at Walgreens 3 weeks ago for free.
I missed it once, 2 years ago, I can’t remember why, but I then got pneumonia in Feb and the flu in May. I went straight in to the doctors with both, as I have asthma & type 2 diabetes.
I still felt so sick, run over by a truck sick, no energy whatsoever. I ran fevers over 103 for 3 nights. I took 4 of the gel ice packs (the long lasting ones with the fleece covers) to bed each night. I would toss & turn for hours. Dh wisely slept on the couch.
I will never miss it again.
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Post by christine58 on Nov 1, 2019 15:48:01 GMT
I do not get it. 21 year veteran teacher. Never have gotten it. I do have asthma so 2 years ago, when I told my doctor I did not want the flu vaccine, he asked if I would get the pneumonia vaccine instead. I did. No regrets other than an arm that was sore for almost TWO years. Two years? Find that hard to believe. Mine was sore for maybe 3 days after the pneumonia shot.
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Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Nov 1, 2019 16:17:37 GMT
I didn't until a family friend who was an otherwise healthy middle aged adult died from flu complications. So now I do.
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Post by Monica* on Nov 1, 2019 16:24:38 GMT
Yes, just stopped in CVS in Target and got it for free, along with a $5 gift card for getting it there.
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scrappinmama
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Post by scrappinmama on Nov 1, 2019 16:26:34 GMT
The thing about the flu shot is that it isn't just about you. The flu shot is meant to minimize the amount of people who get the flu. By doing so it protects those who are at risk of complications from the flu and the people who are unable to get the flu shot due to medical issues. The people who do not want to "put medicine" in their bodies are ill informed and put lives at risk due to their ignorance.
Even if the flu shot does not contain every strain of flu, it will still help you bounce back quicker if you end up with a strain of flu not included in the shot. Another important thing to remember is that we can tell how bad our flu season is by looking at Australia. And this year they had a severe flu season and it hit them earlier than normal. So it's predicted that we will have a similar flu season. Get your shot. It protects you and everyone around you.
I have had the flu twice. The first time I was sick for a month because I ended up with pneumonia. I started getting a flu shot after that. The second time I got it was when I was in the hospital and they put me in a room with a flu patient. I had the vaccine and felt sick for a couple days and really it just felt like a bad cold. So yeah I will continue to get the flu shot.
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Post by birdy on Nov 1, 2019 16:27:55 GMT
I get one every year (so do my Dh and kids). DD has a compromised immune system and I work with kids. I've still gotten the flu a few years, but it's been mild compared to not getting it. I can't imagine how bad it would be without the shot because I thought I was dying each time I had it WITH the shot.
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Post by compeateropeator on Nov 1, 2019 16:37:57 GMT
Yes. I work for a hospital so it is strongly suggested. I always got them before that, though, as i hate to be sick and it just seems like a good idea...any help it gives far out weighs the risk, in my opinion. The greatest plus is to try and help those who can’t not get the vaccination and/or have weak immune systems.
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Post by busy on Nov 1, 2019 16:39:33 GMT
I get one every year, as does DS. DH doesn't but I wish he would.
I didn't get the shot when I was younger because I mistakenly thought flu was just a bad cold. And then I got it once. OMG I have never been so sick. And even has a young and healthy person (late 20s), I was very nearly hospitalized. I was out of work for over a week, had a temperature of 104, and was so exhausted it was nearly two months before I felt fully normal again. It was TERRIBLE. I've gotten them every year since.
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Post by chitchatgirl on Nov 1, 2019 16:53:30 GMT
Yes. I caught the flu in 2003 for the first time and on my birthday. My fever was so high I had passed out. I lost a good 3 days and then when I was feeling a little better I had to scoot down the stairs because I was so weak my mom thought I’d pass out again. And all that was with the Tamiflu. Been getting the shot ever since. I’m fine with feeling a little achy and tired for a day from the immune response after my shot. Losing 3 days of memory and only moving so I could toss my cookies? Not so much.
My uncle (late 70s) died this year from complications from the flu. He and my aunt had it and by the time they went to the Dr it had progressed to pneumonia. She got better but the found him unresponsive in the hospital room. Got him back and he was in rehab for months. Never got better and he told his family he wanted a DNR. Was gone the next day. Aunt told everyone at the funeral to get their shot.
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