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Flu shots = getting sick?

maflynn

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
Original poster
May 3, 2009
74,335
44,597
I figured I'd ask this here, as I noticed an odd coincidence.

I'm not generally one who falls for various conspiracy theories but I swear, nearly everyone I know who got a flu shot has been sick right after it. I don't mean a mild discomfort sniffling nose but rather I got hit by a bus type of cold.

I called in a sick day today, and I noticed that nearly my whole team is calling in sick (we mostly work remote so there's been little to none contact to infect each other). We all got flu shots within the same time frame.

My Mother who got a flu shot is dealing with being sick as are my kids, but since they're in my household, they have caught it from me. The afterschool provider is dealing with the same issue, even though her kids are at home and not in the afterschool program. Friends are are also dealing with being sick right and they also got a flu shot.

It seems odd that everyone I know, who got the flu shots has been dealing with sicknesses. Just seems odd.
 
I only know of a few people who get the flu shot and each time they have gotten one, they've gotten sick. It is primarily the reason why I've never had one.
 
The ingredients found in flu shots aren't necessarily what you would call harmonious to the human body. I'm not saying they are dangerous and stay away it will kill you, but it is hard on the body to synthesize. So yes, some people will get sick. It's not designed for everyone to be okay with it, it's designed for most people to be okay with it.

The influenza vaccine is actually an ongoing trial that is adjusted annually based on data. So by taking the voluntary flu shot you are participating in the trial. Not a bad thing, not a good thing - it's just what it is, a trial.

My opinion - the flu is just a flu. You get it, you're out for a few days, you recover and back to normal you go. It's not a pandemic, or something that will ruin society. I don't understand why an informed person would get the flu shot annually.
 
I only got the flu shot once (almost 13 years ago now) and 1-2 months after had the worst flu of my life - was in bed for 2-3 weeks. My dad also got his first, and only, flu shot that year as well and also got very sick. It was terrible timing because my sister was born that winter and I couldn't see her as it was in the middle of my flu. Decided to never get the shot again, and haven't had a flu that bad since.
 
Last year a guy I work with got a flu shot then was out the next week sick, and this is someone who never takes off work. Me? Never had a flu shot, never had the flu.
 
Everyone I know who got the flu shot last year got sick. That group of people was, coincidently, the only group of people I knew who got the flu that year.

I'm not getting the flu shot.
 
mobilehaathi said:
I've never gotten sick from a flu shot.
Click to expand...

That was me up until this year and for some reason there seems to be so many folks getting sick shortly after the shot that it seems to be more then just a coincidence
 
maflynn said:
That was me up until this year and for some reason there seems to be so many folks getting sick shortly after the shot that it seems to be more then just a coincidence
Click to expand...

Well, no it isn't a coincidence. There will be some people who get a reaction and some years there will be more than others. Hopefully that reaction is less severe than what may have otherwise occurred, but of course you'll never really know.

The thing is influenza has a lot of strains and the shot won't protect against them all. So you may come down with the flu anyway even after getting the shot.

Since I've never had a bad reaction and I am given the shot for free by my employer, I always get it.
 
I got a flu shot once, and that was the only time that I got the flu. I've been perfectly fine ever since.
 
The one year in college that I didn't get a flu shot, I got.. you guessed it, full blown influenza. It was the worst I had ever gotten sick in my life, both before and after and I promised myself I would never not get a flu shot again. Fever, check. Sore throat, check. Headaches, worst in my life. I was bedridden for over a week. At one point, I started to feel a bit better and decided to take a shower... I blacked out in the shower and woke up 15 minutes later because a roommate heard the water running and got concerned.

Nope. Nope. Nope.

I know the flu shot isn't ever 100%... but if it can even just attenuate the worst symptoms, that is worth it 100 times over for me. If it means I get a little sick after the shot, so be it. I know the alternative, and if I can help it I never want to experience it again.
 
Not going to weigh in on the "flu shot makes you sick or not" debate. But do keep in mind that it is not entirely random chance whether or not people get sick after a flu shot. This is the time of year when two unrelated things happen. More people get colds at this time of year (regardless of whether they've vaccinated). People get flu shots at this time of year. It will naturally appear that these two things are related, though the vast majority of colds probably would have happened regardless. The question should be whether getting the flu shot increases the otherwise normal rate of people getting sick.

Personally as a healthy non-elderly person I don't bother with the flu shot. Though a 5 years ago (when I was care-giver) I got special permission to do get vaccinated for both the regular flu and the avian flu as a precaution for the person I was taking care of. I didn't get sick that year... but I did feel pretty crappy for a week. And two sore arms too.
 
The first time I received a flu shot I caught the flu a week later. The doctor explained there were different strains of the flu, but still...

I continue to get flu shots because I have a young son, but I wouldn't otherwise get one.
 
The flu shot is an inactivated vaccine and takes around 2 weeks for your body to develop antibodies. There are many strains of the flu, and therefor impossible for it to protect you from all. The CDC uses algorithms and such to figure out the most probable ones to "strike".

"Yes. There is still a possibility you could get the flu even if you got vaccinated. The ability of flu vaccine to protect a person depends on various factors, including the age and health status of the person being vaccinated, and also the similarity or “match” between the viruses used to make the vaccine and those circulating in the community. If the viruses in the vaccine and the influenza viruses circulating in the community are closely matched, vaccine effectiveness is higher. If they are not closely matched, vaccine effectiveness can be reduced. However, it’s important to remember that even when the viruses are not closely matched, the vaccine can still protect many people and prevent flu-related complications. Such protection is possible because antibodies made in response to the vaccine can provide some protection (called cross-protection) against different but related influenza viruses." LINK

Most insurances cover it, and it's only ~$30.
 
sviato said:
I only got the flu shot once (almost 13 years ago now)
Click to expand...

You did well there, seeing as so-called flu shots have only been prevalent for 2-3 years. How did you manage to get one in 2001?
 
Got a flu shot last month and only had a sore arm for several days, ditto for my parents. At most I'll get a low fever for a day, but that's only happened a couple of times.

I used to get the most miserable flus around the holidays, mostly from runny nosed nieces and nephews and vowed to ALWAYS get a flu shot at least 2 weeks before major holidays & family gatherings since then. Every other adult would get sick as dogs and if my husband & I did get sick too, it was less severe.

Coincidentally, I notice that I get/got colds about 3 days after grocery shopping during cold & flu season. I'm glad a lot of places offer wipies for grocery carts at the door these days.

----------
vkd said:
You did well there, seeing as so-called flu shots have only been prevalent for 2-3 years. How did you manage to get one in 2001?
Click to expand...

Probably at his doctor's office? I've been getting flu shots for over 10 years, first from my doctor, now I prefer Costco because they're gentle and cost less. My doctor is super terrible at giving shots.
 
Last time I got a flu shot, I was sick for 2 weeks later in the winter. Didn't get a flu shot last year and I stayed healthy all winter. Actually, 2 years ago was the first time in a while that I DID get the flu shot and it was the most sick I've been in a while (or since).
 
CrickettGrrrl said:
Probably at his doctor's office? I've been getting flu shots for over 10 years, first from my doctor, now I prefer Costco because they're gentle and cost less. My doctor is super terrible at giving shots.
Click to expand...

vkd said:
You did well there, seeing as so-called flu shots have only been prevalent for 2-3 years. How did you manage to get one in 2001?
Click to expand...

Correct, it was from my doctor. Why would I make this up :rolleyes:
 
maflynn said:
That was me up until this year and for some reason there seems to be so many folks getting sick shortly after the shot that it seems to be more then just a coincidence
Click to expand...

Two weeks ago, I was going to get a flu shot on Saturday but I never made it. The next day I started feeling poorly and I ended up getting sick for the week. If I had gotten the flu shot when I was going to, I would have blamed it for making me sick :D. Lots of people I know are sick right now and none of them, I'm sure, had a flu shot. That's doesn't disprove that the flu shot might have made you sick but, I think it's more likely that the flu shots start when the cold and flu seasons starts.

sviato said:
I only got the flu shot once (almost 13 years ago now) and 1-2 months after had the worst flu of my life - was in bed for 2-3 weeks. My dad also got his first, and only, flu shot that year as well and also got very sick. It was terrible timing because my sister was born that winter and I couldn't see her as it was in the middle of my flu. Decided to never get the shot again, and haven't had a flu that bad since.
Click to expand...

When they make the flu shots every year, it only covers the three strains that they think might be a problem for that year. If they guess correctly, you will get some resistance to the flu. If not, it will not help at all. The range of flu deaths range from 3000 to 49000 / year in the US (1976-2007).
 
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vkd said:
You did well there, seeing as so-called flu shots have only been prevalent for 2-3 years. How did you manage to get one in 2001?
Click to expand...

Uhmmm, where do you get the notion flu shots have been available for only 2-3 years? I've been getting them for 20+ years.

So much misinformation in this thread. Except for snberk.
 
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