Flu Season Nothing To Sneeze At

[Gymnut]

Originally posted by ColoJohnBoy
I'm full aware how flu shots work, but it still strikes me as strange that the only time in my life I've gotten the flu is the one time I got a shot. Everyone in my family can have the flu, and I, even without a flu shot, don't get it. I ain't too worried.

Well you're not alone. Everytime I've gotten the flu shot, mind you it wasn't my idea since I had to be vaccinated by the Army, I've come down with the flu or flu like symptoms the following day. It's the damndest thing too because it's from my understanding that they're injecting you with a dead form of the flu strain? A buddy of mine who works at the local 24hrfitness that I go to has had the same thing happen to him and it seems that despite being a dead strain, our bodies somehow attack it like it's the real deal. It probably doesn't help if your immune system is already low at the time of the shot.

 

[wdlove]

Originally posted by Gymnut
Well you're not alone. Everytime I've gotten the flu shot, mind you it wasn't my idea since I had to be vaccinated by the Army, I've come down with the flu or flu like symptoms the following day. It's the damndest thing too because it's from my understanding that they're injecting you with a dead form of the flu strain? A buddy of mine who works at the local 24hrfitness that I go to has had the same thing happen to him and it seems that despite being a dead strain, our bodies somehow attack it like it's the real deal. It probably doesn't help if your immune system is already low at the time of the shot.

Gymnut were the flu like symptons for more than one day?

 

[Frohickey]

Hmm...

Why the strong urgency to get flu shots....

Could it be that this year's flu shot has something special mixed in the cocktail... like the smallpox vaccine?

Something for your paranoid conspiracy theorists to mull over.

 

[wdlove]

Originally posted by Frohickey
Hmm...

Why the strong urgency to get flu shots....

Could it be that this year's flu shot has something special mixed in the cocktail... like the smallpox vaccine?

Something for your paranoid conspiracy theorists to mull over.

Some more reasons why everyone should get their Flu shot. It is a public safety issue. 11 deaths so far and has spread to 10 states.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/health/2684426/detail.html?treets=bos&tml=bos_health&ts=T&tmi=bos_health_1_12150012052003

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/health/2684701/detail.html?treets=bos&tml=bos_health&ts=T&tmi=bos_health_1_12150012052003

 

[Doctor Q]

From the Los Angeles Times:

The influenza season normally runs from December through March, with about 10% to 20% of Americans catching it, an average of about 114,000 behing hospitalized and 36,000 dying - a death toll that could rise to more than 70,000 this year. ... The culprit this year is called Fujian H3N2. ... Although the Fujian strain is not included in the vaccine, it is closely related to the Panama H3N2 strain that is used and the vaccine should provide at least partial protection.

And now some more personal news: I went to a big family gathering Saturday. As of today, 7 family members are home sick (5 of them kids).

Edit: A few hours later: Now it's 8 family members: 3 gr'ups, 5 kids.

 

[Frohickey]

Originally posted by Doctor Q
From the Los Angeles Times:And now some more personal news: I went to a big family gathering Saturday. As of today, 7 family members are home sick (5 of them kids).

"That that does not kill you, only makes you stronger." - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietche

Besides, wouldn't it be great if humans evolve to the point where they don't get sick like sharks?

 

[wdlove]

Originally posted by Doctor Q
From the Los Angeles Times:And now some more personal news: I went to a big family gathering Saturday. As of today, 7 family members are home sick (5 of them kids).

Edit: A few hours later: Now it's 8 family members: 3 gr'ups, 5 kids.

I certainly hope that you will be safe Doctor Q. Be sure that you get plenty of rest and plenty of fluids. Can help to make the immune system stronger. The fluids will help to clear out your system of toxins.

 

[Doctor Q]

Originally posted by wdlove
I certainly hope that you will be safe Doctor Q. Be sure that you get plenty of rest and plenty of fluids. Can help to make the immune system stronger. The fluids will help to clear out your system of toxins.

Thanks, wdlove, but can't I just run a virus-checker on myself?

 

[Mr. Anderson]

This quote from cnn

The especially virulent strain of the virus that is predominant this season was not included in this year's flu vaccine.

So going out and getting a flu shot might not help you with this current one floating around.

I don't think I'll be getting one - last time I got one I ended up getting sick as well.

D

 

[Doctor Q]

My family's flu count is now up to 11 (3 gr'ups, 8 kids). I'm starting to feel like Bruce Willis in Unbreakable. On the first day that family members started getting sick, many had headaches as the first symptom. I did too. But they got sick and I didn't. I've been fine since that first day's headache, and I think my flu shot was the difference.

Mr. Anderson, what do you say to the claim that, when people get sick after a flu shot, it's simply because they caught a cold or another variety of flu concidentally at the same time, not that the (dead) flu vaccine gave them the flu, and that people who experience this concidence mistakenly conclude that the flu shot made them sick?

It's like that con game where the investment advisor tells half his clients to buy IBM and half to sell IBM. For the half who come out ahead, he tells half to buy AT&T and half to sell AT&T. And so on. Eventually, 1/(2^n) of his customers are very happy and don't realize that what they see as cause and effect (i.e., advice => success) is just random chance.

So every year, a certain percentage of people just happen to get sick shortly after their flu shot, and they join the ranks of those who avoid their flu shots forevermore because it "makes them sick".

What's your thinking about it?

 

[Mr. Anderson]

The vaccine might lower your resistance to other flu viruses since your white blood cells are ramping up production for the dead ones where they could be put to better use to the ones that actually could get you sick.

Its a personal call either way.

D

 

[wdlove]

The vaccine usually protects most people from the flu. Sometimes a person who receives flu vaccine can get the flu, but it will frequently be milder than without the vaccine. Flu vaccine will not protect you from other viruses that sometimes feel like the flu.

The worst side effect you're likely to get with injectable vaccine is a sore arm. The nasal-spray flu vaccine might cause nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, or cough. The risk of allergic reaction to flu vaccine is far less than the risk of severe complications from flu itself.

You might not be able to get this protection if you are allergic to eggs (used in making the injectable vaccine), are very sick with a high fever, or have had a severe reaction to the flu vaccine in the past.

Adults and children with conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease need to get flu vaccine. And people who are active and healthy can also benefit from the protection the flu vaccine offers.

Flu vaccine can be given before or during the flu season. While the best time to get flu vaccine is October or November, getting vaccinated in December or later can still protect you against the flu.

 

[bbarnhart]

I have a new rule at work this winter season. I'm not touching anyone's keyboard or mouse and no one is touching mine. I posted a sign to that effect and everyone laughs although secretly they know it's a good thing. I also wash my hands like crazy.

Also, I'm even trying to keep coworkers from coming into my office but it's not working to well.

 

[Gymnut]

Originally posted by wdlove
Gymnut were the flu like symptons for more than one day?

Yup, I was out for almost two weeks. I had gotten vaccinated by my unit before I go off to India in March so the flu shot unfortunately was one of them. This has happened before where 24 hours after receiving the shot I've come down with flu like symptoms. It seems perhaps if your immune system is low to begin with the flu shot can cause these symptoms?

 

[Frohickey]

Originally posted by bbarnhart
Also, I'm even trying to keep coworkers from coming into my office but it's not working to well.

You need to do something creative for that. Maybe you can foam at the mouth and eat a lot of beans.

 

[wdlove]

Originally posted by Gymnut
Yup, I was out for almost two weeks. I had gotten vaccinated by my unit before I go off to India in March so the flu shot unfortunately was one of them. This has happened before where 24 hours after receiving the shot I've come down with flu like symptoms. It seems perhaps if your immune system is low to begin with the flu shot can cause these symptoms?

Did they actually diagnose you with the Flu, Gymnut?

The Flu has now spread to all 50 states, it is highly concentrated in 24 states. Massachusetts has seen it's first death, it was an 18 year old college student.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson announced Thursday that the United States is buying 100,000 more adult vaccinations and 150,000 pediatric vaccinations from Aventis Pasteur.

Some insurance companies are now covering the cost of Flu Mist. One of them is Kaiser. It is all due to the increase of Flu cases and lack of the vaccine.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/health/2698804/detail.html?treets=bos&tml=bos_health&ts=T&tmi=bos_health_1_12150112112003

 

[Gymnut]

Well I didn't see my doctor if that's what you mean but I just found it strange that for everytime I have received the shot, the following morning I came down with "flu-like symptoms" i.e. body aches, sinus drain, fever. This is the third time this has happen so I'm hesitant to touching the stove after being burned.

 

[wdlove]

Originally posted by Gymnut
Well I didn't see my doctor if that's what you mean but I just found it strange that for everytime I have received the shot, the following morning I came down with "flu-like symptoms" i.e. body aches, sinus drain, fever. This is the third time this has happen so I'm hesitant to touching the stove after being burned.

It does take at least 2 weeks for the Flu vaccine to be effective. So it could very well have been the flu or some other virus that mimics the symptoms. I agree that if I got that sick each time, it would make me leary. The timing for the shot is important. I get mine in early November, so I have more than a 2 week advantage.