flu shot reactions

[trip]

With all of the talk on the other threads about flu shots, I thought I'd ask who has had reactions and what they were.

I'll start. Last year, I got my first flu shot and had a headache and bloodshot burning eyes for two days.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I blow up like a balloon, and both DD and DS have come down with pneumonia within weeks of getting it two times in a row. Not sure if it was a reaction, but the dr. doesn't want them to get them unless it is a very serious year. He even skipped H1N1 last year for them. So as they get older they can make their own informed decisions.

We have been very lucky up to now.

 

[gator75]

it never fails last year my mom convinced me to get a flu shot ,and low and behold within two weeks of getting it i had the worst case of pnemonia that i've ever had. took me a month to get over it. I always get sick like that after i get a flu shot , so when they tell me that you can't get sick from the shot my reaction is oh really.

 

[Mermaid02]

Last one I had I broke out into a rash from my shoulders to my knees. It was really itchy. I'm not allergic to eggs, but the doctor said I'm obviously allergic to something in the shot so I wont' be getting another one.

 

[golfgal]

Sore arm

 

[rotlex]

My general reaction from the flu shot is to get the flu that season, horribly, for sure. I have not gotten one in over 20 years, and haven't had the flu either.

Seriously though, I'm 43 now, and the last time I got one was when I still lived at home, well over 20 years ago. (I was probalby still in high school). I used to get violently ill a few days afterward, and would always get sick with the flu badly, each and every year. After I got married, also over 20 years ago, I stopped getting them. I have not had a serious bout with the flu since.

 

[tlbwriter]

Seriously though, I'm 43 now, and the last time I got one was when I still lived at home, well over 20 years ago. (I was probalby still in high school). I used to get violently ill a few days afterward, and would always get sick with the flu badly, each and every year. After I got married, also over 20 years ago, I stopped getting them. I have not had a serious bout with the flu since.

Were you ever tested to see if it actually was the flu? What were your symptoms? I'm wondering if you actually had an allergic reaction or something else - the flu shot can't give you the flu, and it seems statistically impossible for you to happen to catch the flu every year, KWIM?

 

[Disneefun]

Never had a problem with the reg. shot, but when I got the H1N1 last year, about six hours later my arms went completely numb and I broke out in some blotchy rash. Since they are now combining H1N1 into the reg. shot, no more shots for me.

 

[stm61]

it's been probably 20 years since I had one, but I had a reaction bad enough that the Air Force gave me a waiver from ever getting another one. I know my arm swelled from shoulder to past my elbow, was bright red, hot to the touch, sore throat, coughing like you get when an allergy attack comes on, and I think my stomach was acting up as well. Every time I transferred to a new base I got to explain to a new doctor why I was usually the only person on base not required to get a flu shot. One guy refused to allow the waiver, he wanted to see for himself what might happen! Thank God my supervisor forwarded it to the clinic commander, who signed off on the waiver himself. I'm not allergic to eggs either, but there's something in the shot that I obviously can't tolerate.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

My son (who is 9) got the flu mist (live weakened vax) yesterday. Today he has a low grade fever (around 99-99.5), headache, and just plain ole sore. I don't know if he is going to feel good enough to go back to school tomarrow.

I am not getting one this year. I am pg, but the idea of a vax during pg scares me. I'll get it when I deliver in Nov/dec.

 

[DebbieB]

I've had the shot the last 5 or 6 years and other than a sore arm, no problem. Didn't get the flu and I travel on planes frequently.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

Last year was the first time I ever got the flu shot (and the H1N1 too). The only thing I got was the "heavy" arm feeling for a few hours, but nothing beyond that.

 

[cassiez76]

i'm not allergic to eggs/chickens but i get a extra large red hot as hades circle on my arm....about palm size.

if that's the only thing that happens to me, i'll get the flu shot!

had h1n1 and didn't have any problems. the only problem was the walgreens guy musta hit a blood vessel, cause i bled like crazy...i can't use band-aids either (allergic to the glue) so i had to sit there with a cotton ball for 10 minutes before he left me go

my son (21 months old) had a reg flu shot and he had a little fever last year. they said that's pretty normal though. he'll get his again in dec.

 

[lemondog]

One year I had an itchy welt, like a bad mosquito bite. Otherwise nothing.

You CAN run a very low grade fever and feel yucky for a day or two afterward...that is your immune system kicking in.

If you DO get sick with pneumonia or something else after receiving the flu shot it is coincedental. THE FLU SHOT IS A DEAD VIRUS!!!! A killed virus CANNOT make you sick.

The nasal vaccine, OTOH, is a LIVE, weakened virus so yes, you can in theory get the flu from the nasal vaccine but that is very rare, and if you did it would most likely be a mild case. My children have received the nasal mist since they were old enough and have never had the first side effect from it.

 

[PrincessV]

it's been probably 20 years since I had one, but I had a reaction bad enough that the Air Force gave me a waiver from ever getting another one. I know my arm swelled from shoulder to past my elbow, was bright red, hot to the touch, sore throat, coughing like you get when an allergy attack comes on, and I think my stomach was acting up as well.

You're the first person I've heard have almost the same reaction I've had! I'm not allergic to eggs, either.

I had my first flu shot when I was pregnant 8ish years ago. I had a mild reaction - a little redness all over my upper arm. Next year, I had that plus it was hot to the touch and covered more of my arm. I just figured I was having a good immune reaction and it was worth not getting the flu. Year after that, I had all of the above plus the rash went across my chest and my stomach was a mess. I also got a flu that same year, and wound up with walking pneumonia from it. I didn't want to ever go through that again, so I went for the shot one more time and had all of the same reactions plus an asthma attack within 15 minutes that required medical treatment. We have no idea what the problem is, but I've been banned from any more flu shots, and we're not at all sure if other vaccines will be a problem, too. So I really work hard to avoid rusty nails, lol!

 

[2binak]

I get a sore arm and sometimes feel achy all over the next day. For the sore arm, I've been told by nurse friends to move my arm as much as possible, raise it above my head, etc to keep the muscles active. It usually helps.

 

[BelleRocks]

I know they say it is a coincidence, I know they say it can't happen....My hubby for FOUR YEARS IN A ROW got very serious flu-like symptoms within a few days of geting the flu shot. Needless to say, he refuses to ever get one again.

 

[pigletgirl]

Sore arm and a slight ache. It didn't compare to the real flu though.

 

[MissyDVC]

a slightly sore arm...that's all

 

[blackveil88]

You're the first person I've heard have almost the same reaction I've had! I'm not allergic to eggs, either.

I had my first flu shot when I was pregnant 8ish years ago. I had a mild reaction - a little redness all over my upper arm. Next year, I had that plus it was hot to the touch and covered more of my arm. I just figured I was having a good immune reaction and it was worth not getting the flu. Year after that, I had all of the above plus the rash went across my chest and my stomach was a mess. I also got a flu that same year, and wound up with walking pneumonia from it. I didn't want to ever go through that again, so I went for the shot one more time and had all of the same reactions plus an asthma attack within 15 minutes that required medical treatment. We have no idea what the problem is, but I've been banned from any more flu shots, and we're not at all sure if other vaccines will be a problem, too. So I really work hard to avoid rusty nails, lol!

It's an allergic reaction, and each time you get the shot, the reaction will become more severe- possibly life threatening. Since you don't know if it's the influenza virus or a different component of the vaccine causing it, I would avoid vaccines unless you absolutely need to get one.