Flu Shot??? Yes or No??

[ckmommy]

SHE WAS NOT HAPPY FOR THE REST OF THE DAY SHE THOUGHT I HAD ALREADY PLANNED IT BEFORE WE GOT THERE

Exactly what my kids would have thought!!

 

[olena]

I used to get them when I was out in public more. Chris gets one annually, but he falls into the high-priority group that needs it.

As for effectiveness, I can't speak personally. Last year when there was the shortage, I know a lady who went to a clinic and lied about her and her daughter being high-risk and urged others to do the same thing. They got their shots and ended up with the flu later on in the season. Maybe the symptoms were muted because of the shot? I really don't know. I know they were both pretty sick.

 

[Wonderlandmom]

What you are describing is not the flu, rather a stomach bug (intestinal virus). That is why people often claim they got the shot, but still got the flu-they don't realize what the flu really is. The flu is HORRID, feels like you were run over by a bus, high fever, upper respiratory symptoms and occasional nausea in children.
We all get the shot each year. The kids are scheduled for next week.
Here is a site that has symptoms:
http://www.flustar.com/symptoms.asp
and info: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/

 

[nowellsl]

I do - I work in a school - next to the clinic. It's amazing how many parents send their kids to school sick!!

 

[mickeyboat]

No one in our family falls into a high risk category, we have never gotten one. No one in our family has ever gotten the flu, either. But if one of us were high risk, all of us would be getting one.

Denae

 

[minkydog]

Even though I am a nurse, I never used to get a flu shot because i was never sick. Then about 4 years ago i got the bonafide flu twice in one winter. Not only was i out of work for a total of six weeks, I developed pneumonia and asthmatic bronchitis both times! I always considered myself a healthy person with no risk factors, but it didn't seem to matter that year. I was sick from January until April, just recovering from the flu!

Now that my DH has heart disease i am faithful to take my flu shot. I hate to think what would happen if I brought the flu home to him.

 

[jacksonsmom]

My son got his shot two days ago. He has moderate asthma and some other minor health issues. His regular doctor and his asthma specialist both have told me he needs the flu shot.

He offically had influenza B once, before he was offically dianoged with asthma so he did not get the shot. It was awful. He was down and out for almost 2 wks. He just laid on the couch all day, he would not eat or drink (well very little) and ended up dehyrated. NOT FUN!!!!

What you are describing is what most people called 'the stomach flu' it is not the official influenza and the shot will not help with the stomach flu. Which my son got last year even though he had the shot. But he did NOT come down with influenza.

BTW---I have never gotten the shot. I rarely get sick (knock on wood) so I save it for someone that might need it more.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Dh gets it at work for free, but last year he didnt because of the shortage.

DS didnt get it last year either because of the shortage. He has asthma and when we got back from Disney in April he had a really bad case of pneumonia and was out of school a week, it went from bad bronchitis to pneumonia. He has a bad immune system and does not fight germs well. I will ask his asthma dr. this year if he has the vaccine, I also tried the pediatrician last year and both didnt have any. I definetely want him to have it this year. When he did get the shot before he didnt get the flu.

 

[Crankyshank]

I have asthma and will be getting the shot this year. I didn't last year because of the shortage and I figured there were people who needed it more than I did.