FLU SHOTS? Not me...

[teacups]

Anyone else get sick from the flu shots?
I know, I know, It's not a live virus so it can not make you sick.... doesnt matter. I have had the shot four times. Twice while prego and twice when my kids were babies and doc wanted them to have them. Each time I got sick as a dog, as did my hubby but not as bad as me (I made him get them everytime I did). My kids both got sick both times they had the shots. SICK, like really sick!
Here's the advice the doc gives "Try it again and see what happens. If you get sick again, dont take it again." What? Third time's a charm?

I'm too nervous to try it again and I'm too nervous to keep being so-called unprotected. Media hype and all that...

 

[Feralpeg]

I'll be getting mine next week. I get them every year and have never had a problem from them.

 

[Soarin08]

I'm getting mine this week. Our college gives them for $25 at the campus clinic. After spending two weeks (one in the hospital) with pneumonia in late June, I'm not taking any chances on getting any sicker than a cold.

 

[JARNJ3]

Are you by chance allergic to eggs? They say if you are - not to get the shot.

I swear by them. I have asthma - and it could be potentially fatal for me to get the flu......

 

[briar_rose_59]

I seem to get really sick each time I get them too.

 

[minkydog]

I have never gotten sick after a flu shot and I never got the flu the years I got the shot. But the one year I *didn't* get my shot I had two different strains of flu , followed by pneumonia both times. It took me about 4 months to recover!

No thanks. I'll take my chances with the shot.

 

[CJBaby]

My kid's pediatrician is now offering the mist. Isn't that the live virus?

 

[raysnkaysmom]

I've NEVER gotten the flu shot, and have only had the flu maybe once or twice in the last 5 yrs....
My kids haven't ever had it either....

 

[powellrj]

I have had the flu twice in my life and it was the 2 years I had gotten flu shots. I got both shots in October and got the flu both times in Feb. I know everyone says you can't get the flu from the shots, but like you, I will not be getting a flu shot.

 

[wall*e2008]

I got mine last Friday and I am just fine. DH got his too and he is fine. We have been getting them for years. We never got sick from the shot and we have never gotten the flu either. We did get the flu many years ago before we started to get the shot.

 

[NC State]

I will not be getting it. There's a few people I know that gets the shot still gets the flu. Maybe when I get older.

 

[teacups]

What is odd... I'm not "allergic" to eggs, but cant eat them unless they are organic or I get really sick to my stomach. I figured I was likely sensitive to some hormone or antibiotic the chickens had... but given the fact that the shots make me so sick... now I am curious.

If the mist is a live virus, doesnt it have a higher chance of making you sick?

 

[golfgal]

I've NEVER gotten the flu shot, and have only had the flu maybe once or twice in the last 5 yrs....
My kids haven't ever had it either....

I don't think you really had influenza then. It isn't the stomach bug, it is a very nasty 'cold' with a high fever, body aches until your hair hurts type deal. If you had the real influenza you would know.

I get a flu shot because I have HAD influenza and NEVER again. I have gotten a sore arm and once I felt a little off but never sick from the shot.

 

[rie'smom]

I had the flu once eons ago and I've never had the flu shot. So, I'm not tempting fate by getting it.

 

[minkydog]

I don't think you really had influenza then. It isn't the stomach bug, it is a very nasty 'cold' with a high fever, body aches until your hair hurts type deal. If you had the real influenza you would know.
I get a flu shot because I have HAD influenza and NEVER again. I have gotten a sore arm and once I felt a little off but never sick from the shot.

Isn't that the truth? We still mark time with the phrase "You remember that Christmas, when John was little and you had the flu?" Ugh! I've never been so sick in all my life!

 

[OceanAnnie]

My kid's pediatrician is now offering the mist. Isn't that the live virus?

It is. It's "weakened" but can still cause disease according to the FDA. Here's the FDA's website on FluMist:

http://www.fda.gov/cber/flu/flumistqa.htm

Our doctor recommended the flu shot every year, and started recommending the FluMist last year (and this). I haven't got it for us. I'm skiddish but considering it.

 

[kirbsam]

i get it. and have never had a problem with it. if i got sick every time i got it, i may not get it either.

 

[Feralpeg]

I have had the flu twice in my life and it was the 2 years I had gotten flu shots. I got both shots in October and got the flu both times in Feb. I know everyone says you can't get the flu from the shots, but like you, I will not be getting a flu shot.

The thing to remember is that the flu shot protects you from the strain of flu they think will be most prevalent this season. That does not mean it will protect you from every virus going around. Many times, people think they have the flu and, technically, it isn't the flu.

 

[SeaSpray]

I don't think you really had influenza then. It isn't the stomach bug, it is a very nasty 'cold' with a high fever, body aches until your hair hurts type deal. If you had the real influenza you would know.

I get a flu shot because I have HAD influenza and NEVER again. I have gotten a sore arm and once I felt a little off but never sick from the shot.

Isn't that the truth? We still mark time with the phrase "You remember that Christmas, when John was little and you had the flu?" Ugh! I've never been so sick in all my life!

Me too! LOL I can tell you exactly what year and which week, I had the flu, THAT'S how sick I was! It makes me laugh when people get regular-sick, like a bad cold or something, and think they have the flu. That's NOTHING! LOL

I had the flu ONCE, when I was in my early 20's... Never again. I've been getting the flu shot every year since then; 25 years later, I've never had a bad reaction to the shot. My DH and DSs get the shot every too, since DH is diabetic, and one DS has asthma. I wouldn't wish the flu...the ACTUAL flu...on anyone.

If someone does get a bad reaction from the shot, for whatever reason, then I totally understand them not wanting to get the shot again.

 

[stm61]

the military makes the flu shot mandatory every fall, except for me. Every time they gave it to me I got sick. The last time was so bad they've exempted me for the rest of my AF career. I'm not allergic to eggs, so it must be something else in the shot. This year they started offering the mist, but only to people under 50. They said it was stronger then the shot, both are live viruses. The county health dept nurse told me that my problem is probably an allergy to something, because if I was getting the flu it should have taken at least 3 days to feel sick. I started immediately with swelling and redness, then got progressively worse with stomach upset, headaches, weakness, etc.