Flu shots - why not?

[NikitaZee]

For those of you who choose not to get the flu shot - what guides your decision? I have a friend who is having a rant on fb about not 'putting that crap' into her children - if they get the flu, that's what hospitals are for. I always get the shot, my kids too - so I'm just curious as to why people who don't, don't? No flames from me - just wondering.

 

[SaraJayne]

For me, it's because it's such a crapshoot on which strain goes in the shot. It isn't always the one that ends up being prevalent.

My children have both had influenza (dr tested) and my DD ended up in the hopsital for dehydration from the flu when she was 2 years old.

We still choose not to get them the flu shots (which drives my RN Mom and RN Public Health Nurse sister crazy ).

 

[SaraJayne]

I did want to add, we're not anti-vacc at all. Both our kids had all their vaccs on the dr recommended schedule and are up to date on their vaccs.

So that line of thinking doesn't factor into our decision.

 

[Coconut36]

For me it has nothing to do with "that crap" as I believe in the power of vaccines I don't however believe in this one. To me the absolute biggest flaw in the flu shot is that it only covers a very small portion of the flu strains you could encounter and they have to make a guess MONTHS before flu season what strains to include in the shot. You can still get the flu after getting the flu shot..it does not provide anything close to 100% protection against the flu. In my 36 years of life I have had the flu 2x..that's it. Both years I had it I was told that the flu shot has been utterly useless that given year..that the prominent strains were not in the shot and a lot of people were contracting the flu.

For that reason I do not give it to my children. I do not feel that it offers sufficient protection to have any significant benefit and in that sense I do feel it would be a useless/unnecessary injection.

Now for me personally the flu shot utterly destroys my immune system. The few times I did get the flu shot I spent the rest of the year constantly ill..every little cold bug, every virus..I got. I was literally sick constantly. It was so bad my OB strongly advised AGAINST me getting the flu shot during my pregnancies because she said the risks of my immune system being compromised was too great (and I have no auto immune or other issues..it's just how my body reacts).

ETA-In my case there is also concern in regards to my kids that their immune system might react like mine does. I never received flu shots as a child and I am concerned about them having a year with a crazy immune system as the result of the shot so we don't get it for them.

 

[NikitaZee]

I did want to add, we're not anti-vacc at all. Both our kids had all their vaccs on the dr recommended schedule and are up to date on their vaccs.

So that line of thinking doesn't factor into our decision.

Thanks - AFAIK my friend isn't anti-vaccine either, just won't get the flu shot.

 

[Acklander]

I just don't think it's necessary. No one in the family is at high risk. We allow a healthy exposure to germs so our immune system is running up to speed so we pass on the flu shot. Very rarely does anyone in the family get sick with either colds or flu

 

[NikitaZee]

Now for me personally the flu shot utterly destroys my immune system. The few times I did get the flu shot I spent the rest of the year constantly ill..every little cold bug, every virus..I got. I was literally sick constantly. It was so bad my OB strongly advised AGAINST me getting the flu shot during my pregnancies because she said the risks of my immune system being compromised was too great (and I have no auto immune or other issues..it's just how my body reacts).

Wow that stinks.

 

[MusiqChic99]

I just don't think it's necessary. No one in the family is at high risk. We allow a healthy exposure to germs so our immune system is running up to speed so we pass on the flu shot. Very rarely does anyone in the family get sick with either colds or flu

Same here.

We are "normally" a very healthy family. My son is 5 and has been on antibotics twice..both due to ear infections.

I usually get a good cold once a year and that's it.

The last time I had the flu was when I was pregnant with my son...so 5 years ago. And even then it was a very mild case and I wondered if my morning sickness had just came back to haunt me. LOL

 

[NikitaZee]

I just don't think it's necessary. No one in the family is at high risk. We allow a healthy exposure to germs so our immune system is running up to speed so we pass on the flu shot. Very rarely does anyone in the family get sick with either colds or flu

This makes sense to me. My DH, son and myself all have asthma - so we def get it, and I feel 'covered' that way. How about when H1N1 came along? That was scary (I ended up getting it, b/c the shots were late that year) and it was the worst flu I ever had. If it was a more serious strain of flu, would you reconsider and get the shot?

 

[SaraJayne]

This makes sense to me. My DH, son and myself all have asthma - so we def get it, and I feel 'covered' that way. How about when H1N1 came along? That was scary (I ended up getting it, b/c the shots were late that year) and it was the worst flu I ever had. If it was a more serious strain of flu, would you reconsider and get the shot?

We are also very healthy (no health concerns for any of us). As far as H1N1, both my kids had it before the shot became widely available. So, nature made that decision for me.

 

[Kath2003]

Not anti-vacc either but I don't see any need to get it as my partner and I are both low-risk.

I have had the flu - about three years ago in fact - and spent three weeks in bed. It sucked being ill, but it wasn't a big deal - I required nothing other than rest and fluids. After that I got every cold/virus going for the next 6 months (which was again a pain, I should have bought shares in Kleenex) but since then I have had at most two colds every year which I would consider normal.

 

[mickeyboat]

We never used to. There always seemed to be a shortage, and since we are generally a healthy family, we didn't see the need.

DDs got the flu in 1st grade and missed a week of school. They were very sick.

But we still didn't start getting them until my FIL became ill. We figured in order to protect him, we needed to protect ourselves. So we started getting them a couple of years ago.

None of us had any sort of reaction of any kind. DD11 had perfect attendance the year of the swine flu.

So now I say - why not?

 

[golfgal]

I never got a flu shot thinking I was healthy, didn't need one, until I had influenza--WORST experience of my life. I will take unmedicated childbirth over influenza ANY day.

Our kids have asthma so they get the flu shot.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

I just don't think it's necessary. No one in the family is at high risk. We allow a healthy exposure to germs so our immune system is running up to speed so we pass on the flu shot. Very rarely does anyone in the family get sick with either colds or flu

Us too. It's also not as effective as people make it out to be - it doesn't protect against all strains, and you never know which strain is going to be "big" that year. We also didn't get the H1N1 vaccine.

FTR, my kids are vaccinated, although "delayed" (nothing until 4 months and no more than 2 at a time), and I don't do Hep B.

 

[CaraBoo]

I no longer get the flu shot. I stopped when I was pregnant with my DS. Every year that I got one I was terribly illl after...I feel like I got every little bug in sight. At the time, I was an RN in an infectious disease ICU and I didn't think it was worth the risk to the baby to weaken my immune system to the bugs I was in contact with at work. I have never been sick, flu or otherwise, since. My DH refuses for the same reason.

On the other hand, DS gets the flu shot...in fact, we are going in 2 hours to get one at the pediatrician's office. He is only 2 and much more susceptible to the dangers of full blown flu. I don't feel like it's fair for me to deny him even the slim amount of protection the flu shot provides.

I am pregnant and waiting to see if my OB is going to argue with me about getting one this year. I might be willing since I don't have the same exposure to nasty bugs like I used to...but I'd rather not break my "no illness" streak either!

 

[java]

I got the flu twice when I got a flu shot. Those are the only times I have ever gotten the flu. My friends gets her whole family the shot every year and every year they all get the flu.

I chose to no longer get the shot for myself or my family. We are not high risk. (one of the times I got the flu shot and got it was when I was pregnant)

 

[DebbieB]

I have got the shot the last 5 or 6 years mainly because I travel alot for work. I have not had the flu or any side effects. Just some minor colds.

When people say they got the flu, I wonder if it was truely the flu or just a respiratory infection. Also, stomach sick is not "the flu".

 

[golfgal]

I got the flu twice when I got a flu shot. Those are the only times I have ever gotten the flu. My friends gets her whole family the shot every year and every year they all get the flu.

I chose to no longer get the shot for myself or my family. We are not high risk. (one of the times I got the flu shot and got it was when I was pregnant)

Influenza, real flu, not just a stomach bug???

 

[LisaR]

Like others, we are not a high risk family. The flu shot was originally designed for the elderly and those with a high risk. The lines were soon blurred as to what was considered high risk. Originally it meant those with HIV or undergoing chemo but it eventually switched to those with allergies, asthma, pregnant, little kids in school, etc. After that, it switched to being recommended for every single person, high risk or not.

The thing that makes me laugh every year are the number of people that proudly proclaim, "I got my flu shot and I didn't get the flu therefore the shot works." I've had the flu once in almost 50 years and I have never had a flu shot. I wouldn't say I am the healthiest person on the planet either. I almost always end up with an upper respiratory infection in the winter and that activates my asthma. But it isn't the flu. A flu shot wouldn't prevent it.

I am not against anyone getting the shot. My mom is 82 and has never gotten one and I try to convince her to get it every year. She can't recall ever having the flu so she doesn't see the point. My point to her is that at her age, it could be deadly but she isn't buying it.

 

[KristaTX]

I'm not talking to anyone on this thread in particular, but this is just in general. . .

I understand the arguments where people have felt like the shot had side effects or was ineffective. Whether or not the shot was involved in any way with your symptoms, you still associate it in some way with miserable symptoms you experienced. I can understand that. It's kind of like being afraid to go to the dentist because you had a bad experience.

I don't feel this way, but I kind of understand people saying, "I'll just take my chances", or "I don't want to bother."

I don't understand the arguments where people don't get it simply because it might not have the right strain in it. What if it is the right strain? That reason just always sounds like people who are afraid of shots coming up with an excuse not to get a shot.