Will you be vaccinated for Swine Flu?

[HelenePA]

What would you do if you were me.. I plan on talking to my daughters dr about it but I'll ask the all knowing people of the dis first.. my dd who is 8 was born with a congenital heart defect repaired at 6months of age with surgery (open heart). Now she's "as good as possible" after her repair but still she will never have a "normal" heart. Would you get her the vaccine? She had all the others up til now. This one worries me because its sooooo new . I am on the fence on if I should get it for her or not. I keep playing the "what if game" in my head.. what if I make the wrong choice? Being a parent and making these decisions sucks sometimes...

 

[Scurvy]

What would you do if you were me.. I plan on talking to my daughters dr about it but I'll ask the all knowing people of the dis first.. my dd who is 8 was born with a congenital heart defect repaired at 6months of age with surgery (open heart). Now she's "as good as possible" after her repair but still she will never have a "normal" heart. Would you get her the vaccine? She had all the others up til now. This one worries me because its sooooo new . I am on the fence on if I should get it for her or not. I keep playing the "what if game" in my head.. what if I make the wrong choice? Being a parent and making these decisions sucks sometimes...

That is a difficult situation to be in when faced with this decision I would talk to her doctor. If he has been her doctor for a while he should be aware of her condition, and would surely take that into account when making his recommendation. If you are concerned about his advice, maybe you could also talk to other doctors in your area and try to see if most of them feel as he does. I wouldn't be able to make a decision like that - I know about the "what if" game. I think the best that you can do is talk to the people who know the most about this sort of thing and trust their advice.

 

[DWGal210]

No I won't - I was vaccinated already with the "regular" flu shot, and don't feel I need to get another.

Perhaps this is another thread - but I just really don't like the way we're getting these 'scare tactics' about the HINI/swine flu. It's no worse than the regular flu; according to CNN, over 35,000 people in the US die each year from the "regular" flu. While it's tragic that people are passing away from any variety of the flu, some people are making it sound like this is the bubonic plauge all over again.

 

[LeslieG]

I'm concerned about the vaccine too, that it's being rushed. But my son has asthma, and I'm trying to weigh the risks. I'm leaning towards getting it for him, but I'm still not sure. It's frightening when there's an underlying condition like asthma that could make any flu very dangerous. If it wasn't for the asthma, I think it would be an easier decision to say no.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

I have read that people are dying from this flu b/c it attacks the lungs?
So what happens with regular flu? How does that become so life threatening? Does it also attack the lungs?

 

[sbell111]

Of course, the strain of flu that is being vaccinated against changes each year while the bulk of the vaccine remains the same.

Regarding this particular vaccine: I have spoken with several healthcare professionals who have expressed concern over the safety of this vaccine. In part, that may be because unlike other flu vaccines this vaccine requires two doses. I am not a health care professional, and I don't claim to know any other differences between this vaccine and those that have come before it. However, I trust the professionals that I have consulted. They urge me to get the flu vaccine every year, and they get it themselves. They are concerned about this vaccine, and I trust that.

The reason that there are two shots for this flu vaccine is because this flu is 'brand new' as far as our immune systems are concerned. Take a look at this article.

What would you do if you were me.. I plan on talking to my daughters dr about it but I'll ask the all knowing people of the dis first.. my dd who is 8 was born with a congenital heart defect repaired at 6months of age with surgery (open heart). Now she's "as good as possible" after her repair but still she will never have a "normal" heart. Would you get her the vaccine? She had all the others up til now. This one worries me because its sooooo new . I am on the fence on if I should get it for her or not. I keep playing the "what if game" in my head.. what if I make the wrong choice? Being a parent and making these decisions sucks sometimes...

I would consult my doctor to see what he says, but your son is 'at risk'. He's appears to be the poster child for getting the vaccine.

 

[sbell111]

I have read that people are dying from this flu b/c it attacks the lungs?
So what happens with regular flu? How does that become so life threatening? Does it also attack the lungs?

Yes. Pneumonia is a leading cause of flu-related death.

 

[luvwinnie]

I have read that people are dying from this flu b/c it attacks the lungs?
So what happens with regular flu? How does that become so life threatening? Does it also attack the lungs?

I posted a link to an article in the Swine Flu News thread about how doctors are reporting this flu virus is attracted to lung tissue and some people become severely ill or die due to this process....the seasonal flu usually affects the upper airway, according to the article.

I an leaning towards getting one considering my lung issues and autoimmune disease.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

No, not this year.

 

[Nik's Mom]

I'm not sure what we are going to do yet. DS and I have asthma and always get our flu shot. We both got the flue a few years back and became very ill with pnemonia. Ever since then, we all get the flu shot. But this shot is so new, I worry about side effects.

 

[sunnyday123]

I am on the fence with this one. It's very new, and seems rushed to me. Also, apparently in the 70's when swine flu hit the first time, more people died from the vaccine then the flu itself. Sometimes I wonder if it's just put out there to appease the masses.

 

[rie'smom]

No, none of us are getting the flu shot.

 

[sbell111]

I'm not sure what we are going to do yet. DS and I have asthma and always get our flu shot. We both got the flue a few years back and became very ill with pnemonia. Ever since then, we all get the flu shot. But this shot is so new, I worry about side effects.

Every flu vaccine is new, every year.

I am on the fence with this one. It's very new, and seems rushed to me. Also, apparently in the 70's when swine flu hit the first time, more people died from the vaccine then the flu itself. Sometimes I wonder if it's just put out there to appease the masses.

This isn't the seventies, and even then your risk of being harmed by the vaccine was right at one in a million. What's your risk of being harmed by H1N1?

 

[Pennykay]

This vaccine is different from the usual flu vaccine. They have been having a difficult time producing it. There are several different pharmaceutical companies developing it once. At least one of these companies is using an adjuvant. No other licensed flu vaccine in the US uses an adjuvant. No one knows yet which one will be used come fall.

 

[sunnyday123]

Every flu vaccine is new, every year.

This isn't the seventies, and even then your risk of being harmed by the vaccine was right at one in a million. What's your risk of being harmed by H1N1?

Because obviously I have not researched it yet, which is why I am still on the fence. And yet at 1 in a million, MORE people died from the vaccine. And my risk in minimal.

And every year they make a new strain of the flu vaccine? Btw, I don't think they are using some cache from the 70's, I'm well aware of what year it is, thanks.

 

[laurie31]

This article just came out on Aug 30th.

Swine flu vaccine should be as safe as regular influenza shots, officials say
No experimental methods used
Sunday, August 30, 2009
ANNA VELASCO
News staff writer

The public should not fear the swine flu vaccine due out Oct. 15 despite the hurried pace with which it is being made, say local, state and federal health officials.

Drugmakers originally considered some experimental methods to quicken production and boost effectiveness of vaccine to protect against the new H1N1 virus, but makers instead returned to the tried-and-true method of creating influenza vaccine in chicken eggs. The only difference between the swine flu vaccine under production and seasonal flu vaccine made every year is the specific flu strain injected into the eggs.

"There's no reason to believe the safety is different than any seasonal flu vaccine," said Dr. Don Williamson, Alabama's health officer.

This makes me feel much better about it. I'll likely go for it.

We aren't being required at work, but we ARE being required to get the "regular" flu vaccine. Interestingly, when I asked my ped what she recommended for my kids, she said she was on the fence about the H1N1 vaccine, but she wanted ALL her patients to get the regular flu vaccine. She is worried that people are so focused on the H1N1, that they will forget about the dangers of "regular" influenza, which kills 50-100 children every year.

 

[PixieDust32]

No, I will not get the vaccine or have it given to my children.

The media makes a big deal about it and people go nuts.

 

[Nik's Mom]

Every flu vaccine is new, every year.

This isn't the seventies, and even then your risk of being harmed by the vaccine was right at one in a million. What's your risk of being harmed by H1N1?

I know that the flue vaccine is always different every year. What I mean to say is that this particular virus and the vaccine is new. I really don't know what to do. I'll have to discuss it further.

Oh, someone asked why 2 shots are required for H1N1. I remember when we received our very first flu shot, the kids had to return for a 2nd dose about a mont later. It was explained that this was required since it was their first flu shot. After that, they just needed one shot per year. I assume this will be the case with H1N1.

 

[LeslieG]

I read an article somewhere recently about maybe there would just be a need for one shot, not two, and that then that would make the vaccine available for more people. I forget the details of the article.

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

What would you do if you were me.. I plan on talking to my daughters dr about it but I'll ask the all knowing people of the dis first.. my dd who is 8 was born with a congenital heart defect repaired at 6months of age with surgery (open heart). Now she's "as good as possible" after her repair but still she will never have a "normal" heart. Would you get her the vaccine? She had all the others up til now. This one worries me because its sooooo new . I am on the fence on if I should get it for her or not. I keep playing the "what if game" in my head.. what if I make the wrong choice? Being a parent and making these decisions sucks sometimes...

I would ask your doctor. Since he can't get the live vaccination (the inhaled vacine for H1N1) because he is too young, that is good news. But, then it also means that no one in your household can get the inhaled one either. I think I would have him get the shot, as well as everyone in your family. But, make sure that he has limited contact with anyone that has had the live vaccination (inhaled). It is possible that someone who receives that vaccination can pass it on to him or anyone else which wouldn't be great. Since his immune system is compromised, I would do it.