Will you get the swine flu vaccine for you and/or your family?

[Tinijocaro]

For those of you who really want/need the vaccine, from the looks of this tiny poll and other larger polls I've seen online, it looks as if only half the people are planning on getting it. This will make it easier for those who want it to get it-less people in front of you.

I have to say that I feel much better about this flu than I did back in April. I have a nice stock of food and medicine. The virus so far doesn't seem to be getting any worse. My main concern at this point is how the hospitals will handle the massive numbers of people who will be showing up with swine flu. I think they will be completely unprepared for the onslaught and those who are really very sick will not get the care they need.

 

[ols386]

I will not get the vaccine....and my dh said he would not either.

 

[Kath2003]

For those of you who really want/need the vaccine, from the looks of this tiny poll and other larger polls I've seen online, it looks as if only half the people are planning on getting it. This will make it easier for those who want it to get it-less people in front of you.

Don't vaccines need a certain percentage population uptake to work?!
I will get it if I am called by the Health Service to get it.

 

[MScott1851]

I am due to give birth at the end of Sept. I will get the vaccine but I have asked this question both to my OBGYN and FP and neither one of them can answer it. Is it safe to get the Swine Flu vaccine and breast feed? They both said they don't have an answer for that and they would get back to me. Have you heard anything about it? I was just wondering since I haven't heard back from either one yet. Thank you for any info you can give me one this.

Mine can't tell me yet, either. But I know that if it comes down to it, and I have to choose between taking the vaccine and breastfeeding, I will choose to take the vaccine and switch her to formula. This will probably not be a popular answer, but I will be no use to my child or the rest of my family if I am deathly ill.

 

[sissybells]

Mine can't tell me yet, either. But I know that if it comes down to it, and I have to choose between taking the vaccine and breastfeeding, I will choose to take the vaccine and switch her to formula. This will probably not be a popular answer, but I will be no use to my child or the rest of my family if I am deathly ill.

I agree with this as well. Good luck to you. I go to the Dr. this Thursday so maybe he will have found something out.

 

[Minnie_me]

My 8-year old DD had Swine Flu in June, and none of us contracted it from her. So we're not getting the vaccine in the fall (or ever).

 

[Freyja]

As of now, we will not be getting the vaccine.

 

[LisaR]

You are 100% correct. Never had one and don't plan on starting anytime soon. If I ever end up getting the flu on a yearly basis, I would consider the vaccine. Since I have had the flu twice in 40+ years, I will continue avoiding the vaccine.

 

[sbell111]

You are 100% correct. Never had one and don't plan on starting anytime soon. If I ever end up getting the flu on a yearly basis, I would consider the vaccine. Since I have had the flu twice in 40+ years, I will continue avoiding the vaccine.

Truth is, until this year, that's how I've felt. However, now I have a pregnant honey, so I want to absolutely be certain that I don't bring it home to her.

 

[luvwinnie]

Has anyone read how the vaccine will be distributed yet? Will there be a public place to go to and you show proof that you are in the "high risk" group? I don't think they are being given to private doctors, right?

 

[LisaR]

Truth is, until this year, that's how I've felt. However, now I have a pregnant honey, so I want to absolutely be certain that I don't bring it home to her.

Out of the two times I had the flu, the first time was when I was pregnant. I was due in 7 weeks and I was miserable. DH has only had the flu once and it was at the exact same time! I remember the doctor giving him all kinds of things to help ease the symptoms and telling him to piggy back Tylenol and Motrin. Because of my pregnancy, I couldn't take any decongestants or cough medications and I could only take 1 regular strength Tylenol every 8 hours. It truly sucked and at that time, I swore I would get a flu shot from that point on.

It has been 14.5 years and I never ended up getting a flu shot and I *think* I had the flu once since. It wasn't near as bad as the one while I was pregnant but I am not sure if that was because I could take lots of medication to ease my misery or because it wasn't a true flu bug.

Again, if I caught the flu every year, I would certainly consider the shot. But twice in 40+ years doesn't make sense to me.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Truth is, until this year, that's how I've felt. However, now I have a pregnant honey, so I want to absolutely be certain that I don't bring it home to her.

I just really wanted to tell you how much I admire that you are doing that for your wife.

This H1N1 virus is so bad for pregnant women. Make sure you get her started on the Tamiflu with in the first 48 hours if she shows symptoms. Best wishes that you and she are no where near any virus. Same for all our expectant DISers.

 

[rparmfamily]

Mine can't tell me yet, either. But I know that if it comes down to it, and I have to choose between taking the vaccine and breastfeeding, I will choose to take the vaccine and switch her to formula. This will probably not be a popular answer, but I will be no use to my child or the rest of my family if I am deathly ill.

As far as I know, there is no issue with nursing mothers getting the vaccine. Pregnent women will be able to get it so I am nearly positive that nuring mothers can too.

Having just gone thru swine flu personally this past week, I kept on nursing my 2 month old as both her pediatrician and my doctor recommended. Why? It protects her. Even the CDC's website says nursing mothers should continue to nurse to protect their babies, as formula fed babies get the flu more often or something to that effect. http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/infantfeeding.htm

Does breastfeeding protect babies from this new flu virus?
There are many ways that breastfeeding and breast milk protect babies’ health. Flu can be very serious in young babies. Babies who are not breastfed get sick from infections like the flu more often and more severely than babies who are breastfed.

Since this is a new virus, we don’t know yet about specific protection against it. Mothers pass on protective antibodies to their baby during breastfeeding. Antibodies are a type of protein made by the immune system in the body. Antibodies help fight off infection.

If you are sick with flu and are breastfeeding, someone who is not sick can give your baby your expressed milk.

Should I stop breastfeeding my baby if I think I have come in contact with the flu?
No. Because mothers make antibodies to fight diseases they come in contact with, their milk is custom-made to fight the diseases their babies are exposed to as well. This is really important in young babies when their immune system is still developing. It is OK to take medicines to prevent the flu while you are breastfeeding. You should make sure you wash your hands often and take everyday precautions (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/habits.htm). However, if you develop symptoms of the flu such as fever, cough, or sore throat, you should ask someone who is not sick to care for your baby. If you become sick, someone who is not sick can give your baby your expressed milk.

I also declined Tamiflu as I didn't want to worry about it passing to DD (though I think Tamiflu is considered safe for nursing mothers) so I treated my swine flu with just motrin and salt water gargles for my sore throat. I did have it 2 days longer than my kids, who were both on Tamiflu.

BTW, my baby never got the flu. Score one for nursing!

 

[MScott1851]

As far as I know, there is no issue with nursing mothers getting the vaccine. Pregnent women will be able to get it so I am nearly positive that nuring mothers can too.

Having just gone thru swine flu personally this past week, I kept on nursing my 2 month old as both her pediatrician and my doctor recommended. Why? It protects her. Even the CDC's website says nursing mothers should continue to nurse to protect their babies, as formula fed babies get the flu more often or something to that effect. http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/infantfeeding.htm

BTW, my baby never got the flu. Score one for nursing!

Thanks for the info... I had checked the CDC website earlier this month, but didn't see anything H1N1 specific as far as breastfeeding went.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

The risk of getting GBS from a flu vaccine is a bit longer than 1 in a million. What's the risk of catching a flu if one is unvaccinated?

I would absolutely prefer to catch the flu vs. suffering through GBS. Our friend was paralyzed and bedridden for nearly a year. He could barely blink. This was a completely healthy man (didn't smoke, didn't drink, didn't anything) in his late 20's.

I think the odds of *dying* from the flu or contracting GBS are nearly the same. I've seen someone with GBS, I've never met anyone who died of either the regular flu or the swine flu, so that's where my predilections lie.

 

[HOGFAN]

the hospital today sent out a memo stating that if we(employees) didnt get the shot that we would have to wear a mask until the danger was over. talk about having us over a barrel.

 

[MScott1851]

the hospital today sent out a memo stating that if we(employees) didnt get the shot that we would have to wear a mask until the danger was over. talk about having us over a barrel.

I am an ER nurse, and since I'm pregnant, I've had to do that since MAY!!! I haven't been allowed to triage, I haven't been allowed to take sections that have isolation rooms, they haven't put ANY respiratory patients in my rooms, etc. If I had any pt with a flu-like complaint, I had to wear an N-95 before I could go in the room.

So I started signing up for shifts in the endoscopy lab, thinking I would be safe there. After a week, they told me that I was no longer allowed to be in the room during ANY upper GI procedures, since passing the scope usually makes people cough. I wasn't allowed to sedate pt's for bronchoscopies, either. SO that left me with colonoscopies and working the desk checking people in. BORING!!

Finally, in July, I started working exclusively in our cardiac ER, but I still get exposed to stuff. Depending on who is in triage, half the time the "CHF exacerbation" patient they send over is really a respiratory illness, and I don't find out until I go in and assess them and they hack all over me and I realize they have a temp of 101.

I'd rather get the shot than wear an N-95 all the time. They make me want to pass out!

 

[Tinijocaro]

I am leaning toward not getting the vaccine for my family. I'll still watch and see how this is playing out now that school has started in our area. By the time the vaccine gets here and takes effect in people's bodies, it's pretty much too late anyways.