For those who have got the flu shot

kellc09 - 2007-10-30 9:23 AM

I was trying to do some research on it.. it doesnt really tell you what types it protects against other than what scientists think will hit this year. Is it a shot for the cold flu, the puking flu, both?

CalgaryRunner - 2007-10-30 9:15 AM I've gotten the flu shot for about the past 8 years.  The year prior to that I got hit with the flu and felt so terrible I thought I'd give the flu shot a try.  Since then I've rarely gotten the flu and if I do get the flu it has not been as severe.

So Fresh So Clean - 2007-10-30 10:40 AM Add to that the fact that these predicted strains might mutate by February into a state unaffected by the flu vaccine.

kellc09 - 2007-10-30 10:44 AM So heres my decision.. I ordered vitamins..

pitt83 - 2007-10-30 8:29 AM

The risks are very small. If you're allergic to egs or Thimerosol additive, then no. But, a few years ago, everyone in my lab got it except for me. I got the flu twice instead. They never did. I doubt it was conincidence, good sleep or vitamins.

It likely highly depends on environmental facotrs. Work with the public? Children in daycre / school? In close quarters with others? Wash your hands enough? Those routes of exposure and how often they're effective is what will get you: Washing your hands is more effective than other lifestyle choices to avoid it.

I'm a big believer in flu shots. The risk of problems is very small and the benefit is large compared to getting the flu. Fevers / chills / nausea / headache / muscle ache for 2-3 days is no fun

Bripod - 2007-10-30 6:09 PM

In case you were on the fence about the flu shot, here's what happened with my first experience with it on Saturday [I wrote this Sunday so "yesterday" is Saturday]:

The nurse said "You'll feel a little " so I knew what to expect, then I felt her injecting whatever it was into me. That's such a weird, abnormal feeling. I'm not on good terms with needles as it is [my last non-dental encounter with them was when I was getting tested for mono 5 years ago. They stuck me 5 different times and couldn't get blood from any of them so I left] and yesterday didn't do much in the way of helping. She put the band-aid on me and sent me on my way. Brynn asked if I wanted to do any of the other tests and I was feeling a little uneasy in my tummy so I said, "Nah, let's just get out of here."

When we got outside I started to feel lightheaded and off-balance [I guess that's called "dizzy"]. I opened her car door so she could get in and everything was REALLY bright, the reflections off the cars from the sun were extremely intense. I walked around the car and got into my seat and decided I would just put my head on the head rest and try to relax for a minute. Well, I guess I did relax for a minute. Brynn said my eyes rolled back into my head and I just went limp. I shuddered or convulsed one time and the keys fell out of my hand and that was when she knew it was serious. While she was off getting the doctors I was in la-la land and here's what I dreamt:

I was driving a car in traffic. For some reason I was unable to stop and I was about to rear-end somebody. I was trying to find the brake pedal and at the same time was trying to get my hands on the steering wheel so I could try and at least swerve out of the way. I couldn't seem to grip the steering wheel - I just kept hitting it with my forearms. I have a feeling that in real life I was doing these motions with my hands and feet and if anyone had been witness to it they could have very easily thought I was having a seizure. Anyway, it came to a head and I snapped out of my dream and was back in the real world.

Everything was really bright still and started to darken up from the outside in. We were parked at her work but not where I'm used to parking so I had NO idea where I was. I could see a hill on one side and a building on the other and there were some cars around me so I wasn't sure if I HAD gotten in the wreck - I mean, both car doors were open which could happen in a collision, right? And where the heck is Brynn? Oh, there she is, outside the passenger side door. She looks horrified though, like she doesn't want to come near me. Is there something on my face? Something's wrong. I look to my left and there's the nurse who gave me the shot originally. I know you. "What happened?" I ask. They're trying to explain to me but for some reason my hearing is underwater. In a similar fashion as it was with my vision my hearing starts to come back. They really want to take me inside. Why's it so hot? Wasn't it cold out today?

They took me inside and had me sit down with my feet up and after I told them I was going to throw up they had me go lie down on one of those padded physician's tables with my kees up. I felt a million times better after that. The total time from when I sat down in the car to when they were pulling me out of it is estimated at 30 seconds to 1 minute. Crazy huh?

Edit: "You'll feel a little "poke" " - heh, didn't know that was going to get filtered

kellc09 - 2007-10-30 7:23 AM

I was trying to do some research on it.. it doesnt really tell you what types it protects against other than what scientists think will hit this year. Is it a shot for the cold flu, the puking flu, both?