Flu shot: Whom among us has had the flu shot... - Anxiety Support

Anxiety Support

53,073 members49,185 posts

Flu shot

Indigojoe profile image
54 Replies

Whom among us has had the flu shot this year?

Whom among us has had the flu shot and has gotten the flu?

Whom among us has not had the flu shot and gotten the flu?

Written by
Indigojoe profile image
Indigojoe
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
54 Replies
Agora1 profile image
Agora1

Indigojoe, I'll be the first in saying that I did not have the flu shot and got the flu.

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to Agora1

Yes you did, big time! xx

HearYou profile image
HearYou

Interesting that you are asking this? Are you afraid to get the flu shot? At my home we all have the flu shot as well as pneumonia shot. We're fine, not ill. No shot is going to guarantee we won't catch the flu, but felt the odds were good enough to have it.

KRIS2323 profile image
KRIS2323 in reply to HearYou

Over the past 15-20yrs, I've asked every pharmacist, RN, CNP, both my primary care physician, both of my childrens' pediaticians, as well as our family physician, @ least 3-4 attending ER physician(s), etc 1 very simple question & as of this date/time, not even so much as 1 of them has been able to give me so much as a rough estimate when it comes to the very basic stat question that I still have regarding the flu shot. All I want to know is this, what are the stats on the # of ppl who do end up getting the flu after receiving the flu shot as opposed to the ppl who get the flu but they never received the flu shot (i.e., no matter if these stats are obtained and/or based on reports/case studies that are done annually, semi-annual, quarterly, etc) ?? It's almost 2 decades later & still no one who is more than eager, happy, & willing to inject myself & my children w/this flu shot has any answer to my very basic age-old stat question nor has any 1 of them ever been able to give me any valid, logical reason, answer, response, etc as to why they'd even want to administer a vaccine that they clearly don't know nearly enough about. For those 2 reasons alone, I would much rather catch the flu by happenstance than to have it injected intentionally into my body, along w/all 3 of my childrens' bodies as well.

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to KRIS2323

Have you ever ask your children's doctors if they have received a polio or smallpox vaccine and what are the stats on those? The flu can be as dangerous.

KRIS2323 profile image
KRIS2323 in reply to HearYou

Do you happen to know the actual odds by chance, as in the "stats" in regards to those who receive the flu shot versus the same number of ppl who don't?? I would be more than grateful if you'd please share them w/me being as though no one else in the Healthcare field has ever been able to for almost 2 whole decades now. Thank you.

Indigojoe profile image
Indigojoe in reply to KRIS2323

Kris2323, my question exactly. you nailed it! Thank you

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to Indigojoe

So where do you think we should look for answers?

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to KRIS2323

No...haven't seen that info. I just decided to accept my doctors recommendation, and that on the ships we are on each month the hyper-vigilance of everyone washing their hands and apply the purel before entering and leaving areas of dining, bathrooms and where groups form to avoid contracting a neuro virus, similar to a form of flu. The flu strains appear to mutate....and no one really knows how to prevent colds.

As you have asked people in the medical field, perhaps the answer is with the companies that produce it and the government authorities that approved it after testing.

Indigojoe profile image
Indigojoe in reply to HearYou

where have you been HearYou? and what ships are you on.

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to Indigojoe

Indigo Joe, did you really just send me a message two days ago? I have been off the web for a while due to some health issues, and just receiving a weekly digest and PMs back and forth with a few members. And my laptop system suddenly changed it's formatting and I wasn't able to even reach this site. How are you??>? and if the issue of whether or not to have a flu shot has come up again, all I know now is the US lost more soldiers in WWI due to flu than in battle before we had any promising inoculations to prevent it. That settled the question for me. I get that darn flue shot every fall.....and took the singles innoculation a year ago. Worth it, has had no side effects, and saw what shingles did to my uncle and father. So hgood to hear from you...will try to reach you by PM if you sent that message two days ago. xoxo

Indigojoe profile image
Indigojoe in reply to HearYou

YEP I DID

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to KRIS2323

Stats and reality are not always the same. Who or what would you believe or be willing to trust with the stats given to you? I am not a medically trained person, but worked in medical facilities in my first career and know hand washing, antibacterial soap and gloves are routine measures to prevent catching or spreading whatever is there.

But I can read and dig for information when needed, to help me make a decision about medical care. And I know who I trust from their experience.

How far have you dug?

Well, know we lost almost as many soldiers from a flu strain before we had any vaccine in WWI than from bullets. Have heard about the children's deaths from a strain of flu this year. On the news, and a pediatrician I know has had several deaths of her patients since last fall.

My grandfather died from gangrene from a metal cut while working as a cooper when he was a young man as antibiotics weren't available at the time to the average worker to control the infection. Think he and my great-grandfather, also a cooper, would have taken a chance with the early antibiotics that were not nearly as effective as today's, with a serious cut hoping it might work. I don't know how many coopers died from infections. Know it was not uncommon. (Was actually referred to as "cancer" at the time, as many health care people in our city at the time didn't know the two were separate medical conditions.) One death was too many in my family; it left a widow with six children.

Wonder about the FDA which probably approved the vaccines. Have you looked there? The blind testing to get them approved should be available...as well as the people it may still track. Guess we need to find actual pharmaceutical names and pull them up to see what info is available there.

Interestingly, last night learned no one routinely receives the vaccine to prevent polio in the US since the turn of this century. Wondered how many people in the US still contract it as it is still active in many parts of the world. I thought infants still received it in the series of injections they get combined with other vaccines for other illnesses. But if pediatricians aren't prescriing it, doubt parents are asking for stats. They trust their doctor.

The vaccine to prevent deadly smallpox has not been used I think for almost two generations now (look for the smallpox scar on many mature adults in the US from the vaccine being "scratched" on their upper arms.) Wonder what the stats on that are? Is anyone questioning their doctors who are not using that vaccine? ( 1/4 of Washington's troops died from it; there was some awareness of how to inoculate people from it, but many didn't trust or use it. Ben Franklin's son died from it as his mother refused to use the inoculation on him. Washington survived a MINOR case early in life causing small pock marks on his face, and he never contracted it again from all those dead soldiers he shared the trenches with for eight years. )

I am taking a two year series of daily injections to prevent my osteopenia from developing into full-blown crippling osteoporosis. Know the blind tests results on that med, but the stats on people by the corporation that tracks them after the end of the two year period is available only to medical personnel as a patent issue. But I am willing to take the risk it may not help me, but worth the chance that it will reduce my risk of being crippled. And I trust my rheumatologist.

Guess I feel the same way about getting a flu shot. If it doesn't harm me, at this point in time, I get the flu shot with the hope it will prevent flu.....just as I wash my hands frequently and use Purell to keep from catching or spreading a virus on a ship. When there are more effective methods, I'll use them.

Jeff1943 profile image
Jeff1943 in reply to HearYou

This is very true, the Spanish flu took millions at the end of the Great War, today we would be able to produce a vaccine that targets that particular strain no problem.

Smallpox decimated Washington's troops but we wiped it out with vaccines.

And Tuberculosis TB has bern eradicated from western countries at least by mass vaccination whereas it was still rife up to WW2.

The danger is that when people stop seeing people with polio, TB, smallpox etc they get complacent and don't get their kids vaccinated.

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to Jeff1943

Which arm bears your little scar of courage to protect you from smallpox?

Jeff1943 profile image
Jeff1943 in reply to HearYou

Not sure, is this a trick question? Here in the UK all children were vaccinated fir everything so I presume I had the smallpox one. Not sure I have any scars on my upper arms, will look later.

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to Jeff1943

No, for real. Mine is on my left arm. The pockmark left by smallpox. Maybe a little larger than the marks left on George Washinton's face from his exposure to a mild case in the Caribbean as a young man. That's why he did not contract and die from full fledge smallpox as did 1/4 of his troops. He had basically been inoculated by nature. It was the most feared disease in the American colonies/states and Caribbean islands during the 18 century.

I am past "middle age" whatever that is, but all the children who wanted to start school in the first grade had to be vaccinated against smallpox. Family doctors made a small circular type scratch on the outside of the upper arm near the shoulder. The smallpox was contained in the circular needle scratch.

Then a small clear shield with air holes was put over the circular area and taped to the arm. That was to prevent the child from being able the scratch and spread her mini smallpox to any other part of her body.

It itched like hell while it was active and then finally died and drop a tiny scab,

This basically was the method used since the American Revolutionary Days. Ben Franklin's greatest regret is giving into his wife who didn't want to take a chance with the technique on their son. His son later died from smallpox.

Smallpox was considered irradicated by 1972 and no longer administered that way. One way to tell how the true age of a woman? :)

Indigojoe profile image
Indigojoe in reply to HearYou

wow

Indigojoe profile image
Indigojoe in reply to HearYou

my left

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to Indigojoe

MY RIGHT! And in September of 2018....I know this is a reply to an old stream of questions from almost 9 months ago.....but taking Forteo injections at home each night has of the testing done after18 months (Forteo works slowly) my bone mass had increased 12%........THAT'S HUGE!! I will take Forteo 6 more months, then tested again, with hopefully the same or better results, and I go on a maintenance program not involving Forteo. I got the Forteo at the right time (at signs of maybe osteoporosis was beginning, found a way to pay for that expensive Forteo, and has paid off big time...no testing before 18 months would have shown any definite results.....so I just had to hope for all that time it was doing something positive. When the 18-month tests came back and the medical school had an appointment with the prescribing Rheumatologist, I went and he calmly told me the results...better I asked, that's good, isn't It? Oh, then he realized he thought I knew...he actually hug and danced with me and told me it was better news than he had ever expected. I just cried..I am not a crier, but the lip was quivering, and tears were running down my face. WHEW!!!!!~

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to HearYou

Indigojoe.

I double checked...I was wrong...my smallpox inoculation circle scar IS on my LEFT upper arm. Wonder if only the left handed children had it on the right arm.

Agora1 profile image
Agora1 in reply to HearYou

Hi HearYou :) I'm right handed but my inoculation was done on the

left arm as well. I too have a circle scar. (Must have been the same

doctor who inoculated us lol ) x

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to Agora1

Agora1, I was correcting myself as you were responding....its on my left arm maybe because we were right handed? Or maybe to make it more uniform and easy to check, ALL children received it on the left arm. What do think you, Indigojoe? Yours was on left arm too, correct?

Agora1 profile image
Agora1 in reply to HearYou

Not sure their reason.

Indigojoe profile image
Indigojoe in reply to HearYou

our pediatrician gave it to us on our NON dominant arm. I remember it like yesterday.

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to Indigojoe

Makes sense.

Circus12345 profile image
Circus12345

I didn't get the flu shot on the recommendation of my doctor & now I have the flu. Very uncomfortable!

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to Circus12345

Why did your doctor not recommend it; do you have a medical condition which influenced him?i

Didn't get a shot and are currently ill.

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to

Sorry to hear that. Hope you are better soon.

Dasiydo profile image
Dasiydo

I could not get flu shot free this year so had paid £10 for flu shot and I glad I did take flu shot

Agora1 profile image
Agora1 in reply to Dasiydo

Worth every penny xx

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to Agora1

Amen.

SpeaktheTruth profile image
SpeaktheTruth

Me, my wife and 2 kids all get the flu shot every year. This year, my wife got the flu and was sick for about a week. Me and the kids have not had it and it was a miracle none of us caught it from her.

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to SpeaktheTruth

Maybe a different strain of flu?

alanaoco profile image
alanaoco

I’ve had the flu shot and not yet got the flu

DeeM3 profile image
DeeM3

No shot. Exposed to flu (they were tested) both last year and this year. Did not get it. It’s a doozy I hear :/

Lm92 profile image
Lm92

Last year was the first year I had not gotten the flu shot and I tested positive for influenza twice. Once with type A in December and then with B in late January. I'm pretty healthy but it nearly killed me. It caused pneumonia and consequently I had to spend several nights in hospital because of it. The shot is definitely not a "magic" pill, but after last year, I definitely feel better about having a bit of medical science on my side in the fight to stop myself from getting it. I'm only 37, but opted to get the pneumonia series of shots as well. I hope if you're asking because you're scared for some reason that you take the time to research reputable sources like the CDC and Mayo Clinic, etc. about the flu shot and to help recognize fact from myth.

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to Lm92

Good, educated response and answer to where people can dig to find more information if they choose. :)

Usagold profile image
Usagold

No shot. This year’s shot didn’t match the most common circulating strains, so it doesn’t matter if you got it or not. The CDC is claiming it’s 10% effective, but other analysts say <5%. I’ve heard of so many getting sick from or having reactions to the shot that I stopped getting it years ago. Until it’s 80% or 90% effective, and studied more, not worth the risk to me.

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to Usagold

Mind if I ask you what part of North America you live?

Angelfox2002 profile image
Angelfox2002

I got a flu shot (this and every year) because I don’t have a Spleen, thus compromising my immune system; as well as a pneumovacc. every 3-5 years. This year both of my kids and boyfriend were sick and I somehow didn’t get it! I don’t know if it was the flu shot at work or just luck but it seems from the past that when I didn’t get a flu shot I got the flu at least once that year!

Alun001 profile image
Alun001

I don't have the flu shot. I've read so much about how the efficacy was / is determined and decided against it.

In the UK it is free to qualifying individuals which I fall into. Not once have I been offered information to read before they want to give it. Every other elected med comes within formation about it. On the packaging it always says read up, but not with the flu jab. So I choose not to have it. It's an individual choice.

hac82 profile image
hac82 in reply to Alun001

I had flu shot due to my heart. I got flu and pleurisy. Still recovering 2 weeks in

Indigojoe profile image
Indigojoe in reply to hac82

hope you are on the mend by now.

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to hac82

So sorry to hear this. Hope you are well soon.

Starrlight profile image
Starrlight

I did not get the shot and I got the flu

Indigojoe profile image
Indigojoe in reply to Starrlight

Feel better soon. I am trying to see if there is any correlation to the shot vs. no shot. what do you think

Starrlight profile image
Starrlight in reply to Indigojoe

I wonder. Good luck

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to Starrlight

Sorry to hear this. Hope you better soon.

TheBlackdog profile image
TheBlackdog

I did not get the flu jab and did not get the flu!

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to TheBlackdog

Good, glad you ducked it.

RB47 profile image
RB47

My three kids and I did get the flu shot, my wife did not. One of my kids got the flu but no one else did in our family. Flu season is not over so I am hoping we miss it.

HearYou profile image
HearYou in reply to RB47

Hope so too!

You may also like...

Second Pfizer shot today-help

Had my second Covid shot about an hour ago and I’m so anxious about possible side effects. Has...

Keep getting blood shot eyes

I keep getting blood shot eyes on and off which keeps freaking me out and I think it’s just hay...

Daily flu-like symptoms

door when I feel so weak and fragile. Has anyone else had this? Did it take a long time to stop?

Flu-like symptoms

For about 2 weeks I have been experiencing flu-like symptoms but only at night. It starts off with a

Man flu and other fine things

I'd say I've had a fairly good day today after a bit of a shocker over the weekend. Had a bit if...