 
Gannon
Member
Username: Gannon
Post Number: 8356
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 8:06 am: |    |
I was wondering, now that we're onto the whole fear thing...how many of y'all follow the dire warnings on the telly about getting a flu shot?
Let us know IF you did or not, how many people in your household got sick so far this year, and then, how long did it linger before you thought you had finally beat it?
Not unlike the weather warning thread...I'm just curious about how the assault of fear affects y'all.
Cheers!
I'll start, NO, never. First symptoms Sunday afternoon, all but gone today. |
Pam
Member
Username: Pam
Post Number: 1047
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 8:51 am: | |
I don't get the flu shot since I have never had the flu. Getting enough rest and washing hands a lot and all that boring stuff seem to help me avoid it. |
Tiorted
Member
Username: Tiorted
Post Number: 55
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 10:50 am: | |
never had a flu shot in my life
I had the stomach flu in January and couldn't eat solid food for a week |
Southwestmap
Member
Username: Southwestmap
Post Number: 697
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 11:05 am: | |
I think the real flu - the one the yearly shot protects from - is primarily respiratory. If a flu "pandemic" hits it will be respiratory. People will fight to breathe and many won't have the strength to battle.
I had the flu four years ago for the first time in my life and I hope to never have it again. So I get a flu shot, to protect myself and as a little added protection for all the babies, old people and other vulnerable people (whose vulnerability I might not know about).
The more of us who get a flu shot the better for all. Since the vaccine isn't in short supply any more, we should all try to get one.
Of course, the annual flu shot would not protect against bird flu or the feared "pandemic", but it does protect against basic, respiratory flu. |
Oldredfordette
Member
Username: Oldredfordette
Post Number: 1163
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 11:06 am: | |
I got my flu shot, it makes sense. I don't watch television news, because it's not news, but fear on the air. |
Adamjab19
Member
Username: Adamjab19
Post Number: 745
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 11:42 am: | |
Let's not confuse the puke/shit-fest virus with the flu. Totally different. The "real flu" will just make you feel wasted for a few days. Vomitting and the big D are not usually involved too much.
No flu shot and doing pretty good. I think I generally feel like crap through out the winer due to other GI issues as well as sinuses. |
Cambrian
Member
Username: Cambrian
Post Number: 627
Registered: 08-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 11:59 am: | |
I've always gotten my flu shot for the last 6 years or so. I had a kidney disease so I did not want influenza giving me added complications with them. No flu as a result, I do get an upper respiratory though every winter, the one I had over X mas was a particularly bad one too. |
Paulc
Member
Username: Paulc
Post Number: 95
Registered: 03-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 12:03 pm: | |
The first and only time I received the flu shot (paid program via employer), I had an adverse reaction. My blood pressure dropped severely within minutes, to the point where I was almost rushed to the hospital. I decided to take my chances from there on. Since then, I've had the respiratory version of the flu a few times (although I assume it was a URI) - but bounced back with rest, fluids, vitamins, time, etc. |
Ray1936
Member
Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 1136
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 12:33 pm: | |
Hey, when you're 70 like me, you'll dang well get your flu shot. Besides, with Medicare, they are free. |
Susanarosa
Member
Username: Susanarosa
Post Number: 1368
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 12:50 pm: | |
This is the first year in almost 10 years I didn't get a flu shot. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
I had the flu (the real flu) really bad two weeks before Christmas three years ago. The flu makes you seriously think you're going to die. It's the kind where even your skin hurts. |
Thursdaynext
Member
Username: Thursdaynext
Post Number: 365
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 1:10 pm: | |
Used to get the flu shot years back, I always felt like garbage for days afterwards. I started seeing a holistic Dr. and he told me not to get them. Instead we pumped my immune system up naturally with vitamins and minerals that my body seemed to be lacking. Might have been the flu that I had back in January 06, but Dr.'s weren't sure. What I am sure of though was that I caught it from my boyfriend...who had gotten his flu shot. There was no difference in our symptoms and overall length of illness.
P.S. To those of you allergic to eggs, DO NOT get a flu shot. My mother was violently sick for days after receiving the shot, that's when the Dr.'s investigated the possibility of egg allergy with her...bingo! She hasn't had a flu shot in who knows who many years and to the best of my knowledge has not suffered with the flu. |
Gannon
Member
Username: Gannon
Post Number: 8381
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 3:00 pm: | |
Yeah, I started this discussion because I've always been wary of the guessing game they must play to choose the 'right' form of the virus to vaccinate against...and any time the popular media trumps up something that is UNnatural for us to do, it raises my curiosity antennae.
I did just get over the true flu in three days, felt like my lymph nodes were trying to stab me to death from the inside out...along with an incredible weakness...and every joint and bone ached as if I were going to explode with the next move.
I wasn't sure if my last few year's worth of immune system build-up had helped or not...but if other people got through it in a few days, I cannot boast.
I had heard MOST suffering with it for two to three weeks...but I suspect they were too busy trying to cap off a few nasty symptoms to let their bodies heal properly. I spent the whole time making sure it didn't migrate to my lungs, which are one of my weak spots, twice I've had pneumonia after a bout with an upper-res illness.
Been that way since I was an idget...I remember some horrible yellow cough syrup I had to take during my single digits. Wish I knew now what it was, anyone able to look up these things from the sixties?!
I agree that IF they guess right, this is invaluable for the most vulnerable of the population, even out in sunny Las Vegas! (they let too many of them sick LA people through there!)
I hope they continue to guess right... |
Johnlodge
Member
Username: Johnlodge
Post Number: 119
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2007 - 12:40 pm: | |
Never get a flu shot. Last time I had the flu was about 5 years ago or so. Sucks. Figure I'm young enough to suffer through it if it happens. |
Carolcb
Member
Username: Carolcb
Post Number: 67
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2007 - 1:11 pm: | |
I did not get a flu shot, have had one once since 1988, I am 50 and no problems..... I still remember the scare they put into us in 1975 or so and we stood in line in front of the Student Medical building forever. I figure my parents lived through the 1916 flu outbreak, and their families didn't have anything - I mean anything. |
Harsensis
Member
Username: Harsensis
Post Number: 171
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 10:37 pm: | |
I got one only because I was in for a complete physical that the insurance company wanted everyone to do and it was free. Since I work with kids I figured it was much better to have a poke in the arm than get the flu. I also use a homeopathic remedy of arsenic to help prevent the flu. That has worked well in the years I didn't get the shot. I just hate getting the flu, but I don't like to make an appointment to get the shot, so if I'm at the doctor for something else I'll ask for one. |
Pffft
Member
Username: Pffft
Post Number: 1203
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 10:48 pm: | |
Oh, Carol...
Wasn't that swine flu, in 1975?
I've gotten shots for the last three years. Last year at this time I had the worst case of bronchitis. I had it for a solid three months, complete with a room-clearing cough. A flu shot of course does nothing for that.
So this year I wasn't in a frenzy to get a flu shot. No shot, and so far, no flu (knocking madly on wood), not even a cold...and no bronchitis.
I'm allergic to eggs, and the shot does have eggs in it so I'm wondering if I'm better off without it. |
Wash_man
Member
Username: Wash_man
Post Number: 337
Registered: 05-2006
| | Posted on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 11:39 pm: | |
Never had a flu shot. I'm 46 and I think the last time I was sick enough to stay home for the day was back in high school. I've had small bouts of upset stomach, fever, etc. They always seem to be on a weekend or holiday, so I've never missed work because of it. I've only called in sick twice in my life. Good immune system I guess. I try to eat at least 3-5 yogurts per week. I've read that the cultures help with the immune system. BTW the two days I called in sick were self-induced sickness (aka hangover!). I should also mention that I live alone and work in a small office. None of my co-workers have school age children. I also am adamant about washing my hands often, especially before eating. I open rest room doors by pushing with my shoulder or pulling the handle with paper towel in my hand. Not fanatical, just cautious. |
Pffft
Member
Username: Pffft
Post Number: 1205
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 11:47 pm: | |
p.s. Not to sound like an ad, but this year was the first one we had the ducts cleaned, and ...ta-da...no cold, no bronchitis... |