Flu shot serious side effects

[glennm]

I was planning to get my annual flu shot last week, but stopped when I found out two neighbors contracted Gullian-Barre Syndrome (GBS) within last two weeks. One DIED, the other was sent to ICU and is now in 6 months of Rehab to repair the sheath protecting the nerves. Side effect (GBS) destroys myelin sheath covering protecting the nerves.
My Humana nurse said she has seen this only twice in ten years; however, I have seen it twice in The Villages in one week.
The flu shot is produced by several different pharmaceutical companies. Is there a particular strain which is more deadly than others this year?
Seniors are recommended to get the "high-dose" version. Is that the one causing the side effect?
Is anyone else familiar with a friend or family member contracting this serious side effect this year?

[Bogie Shooter]

From the CDC web site


What is Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS)?

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare disorder in which a person’s own immune system damages their nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. GBS can cause symptoms that usually last for a few weeks. Most people recover fully from GBS, but some people have long-term nerve damage. In very rare cases, people have died of GBS, usually from difficulty breathing. In the United States, for example, an estimated 3,000 to 6,000 people develop GBS each year on average, whether or not they received a vaccination.

What causes GBS?

Many things can cause GBS; about two-thirds of people who develop GBS symptoms do so several days or weeks after they have been sick with diarrhea or a respiratory illness. Infection with the bacterium Campylobacter jejuni is one of the most common risk factors for GBS. People also can develop GBS after having the flu or other infections (such as cytomegalovirus and Epstein Barr virus). On very rare occasions, they may develop GBS in the days or weeks after getting a vaccination.

Who is at risk for developing GBS?

Anyone can develop GBS; however, it is more common among older adults. The incidence of GBS increases with age, and people older than 50 years are at greatest risk for developing GBS.


How common is GBS? How common is it among people who have been vaccinated against flu?

GBS is rare. Medical events occur regardless of vaccination, and background rates are used to assess vaccine safety by comparing the expected rate of disease or death to the actual or observed rate in any given timeframe. The background rate for GBS in the U.S. is about 80 to 160 cases of GBS each week, regardless of vaccination.

What happened in 1976 with GBS and the swine flu vaccine?

In 1976 there was a small increased risk of GBS following vaccination with an influenza vaccine made to protect against a swine flu virus. The increased risk was approximately 1 additional case of GBS per 100,000 people who got the swine flu vaccine. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) conducted a thorough scientific review of this issue in 2003 and concluded that people who received the 1976 swine influenza vaccine had an increased risk for developing GBS. Scientists have multiple theories on why this increased risk may have occurred, but the exact reason for this association remains unknown.

The link between GBS and flu vaccination in other years is unclear, and if there is any risk for GBS after seasonal flu vaccines it is very small, about one in a million. Studies suggest that it is more likely that a person will get GBS after getting the flu than after vaccination. It is important to keep in mind that severe illness and death are associated with influenza, and vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza infection and its complications.

How do public health authorities investigate cases of GBS?

Ensuring the safety of vaccines is a high priority for CDC. Several systems are in place to monitor vaccine safety. One of these systems is the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) co-manage VAERS, which serves as an early warning system to collect voluntary reports about possible side effects that people experience following vaccinations. CDC and FDA scientists regularly review all VAERS reports and store the information in a computerized database that is monitored to detect new, unusual, or rare health events that could be possible side effects of vaccines.

In addition to the normal vaccine safety monitoring systems, CDC has proactively put additional monitoring systems in place to ensure safety after licensing. Some of these systems include: actively observing persons in defined geographic areas, collaborating with professional organizations for reports of any adverse events after vaccination, and conducting thorough investigations when severe adverse events occur to determine whether they may have been associated with the vaccine. Through these numerous approaches, we are able to detect any possible risk of GBS that might be associated with the 2015-2016 flu vaccines as early as possible and take appropriate action.

[Nucky]

I get the shot every year. It got me really sick this year. This has never happened to me before. Flu wise I felt like a shiny penny before the shot and within hours I had the flu. I Googled it & went to Web MD they say it can't happen that way...it did. Unbelievable what happened to the people in the story above. I guess I should listen to my wife and not get the flu shot. She always says that the side effects of the medicine advertised on TV is worse than the symptom it is supposed to help. God help those people with GBS.

[billethkid]

To each his own choices.

One might get sick by happenstance the same day as getting the flu shot. Is it the likely cause? Most likely not; no way to know for sure.

I prefer the favorable odds; that being over 99% are not affected by the shot.

If you get in your car and drive on the highway you are at more risk than getting a reaction from a flu shot. Yet, people do not give getting in the car and accepting the risks, a second thought.

Why is that?

[Barefoot]

I felt like a shiny penny before the shot
I'm sorry the flu shot made you ill, but I'm very impressed with the fact that you felt like a shiny penny! :coolsmiley:

I had the flu shot with no adverse effects whatsoever.

[debow]

Several years ago, I had a friend that shortly after having a flu shot was diagnosed with GBS. The Drs could not relate to the flu shot but many of his friends felt there was a relationship. He unfortunately was one the did not recover.

[Rango]

How many people die each year from influenza in the US? 36,000 die, 200,000 hospitalized.

[rexxfan]

Randomness is strange. Two cases in a short period of time in the same geographic area may seem decidedly un-random, but statistically speaking it still is. Small comfort, I realize.

For what its worth every flu shot I got in recent years came with a clear disclosure that GBS was a possibility (though unlikely). Even though my Dad got GBS back in the day, I still get the shot as I am particularly susceptible to nasty respiratory issues even from simple colds, let alone the flu. So, for me, the benefits of maybe not getting the flu outweigh the small risk of GBS. Weigh the costs and benefits and make your own personal decision. It's difficult to generalize.
--
bc

[justjim]

I was planning to get my annual flu shot last week, but stopped when I found out two neighbors contracted Gullian-Barre Syndrome (GBS) within last two weeks. One DIED, the other was sent to ICU and is now in 6 months of Rehab to repair the sheath protecting the nerves. Side effect (GBS) destroys myelin sheath covering protecting the nerves.
My Humana nurse said she has seen this only twice in ten years; however, I have seen it twice in The Villages in one week.
The flu shot is produced by several different pharmaceutical companies. Is there a particular strain which is more deadly than others this year?
Seniors are recommended to get the "high-dose" version. Is that the one causing the side effect?
Is anyone else familiar with a friend or family member contracting this serious side effect this year?

We got our flu shot 10 days ago ---the "high-dose" and no problems so far. OP, I must admit your information is rather scary. We have a good friend who contracted GBS about five years ago---was in an induced coma for a couple of months and now has only about 40% breathing capacity. Oxygen is now necessary---prior to contracted GBS he was never sick a day in his life. He has always blamed it on the flu shot and will not ever take another one and tells everybody not to take the flu shot.

Botttom line the incidents regarding your neighbors I hope have been reported to some person or persons who will investigate Wheather the GBS was caused by this years flu shot. Thanks for posting this information. :mademyday:

Side effects such as GBS report to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088

[fred53]

Got my first hi-dose flu shot about a month ago....no issues.

GlennM...some perspective if I may...you put your life at a greater risk every time you get behind the wheel and drive. Take that same attitude towards your health. Do what you can to protect yourself, but there have never been guarantees. Get the shot or do not, but do not base that choice on the very high odds of being one of the very few who will react in a terrible way to it. That is a sign of irrational fear and if you let that guide your decisions you are doomed to a very unsatisfactory old age.

[rubicon]

Too often people know things before scientist finally make such determinations. I told a doctor in the 1980's that the mind and body spoke to one another and that stress caused little pac man types that created illness. he laughed but now we know that is true.

I had the high dose flu shot two years ago and ended up in the emergency room over night. the nurse told me i was the fourth person admitted who had a high dose.

It is possible that because of the improper mix of one batch, or perhaps because of the immune system of a person is compromised that flu shots can have bad effects for one person and not another.

I know that I will never take another high dose flu shot

[outlaw]

I did notice my arm hurt during and right after the flu shot this year. Immediately before the shot, I had no pain in my arm.

[NotGolfer]

I'm refusing the flu shot because of things I've read about it re: side effects...that said though I had the updated pneumonia shot. My arm around the site swelled up and hurt (more than sore) and the "lump" (it was hard) lasted for weeks.

In past years I had the flu shot...sometimes and sometimes not. Last year I had one and got the flu three times!!

[CFrance]

Too often people know things before scientist finally make such determinations. I told a doctor in the 1980's that the mind and body spoke to one another and that stress caused little pac man types that created illness. he laughed but now we know that is true.

I had the high dose flu shot two years ago and ended up in the emergency room over night. the nurse told me i was the fourth person admitted who had a high dose.

It is possible that because of the improper mix of one batch, or perhaps because of the immune system of a person is compromised that flu shots can have bad effects for one person and not another.

I know that I will never take another high dose flu shot
Rubicon, I had a bad reaction to the high dose flu shot two years ago also. I had signed up to get it at Miona Rec Center. Now I just get the normal flu shot, from Walgreens, and we go as soon as it is available to avoid the crowds. I like the fact that at Walgreens there is not a large group of people sequestered in one room as there were at Miona.

[NECHFalcon68]

It is possible that because of the improper mix of one batch, or perhaps because of the immune system of a person is compromised that flu shots can have bad effects for one person and not another.



Having been in the vaccine business, I can tell you that if there was an improper mix of one batch, it would be grounds for recall.

If enough adverse events are reported to the FDA, they will require an investigation and possible market action (recall) if warranted.

I had my shot yesterday (first one in about 20 years, because my doctor insisted on it) and felt no effects today. It was however, not the high dose...as I have not hit that magic age yet.

BTW, the flu strains to be cultivated for vaccines are decided in January by the CDC/FDA, 9 months before the season starts, so that the manufacturers will have enough time to fully culture and gear up for mass production. Unfortunately, it is a well-educated and professional guess for the strains, and the typical clinical trials may not be performed....and the process is a little more complex than what you saw with Dustin Hoffman in "Contagion"

[graciegirl]

Sweetie had his day before yesterday and no reaction.


It is my opinion and I am just a card carrying mother, that you get a reaction and a sore arm if your " soldiers", are really fighting that dead virus. In other words you probably needed it.

[manaboutown]

Having had pneumonia back in the 70's I get a flu shot every year and have received the recommended two pneumonia shots. Two weeks ago I got the high strength vaccine and noticed no reaction whatsoever.

[glennm]

I will follow up with parties involved with GBS in last two weeks to see if cases were reported to FDA. Thanks for FDA phone number.

[rubicon]

Having been in the vaccine business, I can tell you that if there was an improper mix of one batch, it would be grounds for recall.

If enough adverse events are reported to the FDA, they will require an investigation and possible market action (recall) if warranted.

I had my shot yesterday (first one in about 20 years, because my doctor insisted on it) and felt no effects today. It was however, not the high dose...as I have not hit that magic age yet.

BTW, the flu strains to be cultivated for vaccines are decided in January by the CDC/FDA, 9 months before the season starts, so that the manufacturers will have enough time to fully culture and gear up for mass production. Unfortunately, it is a well-educated and professional guess for the strains, and the typical clinical trials may not be performed....and the process is a little more complex than what you saw with Dustin Hoffman in "Contagion"

NECH Falcon:

I agree with and respect your opinion because this was your profession and hence I would defer to your knowledge. I have great respect for the FDAbut it would seem that in order for a recall to take place often not always there has to be a reason cited for it, which usually means someone was affected the same as food borne illnesses, same with cars, toys, etc and then the recall

Since the flu shot has only an efficacy of three months I get my vaccination as late as possible . Again I believe that if a person has compromised immune system s/he may want to avoid the high dose or at least consult their doc as to what dosage to accept

Please Best Regards:

[Fraugoofy]

I get the shot every year. It got me really sick this year. This has never happened to me before. Flu wise I felt like a shiny penny before the shot and within hours I had the flu. I Googled it & went to Web MD they say it can't happen that way...it did. Unbelievable what happened to the people in the story above. I guess I should listen to my wife and not get the flu shot. She always says that the side effects of the medicine advertised on TV is worse than the symptom it is supposed to help. God help those people with GBS.
I had the flu shot about 10 years ago and got so violently ill I thought I was on the verge of death. I have never gotten the flu shot since and have never gotten the flu, either.

[CFrance]

If a flu shot only lasts three months, why do they put them out in September?

[billethkid]

some helpful reading:

Flu Vaccine Effectiveness: How Well Does It Work? (http://www.webmd.com/vaccines/how-effective-is-flu-vaccine)

[Barefoot]

Since the flu shot has only an efficacy of three months I get my vaccination as late as possible .
If a flu shot only lasts three months, why do they put them out in September?
My doctor told me it takes 2 to 4 weeks to become effective.
And now we hear a flu shot only lasts three months.
It seems a very short time that we're protected, and only a 30 to 70% chance a flu shot will be beneficial? :confused:

[Rango]

protection is for 12 months.

[billethkid]

Sounds like a better than 50-50 chance to not get it to me. That also means I have significantly less chance to an exposure to pneumonia!

...I'll continue to take those odds every year.

[patfla06]

protection is for 12 months.

:agree:

[asianthree]

Hospital employees are given shots in October. Hospital reminds us flu season lasts till march, and we need to take precautions. I am an opt out for flu shot.

[Taltarzac725]

Guillain-Barré syndrome and Flu Vaccine | Seasonal Influenza (Flu) | CDC (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/guillainbarre.htm)

Keep the information coming.

Attorneys' web-sites often have some good information-- Conway, Homer & Chin-Caplan - Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) Vaccine Injury attorney (http://www.ccandh.com/injury_faq.asp?faqno=2&gac=gbs3&gclid=CjwKEAiAs4qzBRD4l-2w7qOoqEMSJABauikXWbclqMWRoSTGTUK6tP6s-2b_jnXXjTO1Zk0MhQxHsBoCElfw_wcB)

I have never heard of this Boston firm before. I just Googled.

[graciegirl]

All three of us have had the flu shot this year. Two high dose, one regular. Very slight soreness to arm if you push on it .


No other reaction.

[Taltarzac725]

All three of us have had the flu shot this year. Two high dose, one regular. Slight soreness to arm when pushed.


No other reaction.

Same in this household. Three shots. No troubles.

[Sable99]

I never heard of the high dosage flu shot until this thread. What is the difference? When do you get the high dosage? I asked my 91 year old mother if she got the high dosage shot and she hadn't heard of it either!

I got both the flu shot and the adult pneumonia shot this week. No side affects with the flu shot. The arm that got the pneumonia shot has been sore all week but no other side affects.

[graciegirl]

I never heard of the high dosage flu shot until this thread. What is the difference? When do you get the high dosage? I asked my 91 year old mother if she got the high dosage shot and she hadn't heard of it either!

I got both the flu shot and the adult pneumonia shot this week. No side affects with the flu shot. The arm that got the pneumonia shot has been sore all week but no other side affects.



Here ya go, from the Center for Disease Control. In a nutshell a high dose is offered to folks over 65 because of somewhat weaker response to disease.


Fluzone High-Dose Seasonal Influenza Vaccine | Seasonal Influenza (Flu) | CDC (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/qa_fluzone.htm)

[mgjim]

I never heard of the high dosage flu shot until this thread. What is the difference? When do you get the high dosage? I asked my 91 year old mother if she got the high dosage shot and she hadn't heard of it either!

I got both the flu shot and the adult pneumonia shot this week. No side affects with the flu shot. The arm that got the pneumonia shot has been sore all week but no other side affects.

When I got my flu shot, the nurse told me that they also recommend the high dosage for people who have a history of respiratory issues, regardless of age. I have such a history so I opted for the high dosage. No side effects so far.

[blueash]

When I got my flu shot, the nurse told me that they also recommend the high dosage for people who have a history of respiratory issues, regardless of age. I have such a history so I opted for the high dosage. No side effects so far.

The high dose vaccine is only licensed and approved for use in patients 65 years and older. There is no CDC nor ACIP recommendation that would correspond to what that nurse told you. I am unable to find any literature supporting this off label use, although it may exist. If your insurance carrier has a good computer compliance system it may detect that the procedure code for a high dose shot does not provide coverage for a person under 65 and reject payment as it does not meet standard of care. You were of course informed this was an off label use of this product.

[Bonny]

I get the shot every year. It got me really sick this year. This has never happened to me before. Flu wise I felt like a shiny penny before the shot and within hours I had the flu. I Googled it & went to Web MD they say it can't happen that way...it did. Unbelievable what happened to the people in the story above. I guess I should listen to my wife and not get the flu shot. She always says that the side effects of the medicine advertised on TV is worse than the symptom it is supposed to help. God help those people with GBS.
Yes, that happened to me in 2007. I was feeling awesome that day. Got the flu shot about 3:00. Went to Katie Belles to listen to Rocky & The Rollers. About 6:00 I felt really awful. By 7:00, I went home. Full blown flu. I was in bed for days.

[Bonny]

The high dose vaccine is only licensed and approved for use in patients 65 years and older. There is no CDC nor ACIP recommendation that would correspond to what that nurse told you. I am unable to find any literature supporting this off label use, although it may exist. If your insurance carrier has a good computer compliance system it may detect that the procedure code for a high dose shot does not provide coverage for a person under 65 and reject payment as it does not meet standard of care. You were of course informed this was an off label use of this product.
I went to Walgreen & my insurance wouldn't pay for the high dose because I'm only 64.

[PennBF]

Years ago I had an employee who got the "Swine Flu" shot and developed GBS from it. He would have seizures, lose control of his kidneys and ultimately fall to the floor and we had to help him and drive him home. By 30 minutes to an hour it was over and he just felt very weak. I only relate this as there was no question he received the GBS from the shot. We have had the shot every few
years and were just discussing if we would have one this year?:cold:

[blueash]

Years ago I had an employee who got the "Swine Flu" shot and developed GBS from it. He would have seizures, lose control of his kidneys and ultimately fall to the floor and we had to help him and drive him home. By 30 minutes to an hour it was over and he just felt very weak. I only relate this as there was no question he received the GBS from the shot. We have had the shot every few
years and were just discussing if we would have one this year?:cold:

Your employee did NOT have GBS. GBS is a peripheral nerve disorder producing weakness to in some cases paralysis but does not damage the central nervous system and does not produce seizures. A GBS patient does not have sudden events from which he recovers over an hour only to repeat similar events again. Here is a link to what is the actual presentation of GBS and its typical and atypical outcomes.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome Fact Sheet (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/gbs/detail_gbs.htm)

So I will go out on a very strong limb in stating that your employee did not get GBS from a flu shot.

[mgjim]

The high dose vaccine is only licensed and approved for use in patients 65 years and older. There is no CDC nor ACIP recommendation that would correspond to what that nurse told you. I am unable to find any literature supporting this off label use, although it may exist. If your insurance carrier has a good computer compliance system it may detect that the procedure code for a high dose shot does not provide coverage for a person under 65 and reject payment as it does not meet standard of care. You were of course informed this was an off label use of this product.

Well, that's not very good news.

[Callaway Guy]

From the CDC web site


What is Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS)?

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare disorder in which a person’s own immune system damages their nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. GBS can cause symptoms that usually last for a few weeks. Most people recover fully from GBS, but some people have long-term nerve damage. In very rare cases, people have died of GBS, usually from difficulty breathing. In the United States, for example, an estimated 3,000 to 6,000 people develop GBS each year on average, whether or not they received a vaccination.

What causes GBS?

Many things can cause GBS; about two-thirds of people who develop GBS symptoms do so several days or weeks after they have been sick with diarrhea or a respiratory illness. Infection with the bacterium Campylobacter jejuni is one of the most common risk factors for GBS. People also can develop GBS after having the flu or other infections (such as cytomegalovirus and Epstein Barr virus). On very rare occasions, they may develop GBS in the days or weeks after getting a vaccination.

Who is at risk for developing GBS?

Anyone can develop GBS; however, it is more common among older adults. The incidence of GBS increases with age, and people older than 50 years are at greatest risk for developing GBS.


How common is GBS? How common is it among people who have been vaccinated against flu?

GBS is rare. Medical events occur regardless of vaccination, and background rates are used to assess vaccine safety by comparing the expected rate of disease or death to the actual or observed rate in any given timeframe. The background rate for GBS in the U.S. is about 80 to 160 cases of GBS each week, regardless of vaccination.

What happened in 1976 with GBS and the swine flu vaccine?

In 1976 there was a small increased risk of GBS following vaccination with an influenza vaccine made to protect against a swine flu virus. The increased risk was approximately 1 additional case of GBS per 100,000 people who got the swine flu vaccine. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) conducted a thorough scientific review of this issue in 2003 and concluded that people who received the 1976 swine influenza vaccine had an increased risk for developing GBS. Scientists have multiple theories on why this increased risk may have occurred, but the exact reason for this association remains unknown.

The link between GBS and flu vaccination in other years is unclear, and if there is any risk for GBS after seasonal flu vaccines it is very small, about one in a million. Studies suggest that it is more likely that a person will get GBS after getting the flu than after vaccination. It is important to keep in mind that severe illness and death are associated with influenza, and vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza infection and its complications.

How do public health authorities investigate cases of GBS?

Ensuring the safety of vaccines is a high priority for CDC. Several systems are in place to monitor vaccine safety. One of these systems is the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) co-manage VAERS, which serves as an early warning system to collect voluntary reports about possible side effects that people experience following vaccinations. CDC and FDA scientists regularly review all VAERS reports and store the information in a computerized database that is monitored to detect new, unusual, or rare health events that could be possible side effects of vaccines.

In addition to the normal vaccine safety monitoring systems, CDC has proactively put additional monitoring systems in place to ensure safety after licensing. Some of these systems include: actively observing persons in defined geographic areas, collaborating with professional organizations for reports of any adverse events after vaccination, and conducting thorough investigations when severe adverse events occur to determine whether they may have been associated with the vaccine. Through these numerous approaches, we are able to detect any possible risk of GBS that might be associated with the 2015-2016 flu vaccines as early as possible and take appropriate action.

Thank you for this information. The wife of a good friend of mine where I moved from contacted GBS after receiving a flu shot. I have gotten one every year for many years and will continue to do so.

[Barefoot]

Hospital employees are given shots in October. Hospital reminds us flu season lasts till march, and we need to take precautions. I am an opt out for flu shot.

Hey retired doctors ....
For those who opt out of the flu shot, is Tamiflu after the fact effective?

[golfing eagles]

Your employee did NOT have GBS. GBS is a peripheral nerve disorder producing weakness to in some cases paralysis but does not damage the central nervous system and does not produce seizures. A GBS patient does not have sudden events from which he recovers over an hour only to repeat similar events again. Here is a link to what is the actual presentation of GBS and its typical and atypical outcomes.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome Fact Sheet (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/gbs/detail_gbs.htm)

So I will go out on a very strong limb in stating that your employee did not get GBS from a flu shot.

Couldn't agree more. GBS is essentially an ascending motor paralysis, usually mild to moderate in severity and almost always self limited but could take months to resolve. It is a form of AIDP (acute idiopathic demyelinating polyradiculopathy), in some ways similar to the chronic form (CIDP), but resolves. The chances of getting GBS from a flu shot, especially a dead viral strain, are infinitesimal. There were people who contracted GBS after the swine flu vaccine, since the first batch of that vaccine was live attenuated, but quite rare. On the other hand, your chances of getting GBS after the having the flu (or any viral illness) are much higher. GET YOUR SHOT!!!!
Taking Tamiflu after the fact is not a viable alternative, it's kind of like going to traffic school AFTER you accumulated a bunch of tickets---it may fix your license, but you had to go through the pain.

[rubicon]

If a flu shot only lasts three months, why do they put them out in September?

Hi CFrance: I just happened on your response this PM 12/6/15. I went back and looked at my post and said the flu shot has an efficacy of three months. I should have explained what i meant and that is it begins to lose its potency. since the flu season goes beyond the holidays, my wife and I choose to get innoculated mid-to late October to extend a more effective period when the flu season is likely to begin.

Personal Best Regards:

[lightworker888]

For anyone that is interested, we take the homeopathic Influenzinum once in October and again January as a prophylactic JIC dose. Have done this for years and have never had the "flu". Can't even remember having a bad "cold". We also do our best to keep our immune system up with various supplements. If I feel anything coming I will up my Vit C ( I make lipo C - you can google how and why) and take Astragalus Root capsules which you can get at The Vitamin Shoppe. It is an antiviral and antibacterial herb that is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Just a personal perspective on the flu shot.

Also eat organic and grass fed and gluten free, at home and whenever possible. I believe we are what we eat and we can use good food as medicine. The challenge is to find it. BTW the Lucky Lady Eggs at The Fresh Market are THE BEST TASTING eggs we have ever eaten. They are pasture raised, non-GMO eggs that unfortunately we can't get in Canada because of our winters. Wish they could keep. I'd bring them back with me!!

Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season and New Year,


LW888

[OhioBuckeye]

Geez, I hope flu shots don't have serious side effects & they're going to keep us in the dark about it. I wouldn't be surprised if it was govt. thing to get rid of some of us. Nothing would surprise me! If it does have serious side effects why do the Drs. keep pushing flu shots, then, are they in on the big secret.

[CFrance]

Geez, I hope flu shots don't have serious side effects & they're going to keep us in the dark about it. I wouldn't be surprised if it was govt. thing to get rid of some of us. Nothing would surprise me! If it does have serious side effects why do the Drs. keep pushing flu shots, then, are they in on the big secret.
Read post #42 and the post it is quoting. I am thankful that there are knowledgeable people on this forum who can dispel hysteria caused by hyped-up rumors and unproven, privately made-up theories... So-and-so had a flu shot and then got (fill in the blank).

[Opmoochler]

My opinion: if you sleep well, eat healthily, exercise, and take plenty of vit D to keep your immune system strong, there is no need to introduce viruses (dead or alive) via the flu shot.We have been brainwashed by Big Pharma.

[big guy]

I was planning to get my annual flu shot last week, but stopped when I found out two neighbors contracted Gullian-Barre Syndrome (GBS) within last two weeks. One DIED, the other was sent to ICU and is now in 6 months of Rehab to repair the sheath protecting the nerves. Side effect (GBS) destroys myelin sheath covering protecting the nerves.
My Humana nurse said she has seen this only twice in ten years; however, I have seen it twice in The Villages in one week.
The flu shot is produced by several different pharmaceutical companies. Is there a particular strain which is more deadly than others this year?
Seniors are recommended to get the "high-dose" version. Is that the one causing the side effect?
Is anyone else familiar with a friend or family member contracting this serious side effect this year?

Yes, I had a friend who contracted GBS after a flu shot but she had a cold when she got the shot and they told her that the cold on top of the flu shot was the culprit. It was not this year but she is the only person that I know of that got GBS. She was hospitalized within a day after the onset of symptoms. I can't remember what the treatment was but it seemed unusual when I heard about it. She lived and was OK but tired quickly.

[graciegirl]

My opinion: if you sleep well, eat healthily, exercise, and take plenty of vit D to keep your immune system strong, there is no need to introduce viruses (dead or alive) via the flu shot.We have been brainwashed by Big Pharma.

Yeah, but your army of protectors haven't met THIS kind of flu before. Why not get it some assault rifles? Why be half safe?

[big guy]

I never heard of the high dosage flu shot until this thread. What is the difference? When do you get the high dosage? I asked my 91 year old mother if she got the high dosage shot and she hadn't heard of it either!

I got both the flu shot and the adult pneumonia shot this week. No side affects with the flu shot. The arm that got the pneumonia shot has been sore all week but no other side affects.

My arm that received the pneumonia shot was very sore as well. I was a little concerned but it gradually went away.

[PennBF]

Blueash, you may want to relookd at possible side effects of Swine flu shot and GBS. He was examined by some very top Doctors at significant hospitals in NY City and we had a Dr. talk to my Organization on the effects of GBS and what to expect. He would on the span of a minute talk off the wall and thentart to lose control of his kidneys and drop to the floor. We would help him
up, let him rest for awhile and on the advise of medical did not let him drive home but rather take him home for the day.
Unless you have had the terrible opportunity of seeing the effects of GBS I am not sure you have a full understanding of its impact on the body and mind. :pray:

[graciegirl]

Blueash, you may want to relookd at possible side effects of Swine flu shot and GBS. He was examined by some very top Doctors at significant hospitals in NY City and we had a Dr. talk to my Organization on the effects of GBS and what to expect. He would on the span of a minute talk off the wall and thentart to lose control of his kidneys and drop to the floor. We would help him
up, let him rest for awhile and on the advise of medical did not let him drive home but rather take him home for the day.
Unless you have had the terrible opportunity of seeing the effects of GBS I am not sure you have a full understanding of its impact on the body and mind. :pray:


Penn. I know for a fact that two of the posters on this thread are M.D.s, one retired a few months back and one still practicing. The one still practicing is held in high regard in my home city of Cincinnati and I myself am completely confident of his ability, his skill and his ethics. I don't agree with his politics sometimes, but these two are licensed and credible as hell. You have challenged one of them.


I am not a medical anything but I pay attention and I have kept a couple of kids and a husband alive with my Dr. Mom stuff. I think that there is nothing in this world that doesn't carry a risk and that we need to investigate that risk from credible sources and from folks that have had a lot of education on that subject, and then do what our common sense tells us.


Me and mine are flu shotted.

[Jimturner]

We have gotten flu shots for many years. I get the old fart double dose. I have an allergic reaction every time. It makes a red spot on my arm at the injection site.

[PennBF]

Please take time to read the notes before responding and answering one that you obviously did not read before responding or did read and just didn't want to or did not understand. I never suggested NOT GETTING A FLU SHOT and in fact in one of the 2 notes I sent I mentioned that we had received them in the past and were deciding if to get one this year! What I did describe was the terrible after effects one of my employee's received from the Swine Flu shot and it was GBS as diagnosed by a couple of Dr's in major Medical Clinics in Mass and NYC. Nobody doubts the skills of some MD's and the confidence some patients have in them. And am happy there may be a couple of Dr's on TOTV's but I am not sure what that means in these posts.:sigh: