[Villages PL]

I got my flu shot but I'm not sure it's a good idea for me to encourage others to get one. By now everyone knows that flu shots are available and it's a personal decision.

We are told how many people die each year from the flu. It's a lot of people and everyone knows that by now. We know that a lot of the people are elderly and/or have weakened immune systems. But we don't know exactly what the health status is of everyone who dies from the flu.

Of those who have died, how many were in advanced stages of Alzheimer's, vascular dementia, Parkinson's, pneumonia, cancer, heart disease, liver disease, lung disease, kidney disease, among many other conditions too numerous to mention?

Who's to say what's worse, dying of the flu or one of the above diseases? What if you save someone from dying of the flu, only to have them die of something far worse in the near future? What would you have accomplished?

[billethkid]

of course you should encourage friends and family and strangers to get it.
Would you not encourage them to take precautions to not get ebola? Of course you would.

....ebola deaths in last 12 months in the USA....1
....flu deaths in the last 12 months in the USA 25,000

Not a big decision!!

[rubicon]

Of late flue shots are beginning to have an adverse effect.

Two years ago I agreed to the high dosage and ended up in the ER with the ER nurse explaining I wasn't the only one having an adverse reaction. Last year I had the regular dose and felt sick for the entire day. I am getting gun shy here. I'll try it one more time and if i get sick that's it

[Sandtrap328]

Originally Posted by billethkid

of course you should encourage friends and family and strangers to get it.
Would you not encourage them to take precautions to not get ebola? Of course you would.

....ebola deaths in last 12 months in the USA....1
....flu deaths in the last 12 months in the USA 25,000

Not a big decision!!

You and I agree! Scary?

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by rubicon

Of late flue shots are beginning to have an adverse effect.

Two years ago I agreed to the high dosage and ended up in the ER with the ER nurse explaining I wasn't the only one having an adverse reaction. Last year I had the regular dose and felt sick for the entire day. I am getting gun shy here. I'll try it one more time and if i get sick that's it

When I went for my flu shot at Walgreens a man waiting in line told me that the high dose could be a problem. He told me how he got sick, so I asked for the regular.

I felt fine for the next few days but eventually came down with a touch of a strange cold I got from someone I had talked to in a public place. There was a man who was suffering from constant coughing. I asked him if he had the flu. He said his doctor told him it was a cold. That reminded me to get a flu shot so I got my flu shot two days later. Within about a week I felt like my throat was getting a little sore but then it went away. It would come and go..... just a hint of it. Then there was one evening when I started coughing a lot. I gargled with salt water and it cleared up.

I think I got off easy because I have a good immune system.

[kittygilchrist]

This is the first time for me to get the shot.
Said I wld get one '"if" I got flu and last year, that bug I had might have been flu.

[patfla06]

I posted previously about why I get the flu shot every year.
When I read the increased risk of heart attack if you get the
flu I was even more detemined to get it.

My Husband chose not to get the high dose and I think he
did the right thing, especially after reading your experience
with it.

Hope everyone stays healthy this Winter.

[Rango]

24,000 people in the US die of the flu each year. Nuff said

[OBXNana]

I am one of those people, like Villages PL that never gets sick. I never got a flu shot until about 9 years ago when our first grandchild was born. I did (and do) it more for the kiddos and for my mother when she was living. I think if I were to skip the flu shot, I wouldn't have a life changing event if I got the flu. Our granddaughter was born in April with a hole in her heart and could have difficulties if I were to get the flu and pass it to her.

It isn't always about the person getting the shot and protecting them. I'd prefer not having the pea size lump in my arm for a week after the shot and do it more for others that may not have the immune system I have.

[2BNTV]

The first time I got a flu shot, Ii got the flu. However, i was able to function as opposed to being horribly sick for a week. A doctor of "infectous diseases" told me, it builds up the immune system.

I would strongly recommend getting the flu shot but there is a minority of people who have difficulties if they get flu shot. One out of thousands, should be the exception and not the rule.

BTW - I have never gotten the flu, after my first year!

[Bonnevie]

I contracted the real flu once. I got it before I could get a shot. It was unlike anything I ever had. It was not a "bad cold". It was not coughing and congestion. It was weakness and fever and inability to do anything. At that time there were no cordless phones and I had to get to another room to call in sick to work. I didn't think I could get out of bed to do it. I had to psych myself up to make the effort. It was horrible. There was no way I could get out of bed for days. And I was in my early 30s then. No way I will ever skip the flu shot.

[Sparty6971]

I will always get the flu shot. Yes, I usually get a slight fever and soreness after getting it; and the high dose hits a little harder. It does NOT prevent you from getting a cold, the sniffles, some congestion, headache, etc. And, it does NOT guarantee that you can't get some version of the flu. But, it will help keep you safe from what types of flu are expected for the year. And the REAL flu is so much worse than what most people think of. Please, everyone. . . If your doctor hasn't told you specifically to not get it, then get up off that couch, get down to CVS, Walgreens, your doctor, any number of places and get the flu shot. If not for you, then for everyone else in the community that you might carry and transmit a flu bug to. Thank you.

[manaboutown]

Got the flu shot a week ago. No problem, no soreness or seemingly any ill effect whatsoever. Better safe than sorry!

[Bonanza]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

I got my flu shot but I'm not sure it's a good idea for me to encourage others to get one. By now everyone knows that flu shots are available and it's a personal decision.

We are told how many people die each year from the flu. It's a lot of people and everyone knows that by now. We know that a lot of the people are elderly and/or have weakened immune systems. But we don't know exactly what the health status is of everyone who dies from the flu.

Of those who have died, how many were in advanced stages of Alzheimer's, vascular dementia, Parkinson's, pneumonia, cancer, heart disease, liver disease, lung disease, kidney disease, among many other conditions too numerous to mention?

Who's to say what's worse, dying of the flu or one of the above diseases? What if you save someone from dying of the flu, only to have them die of something far worse in the near future? What would you have accomplished?

Anyone who dies from the flu has no health status.
What difference does it make if people die from the flu and also have other diseases?
I mean really! What difference does it make. Dead is dead.

What a wierd thread you started!

[Cedwards38]

I got my flu shot, just as I have every year for the last 20 years or so. I'm a believer!