Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group flu shots...my sisters are not happy with me

Hi all... I'm wondering how everyone feels about immunizations.

One of my nieces has 6 children, and right now they have influenza A & B, strep, and pneumonia in the house. The kids are age 1 month to 14 years and she doesn't believe in immunizations.

I used to get flu shots, but I got one in 2008 that sent me to bed with gruesome mother-of-all-flares for 2+ years.

My sisters wanted me to go get a flu shot as I'm around the kids all the time, but I said I'd rather die of flu than have another bad reaction.

Any thoughts?

I don't know what kind of reaction you had. I get the flu shot faithfully. I would certainly stay away from the kids whether or not you get the shot. It is not a 100% coverage. I hope they all are well soon.

Blessings.
Possi

I never get it. a friend of mine who has fibromyalgia gets it regularly and she is always sick.
then there was the studies that showed that the "people sick with flu" numbers are actually estimates based on bogus information. and that actual casses that are confirmed are tiny.

People who "die of the flu" often die of pneumonia, but the stats that are kept throws flu & pneumonia together with a few other things.


http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/05/reassessing-flu-shots-as-the-season-draws-near/

and this is free ....
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/life-by-design/id384714088

or if you dont like iTunes

http://www.am980.ca/HostShows/LifeByDesign.aspx

scroll down and see The Flu Shot... again.

Oh and Why does your sister care? Her family has already been exposed to whatever illness it is...by this child who is sick, and potentially so have you. By exposure, if you do or dont get sick you immune system says "thats bad stuff, lets keep eye out for that" and you then would become immune to it. Do your level best to keep yourself healthy, enjoy some oregano oil to boost your immune systems bad stuff fighting power, make sure you rest well and eat well.
Tell yoursister to mind her own business or help your neice with the 6 kids. and you will take care of yourself. sheesh!

Erika - I *never get it. There are three NEW strains of flue this year and the vaccine available does not hit any of em...! They have metamorphosed into the usual, new viruses.

A member of our social group was only recounting her own story of flue vaccines yesterday (Thursday). She never had them, but this one year was persuaded to have the vaccine shot. She had a horrific and very rare reaction. Attacked her vocal cords. Rendered vocally disabled. Was a teacher, could only teach in a whisper, had to have a human 'vocal' assistant and then, later, could manage with a microphone. She is unable to raise her voice, at all. And this is several years later. Unbelievable. She is a lovely person. Known her three years and only now her gruesome story came out. Tough on her career. Sad.

Up to you, but...

Getting a flu shot is like wearing a seat belt. Most people agree that the science of seat belts helps saves lives than say to not wear a seat belt and experience a collision. Still there will be a few that will argue that there are instances where if this one person had been wearing their seat belt they would have been trapped inside their vehicle and died. They would argue this outlier event even though the statistics show that being thrown from a vehicle will most assuredly kill you.

I for one wear a seat belt and get my flu shot.

I agree with Taberge. And there are numerous ways to spin numbers. Whatever point you wish to make, you can pick certain studies to make your point. I dare say there is no real way to know whose numbers are the most correct. I just make an educated guess after looking at all of them.

Erika, if she doesn't believe in vaccines, why is she trying to make YOU get a flu shot? And I can understand your hesitation, even though I dutifully get my shot each year because my job requires me to get one. Also, being on a biologic, I'd prefer not to tempt fate. My coworkers often have the habit to come to work still hacking after a respiratory infection. I would get a flu shot even if I didn't have to, though.

My brother had a bad reaction to a vaccine as an infant, he was hospitalized for three days, it was sad.
I don't know of any healthy person that has died from the flu, they are usually really sick or hospitalized if they die of the flu and have something seriously wrong already.I would not go for a flu shot if I were you, You might get a horrible flare. A bunch of my freinds have the flu and their families but it is over in a few days, 3 days to get it, 3 days to have it and 3 days to get rid of it....my old pediatrician use to say that to me about the flu.

Hello, EricaK:

I'm with You; 'they' never seem to get the exact circulating strain with the flu vaccines anyway and--why put ourselves at even more risk? I just don't trust them not to mess up!

Kids are reservoirs of disease anyway and if the parents really believed that the flu vaccines were that effective, then immunizing their own kids should do the trick: They should be immune to YOU (and ME and other strangers who do not have symptoms, but are very communicable).

I just keep my hands away from my eyes and avoid people sneezing and I seldom get whatever is going around or I don't notice it much when I do. In over 20 years I have never regretted not getting the flu shot (that does not mean I am right--THIS could be the year I regret it, but I'll stick with my historical odds).

HEALTH,
John

We always get the flu shots and we insist that our grandkids get them also. My husband gets really sick if he catches any respiratory bug, weeks of bronchitis, he coughs constantly and we worry about pneumonia. He is 84, so we really have to be careful.

Since we all started getting the shots, none of us has had anything other then a few colds. I average 1 cold /year, even though I am taking immune suppressants.

The flu shot is only 80% effective. There is always the other 20% who give the shots a bad name.

I don't get the flu shot and didn't this year as always. Stayed diligent taking my zinc, vit C and vit D.

THe Lovely Di got her flu shot and ended up getting flu that morphed into bronchitis.

Pretty sure that doesn't mean anything but clearly not getting the flu shot thus far has not been a detriment for me. Have had a year or two where I did get the flu,but usually just a couple of days and off it went.