flu shots
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flu shots
hi, my doc suggests I have a flu shot, I am not keen as I have heard some people react and feel ill, she says I should have it as I am on 9mg endocort but I know I only get a small amount of steroid into my system,I have been pretty well lately, so long as I take great care what I eat, anyone else had experience with flu shots? thanks beni
Hi Beni,
Everyone has their own opinion, of course, but I have never had a flu shot, and don't intend to start taking them. I used to employ a small crew of young, healthy guys in their 20's, to help with my corn-bagging business, and I always noticed that whenever they got a flu shot, most of them would have a mild case of the flu for a couple of days or so. For a few of them, it was bad enough that they needed to take off work for a day or two. For some of them, they would get sick every year. Call me old-fashioned, but I never could see the logic in that. I figured I might as well take my chances, as to get "slightly" sick for sure.
Besides, as we get older, vaccines don't work as well for us, because our immune system doesn't respond as well to the vaccine. Doctors are aware of that, so I consider their habit of encouraging "senior citizens" to get flu shots, to be somewhat disingenuous. Sure, the vaccine might have some effect, but it doesn't afford anywhere near the protection level that it's claimed to provide.
IMO, vitamin D is better than the vaccine. Since I've started taking significant doses of vitamin D, (in addition to normal sunlight exposure), I've had fewer and fewer colds and flu viruses. In fact, I haven't had a single case, during the past couple of years.
We have at least one member who had a very serious, (anaphylactic), reaction to that vaccine a few years ago, apparently because she has mast cell issues.
Tex
Everyone has their own opinion, of course, but I have never had a flu shot, and don't intend to start taking them. I used to employ a small crew of young, healthy guys in their 20's, to help with my corn-bagging business, and I always noticed that whenever they got a flu shot, most of them would have a mild case of the flu for a couple of days or so. For a few of them, it was bad enough that they needed to take off work for a day or two. For some of them, they would get sick every year. Call me old-fashioned, but I never could see the logic in that. I figured I might as well take my chances, as to get "slightly" sick for sure.
Besides, as we get older, vaccines don't work as well for us, because our immune system doesn't respond as well to the vaccine. Doctors are aware of that, so I consider their habit of encouraging "senior citizens" to get flu shots, to be somewhat disingenuous. Sure, the vaccine might have some effect, but it doesn't afford anywhere near the protection level that it's claimed to provide.
IMO, vitamin D is better than the vaccine. Since I've started taking significant doses of vitamin D, (in addition to normal sunlight exposure), I've had fewer and fewer colds and flu viruses. In fact, I haven't had a single case, during the past couple of years.
We have at least one member who had a very serious, (anaphylactic), reaction to that vaccine a few years ago, apparently because she has mast cell issues.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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draperygoddess
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Tex,
That's interesting--I had never heard that the vaccine is less effective with age. I have always been told to get a flu shot because I have asthma (a mild case), but I haven't had a shot in several years due to the expense. Last year my son got the flu, so all of us were on Tamiflu, and nobody else got sick. The year before, both of my daughters got swine flu, a month apart--IOW, they didn't give it to each other--and nobody else got sick, either. I find it funny that my kids come home with bugs from school, but nobody ever gets sick AT HOME. When one of us is sick, it's very rare for anyone else to get it.
That's interesting--I had never heard that the vaccine is less effective with age. I have always been told to get a flu shot because I have asthma (a mild case), but I haven't had a shot in several years due to the expense. Last year my son got the flu, so all of us were on Tamiflu, and nobody else got sick. The year before, both of my daughters got swine flu, a month apart--IOW, they didn't give it to each other--and nobody else got sick, either. I find it funny that my kids come home with bugs from school, but nobody ever gets sick AT HOME. When one of us is sick, it's very rare for anyone else to get it.
Cynthia
"Can we fix it? YES WE CAN!" -Bob the Builder
"Can we fix it? YES WE CAN!" -Bob the Builder
I don't have a choice. The healthcare company that I work for made it mandatory as a condition of employment that everyone has to have a yearly flu shot. I took mine on Thursday and my arm very sore that day. The weather has changed drastically here this week and I have had a sniffle. I don't know if it was the fact that we went from high 70 to the high in the low 50 within a day...IDK. I have taken the flu shot the last three years and have not had it even with working in a super busy ER two of those years...
Diagnosed May 2010
Currently on Apriso, Gastrocrom, and Hyscyamine
Currently on Apriso, Gastrocrom, and Hyscyamine
Yes, some businesses/organizations require it, and it may not be a bad idea for elementary and kindergarten teachers to get the shot, also.
One of my worst memories from the emergency abdominal surgery that I had a little over a year and a half ago, was of a nurse, (one of about half a dozen doctors and nurses who were still running tests, and prepping me for a quick trip to the OR), who kept coughing and sneezing on me while she was redoing some of my IV lines, and changing plasma bags.
What goes through our minds in a situation like that can be funny, sometimes, but until she finished, (which seemed to take an eternity), and left, all I could think of was - hell, even if I survive the surgery, whatever I catch from her will probably kill me before I can recover, because I was rapidly losing my resistance due to loss of blood.
I was glad that I had been taking plenty of vitamin D.
I'll bet that Polly is one of very few physicians who don't get the jab, and as a pediatrician, her risk level has to be extremely high. Besides obviously having nerves of steel, IMO, her ability to successfully pull that off, is pretty solid evidence of the power of vitamin D.
Tex
One of my worst memories from the emergency abdominal surgery that I had a little over a year and a half ago, was of a nurse, (one of about half a dozen doctors and nurses who were still running tests, and prepping me for a quick trip to the OR), who kept coughing and sneezing on me while she was redoing some of my IV lines, and changing plasma bags.
What goes through our minds in a situation like that can be funny, sometimes, but until she finished, (which seemed to take an eternity), and left, all I could think of was - hell, even if I survive the surgery, whatever I catch from her will probably kill me before I can recover, because I was rapidly losing my resistance due to loss of blood.
I was glad that I had been taking plenty of vitamin D. I'll bet that Polly is one of very few physicians who don't get the jab, and as a pediatrician, her risk level has to be extremely high. Besides obviously having nerves of steel, IMO, her ability to successfully pull that off, is pretty solid evidence of the power of vitamin D.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Cynthia,
You're still young enough for vaccines to be reasonably effective for you, but by the time we get up into those "golden years", our immune systems have become pretty well "set in their ways", and they typically don't show much of a response to most vaccines.
Tex
You're still young enough for vaccines to be reasonably effective for you, but by the time we get up into those "golden years", our immune systems have become pretty well "set in their ways",
and they typically don't show much of a response to most vaccines.Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
I've only had one flu shot many, many years ago and got very sick. Seems like I remember being asked if I had an "egg issue", or was that with the pneumonia shot???, and if memory serves, that could have been the reason; however, since that time, I've never again gotten that shot.
I've never had the flu or even a cold in a very long time. So, Tex, I think you are right. It doesn't seem to have an effect in the "senior years."
I can say that my husband gets a flu shot every year and he gets very bad colds (don't know if it's flu or not) usually twice a year.
Totally agree about Vitamin D.
garina
I've never had the flu or even a cold in a very long time. So, Tex, I think you are right. It doesn't seem to have an effect in the "senior years."
I can say that my husband gets a flu shot every year and he gets very bad colds (don't know if it's flu or not) usually twice a year.
Totally agree about Vitamin D.
garina
My rheumatologist advised me to avoid all shots for the rest of my life because of my risk for autoimmune disease. I wasn't planning to get any, but her seriousness about it was very convincing too. She believes I have an overactive immune system, and any immune stimulant (including viruses, even echinacea!) can trigger something serious.
My husband has mild asthma and seasonal allergies and dutifully gets his flu shot every year. He is a miserable mate all winter and spring because he always ends up with countless man colds and other maladies (me? nothing). Autommunity and gluten intolerance run in his family, but he simply will not contemplate following my diet, no matter how miserable he gets.
But he does take Vit D! I'd better start prepping for my home nurse job...I think he gets the flu jab next week. 
My husband has mild asthma and seasonal allergies and dutifully gets his flu shot every year. He is a miserable mate all winter and spring because he always ends up with countless man colds and other maladies (me? nothing). Autommunity and gluten intolerance run in his family, but he simply will not contemplate following my diet, no matter how miserable he gets.
But he does take Vit D! I'd better start prepping for my home nurse job...I think he gets the flu jab next week. 
LOL at Tex' comment!
He is correct. I do not get a flu shot and DO supplement vitamin D year round. This is because of my past experience with having a miserable reaction to a dT booster - which occurred about 6 mo. before my MC was diagnosed 10 years ago. I have only had the flu one time since that happened, and it was before I began supplementing with D. It's not a fun illness - I recall being in bed with a splitting headache, fever, and zero energy, and I did nothing but sleep for a week. I felt like I had been run over by a Mack truck. Everyone must weigh the pros and cons and make an individual decision.
BTW, just for the record, the virus used in the annual flu shot is a KILLED virus. So it cannot give you a mild case of the flu. However, for those with hyperactive immune systems, it can cause fever, aches/pains/hives, etc., which may feel like the flu.
Love,
Polly
He is correct. I do not get a flu shot and DO supplement vitamin D year round. This is because of my past experience with having a miserable reaction to a dT booster - which occurred about 6 mo. before my MC was diagnosed 10 years ago. I have only had the flu one time since that happened, and it was before I began supplementing with D. It's not a fun illness - I recall being in bed with a splitting headache, fever, and zero energy, and I did nothing but sleep for a week. I felt like I had been run over by a Mack truck. Everyone must weigh the pros and cons and make an individual decision.
BTW, just for the record, the virus used in the annual flu shot is a KILLED virus. So it cannot give you a mild case of the flu. However, for those with hyperactive immune systems, it can cause fever, aches/pains/hives, etc., which may feel like the flu.
Love,
Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.