Flu shot - no flu shot - effects on MC condition??

[capenancy]

I'm torn between getting the flu shot or risking getting the flu.

I have never gotten a flu shot - and have not had a serious bout of the flu virus.

Since I have been dealing with MC symptoms for the past year, I am nervous about how the flu could really throw my system off again.

However, vaccines in general make me a little nervous - plus with my sensitivities to various "safe" elements - I worry that I might have a reaction to the vaccine itself or that it might lower my immune system - thereby bringing on full MC symptoms.

So my dilemma is - do I not get the vaccine and be ever vigilant to keep my immune system strong and wash my hands, etc.... Or do I get the vaccine and risk the side effects?

Any thoughts?

[angy]

i decided to get mine, i thought i should considering my employer has given us all the clinics to go to...as community mental health workers there are seperate clinics especially for us (outwith the gp surgeries). Due to the client groups we work with, we are classed as high risk........I had a a bit of a dodgy gut for a couple of days but other than that i was fine...

[tex]

If you'd rather not take the vaccine, making sure that you're getting plenty of vitamin D3 is one of the best defenses available. If you feel that you are catching the H1N1 virus, you can take Tamiflu, to prevent it from fully developing, provided that you start taking the drug within 2 days of the appearance of the first symptoms. Or, you can do the same thing, by taking roughly 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day, per pound of body weight, for 3 days, (but you also have to begin treatment within 2 days of the onset of symptoms). IOW, if someone weighs about 150 pounds, they would need to take approximately 150,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day, for 3 days, in order to stop the virus from developing. Note that this is a theraputic dose of D3, and not a supplemental dose, so it shouldn't be taken at this level for more than 3 days. These are Dr. Cannell's recommendations, (founder of the Vitamin D Council), not mine.

Tex

[angy]

If i experience flu symtoms.....Im trying to work out the amount of vit d i would need to increase for this in relation to my 9 stone weight lol!!! ... Seems a lot by the pound.i need a calculater to work it out lol!!! .if you picked me up and shook me i would rattle like a tube of smarties lol!!!

[tex]

Angy,

There are 14 pounds per stone, so you would need to take 14,000 IU of vitamin D3, times your weight in stones, to figure out the total IU of vitamin D3 to take per day, in order to "treat" the flu.

IOW, if you weigh 9 stones, then you would need to take approximately 126,000 IU of vitamin D, per day, for 3 days.

Or, looking at it another way, you weigh 126 pounds, so at 1,000 IU per pound, per day, you would need to take 126,000 IU, per day, for 3 days.

If you want to take a regular, daily, supplemental dose of vitamin D3, (during the winter, for example), to make sure that your 25(OH)D level is high enough to stay in the healthy range, then you would need to take something in the range of 2,000 to 5,000 IU per day, depending on your current level.

Tex

[angy]

tex,

thanks for calculating that for me ...i have been adding up all my supplements to check that im not over doing it lol!!! i was getting a bit confused about the high levels in vit d3. You made that easy for me i appreciate it...lets hope capenancy does the same

[Rosie]

I got the seasonal flu shot about a month ago, and had no symptoms whatsoever......not even a sore arm. My husband had a pretty sore arm and shoulder for several days, so we are all different. I've had numerous flu shots in the past with no issues, so felt confident about doing it again this year. But I totally understand the nervousness you feel, capenancy. I am doing pretty good with my MC symptoms with diet, and thus don't feel the nervousness you do about upsetting your system. The H1N1 flu is reported to be associated with more GI symptoms than other garden variety seasonal flues that are mostly respiratory, so that might factor into the equation.

A research team has discovered new mutations in the H1N1 virus that allow it to flourish in the small intestine, which is something that “normal” influenza cannot do. Researchers believe this is why the H1N1 virus can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Seasonal influenza typically causes respiratory symptoms without the gastrointestinal symptoms seen in the H1N1 virus.

In Oregon, the H1N1 vaccine is in short supply right now, and the local schools are starting to report a big upswing in sick kids. The University that my husband teaches at is also reporting a lot of cases. So we are SOL because even if we could get vaccinated, it takes at least 10 days after a shot for the immunity to build up. But we are both currently taking about 5000 U of Vit D3, and thinking about trying the theurapeutic dose per Dr. Cannell (thanks Tex for making it simple to calculate) if we feel that we are starting to come down with something.

[Dee]

Question...

Do you also have to take calcium at the same time as the Vitamin D3 for it to be effective, or can you take the Vitamin D3 alone????
I need my calcium, but boy do I have a upper GI problem when I try to take 2 calcium at the same time.
Need to figure out how to divide the calcium up during the day.
I take Citracal and the recommended dosage is 2 - 2 x a day....

Love
Dee~

[tex]

Dee,

It's my understanding that adequate amounts of vitamin D are necessary, in order for calcium to be properly utilized, but as far as I'm aware, vitamin D3 does not require extra calcium, in order to build up the 25(OH)D levels in the blood, and to boost the immune system, etc. IOW, calcium needs vitamin D, but vitamin D does not need calcium.

Love,
Tex

[Rosie]

From what I've read recently, you probably won't have a choice about getting the swine flu shot, because it is very hard to get. It's short supply because it grows much more slowly in eggs than other types of flu virus and so it's taking much longer to produce. And at least around here, the clinics have been very selective in giving it to just the highest risk people. Right now it isn't available at all until another shipment is expected in a month. Also, the regular flu vaccine is in short supply too because there is limitied capacity to make flu vaccines, and the swine flu vaccine is competing for limited equipment, etc. Also, I read a prediction that based on how the swine flue has been spreading so early, by the end of the year about 65% of the population will have contracted swine flu and the wave will pretty much be over. Here in Eugene, OR the swine flu really picked up in September and October as students, including University students returned to school. I just read that the University outbreak seems to be subsiding. Most schools have been reporting that swind flu outbreaks typically start about 2 weeks after school opens and then peaks in the next month. So far me and DH have escaped. We really ramped up our Vit D intake per Tex's suggestion, and we are also in the 60+ age range that is supposed to be less susceptable.

Based on the difficulties in provinding swine flu vaccine, it doesn't give a lot of faith in what will happen if, no when, a real nasty, dangerous flu bug pops up.

Rosie

[tex]

Based on the difficulties in provinding swine flu vaccine, it doesn't give a lot of faith in what will happen if, no when, a real nasty, dangerous flu bug pops up.

That's for sure. The government is good at telling us what we want to hear, but they rarely deliver, when the chips are down. It's kind of funny, (in a sad sort of way), how they will spend millions of dollars, (maybe billions, for all I know), hyping the vaccines, and trying to convince everyone to get the shots, as soon as they can, and then - Surprise! Surprise! - there aren't enough available to talk about. I'm sure they'll have plenty by next spring or summer.

I wonder if any Tamiflu is still available? Probably not.

Tex