Flu Shots

[Back]

Right, I never get the damn things and yeah I get sick maybe once a year for a day or two, but its not enough to have me the least bit concerned over getting a flu shot.

So there is a shortage and I’m hearing some crazy doom and gloom stuff like old people waiting in line 8 hours, from 4:30 in the morning until noon, just to get into a lottery for a shot!

Then here come the sound bites on TV. They make it sound like the hospitals will be over run with patients, hundreds of thousands of people dying... its freaking hysteria. Last year we were supposed to have some crazy new strain of flu that was going to wipe out a bunch of people and what happened? Nothing.

Whats going on here? Is the media taking it too far? The doctors? The people? Its enough for Bush to go running to Canada, but that dosen’t suprise me as his whole term has been about fear and bandaids.

I’m not in the medical profession so maybe the severity of it is lost on me. In fact, its all a little bizzare.

[HarmNone]

I'm not getting a flu shot, even though I am exposed more than many. I rarely get sick, so to use up a shot on me seems pretty senseless.

The biggest danger, if an epidemic breaks out, is to the very young, the elderly, and those whose respiratory systems are comprimised in some way (like those with asthma). If the average person will just use some caution, most of us will be just fine, in my opinion.

[The Cat In The Hat]

Flue shots are a good thing, however they're only important for the more succeptable (ie: small children, the elderly and those with immune system problems).

I never get them, but I get them yearly for my daughter, and yes, the doctors office runs out every time, so I can see that there's a shortage every year. (and every year, I get sick for a few days, she doesn't... so 3 days of my life are spent chasing my nose, and her)

The medical profession and the media do hype the flu a bit much, but what do you expect? They hype anything that will bring them money and viewers. The problem there is that people believe what they see on TV and don't take it with a grain of salt and do their own research.

I used to work for a local office, as a receptionist for 6 doctors. They don't call their doctor and say "Hey, how about this Flu... should I get a flue shot?" They call and say "I'm going to die! I want a flue shot!" And from what I remember, if you ask for one they can not turn you down, so you have healthy 16-50 year olds who would have no problem fending off a few days of the flu, getting the shots that should go to the young, the sick and the elderly, thus, leaving them short (because there's always a shortage, they simply can't or don't produce enough to go around)

I believe last year, if I recall what my daughters doctor said right, they limited flue shots to the sick, young and elderly because of an extreme shortage.

[Betheny]

I'd say the biggest reason for the flu shot shortage is because of ineffective manufacturing methods. Also, a flu shot is never 100% guaranteed to work -- because the 'flu shot' is only for the predominant strain of the virus. It changes every year, one strain, two strains -- but it does not mean there are not more strains going around. So they manufacture several strains, but only distribute the kind they expect to be the 'worst'. I'm not sure if this makes any sense at all, but I'm trying to work and type this at the same time, so... I don't think I did so bad!!

[Latrinsorm]

I just got the flu. :(

However, I agree that the way folks are talking about flu shots makes me a bit uncomfortable.

[Hulkein]

Dude, Bush wasn't using fear with the flu shot at all, didn't you see him talk about it last night?

I've gotten it once I think, haven't gotten it in a few years.

[The Cat In The Hat]

My daughter's the only one I know that gets one.


Yay! 1,000 posts!

[Miss X]

There is a big shortage of the vaccine here at the moment because a factory was shut down due to contamination. I'm supposed to have the shot because of my asthma but I've been to every pharmacy in the area and no one has it :(

I really hope I don't get sick because I can't afford to take any time off from uni, I know the shot itself can make you a bit sick though so I'm debating risking not having it.

I think the shortage will be a big deal for the elderly since a lot of old people die every winter because of flu, I'm glad my grandparents have managed to have theirs!

[xtc]

The flu shot is free in Ontario and each provincial government encourages citizens to get it. The economic cost of days lost to the flu is a motivating factor for this I think. We had SARS here last and despite the alarmist news reports in the US it affected a very very very few people in Toronto.

I am undecided on the flu shot, a small % of people have negative effectives from it, although some can be quite severe. The up side reduced chance of catching the flu by allowing the body to create anti-bodies after being exposed to a small dose of a passive strain.

[Edited on 10-14-2004 by xtc]

I'm definatly getting it. My mother works for the state and I will pretty much have a sure fire deal at it. Yay 4 me.

- Arkans

[Back]

Originally posted by Arkans
I'm definatly getting it. My mother works for the state and I will pretty much have a sure fire deal at it. Yay 4 me.

- Arkans

Either you are a wimp, a selfish bastard, or both.

Cry me a fucking river.

- Arkans

[Vesi]

I didn't get the shot about five years ago and my daughter and I got really sick. She was sick for a week... I was sick for over three weeks (all of it vacation time... wheee). I've gotten it every year since and so has she. She could probably skip it this year (she's 18) and I might can skip it. I have a small immune problem (forgot the name but I don't know if it's major enough for the shot) so I'm going to ask my doctor and even though you can look at me funny and I can catch something, if they say I don't need it then I won't get it. I sure hope I don't get the flu. For me it has never been a few days thing. <sigh>

Vesi

I'm not in a "risk" group, but I surely can't afford the time off work because when I get sick, I get SICK. I'm definatly getting stuck.

- Arkans

[Ravenstorm]

I've never had a flu shot. Some years I get sick, some years I don't. I was thinking last year about getting one because of all the predictions of what a horrible flu season it was going to be. The media kept shouting the sky was falling and then, as it turns out, it was not at all a horrible flu season. In fact, it was one of the easier ones I'd heard of.

My Mom will be getting it as she's at risk being elderly. Likewise, my nephew will be getting it since he's at risk being a toddler. Me? Even if I get sick, the odds of my dying or even requiring hospitalizaton are minimal. I'm probably healthier now than I have been in the last twenty five years. I'd rather get sick than use up a shot that would go to someone at risk of death.

Raven

[Snapp]

Originally posted by Arkans
I'm not in a "risk" group, but I surely can't afford the time off work because when I get sick, I get SICK. I'm definatly getting stuck.

- Arkans

And when you hear of an elderly person dying of the flu near you, you can rest assured that you won't get sick. :rolleyes:

I've never had the flu shot, don't really see a need for it at my age. I rarely, if ever, get sick. You'd think I would, working in a drug store and all.

Right, my flu shot is going to kill someone. Ooookay.

- Arkans

[Latrinsorm]

You honestly don't understand the concept of finite resources, Arkans?

I completely do. I also understand the concept of my shot will not cause a person to die. If we have enough to give every state worker a shot, we have enough for the "high risk" group of people.

- Arkans

[Hulkein]

That's not true Arkans.

No one is saying it's illegal or terrible for you to take it, it's just soft.

[Edited on 10-15-2004 by Hulkein]

See, when I get the flue, I get it for at least a week. That thing paralyzes me. I cannot afford one week off work. It throws my budget, my money, my bills, and all my other obligations completely off. In other words, one missed week of work equals a giant cluster fuck for me. It's a headache that I do not need. I'm lucky enough to be able to budget my money to the penny, but unfortunately, that disallows a missed paycheck. I'd hardly call financial security "soft".

- Arkans

[HarmNone]

I can understand your concern, Arkans. A week of work lost can really cause some problems when one lives paycheck-to-paycheck. However, I think the problems that can result from someone with significant risk factors getting the flu probably outweigh yours. I know for a fact they outweigh mine.

I'm sure it does and I feel for them and it really is bad, but once again, I need to put the selfish side out there. My problems are my problems and their problems are theirs. It's a cold hard world out there. I expect no one to give me a break when it means choosing between easier times and harder times and I will do the same.

- Arkans

[Vesi]

Originally posted by Arkans
I'm sure it does and I feel for them and it really is bad, but once again, I need to put the selfish side out there. My problems are my problems and their problems are theirs. It's a cold hard world out there. I expect no one to give me a break when it means choosing between easier times and harder times and I will do the same.

- Arkans

Reminds me of a 'Twilight Zone' episode except the commodity was water.

You just don't get it do you?

Vesi

[Back]

Well, think about it. He is trying to stay healthy... nothing wrong with that. Propogating the species and all that. Only problem is, he’ll kick grandma out of the way to do it. Diabolical. While I admire the perseverance, why would a man need to do that in the first place?

[Keller]

Arkans is a typical mefirstasshole.

He thinks society was put in place to make his life easiest.

He has no conception of reality.





He is the reason babies die.

[Vesi]

Originally posted by Backlash
Propogating the species and all that.

Thanks. Now I'm going to have nightmares. :spaz:

I don't hide the fact that I am an ass as far as this matter is concerned. I'll be completely honest, I really don't care about some 80 year old person that I never met. It's a tough break for them, sure, but something that anyone should really lose sleep over? I don't think so. Not like they did anything to help me.

- Arkans

[Myshel]

I have never gotten a flu shot and don't plan on it now. I got pneumonia once and my doctor recommended a pneumonia shot every 5 years. Since then I rarely get sick. I don't know if it has anything to do with it, but I do know before I started to get the shots I caught a lot of colds, that lead to bronchitis and ultimately the above mentioned pneumonia. Now I may get the sniffles but haven't been really sick with any kind of respiratory illness that lasted longer than a week.

[Jazuela]

I've never had a flu shot. I've had the flu a few times, when I was a kid. It sucked, but it didn't seem deadly to me. Just a whole lotta all-over achy muscle pain, puking, and cold sweats for a couple of days.

I haven't really kept up with all the medical info about the flu - I know there's a kajillion different strains of it, and that's about the extent of my knowledge of it.

But if it's just more of the same as what I experienced when I was a kid, and maybe more severe, then I'll stick with the tried and true methods of treatment:

1) drink water as often as your stomach will allow you to keep it in.

2) eat saltines

3) drink ginger ale

4) eat chicken soup

5) take tylenol for the fever

6) alcohol rubs on the back and chest

7) keep a bucket near the bed so you don't have to try and hold it in while running to the bathroom when you need to puke.

8) wallow in your misery and let people pamper you until you feel better.

That's how mom handled it when I had the flu, and damnit that's how I'll handle it now that I have a husband to pamper me!

(Oh yeah and I'd do the same for hubby, except he never gets sick either)

[Betheny]

Influenza is an upper respiratory infection, not the general 'throwing up' most people think it is.

[Latrinsorm]

Originally posted by Jazuela
But if it's just more of the same as what I experienced when I was a kid, and maybe more severe, then I'll stick with the tried and true methods of treatment:9) Sleep for at least 15 hours a day. Works like a charm!

[Vesi]

Originally posted by Maimara
Influenza is an upper respiratory infection, not the general 'throwing up' most people think it is.

Yeah, I wish it were the throwing up kind. I have tons of Phenergan here I could take and just knock myself out.

I wish I had someone to babysit me when I'm sick. When my husband and I were together, best I got was someone to go to the store. Least my daughter can do that much.

Vesi

P. S. I've sneezed five times while reading this thread today. It's a conspiracy I tell you!

[Vesi]

Originally posted by Arkans
I don't hide the fact that I am an ass as far as this matter is concerned. I'll be completely honest, I really don't care about some 80 year old person that I never met. It's a tough break for them, sure, but something that anyone should really lose sleep over? I don't think so. Not like they did anything to help me.

- Arkans

:rolleyes:

[DeV]

No shot for me as I haven't had one in years. Lots of vitamin C and sleep if I get sick.

[Chelle]

OMG! Arkans got a flu shot. Lets crucify him now omg omg omg. Alert the media.

Let it go, already. Calm down.

Yes, lets flame someone needlessly because how can we survive a topic without flaming someone?! :rolleyes:

Me. I won't be getting the flu shot. I've never gotten a flu shot in my life and I only get the flu *maybe* once every other year. Since I have a toddler she will get a flu shot. But for me I don't think its necessary.

There are ways to avoid getting the flu, one by washing your hands and not touching your face. If you can help it. :)Drink plenty of good fluids, take vitamin C. Something I've always done. Carry around that waterless soap stuff etc. Mainly just take care of yourself.

[Vesi]

If the flaming remark was directed towards me 1) Check most of my posts... I normally don't flame and I don't think this was flaming either and 2) My roll eyes thing was more about the fact that he says why do anything for someone you've never met... they've never done anything for him.:rolleyes:

Let him be an asshole if you/he wants. He admitted he was. I have just as much of a right to reply to a post and agree that he is indeed an ass. <smile>

Vesi

Edited to fix a stray i.

[Edited on 10-15-2004 by Vesi]

[Ravenstorm]

Common sense rears its ugly head. I approve. (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6256756/)


...“But there are people who are unsure and there are consumers who are not necessarily being as civic-minded as we would like..."

Though the penalties fall upon the doctors and nurses and not the... less than civic minded as well.

Raven

[Nieninque]

Originally posted by Arkans
I don't hide the fact that I am an ass as far as this matter is concerned. I'll be completely honest, I really don't care about some 80 year old person that I never met. It's a tough break for them, sure, but something that anyone should really lose sleep over? I don't think so. Not like they did anything to help me.

- Arkans

You wanker...that 80 yr old fought in the war so that you would have the right to be the obnoxious cunt that you are

[TheRoseLady]

Originally posted by Chelle
OMG! Arkans got a flu shot. Lets crucify him now omg omg omg. Alert the media.

Let it go, already. Calm down.

Yes, lets flame someone needlessly because how can we survive a topic without flaming someone?! :rolleyes:

Me. I won't be getting the flu shot. I've never gotten a flu shot in my life and I only get the flu *maybe* once every other year. Since I have a toddler she will get a flu shot. But for me I don't think its necessary.



Do you honestly ever look at anything beyond its surface?

What if there is no shot for your toddler? What if there are thousands of Arkans who get the shot that would go to your child, your elderly grandmother?

I am absolutely not in any way surprised that he would get a shot before someone that truly needs it and has no issue stating such. You only have to stick around and read his posts to see that he is being true to his normal self.

It is a shame that for all your worldly travels that you never learned humility, Arkans.

*Edited to correct an errant apostrophe

[Edited on 10-15-2004 by TheRoseLady]

[TheRoseLady]

Originally posted by Ravenstorm
Common sense rears its ugly head. I approve. (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6256756/)


...“But there are people who are unsure and there are consumers who are not necessarily being as civic-minded as we would like..."

Though the penalties fall upon the doctors and nurses and not the... less than civic minded as well.

Raven

LOL, amazing that one of the three states so far is Massachusetts.


"Thinking of trying to wheedle a flu shot from your doctor even though you’re not at high-risk for flu complications?"

"Forget about it in Michigan. Or Washington, D.C. Or Massachusetts."

Someone might have to make a little trip to Canada for that vaccination - ask Bush maybe he can line one up from the safe stockpiles. :lol:

[Chelle]

What if, what if, what if. If you lived your life asking what if all the time about things that have not, and or probably wont happen, you would have a miserable life.

Arkans stated that he "needed" the shot because when he gets the flu, it hits him hard. Not only does it hit him hard healthwise but he cannot afford to miss work. Yes I look beyond the surface, and I don't judge another person who gets the shot if they need it. Apparently he needs it. Let it go.

[Latrinsorm]

Originally posted by Chelle
Apparently he needs it. Let it go. Whereas I'd say he can afford to miss work for a week and struggle to make ends meet a lot more than an infant can afford dying.

Hell, by your logic, I could take a .45 and just start shooting at random buildings. There might not be people inside, after all.

[Ravenstorm]

There's no 'what if' involved. If a healthy young guy gets a dose of the vaccine, that's someone in a high risk group who does not. Plain and simple. That's why those states mentioned (and hopefully more as time goes on) are making it illegal to vaccinate people not in the high risk groups.

And you know what? The flu hits most everyone hard. It keeps most everyone out of work. And most everyone needs money. But most everyone isn't at a greatly increased risk of dying from it.

Raven

[Chelle]

Originally posted by Ravenstorm
There's no 'what if' involved. If a healthy young guy gets a dose of the vaccine, that's someone in a high risk group who does not. Plain and simple. That's why those states mentioned (and hopefully more as time goes on) are making it illegal to vaccinate people not in the high risk groups.

And you know what? The flu hits most everyone hard. It keeps most everyone out of work. And most everyone needs money. But most everyone isn't at a greatly increased risk of dying from it.

Raven

I agree 100%, so until you can tell us Arkans entire health history, then you can jump on your soap box and judge to your hearts content. What if he has cancer or some other underlying health issue he doesn't want people to know about? What if he has an unusually weak immune system? What if thats the reason the flu hits him so hard? What if he gets it again and developes pnumonia and dies, because some rude person on a message board made him feel guilty and he decided NOT to get the shot? We don't know that do we? We don't know every health issue of people on here do we? That's why I don't think its right to attack someone until we know.

That's all and thats my last comment on the dead horse issue.
:smilegrin:

[Ravenstorm]

Originally posted by Chelle
What if... What if... What if...

I thought you didn't want to play the what if game?

Here's an idea... Go read his posts. He admits he's "an ass as far as this matter is concerned". No mention of any health problem anywhere. He just doesn't want to get sick and doesn't care if some 80 year old does. His exact words.

Raven

I may be an ass, sure, but the fact is, I cannot afford to miss work. It will completely screw me over financially. I'm sorry the 80 year-old guy won't get it. Oh and every 80 year old guy fought in wars, right?

- Arkans

[Ilvane]

That's okay, if they give it to you and you aren't in the high risk factor groups..and say you are living in MA, and the state finds out they'll get a major fine and/or jail time if they do it more often.

Arkans, why don't you just get the flumist instead of the shot? It's more available, and it's perfect for people like you.

I actually have a lot of patients that are having major flu issues already, and I hope that you would consider not getting the shot, and getting the mist instead.

-A

Flumist is what?

- Arkans

[Chadj]

I get the flu shot. Free, courtesy of Canada.

[Latrinsorm]

Originally posted by Arkans
I may be an ass, sure, but the fact is, I cannot afford to miss work. It will completely screw me over financially. I'm sorry the 80 year-old guy won't get it. Oh and every 80 year old guy fought in wars, right?The fact is, you'll still be alive. Therefore, it will be possible for you to make ends meet, however uncomfortable you may have to be.

[Snapp]

Originally posted by Arkans
Flumist is what?

- Arkans

http://www.flumist.com

It's basically a nasal flu vaccine.

[Nieninque]

Nasal flu?
sounds uncomfortable

[HarmNone]

As I understand it, it's a medication that's sprayed in one's nostrils. It's supposed to suppress the flu or, at least, lessen the symptoms.

[Ravenstorm]

Very good suggestion. For some reason, those in the high risk groups can't be given it so it doesn't take a vaccine away from those who need it. I believe it costs a little more than the shot but provides the same benefit.

Raven

Why doesn't it work on high risk people?

- Arkans

[Ravenstorm]

FDA Q&A (http://www.fda.gov/cber/flu/flumistqa.htm)

It works on them but isn't recommended for use by them. The ideal group is those from 5-49 years old. Under 5 can have an increased chance of an asthmatic reaction and the over 49 group just hasn't had enough testing on them.

Raven