HappyGrace Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 I NEVER thought I would be considering the flu vaccine, but they are saying this yr it is a good match to the strains out there, and I'm concerned that it may be a tough flu year with the way it is starting early and so on. (We did do the basic vaccinations when the dc were smaller, but spread them out.) I am trying to remember what the negatives of the flu vaccine are? Is there still the stuff in the vaccines that could cause autism (thimerserol? This alone would make me NOT get the flu vaccines because we now believe that my older stepson prbly got his autism from vaccinations-I know this is controversial, etc.-don't want to argue that, but I do think there is a connection.) My kids are 12 and 9, no other big health problems except one of them has a slightly reduced immune function due to an illness a couple yrs ago. It's weird-I never even thought about this before, was so far out of the realm of consideration, but for some reason this yr I am wondering if we should do it. I really don't want us to get the flu, particularly if it's a bad year for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 :bigear: We were just talking about this at dinner. I'm not particularly interested for myself...but I have one child with moderate to severe asthma. I would like to know if this particular strain is hitting the respitory system hard like it did a few years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 The biggest, IMHO, is that you still may get the flu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 I asked this question a couple of months ago--you might be able to find that thread if you link it with my name or username. If I weren't on the stupid Mac, I would find and link it for you. I know two people who have confirmed cases of the flu here in Atlanta, and both got the flu shot. As for respiratory issues, please Google "N-acetyl-cysteine." I give it to my kids when they have the flu or anything that threatens to turn bronchitis-y, and I swear that it works. My then 10 year old was diagnosed with H1N1 two years ago right before her state swim meet, and I loaded her up with NAC, Tamiflu and everything else anyone recommended. In her 500 free on the first day of the meet, I was kneeling at the end of the lane with the lap counter, and her arch rival's mom was kneeling right next to me yelling, loudly, to her daughter, "Catch her! Catch her!" Meaning for her to catch my daughter. I wanted to smack her and say, "S has the flu, and your daughter still can't catch her." My daughter came in 2nd in the 500 free (easily beating Arch Rival) and won 2 events the rest of the weekend, so that is a long and meandering way to say that I have been a firm believer in NAC ever since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissad2 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 We get the vaccine and my 3yo just tested positive for the flu...ymmv :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 As for respiratory issues, please Google "N-acetyl-cysteine." I give it to my kids when they have the flu or anything that threatens to turn bronchitis-y, and I swear that it works. I'm not familiar with NAC. Could you tell me more about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 We don't do the shot either even though dd is allergic to tamiflu. It seems that we always get the strain not covered and get sicker :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.Balaban Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Negative: You may still get the flu. Other negatives depend on which form the vaccine is in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 I've always said "Why bother?" as we're all healthy and pretty tough, but oh my word, we were sick this past winter! I spent two full days in bed - the last time I did that was 5 years ago. We're in Australia, so we've finished with winter - if you get the same lot of viruses as we had, I'd consider the vaccine. Dh got the flu shot free at work, and he was the only one of us who did not get ill. Fair enough, he spends less time with the kids, but I am still going to be first in line for next year's flu shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 I've always said "Why bother?" as we're all healthy and pretty tough, but oh my word, we were sick this past winter! I spent two full days in bed - the last time I did that was 5 years ago. We're in Australia, so we've finished with winter - if you get the same lot of viruses as we had, I'd consider the vaccine. Dh got the flu shot free at work, and he was the only one of us who did not get ill. Fair enough, he spends less time with the kids, but I am still going to be first in line for next year's flu shot. Yes. Years ago all of us got the flu at the same time. It was a bad flu year, and it was an absolutely horrible experience. I never will forget being so ill myself I could barely function and standing in the over-flowing pediatrician's office for well over an hour waiting for youngest DS to be seen. I vowed that would never happen again if I could prevent it. So DH, oldest DS and I get vaccinated every year. Sometimes I do let youngest DS skip it -- he's my needle phobic homeschooled introvert, so if the rest of us don't bring it home I figure his risk is minimal. I'm hearing that "they" are saying that the flu vaccine appears to be very effective so far. Oldest DS just got his flu shot yesterday at Walgreen's, and the pharmacist was profusely thanking people for coming to get vaccinated. She told us they'd been filling unbelievable numbers of prescriptions for Tamiflu. Now I'm just crossing my fingers that DS doesn't come down with it before the two weeks it takes to build immunity. There's also a really bad viral thing going around here which some people are mistaking for the flu, but those who've been tested have been told it's not. None of us have ever been bothered by the flu shot (no more than a sore arm for a few hours to a day), and none of us have ever gotten the flu in years we've gotten it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delaney Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Well I have 2 with egg allergies and they can't get the shot so I don't bother with any of the rest of us. We never get it and have never gotten the flu but my kids are unusually healthy. The only one who has lung issues at all can't get it. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amo_mea_filiis. Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Those with egg allergies can try and get it. The amount of egg in the shot changes every year. The allergist can test and give it in broken doses if the person is extremely reactive. We get the flu shot. Both of mine have asthma and the flu would be very bad for them. As a single parent, i also get it because i have to do everything in my power to stay healthy. My ds got the flu 3 or 4 winters ago and it was terrible. He was sick for 3 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 A few years ago we all got it and still got the flu. It was the sickest I have ever been in my life. This year none of us got the vaccine and my oldest got the flu. I took her to the doctor immediately and she was put on tamiflu. She never got severely ill and was back to normal within 36 hours. As long as you catch it early that stuff is amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 We haven't gotten the shot since we started homeschooling and none of us have been sick. We aren't high risk, we stay home when we don't feel we'll, etc. I just don't feel like it's worth adding another shot every year. My kids are vaccinated otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Oh, and I'd encourage you to do your homework on the whole immunization-autism link. I'm not going to get into it here, but a simple google search should put your fears at rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted December 6, 2012 Author Share Posted December 6, 2012 Hmmm...I am weighing all this, and thank you to everyone for the responses! At this point I am leaning toward skipping it, since it is no guarantee to NOT get it, and doing Tamiflu if it hits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyinTN Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Since dh works in the medical field and we have a baby in the house we all got it. No one got sick or even felt bad. I'll take my chances with the vaccine as I had the flu a couple of years ago and honestly felt like I was going to die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 We get the shot every year because the flu would be dangerous for ds. Our whole family tends to skate through vaccinations with no problem, but this year the shot made me feel really weird. It was almost as if I could feel it traveling through my body. I especially felt it in my neck and chest. It took 3 days for the feeling to subside. I was totally weirded out by the experience, and it really made me wonder what they heck I had just shot into my body. No one else in the family had that reaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plateau Mama Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 I NEVER thought I would be considering the flu vaccine, but they are saying this yr it is a good match to the strains out there, and I'm concerned that it may be a tough flu year with the way it is starting early and so on. I'm hearing the opposite about the shot. Lots of people I know ad the shot and got sick. On the other hand the flu going around here is horrible. My daughter was out for a week with a 104 fever (didn't get shot). She as neve missed a week of school. Two of her teachers ended up in the urgent care or ER and they were both out for a week as well. :bigear: We were just talking about this at dinner. I'm not particularly interested for myself...but I have one child with moderate to severe asthma. I would like to know if this particular strain is hitting the respitory system hard like it did a few years ago. My daughter is asthmatic and normall gets hit hard. She didn't really have any respitory issues with this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 This CDC Flu Map might be of interest to some. As of today it hasn't been updated yet this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 There are two versions of the flu vax - the shot and the nasal spray. The contraindications are different for each one. Also, one is a live virus (FluMist) and the other is not. The possible side effects of Tamiflu seem worse to me than the flu vax, so it's worth taking that into consideration. (That said, in our experience Tamiflu, when taken promptly, does seem to minimize the length and severity of flu.) Here, we have not had flu in years when we had the flu vax, and when we have had it, it was miserable, at points scary, and the cough and weakness lingered for weeks. I couldn't get to the CDC site, so I don't know about the ingredients of the vax. (OP, please make sure you have read the original research that initiated the thermisol/autism link concerns, and the more recent info regarding/refuting that study in particular. The researcher, basically, was not honest and did not use appropriate scientific methods/ethics; this info may or may not influence your concerns, of course, but I want to be sure you are aware of the issue.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 All three of us had the flu some years back. It was awful and dh and I decided never again. We've been getting the vaccine ever since, and have not been sick. Ds used to get the nasal spray because he hates shots, but this year for the first time he got the shot. I'm hearing that they hit it pretty accurately this year, and that this year's two most common strains are prevented by the vaccine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 According to the CDC website, the 2012-2013 multi-dose vials of flu vaccine contain thimerosal. The single dose vials do not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRG Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 All it took was one year for all of us to get flu. It was the most miserable experience and I hope we never go through it again. We get the shot now. We are in TX and there have already been confirmed cases(the pediatrician and my dr. both told us) of flu in our town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celticmom Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 According to the CDC website, the 2012-2013 multi-dose vials of flu vaccine contain thimerosal. The single dose vials do not. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted December 7, 2012 Author Share Posted December 7, 2012 I have upped our Vitamin D and C. Still trying to decide... I know the flu is the WORST when you get it. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venia Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 We do not normally get them. If we chose to, I would aim to get them at the very start of the season, not during full throttle. Here is why... A period of immunosuppression has been witnessed after the administration of some vaccines. That means a few days or weeks after a vaccination you can actually be more susceptible to getting sick than normal. Combine that fact with a high level exposure to viruses in a hospital office, or pharmacy, and just plain every-day life with kids and you justifiably have folks who really did get sick after vaccination (just not the strain administered). Once, the husband was tricked into one when he was hospitalized after a surgery. Not exactly the best decision that hospital could have made. During his visit, he picked up a nasty case of flu. :glare: Yeah, coughing and stitches go well together...not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKshanmar Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Good question! I was kind of wondering this too. This year, I am pretty sure, 3 of our household of 4 already had the flu, a couple weeks ago. Alaska is usually ahead of the rest of the states, and we show up as "widespread" on the flu map. Both my 14 yo, and my husband were severely sick, with temperatures, body aches, and lots of chest congestion and constriction, headaches and more. I was sick but not that sick. My husband, who is never wimpy sick, was literally crying in his sleep, and incapable of even getting himself a drink. My son sailed right through it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I am trying to remember what the negatives of the flu vaccine are? For me, the negative is the spin put on by the government. I don't need the vaccine, and neither does anyone else in my family. We've never had it; we've never gotten the flu. And if we did have the flu, I'm not counting on it being the strain that the vaccine is for. Their scare tactics have made them lose all credibility in my eyes. Reminds me of HSLDA. (Okay, so I'm feeling a bit sarcastic tonight. I know, I know, it's a great vaccine for some people--and I suppose HSLDA is great for some people too.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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