Flu shot now or later?

[ktgrok]

When I had H1N1 during the pandemic year, I found out how much worse the flu is!

 

I don't get vaccinated every year, but feel like the whole family has to when I'm pregnant or there's a baby/toddler in the house.  Homeschooling will make me even more reluctant, since the older kids won't be exposed to the classroom petri dish every day.

 

We actually had H1N1 that year, and it was really mild for us. I was even pregnant, and it wasn't a big deal. Not sure how or why, but we lucked out. 

[maize]

I had the flu two years ago while pregnant and it was the sickest I have ever been--flat on my back in bed unable to do anything.

 

I'd had the shot but the vaccine strains were a bad match for circulating strains that year.

[ktgrok]

I seem to develop super immunity when pregnant, for some odd reason. I was the least sick of anyone in the house. My allergies get better too. If it wasn't for the heartburn, nausea, and carrying around all that weight, pregnancy would be great for me, lol. 

[creekland]

I know I should get our family vaccinated by October, but every year I dread the shot and put it off... I always have a strong reaction or immune response or something, that puts me in bed with extreme fatigue, a fever, splitting headache and body aches from about 6 hours after the shot to a few days later.  I need to wait until an event-free weekend to get it, when dh can take care of everything while I lay around in my robe, miserable.

 

Just typing this makes me anxious about it coming up again!

 

Ok, a reaction like that would definitely tip the balance for me to not getting the shot - at least - as long as I continue never getting the flu anyway to compare.

 

I wonder if you're allergic to something in the shot?

 

I barely even feel the shot and there's certainly nothing afterward.  I feel lucky...

[G5052]

I'm going to do it today.

 

I had to call DD's pediatrician's nurse with a question about a prescription, and when the nurse called back, I asked. Yes, they're seeing some cases of flu already.

 

I'll probably have the teens go next, but we'll have to figure out a time. DD has a school deadline today, and DS is working.

Edited September 16, 2016 by G5052

[Tap]

We get them early.  To me, if you get it early you have protection early.  If the effectiveness wears off later, then you may be less protected later, but still have some level of protection.  And, not everyone's protection will wane, so it will most likely still be effective for a normal healthy person. Getting it early also helps immensely with heard immunity.

 

We all get the shot, but the one I worry most about is DD17 who has fairly severe asthma that is barely controlled when she is healthy.  If there was a very late season outbreak and I was concerned about her immunity, I would just pay for a second shot later in the season.  If the rest of us get the flu, it is uncomfortable but we would recover.  She could end up hospitalized. 

 

Get shot early=possible loss of effectiveness later (not usually a problem for healthy person)

Get shot late=have zero current vaccination protection until we get the shot, just for the off chance that it may wear off.  Not a good bet for me.

Edited September 16, 2016 by Tap

[ktgrok]

We get them early.  To me, if you get it early you have protection early.  If the effectiveness wears off later, then you may be less protected later, but still have some level of protection.  And, not everyone's protection will wane, so it will most likely still be effective for a normal healthy person. Getting it early also helps immensely with heard immunity.

 

We all get the shot, but the one I worry most about is DD17 who has fairly severe asthma that is barely controlled when she is healthy.  If there was a very late season outbreak and I was concerned about her immunity, I would just pay for a second shot later in the season.  If the rest of us get the flu, it is uncomfortable but we would recover.  She could end up hospitalized. 

 

Get shot early=possible loss of effectiveness later (not usually a problem for healthy person)

Get shot late=have zero current vaccination protection until we get the shot, just for the off chance that it may wear off.  Not a good bet for me.

 

I think that also depends a bit on where you live. Early is relative. Our flu season here seems to peak in Feb, not the fall. so early here might be october or november, where as in an area that sees a lot of cases in october, that would be late. 

[shawthorne44]

I used to fret about timing of the flu.   When I was an older kid, the family would go together to get the shot.   Then in early high school, I was busy with high school and my summer job at the Baseball park hadn't stopped, and being a teenager.  So, one year we just never got the family flu shot day scheduled.  Around Halloween, Mom got the flu.   It turned into other stuff.  She was bed-ridden for a month and sick for much longer than that.  She quit smoking then, so a happy ending.  

 

So, after that we always got the shot when it was first available.  Then I think it was my senior year or freshman of college, we all got the flu super late.   April I think.   It wouldn't have been so miserable except my grandparents were visiting for that week.  I remember walking the 20 feet from my bad to the living couch was really hard.  On the last day of their visit we were feeling a little better so we decided to go out to eat.   Sitting upright in the booth was serious exercise!   I remember being glad it was a high-backed booth, because otherwise we might have fallen out of chairs.   We weren't as much better as we thought we were.  

 

So, why don't I fret about timing anymore?    The real wife of my work husband is the head nurse at a large pediatricians office.  She has the inside scoop.   For example, a few years ago, they guessed wrong and they did come out with a new flu shot.  So, those that got it early weren't that protected.   This year the mist isn't as effective.  So, they are getting the shots.  I haven't heard yet about recommended timing this year, but I will tell you when I hear.  

[creekland]

I'm going to do it today.

 

I had to call DD's pediatrician's nurse with a question about a prescription, and when the nurse called back, I asked. Yes, they're seeing some cases of flu already.

 

I'll probably have the teens go next, but we'll have to figure out a time. DD has a school deadline today, and DS is working.

 

Tap brought out some good points for earlier being better than later, but today (and yesterday) are crappy health issue days for me (not contagious stuff), so next week maybe.  

 

Today I have to be super careful I don't end up kicking the dog because my brain is fried from being fed up with life's issues.  

 

Good thing we don't have a dog.  It makes that part easier.  The kids are at college too.  So hubby is the one I need to remember to hug, not kick.

 

I've been out tackling weeds all morning... it's ok to take my frustration out on them.  ;) 

 

This afternoon I'm going to see how working with ponies goes... or nap.  I haven't decided yet.  Nap might be winning as I sit here longer after lunch.

 

But I digress... getting back to the point, I think Tap has good reasoning for earlier rather than later - just next week for me.