Flu shot – might wanna get one

If you are hedging on whether or not to receive a flu shot I’d highly recommend the inconvenience.

Looks like we brought this nasty little bug back from California while celebrating our sons Marine Corps boot camp graduation. Wife got seriously ill shortly after returning and now I’m slowly recovering.

Get the shot and pray this viral flu strain is covered. Not a pretty picture and if you happen to unknowingly be immunocompromised you might be in trouble. Very tough to keep hydrated.

Stay healthy…..
Kurt

(I just pray our son doesn’t get this SOB while humpin’ for 17 days in the wilderness. Ugh!)

Got mine last week, its the first time in thirty something years…

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Get the shot and pray this viral flu strain is covered.

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It’s a very nice match this year! Get the shot.

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It’s a very nice match this year! Get the shot.

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Don’t get the shot. There’s a CDC report in which they don’t go as far as saying the flu shot is ineffective, but they flat out say it won’t prevent you from getting sick. The CDC made the claim, yet they still push this thing like crazy.

Besides, the more we pump unnecessary vaccines and antibiotics into our bodies, the more these diseases will mutate. The more drugs you take, the more you will have to take in the future.

Most forms of influenza are easily prevented by taking Vitamin D supplement. We here in the northern climes suffer from a lack of exposure to sunlight in the winter, and vitamin D is very important for immune system function. Lack of vitamin D synthesis has been shown to be one of the main causes of influenza outbreaks in winter. Eat foods rich in vitamin D like salmon, tuna, or beef liver or take a vit D supplement and you should be just fine.

You wouldn’t happen to have a link to that report would you?

Inquiring flu germs want to know.

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You wouldn’t happen to have a link to that report would you?

Inquiring flu germs want to know.

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It’s been a long time since I’ve read it. There has been a ton more findings as of late to the utter ineffectiveness of the influenza vaccine. Here’s just one that popped up when I did a search. http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/288946

The jist of the article can be summed up with this paragraph:
“In conclusion we have no reliable evidence on the effects of influenza vaccines on the elderly and health care workers who work with the elderly. What we do have evidence of is widespread manipulation of conclusions and spurious notoriety of the studies.”

This was a review of all flu vaccine research from 1948 to present and it found that the studies funded by the drug companies were highly biased while the independent studies showed no correlation. Surprise, surprise.

Thank you Sir!

Never had a flu shot and I’m thinking I never will.

…as long as I’m able to say “no thank you” anyway.

Just in case some people thing I’m selling snake oil and that article isn’t enough, here’s a recent study from the New England Journal of Medicine, which is a pretty authoritative source. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0906453

From the report:

“Vaccination with recent seasonal nonadjuvanted or adjuvanted influenza vaccines induced little or no cross-reactive antibody response to 2009 H1N1 in any age group. Persons under the age of 30 years had little evidence of cross-reactive antibodies to the pandemic virus. However, a proportion of older adults had preexisting cross-reactive antibodies.”

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Thank you Sir!

Never had a flu shot and I’m thinking I never will.

…as long as I’m able to say “no thank you” anyway.

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Brian I suspect that the stink bait you use will keep everything away

You know next time your arm won’t get cold, because you won’t be able to find your plug!

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You know next time your arm won’t get cold, because you won’t be able to find your plug!

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Trust me it was more than my arm I am glad you were not close by with a camera

1st – in a free country we are all free to believe in what works for us.

I happen to work at a rather famous clinic in a small town in Rochester. When I moved here in 1987 I had never had a flu shot before. After a few years of studying various science and opinions I selected to start getting the yearly vaccine. In the 20 plus years of receiving the vaccine I’m glad to report I’ve had 2 nasty “flu-like” illnesses. I don’t have the luxury of telling you how many times I would have been sick without the vaccine but being ill 2 times in 20 years works for me…..

If the flu vaccine is ineffective I’ll be the first to admit the placebo affect works for me….

Stay healthy, nothing worse then missing a fish outing sitting at home ill!

Kurt

After getting sick 4 times one winter, I started getting the shot. That was 25 years ago. Haven’t been sick since.

I find it hard to believe it is worthless.

After being sick all winter after getting my last flu shot 10 years ago I have yet to get the flu in that time

In the last 10 years I have gotten the shot every year but twice.The two times I missed I came down with the flu.It was nasty last year.I got my shot two weeks ago.

For many years I never got a flu shot. Some years I came down with the flu and some I didn’t.
I have received the flu shots for the past four years and have not come down with the flu during that time.
As for articles written by professionals for & against the flu shot, I’m willing to bet you could find plenty of ammo on both sides of that argument.

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Just in case some people thing I’m selling snake oil and that article isn’t enough, here’s a recent study from the New England Journal of Medicine, which is a pretty authoritative source. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0906453

From the report:

“Vaccination with recent seasonal nonadjuvanted or adjuvanted influenza vaccines induced little or no cross-reactive antibody response to 2009 H1N1 in any age group. Persons under the age of 30 years had little evidence of cross-reactive antibodies to the pandemic virus. However, a proportion of older adults had preexisting cross-reactive antibodies.”

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Didn’t, and won’t, get the flu shot!! On the Vit. D-3 and doing well for years!! I can’t even count how many people I have met that have gotten the flu shot and were down and out with it anyway. It all comes down to host/immune health… Healthy body allows you the best chance to fight the flu. If that wasn’t the case, we would all be sick because we all come in contact with the virus during our daily activities. You aren’t alone on here…

There was an article last year in la crosse tribune that stated a large percentage of health care workers in the area didn’t get the h1-n1 shot that was so dangerous. I will try and track that down.

Ted

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Just in case some people thing I’m selling snake oil and that article isn’t enough, here’s a recent study from the New England Journal of Medicine, which is a pretty authoritative source. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0906453

From the report:
“Vaccination with recent seasonal nonadjuvanted or adjuvanted influenza vaccines induced little or no cross-reactive antibody response to 2009 H1N1 in any age group. Persons under the age of 30 years had little evidence of cross-reactive antibodies to the pandemic virus. However, a proportion of older adults had preexisting cross-reactive antibodies.”

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This article is in reference to the H1N1 strain only and the fact that the existing seasonal vaccine at that time (2009) was ineffective against it. Elderly folks have some immunity from previous H1N1 outbreaks (i.e. they were alive and exposed), younger folks have little or no immunity. Yes, NEJM is a good read.CZ

Kurt and others, I’m not saying it’s wrong for you to get a shot, I’m just saying that I haven’t and won’t.

I’m a Dr of BS and nothing more.

I was planning on getting a shot in ’76 for the swine flu, but for whatever reason, held off. Then the reports of people that were allergic to eggs getting sick started coming in…then this 60 minute report came out.

For me personally, as long as I can say “no thank you” I’ll pass on mass immunizations.

BK, you’ve got bigger issue to worry about anyways!

Seriously, this comes up every year and to each their own. I’ll fully admit I’ve biased because of what I do for living, and the fact that I can’t pass up anything that is for free…

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For me personally, as long as I can say “no thank you” I’ll pass on mass immunizations.

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to that BK!!

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BK, you’ve got bigger issue to worry about anyways

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No One will argue that point!

I just got my flu shot over lunch time and all seems well though I suddenly feel a strange connection with President Obama and no longer care for the NRA. Wierd…

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It’s a very nice match this year! Get the shot.

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Don’t get the shot. There’s a CDC report in which they don’t go as far as saying the flu shot is ineffective, but they flat out say it won’t prevent you from getting sick. The CDC made the claim, yet they still push this thing like crazy.

Besides, the more we pump unnecessary vaccines and antibiotics into our bodies, the more these diseases will mutate. The more drugs you take, the more you will have to take in the future.

Most forms of influenza are easily prevented by taking Vitamin D supplement. We here in the northern climes suffer from a lack of exposure to sunlight in the winter, and vitamin D is very important for immune system function. Lack of vitamin D synthesis has been shown to be one of the main causes of influenza outbreaks in winter. Eat foods rich in vitamin D like salmon, tuna, or beef liver or take a vit D supplement and you should be just fine.

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X2. Let your body do it’s job.

The proverbial mom that has to have every flu shot and penicillin for every cough are the main reasons we have all these super bugs now.

I used to have the Flu Shot Police ride me day in and day out at my old job (hospital). They are a persistent bunch.

I used to work at the same “clinic” that Kurt works at. Apparently he and I share differing opinions on that facility. Happiest day of my life when I walked out of that door for the last time (not literally).

As others have stated, it’s a free country. Take another person’s word for it or research it yourself. It’s all up to you.

I have a hard time taking Ibuprofen for a headache. I avoid any medicine unless I cannot take it anymore.

I think I have a fairly strong immune system, I rarely get sick. The girlffriend got sick last week and passed it on to me. I was out for one day while it seemed to hit her much harder.

I thought about getting the flu shot only because the H1N1 outbreaks are pretty scary. I know someone from another board who got hit last year and it was touch and go there for a while and he was hospitalized for about 2-3 months.

Still after following that, I am very reluctant to do anything but let my body take care of itself.

I respect that you each have your opinion, but are you telling me this whole flu shot thing is just another money racket in the US? I guess I’m rather hesitant to let my kids take this risk when every Dr we talk to says it’s the right thing for them.

Not sure why I’m replying to this as I could really give a rats as_ if you get one or not. I can tell you there was a 12 hour stretch where it was questionable if I would be above the sod by sun up….. And mind you I rarely meet anyone in life much healthier then myself.

I’m out of here so take it for what it’s worth.

If you can read and interpret simple text I stated IF YOU ARE HEDGING (which means you normally get the shot but weren’t sure or another way you are on the fence and can’t decide) you might want to take the needle one more year.

To the old folks that don’t survive this nasty SOB, godspeed!

Over – Kurt

Kooty- I have a cousin who is the head of mammography at the mayo…my wife went to Iowa for her nursing degree…and is currently getting her DNP… Their opinions on the flu shot differ. My wife and I have never had the flu shot, and we both haven’t been sick in a long time. Too long to remember.

I really like researching holistic medicine. It isn’t popular among many because it isn’t usually covered by insurance, and of course, the government doesn’t have much money in it. And if you don’t get the flu shot, then the doctors don’t get paid…, and then the drug companies don’t get paid, and then they can’t wine and dine the doctors to write more rx’s…thats bit of an exaggerated example…but you get the picture.

Just do the research, check out the forums just like these regarding holistic medicine and “normal” medicine. Word of mouth and personal experience from my past, and from other testimonies are what I base my decisions off of. Not what a drug company or the gov’t “recommends”…

I am a firm believer in natural supplements..and eating right. Stress management, exercise, etc…

I’m with you there, Kurt. Flu (or any other kind of vaccination) is well worth the time. This is not snake oil by any means. One must fully understand how a flu vaccine works to fully appreciate them.

The flu vaccine is somewhat a dart game to figure out correctly (The virus the flu strain is) and they don’t always get it right. Most years by October (NOW) they know if it is effective against the current bug going around. These assumptions are based off of flu bugs in the southern hemisphere where it is winter during our summer. Granted, these bugs are constantly on the change and hard to peg down. This years vaccine did hit its mark and is well worth getting.

Case in point. Polio was a virus. The vaccine to prevent polio did its job and eradicated that virus. Vaccinations against a known virus certainly do work!

Now for me personally. I’m in my late 40’s and can sit here and say I don’t think I have ever in my life had the flu. I never got a flu vaccine until several years ago when a close friend ended up in hospice dying of cancer. The last thing I wanted to do was bring in or take out any kind of flu. I have got them every year since. It’s not a big deal. Never had any kind of reaction/side effect. I got the H1N1 and will get any flu vaccine offered now for the rest of my life. It’s just good self hygene.

Many of us have natural immunity to many of the flu bug that come around. We get these immunities from our parents or develop them as we grow. (And also from the shots) Once you get immune to a certain strain, you will never get that strain again. So, as you get and fight off flu bugs, you gain and pass on those immunities. Problem is, they keep changing!

Read up on it and not just the scared side. Read the science!

Edited to add one more thought. Consider this. If a flu strain popped up that no one on this planet was immune to and there was no one vaccinated aginst that virus. Believe me, everyone would be linning up to get the shot. Either that or you would pay cash to be sent down that mine shft in Chile!

-J.