Flu shots

DrummerDeanna · #1 10-18-2004, 05:24 PM

Well - I don't know about you guys - but I am SO sick of all the flu shot stuff...

Now - I'm just not seeing the whole big deal...because I've never ever had a flu shot in my life...and yeah....I guess I'm just now realizing how popular these things are...

Anyway - I'm very bored and just thought I'd rant a bit...

amber · #2 10-18-2004, 05:32 PM

Never had one either - but now i kinda want one cause i know i'll be pissed if i get the flu. I never really get sick, like twice in 10 years (since i started smoking) but i get really upset when i'm sick...but i don't know what the big deal is either. I guess old people and babies die from it? Maybe the flu is stronger now?
Amber

ShangriLaTroubl · #3 10-18-2004, 05:54 PM

Well seniors are the ones who the shortage really affects...with people who have alzheimers or other diseases the flu could kill them easily

Chris

DeeGeMe · #4 10-18-2004, 06:03 PM

The chronically ill need them too-no matter what their age. For example, I have a cousin who's diabetic--he needs the shot and can't get it. There are none to be had in his town. And I'll give you another example-me. I just turned 40 and am on immune-supressent therapy for severe arthritis (Enbrel). It works by lowering your body's immune system so it doesn't attack itself. It works like a charm (my arthritis blood tests are normal for the first time in over 4 years and I've only been on it for 3 months). I've gotten the flu shot for the past 4 or 5 years--since my arthritis began to flare again. And like my cousin, I can't get a flu shot either. My family doctor told me today that he doesn't think they're going to get the shipment they ordered but he put me on a waiting list because he said I'd be a "high-priority" patient. My arthritis doc told me last week that he KNOWS he's not going to get the vaccine he ordered so that route is out. The local health departments in our multi-county region are also ALL out. So count me as a fairly young (okay-early mid-age) person who needs a shot and can't get one.

I did get one bit of good news today though-my doctor told me that the shot this year contains the same formulation as last year's shot and that I may have some immunity leftover from last year's vaccine. Also, I work at home so I'm not in the public as much as some people would be. Still, I have to leave the house sometime to go to the grocery store, the mall, etc. I just think I'll be doing that in non-peak hours, plus taking my vitamins, drinking my water, and using antibacterial hand wash every chance I get when I'm out in public.

wondergirl9847 · #5 10-18-2004, 06:07 PM

I'm sick of hearing about the flu too. I mean, it's not like it's friggin' leprosy or something. It's the flu, people. You get fever, you have a headache, you throw up, you get better.

Geez.

ETA: I didn't mean that rant against people who really NEED the shot, I mean, the paranoid people who are healthy.

amber · #6 10-18-2004, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeeGeMe

The chronically ill need them too-no matter what their age. For example, I have a cousin who's diabetic--he needs the shot and can't get it. There are none to be had in his town. And I'll give you another example-me. I just turned 40 and am on immune-supressent therapy for severe arthritis (Enbrel). It works by lowering your body's immune system so it doesn't attack itself. It works like a charm (my arthritis blood tests are normal for the first time in over 4 years and I've only been on it for 3 months). I've gotten the flu shot for the past 4 or 5 years--since my arthritis began to flare again. And like my cousin, I can't get a flu shot either. My family doctor told me today that he doesn't think they're going to get the shipment they ordered but he put me on a waiting list because he said I'd be a "high-priority" patient. My arthritis doc told me last week that he KNOWS he's not going to get the vaccine he ordered so that route is out. The local health departments in our multi-county region are also ALL out. So count me as a fairly young (okay-early mid-age) person who needs a shot and can't get one.

I did get one bit of good news today though-my doctor told me that the shot this year contains the same formulation as last year's shot and that I may have some immunity leftover from last year's vaccine. Also, I work at home so I'm not in the public as much as some people would be. Still, I have to leave the house sometime to go to the grocery store, the mall, etc. I just think I'll be doing that in non-peak hours, plus taking my vitamins, drinking my water, and using antibacterial hand wash every chance I get when I'm out in public.

perhaps wear one of those white face masks? How does someone get such severe arthritis at such an early age? Is there any way i can avoid something like that?

Lee · #7 10-18-2004, 06:36 PM

I think I may have had the flu once when I was a teenager because I remember everyone in my family had something & I got it so bad, I passed out on the floor. The family dog licked my face, woke me up & I dragged myself back to bed, so it's not a pleasant experience. My husband got it last year (I'm glad I didn't get it.) & he was really bad off. He has asthma, so he's one of the people who should get the shot. In fact, his doctor (& I) told him last year before he got the flu to get the shot. He hasn't even attempted to get the shot this year because he doesn't think any are available right not. It can be a serious thing; some people actually die from it, the very young, the very old, people with chronic diseases like asthma. But healthy people will come out of it OK. I have osteoarthritis in my spine, but I personally would never get the shot because I think the way I am, the shot would give me the flu.

Lee

SaraRhiannon · #8 10-18-2004, 10:04 PM

I had the flu last year & it was the closest I've ever felt to actual death. I'd always just assumed it was a beefed up cold, but oh no. I work with young kids, so I'm sure I'll be catching it again this year, since there seems to be no hope for a shot.

estranged4life · #9 10-18-2004, 11:36 PM

to worry about catching the flu, got too much other crap to worry about as it is...

Deb is lucky in a way, She cannot receive the flu shot even if it was necessary, since she is allergic to eggs and part of the base of the live culture in the flu shot is egg based.

Brian j.

GypsySorcerer · #10 10-18-2004, 11:38 PM

I've never had the flu, so I think I'm doing just fine without the shots.

sparky · #11 10-18-2004, 11:43 PM

I, for one, am majorly irked that I cannot get a flu shot. I have had one every year since 1996. I got the flu that year. 2 days after Christmas. I thought I was going to friggin die. In bed for over a week, and when it hit me, I did pass out on the floor for 4 hours. When I woke up, I crawled to the bathroom, and basically could not stand up for four days. It was horrible. Had I been able to drive, I would have taken myself to the hospital. And I was healthy ! Thankfully my 75 old neighbor at the time brought me food and medicine. I am not interested in going through that again.

amber · #12 10-18-2004, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparky

I, for one, am majorly irked that I cannot get a flu shot. I have had one every year since 1996. I got the flu that year. 2 days after Christmas. I thought I was going to friggin die. In bed for over a week, and when it hit me, I did pass out on the floor for 4 hours. When I woke up, I crawled to the bathroom, and basically could not stand up for four days. It was horrible. Had I been able to drive, I would have taken myself to the hospital. And I was healthy ! Thankfully my 75 old neighbor at the time brought me food and medicine. I am not interested in going through that again.

god, you guys are confirming my worst fears about being sick. And i want to die when i just have a cold...seriously, sometimes i cry...

Ok, now i'm kinda pissed i can't get the flu shot...but if i've never gotten the flu before, maybe i'll be lucky...
Amber

sparky · #13 10-19-2004, 12:40 AM

I am OCD from here on out in the handwashing department. I have that crazy anti-bacterial hand goop in my truck, and use it constantly, LOL.
Maybe that will help !

amber · #14 10-19-2004, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparky

I am OCD from here on out in the handwashing department. I have that crazy anti-bacterial hand goop in my truck, and use it constantly, LOL.
Maybe that will help !

hopefully, but do you know i've never, in my life, washed my hands? and i never get sick. though since I started smoking at age 21ish, i've gotten sick twice. And, of course, it's not true that i've NEVER washed my hands

but i'm just not one of those germ-care-y people. Although it grosses me out too much to ever drink milk after someone. And i'm good about covering my mouth when i cough, burp, yawn, or sneeze, then washing it (for a sneeze or cough) but, yeah, hope that will help. I was reading a blood type thing, and it says "type O's" have super immune systems, so...

Amber

DeeGeMe · #15 10-19-2004, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amber

perhaps wear one of those white face masks? How does someone get such severe arthritis at such an early age? Is there any way i can avoid something like that?

You can get arthritis at any age. A friend of mine has a sister who was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 3! They think that what I have-psoriatic arthritis-may be inherited. There's a strong suggestion that it was in my case--my grandfather had it, my father has it, my half-brother has it too. I was diagnosed at 29.

It's a "cousin" so to speak of rheumatoid arthritis. My thumb and index finger were the first joints to be attacked--I first thought I'd sprained my finger or something. From there it went to my wrists, my neck, my hips, my ankles, knees, and my lower back. You can develop skin lesions with it too, but so far, other than a few dry, scaly patches, I've been very, very lucky in that regard.

The fatigue is the worst thing though. I went from being someone who had tons of energy to someone who just wanted to sleep all the time, but at the same time, I'd suffer from horrible insomnia.

I went into one pretty long remission there for about 3 years before it came back again-this time with a vengeance. Nothing worked-not vioxx, not celebrex, not even methotrexate which is as nasty drug as you'd ever hope not to be on. That one was originally a chemotheraphy drug which they found would work on certain forms of arthritis but causes the same horrible side effects most people taking chemo have (at least you only take it 2 days a week but it ruined every weekend for over 3 years). And when that stopped working, my drug of last resort was Enbrel. And it's a miracle drug. After 90 days on it, my arthritis blood tests were normal for the first time in over 3 years.

I work at home, so that gives me a good degree of protection from the public at large. And from now until spring, I'm going to try to do my shopping at non-peak hours/days and I'm taking my vitamins, drinking lots of water, and trying to get lots of rest--they say that's what you need to do if you have an immune system disorder anyway, so these were things I was already doing. And I'm going to try to avoid flying for business if I possibly can, since an airplane is basically a flying petri dish. Luckily, the winter is a "slow" season for my business so I should be able to avoid airplanes for awhile.