14 replies to this topic

[E3 wise]

Getting an annual flu vaccination has always been a highly charged subject for some people here in the United States.  Some people feel they are Essintial in avoiding a long, highly uncomfortable illness while others feel that the vaccination itself can be the root cause of why they seem to get a yearly cold or flu.  finally for a small group of people who are allergic to egg products, the point is mute because since the vaccines are grown in eggs and so they don't even have a choice.

     A few of the old timers here may remember that Lois and I were medical professionals before we started EPWG, Lois as a Medical Laboratory Technologist and myself as a Registered Nurse, so in the old days we got our flu vac every year and I must say we were both pretty healthy, in fact I don't think either one of us got the flu and we were exposed to sick patients frequently.

      Fast forward to this year and guess who forgot to get their shot, no not the smarter of the two of us my lovely bride, nope me.  I kept thinking I would do it when we slowed down for the holidays and I was not traveling.  Well time ran out, last Thursday I started feeling a little scratch in my throat, by Friday morning I was running a fever of  102, terrible chills, and was unable to keep anything except small amounts of water down, and coughing and sneezing up stuff that looked terrible. So now it's Tuesday and I moved from the fever and chills to the lingering cough, body aches and other gastrointestinal issues.

Lois of course banished me to the isolation ward, (the guest bedroom) and has been doing her best to put up with a big whinny baby, I really am the worst patient you can imagine.

Any way it got me wondering, how do you guys feel about the flu vaccine, do you take it each year?  I know that for me this has gone a long way to convince me to make sure I get mine next year, of course  they are no guarantee, but what is right, I should also point out that Lois has literally been taking care of me five days now and so far shows no sign of getting sick, I just hope it stays that way because literally between the migraine like headaches, fever, chills, vomiting and diarrhea, I would not wish this on anyone, so if you can get the flu vac and have not done so yet, take my advice and get it, cause this is just awful.

[eds]

Vomiting, Diarrhea and Hangovers,
. . . from drinking and eating too much all night,
. . . of what my stomach didn't want,
. . . the lack of sleep and hangover,
. . . when I was young, foolish and far from home.

Nothing made me wish I were dead more,
. . . than stuf coming out of both ends, at the same time,
. . . and Yes, the fact that it was self-inflicted.

The V.A. give's me a Flu shot every year and
. . . the wife make's sure she has one too.

Too soon we get Old,
. . . Too late we get Smart!

[Shortpoet-GTD]

I'm in the camp of get the shot=get the flu.

A mandatory shot several years ago (because of the job) ended up costing me almost
2 weeks of no work-no pay.
(My supervisor got sick also and she said (after we were both back on the job)
that she threw up everything except her toenails.

Hadn't had a shot since and no flu.
Been about 3 years since I had a cold either.

[E3 wise]

See that's what I mean, there just does not seem to be a clear choice, I have not been this sick in 30 years, but now 6 days in I still feel awful, I wanted to post some stuff but I just have no energy and poor Lois is now looking like she may be getting this also.  Most of all I just wanted everyone of our friends here to know that we still care about you guys and the site, and why we had been so scarce.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

E3 wise, on 09 January 2013 - 07:57 AM, said:

See that's what I mean, there just does not seem to be a clear choice, I have not been this sick in 30 years, but now 6 days in I still feel awful, I wanted to post some stuff but I just have no energy and poor Lois is now looking like she may be getting this also.  Most of all I just wanted everyone of our friends here to know that we still care about you guys and the site, and why we had been so scarce.

Hot soup, fuzzy socks, warm "bankies", green tea and Vitamin C. It won't stop the flu or a cold, but you might
feel a bit better.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

"The 2013 flu season is in full swing, and according to the Centers for Disease Control, it will be the worst in ten years.
The New York Times reported that “the country is in the grip of three emerging flu or flulike epidemics: an early start
to the annual flu season with an unusually aggressive virus, a surge in a new type of norovirus, and the worst
whooping cough outbreak in 60 years.”
http://thinkprogress...days/?mobile=nc

[E3 wise]

Well it's official, Lois who had the flu vaccine is now down.  We both went to the doctor yesterday she had a fever like mine but where as hers lasted 1 day, mine was on and off for three days, we both have a productive cough but hers is not nearly as bad.  Many would say that the vaccine helped reduce the severity, which may be true.  Personally I think because women are the stronger of the sexes, that it because she is a women, where I am just a weak man.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

E3 wise, on 10 January 2013 - 01:38 PM, said:

Well it's official, Lois who had the flu vaccine is now down.  We both went to the doctor yesterday she had a fever like mine but where as hers lasted 1 day, mine was on and off for three days, we both have a productive cough but hers is not nearly as bad.  Many would say that the vaccine helped reduce the severity, which may be true.  Personally I think because women are the stronger of the sexes, that it because she is a women, where I am just a weak man.

I won't kick you while you're down, so I'll leave that last line alone.
Feel better.

Hospitalizations are up 169% from the same period last year in New York alone.
Last year had reports of 4,400 in New York; this year it's up to 15,000 and counting.
Many businesses are encouraging cleaning common area's with anti-bacteria cleaners (which they should
be doing anyway) to help slow the spread of the virus. (3 video's)
In the second one, they said that the average keyboard is 400 times dirtier than the toilet.
http://www.msnbc.msn...32619/#50426881

[E3 wise]

What is spooky is the fact that this years flu is not a major pandemic.  The severity of onset has been high but thanks to our modern worlds conviencences the lethality has been low.  

For me it's now been a week of total ukk. Things are getting back to normal slowly.  As far as the statement regarding the stronger sex, well women are, so what's the big deal.

[Phil]

My wife and I both get them.  They are not guaranteed 100% effective as the virus mutates as it goes along but it should at least lesson symptoms, if not totally eliminate the bug.  Getting shots every year, neither of us can even remember the last time we had the flu.  Of course we do live in the country which lessens our exposure.

If you had the shot and got the flu anyway, chances are it would have been far worse without the shot.  I'd highly recommend getting one.

[adam_a]

I just got mine today and I hope it's not too late. I've been putting it off for awhile now. I felt some drainage this morning (that didn't send me out to get the shot, i had already planned it). I work with the public so I'm high risk. A few years ago me and the missus we unlucky enough to catch the H1N1 and that was no good so we've been getting the shots ever since. Up until now no flu. Let's hope it stays that way.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

CDC is now saying that the flu vaccine (A) and for seniors is only 9% effective and only 56% effective overall?
Holy &^%$
http://www.nbcnews.c...32619/#50897132

[Phil]

The report is a little misleading.  As you build up various strains of vaccines over the years your overall immunity to the flu builds, so even at a 9% rate you are still building your immunity for future strains.  There are also two type A's and on type B in this years vaccine.

The 56% isn't bad at all!  I'd spend a few bucks on a better than 50-50 chance of not feeling miserable for a week or so!

This guy sounds like he's looking for more research money, a red flag to me.  Here is the actual CDC text.

"During this period, overall vaccine effectiveness (VE) (adjusted for age, site, race/ethnicity, self-rated health, and days from illness onset to enrollment) against influenza A and B virus infections associated with medically attended acute respiratory illness was 56%, similar to the earlier interim estimate (62%) (2).

VE was estimated as 47% against influenza A (H3N2) virus infections and 67% against B virus infections. When stratified by age group, the point estimates for VE against influenza A (H3N2) and B infections were largely consistent across age groups, with the exception that lower VE against influenza A (H3N2) was observed among adults aged ≥65 years.

These adjusted VE estimates indicate that vaccination with the 2012–13 influenza season vaccine reduced the risk for outpatient medical visits resulting from influenza by approximately one half to two thirds for most persons, although VE was lower and not statistically significant among older adults. Antiviral medications should be used as recommended for treatment of suspected influenza in certain patients, including those aged ≥65 years, regardless of their influenza vaccination status."

Note that only one type A was deficient in seniors.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

This is the second time I've posted something (recently) from nbc/brain williams that had
the accuracy called into question.
It sounds like they're becoming another cnn-reporting half truths.

Thanks for the information. I don't want to post inaccurate bs.

[Phil]

No problem.