Just curious...who in your house gets flu shots, if anyone? Have you always done so? Have you ever had the flu?

My hubby gets the flu shot every year, he works with a lot of people and feels like he is highly exposed. I do NOT get the shot, I have once, turns out to be the only year I got the flu (it was my first year teaching, I was over exposed!). I do not vaccinate my children. My middle son has asthma and we have done the vaccine with him once, but there ended up being a shortage and he only received the first shot (kids need two), and I felt like I had wasted my time since he didn't really get the full protection. I know the flu can be serious, but I guess I don't feel like we are that high of risk. Also it suprises me when people say oh I was so sick vomiting, etc, with the flu. The flu doesn't make you vomit, it makes you run high temps and hurt all over. I think a lot of people aren't really aware of what the flu is.

By Kay on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 01:01 pm:

I occasionally get the flu shot, if I happen to be seeing my doctor during that time period, and if there's not a shortage. I make sure my 15 year old dd gets one - she has Crohn's Disease, which has some autoimmune factors. I also make sure my 78 year old mom gets her shot.

By Debbie on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 01:36 pm:

We all get the flu shot, except last year when there was a shortage.

My dh gets one because he works in a big office environment. He feels like he is exposed to lots of germs.

My youngest ds gets one because he has asthma, and one of his asthma triggers is colds/flu. My oldest ds gets one too.

I just get one because I always seem to pick up everything my dks bring home. I also help out at school twice a week, so I am exposed to a lot of germs.

Knock on wood, since we have been getting the flu shot, we haven't had the flu. I don't know if it is just luck or if the flu shot really helps. For now, we are going to keep getting it.

By Reds9298 on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 02:10 pm:

I started getting the flu shot 7 years ago when I started teaching. It made a HUGE difference in the # of illnesses I had each year. I don't get them anymore because I'm a SAHM now, but when I go back to teaching I will get one again. It has been very beneficial for me!

By Heaventree on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 03:13 pm:

Well I guess you all already know, we get them! Everyone except the baby, but he'll have his next year.

I worked in the Pharma industry for many years, maybe it made me a germaphobe, I don't know I guess I have just seen too much bad stuff happen to people and I will take what I feel are the necessary precautions whenever I can. I don't want to be a statistic and be one of those people who succumb to flu every year even though I'm not high risk, I also don't want to expose my children to the flu which if they get it, it could be quite serious.

By Juli4 on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 03:17 pm:

my children and I have never had the flu shot although I think that we will this year since my oldest goes to preschool and will bring home a lot of germs. I worked in the hospital for 3 years and never had a flu shot and was never sick. My children have never had the flu, but they have gotten sick with other viruses a few times. When they start feeling bad they get some water, a vitamin and a couple of vitamin C and I baby them for a day or so and they usually feel better. Recently all the kids seemed to circulate something that just caused them to run a fever and feel badly, but it only lasted 2 days each and then they seemed to feel better. So hopefully this year we won't be the unfortunate ones that get sick after you take the flu shot.

By Colette on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 03:25 pm:

I can get them because I work in a public school and the school provides a free clinic for all staff. I have gotten a couple but I haven't for the last few years. I just don't feel comfortable with the idea of a flu vaccine for someone who is normally healthy. I'd rather be down and out for a few days than risk future potential health risks from a vaccine.

By Hlgmom on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 03:27 pm:

no flu shots here-I am with Colette on this one.

By Emily7 on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 04:06 pm:

We all got the flu shot last few years, but felt horrible when there ended up being a shortage. I don't think we will get them this year.

By Kernkate on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 04:55 pm:

DD who is 5 and DS 11 gets it. The Doctor recommends them for DS who has asthma and DD who had RSV.

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 05:55 pm:

I got mine 2 days ago, because I'm a nurse and right on the front lines with it. I have gotten one the last 2 years. I have not made anyone else in my house get one, though. I figure if I get one and don't bring it home, everyone else will still be healthy. I don't think I have ever had it. No one else in my family has ever had it, either.

I also get it free at work. They encourage us to get one, so that we ourselves aren't passing around the flu virus, I think.

Influenza does give you a high fever, maybe a slight cough, body aches and malaise. I can always tell who the flu people are in the waiting room, because they are barely holding themselves up. They look like they would rather be collapsed in bed.

By Melanie on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 07:20 pm:

No flu shots for us. I don't see a need for us to bother as we are all healthy and rarely get sick (knock on wood). I would prefer that the vaccines go to the teachers/doctors/nurses/etc who are at higher risk.

By Karen~moderator on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 08:21 pm:

I get one every year. DH never gets them. Jeff used to take them, and swore he got sick every time he got one, so he quit taking them. Jen prefers to have one every year, because she ALWAYS got the flu, without fail, every year, usually at Christmas. And she was incredibly ill when she got it.

My immune system is not very strong, so I always get one.

By Pamt on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 10:15 pm:

The boys get them every year b/c of asthma and reactive airway disease. They could get sick enough to warrant hospitalization if they got the flu. DH doesn't get. I haven't in the past, although it is recommended for me since I work at a hospital and am at high risk. Every year I say I'm going to get it and either we run out of vaccine or I just never make the time to go by employee health. With me going to school full-time I really can't afford to get the flu, so I'm going to try my best to get the shot this year.

By Marcia on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 10:55 pm:

Sonja, who was medically fragile, always got the shot. None of the rest of us ever have.
My mom gets it, and one year it affected her so badly that she was ready to claw her eyes out for the whole season. When we researched it, it caused the same horrible itchiness in many people that year. Also, she gets sick more than the rest of us, so I'm not convinced it's ever done her much good.

By Tink on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 12:49 pm:

My dh gets them since he works in an environment where he is exposed to many germs but the rest of the family does not. Unless there was a dramatic NEED for one of my dks to get it, I will not let them.

By Tink on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 12:55 pm:

I would like to caution parents that get their children the flu vaccine that there is a new vaccine called Fluarix that uses a mercury-based preservative. Many people may not agree with me but isn't it better to be safe than sorry? There are other vaccines available that don't contain mercury and that can be used instead.

By Jackie on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 02:17 pm:

Ive never gotten a flu shot. My husband gets one, hes one of those people who always thinks hes sick. My 2 older kids got the flu mist last yr as recommended by their dr. At the time Faith was only a couple months old. It was more for the babies benefit. I do not think they will get one again. The dr said at her 15 month appt she can get the flu shot.
Also, I hardly ever get sick. I get maybe 1-2 colds a yr. Last winter I had the stomach flu for the first time in 10 yrs.

By Enchens on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 08:18 pm:

Dh gets them every year. He's exposed to germs all the time in his line of work. We had our ds get it last year, he was 1 1/2. I was pregnant at the time, but it was too early for me to get it. This year, DH has already gotten it. I plan on getting one for myself and for my ds who is now 2 1/2 just to protect my 5 month old son, who was born prematurely. At one of his well baby checks, our ped gave us the option of giving him the shot, or having the family get it.

By Reds9298 on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 11:21 pm:

I'm a little concerned now. My ped didn't even mention the flu shot at our 15mth. well-baby visit. Is it recommended that children her age get a flu shot??

By Feona on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 07:54 am:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=AN00680

The flu shot has mercury or something else in it. So I wouldn't give it to a baby unless the family got the flu alot. I would want to know the chance of the baby dying without the flu shot.

After all I went through with John I wouldn't take the chance.

They took the mercury out of all the other shots

By Colette on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 08:28 am:

You can get a mercury free shot if you request it

By Heaventree on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 11:41 am:

Reds,

Children over the age of 6 months can have the flu shot, it is usually given in two shots 1 month apart.

By Reds9298 on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 03:28 pm:

I guess I should read up about this. She'll be 16mths. next week and has never been ill...and seriously NEVER. She's never had a fever. We're a pretty healthy family I guess.

By Cocoabutter on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 03:32 pm:

I probably should get one since last year was a bad year for colds and flu for us. Ds brought home a total of 4 colds (2 of which were strep) last year in 2nd grade. We were passing them back and forth for almost 5 months!

By Unschoolmom on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 03:50 pm:

I get the flu shot because I'll be the one taking care of everybody else when they're down. My daughter (7) has the choice but usually doesn't and my son (3) isn't old enough to make the decision so he doesn't get one.

By Pamt on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 06:09 pm:

Deanna, if your DD is healthy with no extenuating health circumstances then personally I would opt not to get it. The only reason my boys do is because of respiratory issues. It is generally not recommended for healthy children. And CocoaB, FYI the flu vaccine does not do anything to prevent colds. You can still get colds throughout winter even if you get the vaccine. It is purely for the most active flu strain of that year.

By Boxzgrl on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 07:13 pm:

DH is the only one that gets it and that's because it's required by the Marine Corps. DD and I have never received one and we will not get one this year, even though I am in the high risk category. DH is sicker than a dog every winter, mostly following the week after the vaccine so I guess to me it really just defeats it's purpose.

By Amecmom on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 09:21 am:

Never got one - and after teaching for ten years my immune system is pretty strong. I gret one good cold a year - have it now- and then nothing. I've never had the flu either ...
Ame

By John on Monday, October 24, 2005 - 06:48 am:

http://www.fda.gov/cber/vaccine/thimerosal.htm

Contains a nice chart listing the mercury content of currently available vaccines.

By Karen~moderator on Monday, October 24, 2005 - 08:42 am:

Thanks for the great info, John!

By Imamommyx4 on Monday, October 24, 2005 - 11:19 pm:

DD gets the flu shot b/c she has asthma.
DH's employer always offers it, so he gets it.
I work in a hospital so I usually get it.

Last year due to the shortage noone in our house got the shot. I got the flu in March and everybody was put on Tamiflu. No one else got it. We are all in the process of getting it. Tamiflu is good, but I would just as soon not go thru what I went through in March if only for about 36 hours. That was the first time I've called in sick for myself in 12 years! I HURT bad top to toes.

My dh had the flu when I delivered dd. He started going down hill the day after delivery. He was a rock though until I got home, got situated with new baby, got past the huge fears of having a new baby home. He ran all kinds of errands and took me to a lactation consultant, etc. Then after about 3 days I had it all under control and he collapsed for a week and a half. Sent him to the doctor and he had the full blown flu. Bless his heart. He was down for the count for about a week and a half. Then when he did go back to work, it was only for half days for another week or more. He had it bad.

By Vicki on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 - 08:37 am:

No one in our house gets the flu shot. Dd has never even had the true flu. Just last year at the age of 10 she had her first ever stomach bug. I haven't been sick with more than a cold in as long as I can remember.... we are just generally a very healthy family. My MIL and FIL get the flu shot every year because of their age and both of them have gotten sick as a result of the shot in the past. Unless there is a medical condition that makes it dangerous to get the flu, I don't think it is necessary. At least not for us.

By Missbookworm on Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 10:52 pm:

We've never had the flu shots nor will we. Occassionally the kids get sick but it's usually just colds. I don't think it's a necessity and getting the shot doesn't mean you WON'T get the flu it might just make it "easier" to deal with so I figure why bother.

By Karen~moderator on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 08:20 am:

Well, I need to eat words here..... J & J always say the flu shot makes them sick and I poo-pooed that idea.

I got my flu shot on Friday, and 6 hours later I was so sick! I had a temp of 101, intense headache and body aches and a sore throat, and felt BAD. That lasted for about 18 hours, then the fever went away, and now I have cold-like symptoms, and tummy troubles.

I wonder what the chances are that this is coincidental?

By Shann on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 09:02 am:

We quit getting the shots. for one we are more sicker by taking them for 3 years running dh took one and for those 3 years dh ended up in the hospital with the flu so last year he didn't take one and it is the first year that he wasn't rushed to the hospital. and my ds works at a old folks home and some of the stuff she seen first hand because of the shots and the effects it has on some of the older people it was scary and we wont take them now

By Vicki on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 10:05 am:

I don't think it is coincindental at all Karen. I have heard of numerous people getting sick FROM the shot.

By Karen~moderator on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 10:09 am:

I've had good results with the shots, and I've been taking them for at least 10 years. However, I have a very weak immune system, asthma and other health problems, so it makes sense for me to take the shot.

I've only gotten the flu once since taking the shots, and that was a couple years ago when we went to Disney and spent Thanksgiving w/my inlaws. I was *real* sick for over a week that time, and still didn't feel well for another couple of weeks.

And until this time, I've never had any bad reactions to the shot. And I'm not 100% positive this is due to the shot, but I can't think of anything else it could be from. I haven't been in a store since last weekend, the only place I've been is to the dentist on Wednesday, and I think if this were illness due to that, it would have shown up before. Besides that, I have MVP, so I pre-medicate before seeing the dentist.

Plus, I wash my hands like crazy, use clean tissue to open doors when leaving a public restroom, etc.

I really do think this was a reaction to the shot, but if a couple of days of being sick on the weekend prevents me from having full-blown flu this winter, then I'll take it. I really don't want to be sick for 10-14 days or longer with the flu. The last time it was several weeks before I felt totally well.

By Dawnk777 on Monday, October 31, 2005 - 12:46 am:

I've had two flu shots now and have had no adverse reactions from either one. It's a small sample, though. I work at a clinic, though, so I feel much safer taking the vaccine. Flu patients look soooo miserable. I wouldn't want to be them.

By Cocoabutter on Wednesday, November 2, 2005 - 05:49 pm:

Yes Pam, I know it doesn't protect against colds. It's just that my immune system sucks, and if I can get a cold 4 times in one season, then I could just as easily get the flu, especially if my body is run down enough already with a cold. I might have had the flu last season and just didn't know it. One "cold" lasted almost 3 weeks.

I agree that if anyone else in our house gets sick, it's me that does the caretaking.

By Reds9298 on Wednesday, November 2, 2005 - 07:09 pm:

Karen - that happens to me every time I get the flu shot, only it lasts about 6 hours for me.

By Kim on Thursday, November 3, 2005 - 07:52 am:

We never ever get the flu shot. It makes my family members get sick. I have never had one in my life, neither have the kids.

By Cat on Thursday, November 3, 2005 - 10:55 am:

Sometimes we get it, sometimes we don't. A lot depends on availability. We didn't get them last year. The year before we were at the ped clinic and Randy convinced the tech to give me one, too. That's the only way I could get the boys to let them give them shots! lol Just this week we were at both my doc and the kids doc and they were offering the flu-mist, but Randy and I couldn't get it because we both have sinus infections. Robin didn't want to get it and I wasn't going to push it. If we make it back up there we may get them. I really don't notice a difference if we have it or not. Of all the strains of flu out there, it only protects against a very small percentage of them.

I do remember getting the shot once as a child. I'm sure I got it more than that, but this one year is a vivid memory. I remember going to the county clinic and this big nurse sitting in a chair and I had to sit in her lap to get the shot. I was probably about 7 or 8, and being the good kid I was (ha-ha) I climbed up in her lap. She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed! I asked her, "why are you doing that???" She said, "so you don't move." Well I wasn't going to move! I guess a lot of kids were freaking out not wanting to get a shot. I was one of those kids that it didn't bother me (I'm also one of those strange people who likes the dentist! lol). I just thought that was funny.

By Amecmom on Thursday, November 3, 2005 - 06:25 pm:

Well - it seems to be a moot point again this year as our lovely government didn't learn from last year's fiasco.
Ame

By Karefl on Thursday, November 3, 2005 - 09:13 pm:

No flu shots here. There are several FREE flu shot events sponsored by a local TV station. My grandparents went to one of them a couple of weeks ago & got theirs b/c they are high risk.

By Eve on Friday, November 4, 2005 - 12:04 pm:

I just got mine yesterday. The only time I receive the Flu shot is when I am pregnant, and only because my Dr.'s tell me they would like me to have it because I am at a higher risk. I was thinking about not having it this time because I won't be really pregnant when Flu season gets bad, but my Dr. said that it takes a while for your immune system to get back to normal, even after you give birth.

My DD never gets one and my DH only occasionaly will get one. He rarely gets sick though--maybe once a year.

By Bellajoe on Friday, November 4, 2005 - 01:52 pm:

We do not get flu shots, and yes we get the flu