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View Full Version : Did you get a flu shot?



dennis thompson
01-28-2018, 10:21 AM
I am 74 years old, in good health. I walk 4 miles every day. I don't ususlly get a flu shot, but given the serious of this years flu I'm thinking about getting a flu shot. Have you gotten a flu shot this year?
Thanks

michael langman
01-28-2018, 10:31 AM
I have not gotten a flue shot Dennis, but my doctor said it was only 10% effective this year. The flu has been very bad this year. Last year it was 80% effective .

Bill Bukovec
01-28-2018, 10:36 AM
Yes. So far, no flu.

Roger Nair
01-28-2018, 10:41 AM
Yes, without reservation, been doing it for years not had flu for twenty years or more.

Paul F Franklin
01-28-2018, 10:41 AM
Absolutely, every year. And being super diligent about frequent hand washing, and avoiding touching eyes, mouth, or nose after being out in public.

Alan Rutherford
01-28-2018, 10:46 AM
It's not as effective as it should be in your (our) age group. Medicare gets billed an absurd amount for the few drops of vaccine and more for administering it. I never get sick. I don't take any drugs/shots/medicines just because someone thinks it's a good idea. I get flu shots anyway. Every year. You should, too. Stop thinking about it and do it because it takes a while to be effective. Or you could stay home until flu season is over, unless other people in your home get out in public.

The shot will also reduce the risk that you give flu to someone else. And it will not give you flu.

Jim Becker
01-28-2018, 10:56 AM
Every year...early in the season if at all possible. And yes, you should get one, IMHO, even this late in the season as according to this morning's news, the current flue season still has at least a couple months to go. While this year's immunization is unfortunately not as effective on the worst strain that's circulating, it sill provides a level of protection that will be helpful generally. In many health insurance plans, a flu shot is free, but even if it isn't, you can usually get it for about twenty bucks from the big pharmacy chains or places like Costco, supermarket pharmacies, etc.

Also, if someone in your household gets the flu, consider asking your doctor for Tamaflu to reduce the likelihood of you getting it, too, or reducing the effect if it is transmitted to you.

Jerome Stanek
01-28-2018, 11:08 AM
No my doctor said I was stupid to get it but I haven't had the flu and he got the shot and had to shut his office down as he got it and so did his staff. I just try to avoid places where there are a lot of people. When I asked how effective it was he said maybe 10%

Ken Fitzgerald
01-28-2018, 11:11 AM
Yes. Every year, early in the season my wife and I get our flu shots. Before retirement she worked daily with students in a nearby elementary school for 25 years and I worked in hospitals for 34 years. With that kind of public exposure, it only made sense for us to get them. I don't remember having the flu and I can only remember once that my wife had it. The time she came down with the flu was after we had retired.

Mike Null
01-28-2018, 11:18 AM
I get one every year. So far so good. No flu that I can recall for several years.

I have minimal contact with the outside world so that helps whereas, my DIL is an elementary school teacher and is sick more than healthy.

Bruce Page
01-28-2018, 11:52 AM
I don't normally but got one 6 weeks ago.

John McClanahan
01-28-2018, 12:05 PM
I have never had a flu shot. My wife works in health care and is required to get one by her employer. She got sick shortly after getting one (she always does) in mid November. I got sick a week or so later. I missed a day and a half of work as a result. First time I missed work due to illness in many years. Would a flu shot prevented it? Who knows.

John

George Bokros
01-28-2018, 12:11 PM
We get the every year. We get the high does one for those over 65.

Wade Lippman
01-28-2018, 12:12 PM
The shot this year is about 40% effective, but it generally causes a milder illness even when it fails. It should have been used 3 months ago, but they say now is better than nothing.

There is little downside to the flu vaccine; I can't understand why anyone wouldn't get it early.

Jerome, I hope you are joking about what your doctor told you; but if not, you should report him.

Bill Orbine
01-28-2018, 1:45 PM
Got poked. Figured 10% is better than nothing. Besides, insurance paid for it.

Stan Calow
01-28-2018, 1:46 PM
Get the shingles vaccine while you're at it. That's no joke either.

Matt Day
01-28-2018, 2:11 PM
No my doctor said I was stupid to get it

Sounds like you need a new doctor.

Everyone should get it. Even if it’s only 30% effective or whatever the number is, if you do get the flu it won’t be as bad if you had the shot. Seems ridiculous that people don’t get it or that’s it’s a topic of discussion at all. Like those imbeciles who don’t believe in vaccinating their kids.

Tim Boger
01-28-2018, 2:40 PM
Yep ... my wife demands it, smart lady. Also got my Shingle shot.

Doug Garson
01-28-2018, 2:54 PM
Yes on both flu and shingles and don't forget pneumonia while your at it. Although with pneumonia you may want to check if it is the latest new type that came out late last year as it apparently much more effective. Correction, it's shingles that has the new vaccine.

Kev Williams
01-28-2018, 3:13 PM
Nope.

My wife has gotten a flu shot every year we've been married (26 so far), and she's gotten the flu anyway a few times. I've had the flu once since we've been married.

Had the flu a few times as a kid but I've had only one flu shot in my life, back when the Russian swine flu hit in the 70's. I got sick anyway. I also remember getting the flu once in the '80's. So 3 flu's in 40 years, and the one was probably from the vaccine.

I am of the 'you're immune system needs something to do' mentality. My 3-second rule is 3 hours. If my hot dog or steak falls on the ground I wipe the excess crud off and finish eating it. I don't bleach or disinfect everything that doesn't move. I don't wipe off shopping cart handles, as a rule, but I did when the Zika virus was all the rage. I rarely ever get sick, and when I do it's usually a day or two tops.

I just don't feel it's necessary. And the rare occasions I do get sick, I keep my distance from the rest of the world.

Rod Sheridan
01-28-2018, 3:34 PM
Yes, I had the flu shot, I always do, normally near the end of October.

I just go to the closest drug store, takes maybe 10 minutes, then they make you wait 15 after the injection in case you have a reaction..........Rod.

Jerome Stanek
01-28-2018, 3:44 PM
Get the shingles vaccine while you're at it. That's no joke either.

I read there is a 50% chance of getting shingles if you are vaccinated and if you are not vaccinated there is a 50% chance that you will get shingles. This was done by a study of 100,000.

Jerome Stanek
01-28-2018, 3:45 PM
Sounds like you need a new doctor.

Everyone should get it. Even if it’s only 30% effective or whatever the number is, if you do get the flu it won’t be as bad if you had the shot. Seems ridiculous that people don’t get it or that’s it’s a topic of discussion at all. Like those imbeciles who don’t believe in vaccinating their kids.

I should have said i was stupid if I didn't get it.

Nathan Johnson
01-28-2018, 4:01 PM
Nope.

My wife has gotten a flu shot every year we've been married (26 so far), and she's gotten the flu anyway a few times. I've had the flu once since we've been married.

Had the flu a few times as a kid but I've had only one flu shot in my life, back when the Russian swine flu hit in the 70's. I got sick anyway. I also remember getting the flu once in the '80's. So 3 flu's in 40 years, and the one was probably from the vaccine.

I am of the 'you're immune system needs something to do' mentality. My 3-second rule is 3 hours. If my hot dog or steak falls on the ground I wipe the excess crud off and finish eating it. I don't bleach or disinfect everything that doesn't move. I don't wipe off shopping cart handles, as a rule, but I did when the Zika virus was all the rage. I rarely ever get sick, and when I do it's usually a day or two tops.

I just don't feel it's necessary. And the rare occasions I do get sick, I keep my distance from the rest of the world.

The virus in the vaccine is dead. It cannot give you the flu.

Mike Henderson
01-28-2018, 4:14 PM
I get the flu shot every year. You can also get a pneumonia shot, but you don't have to get that one every year.

Mike

James Baker SD
01-28-2018, 4:34 PM
I got the shot in October and the flu just after New Year's. Doctor said it should still be less bad than without the shot. I am almost over it now, hard to imagine it could be much worse.

Brian Henderson
01-28-2018, 4:40 PM
Yup, I got it, so did my entire family, and we all came down with the flu. It was not very effective this year and the vast majority of people I know got the flu this year, shot or not. I've been sick for a month now. I know people who have been sick for 3 months. Nothing you can do but wait it out.

Bert Kemp
01-28-2018, 4:50 PM
I get it every year also got both pneumonia shots and shingles . I also wipe down my grocery carts. I'm around a lot of people During the week do a lot og handshaking and hugging so I keep a bottle of germX in my pocket and use it a lot. I refill that little bottle a couple times a week.

Dan Friedrichs
01-28-2018, 4:52 PM
I just don't feel it's necessary.

Why do you think your anecdotes are more valid that the collective knowledge of the entire medical profession, who are imploring us to all get vaccinated?

I just don't understand people who can so casually disregard experts.

Vaccines work by herd immunity. If we all got vaccinated, there would be less people suffering from the flu. Do you really not care that hundreds of young children are literally dying from the flu, this year?

Get your damn flu shot!

Wade Lippman
01-28-2018, 4:55 PM
I read there is a 50% chance of getting shingles if you are vaccinated and if you are not vaccinated there is a 50% chance that you will get shingles. This was done by a study of 100,000.

You misread it; that would mean it did nothing. Good luck getting an insurance company to pay for that. The old shingles vaccine was 50% effective, meaning it reduced incidents by 50% from unvaccinated. Sadly, it also only lasted a couple years, but they never tell you to get revaccinated. I guess it is better than nothing; but not much.

The new one is much more effective and lasts much longer. So... if you want to get vaccinated, hold on a bit for the new one.

Wade Lippman
01-28-2018, 4:58 PM
Why do you think your anecdotes are more valid that the collective knowledge of the entire medical profession, who are imploring us to all get vaccinated?

I just don't understand people who can so casually disregard experts.

I read recently about a woman who died at 104. She attributed her longevity to drinking and smoking heavily. Hard to say if she would have lived any longer if she had acted responsibly, but it is fair to say she would have been in better health the last 50 years.

But people believe what they want to.

Cary Falk
01-28-2018, 5:00 PM
I got one about 18 years ago because work was paying for them. I got really sick from the shot and was in bed for 3 days which I don't remember any of them. I will take my chances without one.

Doug Garson
01-28-2018, 5:03 PM
Why do you think your anecdotes are more valid that the collective knowledge of the entire medical profession, who are imploring us to all get vaccinated?

I just don't understand people who can so casually disregard experts.

Vaccines work by herd immunity. If we all got vaccinated, there would be less people suffering from the flu. Do you really not care that hundreds of young children are literally dying from the flu, this year?

Get your damn flu shot!
I agree and well said, this is equivalent to those who claim they drove for 20 or 30 years without seatbelts and are still alive and using that as evidence that seat belts don't save lives. No vaccine is 100% effective and a small percentage of the population will never get the flu even without the shot.











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Lee Schierer
01-28-2018, 5:22 PM
I have not gotten a flue shot Dennis, but my doctor said it was only 10% effective this year. The flu has been very bad this year. Last year it was 80% effective .



I got the super flu shot recommended by my doctor.

Malcolm McLeod
01-28-2018, 6:31 PM
I am 74 years old, in good health. I walk 4 miles every day. I don't ususlly get a flu shot, but given the serious of this years flu I'm thinking about getting a flu shot. Have you gotten a flu shot this year?
Thanks

^Yes.

If anyone likes to read, grab The Great Influenza (https://www.amazon.com/Great-Influenza-Deadliest-Pandemic-History/dp/0143036491), then decide if you can justify not getting a shot. Take a look at the fatality numbers, and extrapolate to today's population. ....The anti-vaccine crowd might very will survive, but they'll be burying their relatives and neighbors in the backyards.

I'm not a survivalist nut, but viruses are! And one day we'll get a flu strain as contagious as swine, and as deadly as avian.

Politics, religion, Sawstop, and vaccines! Who knew?:eek:

Larry Frank
01-28-2018, 7:37 PM
The shingles vaccine reduces the risk of getting it by 51% per the CDC. I will be glad to reduce the risk by that amount.

Mel Fulks
01-28-2018, 7:54 PM
There is new improved shingles shot. Out now or any day now.

Tim Janssen
01-28-2018, 9:06 PM
My wife and I are both in our 80's and get the flu shot every year and until this time neither one of us have had the flu in a very long time, can't remember the last time. However this time it was obviously not as effective, because I did get a mild case of it just after Christmas. Our whole gang gets together on boxing day and that's when I probably picked it up.
Will get it next fall again.
Cheers,

Tim

Bruce Wrenn
01-28-2018, 9:17 PM
Got my first flu shot this year. Have had two pneumonia shots. Spent Four days in June in hospital with pneumonia. Spent ELEVEN days in hospital in October with pneumonia. Finally had to have surgery to drain lung cavity, and scrape right lung. Very next day after surgery, felt a lot better. The problem with pneumonia, besides dying, is the tiredness that follows for a couple of months.

Mark Blatter
01-28-2018, 9:47 PM
At the risk of being yelled at, or ostracized, no, I didn't get a flu shot. I am 57 and have never had one. I do all other vaccinations, and yes my kids all received their shots. I have had the flu twice in my life, the last time being about 20 years ago. I have a healthy immune system and don't spend much time around people. As others have noted, I wipe off the shopping cart handle every time and wash my hands often throughout the day. I simply have not seen the need for a shot that most years is a crap shot at best. I have not gotten the shingles shot yet, but will once the new one is out and available.

Dan Friedrichs
01-28-2018, 11:27 PM
At the risk of being yelled at, or ostracized, no, I didn't get a flu shot. I am 57 and have never had one. I do all other vaccinations, and yes my kids all received their shots. I have had the flu twice in my life, the last time being about 20 years ago. I have a healthy immune system and don't spend much time around people. As others have noted, I wipe off the shopping cart handle every time and wash my hands often throughout the day. I simply have not seen the need for a shot that most years is a crap shot at best. I have not gotten the shingles shot yet, but will once the new one is out and available.

Not to "yell" at you, Mark, but in all frankness: is there a reason you think your judgement on this is better informed than the medical community's (which strongly advocates that you get a flu shot)? Are you aware that even less effective flu vaccines are likely to make the flu less severe, should you get it? And do you feel no need to contribute to herd immunity, for the benefit of others?

Kev Williams
01-28-2018, 11:35 PM
Why do you think your anecdotes are more valid that the collective knowledge of the entire medical profession, who are imploring us to all get vaccinated?

I just don't understand people who can so casually disregard experts.

Vaccines work by herd immunity. If we all got vaccinated, there would be less people suffering from the flu. Do you really not care that hundreds of young children are literally dying from the flu, this year?

Get your damn flu shot!

I'm not disregarding 'the experts':

CDC conducts studies each year to determine how well the influenza (flu) vaccine protects against flu illness. While vaccine effectiveness can vary (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/effectiveness-studies.htm), recent studies show that flu vaccination reduces the risk of flu illness by between 40% and 60% among the overall population during seasons when most circulating flu viruses are well-matched to the flu vaccine

When they get those numbers to between 90-100%, then I'll get a shot. Until then, based on my medical history- not necessary.

Kev Williams
01-29-2018, 12:01 AM
and in the for-what-it's-worth department:
from the CDC:


Percent of children aged 6 months to 17 years who received an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months: 49.9%
Percent of adults aged 18-49 who received an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months: 31.8%
Percent of adults aged 50-64 who received an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months: 45.2%
Percent of adults aged 65 and over who received an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months: 67.2%


a couple of past years stats-
2009-2010: 39% (adults)
2014-2015: 47%

I'm done.

Mel Fulks
01-29-2018, 12:04 AM
In a quest to find out why some disregard medical advice, ask women who decided to suffer morning sickness rather than take thalidomide.

Andrew Hughes
01-29-2018, 12:27 AM
I get my shot every years. And wash my hands a lot.
Just common sense to do what's right

Jason Roehl
01-29-2018, 6:33 AM
Not to "yell" at you, Mark, but in all frankness: is there a reason you think your judgement on this is better informed than the medical community's (which strongly advocates that you get a flu shot)? Are you aware that even less effective flu vaccines are likely to make the flu less severe, should you get it? And do you feel no need to contribute to herd immunity, for the benefit of others?


Sure, doctors recommend getting the flu shot, but they don't do comprehensive double-blind studies on its effectiveness. They do, however, get paid to administer shots. Also, there's a lot of job rotation between personnel from the companies that produce the vaccines and the CDC, both ways. No thanks, I'll keep on trying to stay healthy, since I'm on about a 20-year streak of no flu without the shot.

Not to mention, there is little said about the full ingredient list of the vaccine. Read it sometime.

Frederick Skelly
01-29-2018, 6:53 AM
and in the for-what-it's-worth department:
from the CDC:


Percent of children aged 6 months to 17 years who received an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months: 49.9%
Percent of adults aged 18-49 who received an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months: 31.8%
Percent of adults aged 50-64 who received an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months: 45.2%
Percent of adults aged 65 and over who received an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months: 67.2%


a couple of past years stats-
2009-2010: 39% (adults)
2014-2015: 47%

I'm done.

Well said Kev.

Wow. Been some pretty strongly worded opinions here from 2-3 of you folks who are "true believers", lecturing or scolding those of us who haven't taken it. Go easy guys. We're all friends here. Whether you agree or not, it's each person's choice. Their bodies. Their risk.

Here's the bottom line for me: every time I've taken it - every time - I've gotten sick and missed several days of work. The years when I didn't take it, I missed zero (0) days of work. So I don't get this shot. In this particular case, I think my actual experience living in my own body trumps the opinion of the experts. I'm glad your experience was/is better.

Fred

Jerome Stanek
01-29-2018, 7:43 AM
The study I saw was a blind study of 200,000 people. They said that 100,000 were given the shingles vaccination and 100,000 where given a placebo each group had roughly 50% of the people get shingles. So that shows me that the vaccine isn't all that effective

Mark Blatter
01-29-2018, 8:20 AM
Not to "yell" at you, Mark, but in all frankness: is there a reason you think your judgement on this is better informed than the medical community's (which strongly advocates that you get a flu shot)? Are you aware that even less effective flu vaccines are likely to make the flu less severe, should you get it? And do you feel no need to contribute to herd immunity, for the benefit of others?

If the flu vaccine helps reduce the severity of the illness, is on me. Making it less severe does not help 'herd immunity'. I will take my chances on getting the flu. I have read so many times of people getting sick after the shot. In fact I just did more reading about it on various sites, like the CDC's own web page, and it talks about people getting sick after getting the shot. True there is no live virus in the shot, but the body still reacts in many people and takes you down for a couple of days with flu like symptons. No thanks to that each year.

On the herd immunity side of the equation, I don't work in an office any more. I work from home or when I am out, I am not around many people, and those I am around are the same ones. My kids are all grown, so none are bringing home every bacteria / virus that is going around. I wash my hands many times during the day to stop the spread of virus / bacteria. Frankly I am not much of a 'herd' animal. My preference is to stay away from the herd so I don't get their various illnesses. Also, if I were to get sick, since I don't work in or around people, I wouldn't be spreading it to others. Finally, I know my own body reasonably well, having lived in it for most of my life. Others can be dropping around me from whatever is going around, and I don't catch it, or it is much less severe for me. My immune system has a proven ability to fight off viruses better than most. There may come a time in years to come when it makes more sense to me to get the shot, and I will. Today I don't see the need. My doctor has agreed with me on it too.

In short, I don't like the 'herd' mentality saying to go get a shot when the 'herd' doctors don't know me or my medical history. They don't know my work schedule, my life in general or any details about me. As mentioned by others, I also tend to be skeptical about the motives behind all the recommendations. I don't wear a tin hat all the time while at home (just every other day), but I also put passwords on my Wi-Fi to keep out the hackers as much as possible.

Al Launier
01-29-2018, 8:33 AM
Absolutely every year despite it being less than fully effective. Better to be protected against 10% of the flu viruses than none at all. At 75 I get the "senior" shot.

Malcolm McLeod
01-29-2018, 9:45 AM
... contribute to herd immunity, ...


...In short, I don't like the 'herd' mentality ...

Mark, I know you used both 'herd immunity' and 'herd mentality', but please do so judiciously. They are VERY different things (and easy to search).

We can all imagine we are immuno-bullet-proof, or we live our lives in splendid isolation, un-tempered by the reality of being part of society. How many people do we directly touch, indirectly touch (shared objects), or breathe the same air in a given day? How many times do you touch your face? Rub your eye?

Four generations back in my family, there were 7 siblings (2 male, 5 female). I am descended from the male line, because one sister got sick and another came to care for her. Rinse and repeat. ...All five sisters died of TB. I never met any of them, but I'll bet dollars-to-donuts each thought they wouldn't catch 'it'.