Should i get the flu shot?

[erinb123]

Ive gotten the flu shot almost every year and ive never had any reactions to it that i know of. Im scheduled to get it in a week and ive been looking up stuff on it and now im terrified to get it! It seems everyone has only negative things to say about it. what should i do? I have asthma and allergies so i reeeeeallly dont want to catch anything. thanks.

[tjlhb]

Originally Posted by erinb123

It seems everyone has only negative things to say about it.

Everyone? That wouldn't include the US CDC, WHO, Institute for Vaccine Safety, and many large medical practices.

The flu vaccine this year is basically the same as in recent previous years, except for the varieties of flu involved. One difference this is that there are two different flu vaccines. One is the seasonal flu vaccine, with three varieties that were predicted earlier this year for this winter (A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1), A/Uruguay/716/2007 (H3N2), B/Brisbane/60/2008). The other is the vaccine specific to the 2009 novel H1N1 "swine" flu virus.

Currently, the seasonal flu vaccine is widely available in the US, while the vaccine for the 2009 novel H1N1 "swine" flu is just beginning to become available.

As far as the specific negative things that seem to be going around:

Thimerosal / mercury: you can get vaccines free of thimerosal if you are worried about it. CSL Limited and Sanofi Pasteur single dose prefilled syringes, and MedImmune nasal sprays have no thimerosal. Novartis single does prefilled syringes have trace amounts of thimerosal (<1mcg mercury per dose); multidose containers of injected vaccine do contain thimerosal (25mcg mercury per dose).

Squalene adjuvant: although it has been used safely in Europe for a while, it is not used in US flu vaccines.

Of course, those with allergies to eggs or other vaccine components should not get the vaccine. There are various other things to consider that are on the information sheet given by the US CDC on the vaccine.

[daisyanna]

When I learned that the vaccine makers recently got a new law passed making them totally immune to any accountability from their vaccines, I decided I would NOT be getting their vaccine. If their vaccine is so safe, why would they need to protect themselves behind a law allowing them to have NO ACCOUNTABILITY?

Not for me.

[Titchou]

I have asthma and allergies and several antibiotic allergies. I've gotten a flu shot every year since I developed asthma in 1994. I've had no problems/side effects from the flu vacine...even though I do have a sensitivity to thimerosal (couldn't use any saline contact rinse with it in it).

Looking at it from my perspective, should I get an upper respiratory infection, I'll be hospitalized so my doctors can get together and decide what antibiotic they should try and then have them watching me 24/7 to see if I have any bad reactions to it. Not exactly what I want to be looking forward to. So, in my case, I get the shot...and I'll get one next week for the seasonal flu and then go back when they have the swine flu one as well. I just can't face the alternatives.

[tjlhb]

Originally Posted by Titchou

I've had no problems/side effects from the flu vacine...even though I do have a sensitivity to thimerosal (couldn't use any saline contact rinse with it in it).

If thimerosal is a concern, ask for the single dose prefilled needles from CSL Limited or Sanofi Pasteur or the nasal spray from Medimmune, which contain no thimerosal.