I'll be getting the regular flu shot soon and I'm not sure about H1N1. I've gotten the regular shot every year for several years since I have lots of allergy/sinus/asthma trouble and even normal colds hit me hard and last a long time, usually with a sinus infection to follow, etc. (Sorry if TMI!) We spend a lot of time with my 80-year-old mom and my concern is that we'd pass the flu on to her. Since I inherited my upper-respiratory and allergy tendencies from her, she'd be in big trouble if she had the flu. I'm sure she'll get the regular flu shot this year, too, but as always, it's uncertain as to whether the formulation is accurate for this year's strains. One school about an hour away from us is closed as 1/3 of the students are out with the flu, and they haven't determined if it's H1N1. It did seem like they hyped H1N1 a few months ago, but now the news seems to be full of stories on it.

I did, also at Costco. My insurance covered it, but even if it had not, I definitely would have paid many times over to prevent getting the flu. I do hope those "You are not just flu'in yourself!" advertisements worked. Although I definitely understand not getting the vaccine if you have an allergy or sensitivity - TG does, which is all the more reason for me to get the shot. I office out of my house, but about once per month I travel for business. So, I have the worst combination of lack of consistent exposure to bugs and the barrage of germs you come in contact with in airplanes and hotels. I swear, if I come within ten yards of a kid with a cold, I get a cold, so I'm not taking any chances!

terriks, at my hospital the vaccine is not optional for employees. Last year I was caring for an elderly patient in with breathing trouble. His daughter and grandson came to visit, and the grandson was coughing and didn't look well. I asked if he was ill and told them he needed to be wearing a mask -- mom refused, said he was fine. Don't you know that he did have the flu -- so did the patient, and I came down with it a few days later. BUT, I believe thanks to the vaccine, I really was not as sick as typical and it didn't last as long as I recall it usually did. blubird, I am surprised that, if your doctor felt you had the flu, he then put you on an antibiotic. Just the sort of thing that we've been fighting against for a decade -- inappropriate use of antibiotic. (But, perhaps you had developed a secondary infection that the flu left you open to. That can happen) We are seeing a lot of flu right now and have several patients in ICU with it. That GI bug (likely norovirus) tore through the staff in December, along with an upper respiratory thing that made several staff members quite ill.

I rescheduled my Shingrix shot yesterday because I had to run some errands after and a friend passed out from hers while running errands so I decided to wait. They said it would be OK to reschedule. I broke my foot once just by tripping on a step. Similar to yours, bone at the base of the toe. It was just a crack but the cast was a real PITA for a LONG time. As a kid, I had a big reaction of the measles shot, broke out in a rash all over which lasted a day or two. Still worth it, I had three Great Aunts who were deaf plus my grandmother, all due to childhood German measles. But a person should be aware that vaccinations are not totally benign. They save lives but don't freak if there is a side effect. A lot of life saving medications are the same way. I'd much prefer not to be extremely sick for weeks, pass on the sickness to other vulnerable folks, or maybe even have a lethal complication. I'll take the shot, but take it with full knowledge and fully prepared.