PSA about flu shots
nekotish
3 years ago
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Comments (25)
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Flu Shot -- Got It?
Comments (38)FIrst an apology to keesha - I truly didn't mean to drop a bomb and then disappear. No excuse, but I had a bit of a melt-down this week. Over now. Keesha, thank you for your personal insight, and my deepest condolences to you and your family on the loss of your Dad. I've read horrifying accounts of GB online, but never from a 'real person' - and you are a real person. My refusal to get a flu shot (any flu shot) is pretty straight forward and not particularly documented by much of anything ..... I simply do not have confidence in the powers that be these days and their 'way' of fixing things. Much of my professional career has been in private practice surgical offices, crowned with a half decade in a start-up biotech venture where I got an insider look at FDA, CDC, HMS, BIH, AMA, NEJM and a bunch of other medical alphabet-soup luminaries and what I saw left me cold. I also come from strong, peasant stock so have enjoyed a strong constitution w/no illnesses, save a head cold or two, forever. Every time I've left a job, it has been with a nice check for unused 'sick time'. Well, until I was diagnosed w/metastatic cancer a while back - figured it was my payback for so many decades of good health. I dealt with that, kicking and screaming the whole way - so far, so good, we'll see what the future brings. Seeing a so-called Newscast extending flu fear factor while collecting gazillions of dollars from pharma companies as their advertising support strikes me a being a big, really big, conflict of interest. History is peppered with epidemic/pandemic fears; some thinned 'the herd', some just sputtered out - so much hype. There has always been a hidden agenda - these days, it's all about the money. I'm not stupid, tho I cannot cite studies and statistics to confirm or debunk the purported 'experts'. I'm just a pretty ordinary person who isn't willing to line up and take the 'shot' as told, given what I've seen. And reports of certain states that are considering 'mandating - requiring' residents to take the shot mortify me. What about medical contraindications, what about religious objections? This mass immunization threat is soooo not possible or right - at least in the America where I grew up. In my case, my pathetically limited lifestyle leaves me at lower risk. I will be more diligent (hand wipes in the car console for post supermarket trips) 'doin my part. The little guys and college age folks don't usually cross my path, but if they do, I won't shun them. Sorry for such a long post - thanks for reading if you've gotten this far .... btw, I raw feed my dog - she's a svelt 10' beagle - and don't over-vaccinate her either - so there! (Fair to say that much of my vaccine info and aversion comes from my studies on canine vaccines which are closely aligned w/human vaccines). I'm just sayin' .................See MorePoll: Swine Flu shot
Comments (120)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....See MoreFlu shot or No flu shot that is the question?
Comments (46)i am on the fence as to whether it is good to have the H1N1 shot or not. BTW my background is a BS in biology w/ a specialization in both plant sciences and medical microbiology (taught at IU med school). i have a special interest in unusual viruses. i do not even read information about medical things until i look at credentials and personal opinions mean nothing to my scientifically trained mind. i am interested only in verifiable info thru proven scientific routes (CDC, AMSRID, WHO, some universities w/ elite medical schools only etc..) there is soooooo much incorrect non-scientific info out there it's sad what people think and know on issues like this. it truly doesn't matter for most people since they are only making a limited # of doses (enough for 10% of the population i believe) and the ranking for getting it starts w/ pregnant women, then children, adults under 40 then anyone over 40 w/ pre-existing lung/heart conditions making them susceptible to it. that is the order of risk for death also. it will also be interesting to see how much this shot costs, i'm gonna guess more than most would pay out of pocket, i understand it will not be covered by most insurances. would i get it given i have asthma and am 40? i will wait and see...DH & i have had several flu's this yr (more than any previous yr infact) and believe we may have already had it, so i'm willing to wait it out. i have had flu shots in the past after getting a B version of Hong Kong flu and getting extremely sick in my 20's but i don't get it every yr. this is too new of a vacccine for me, now next yr after i see how things go this fall/winter i might. ~ liz...See MoreGot My Flu Shot
Comments (35)"Influenza may cause bad cold symptoms. But in the United States alone,36,000 people die and more than 200,000 are hospitalized each year because of the flu. MYTH: You can't spread the flu if you're feeling well. Actually, 20% to 30% of people carrying the influenza virus have no symptoms." 10 Flu Myths If you’ve ever had the flu, you know how sick you can be. Chances are good that some of the advice friends and family gave you about avoiding or dealing with the flu was wrong. There seems to be no shortage of misinformation and bad advice when it comes to dealing with the flu. Here are 10 common myths about the flu. MYTH: You can catch the flu from the vaccine. The vaccine is made from an inactivated virus that can’t transmit infection. So people who get sick after receiving a flu vaccination were going to get sick anyway. It takes a week or two to get protection from the vaccine. But people assume that because they got sick after getting the vaccine, the shot caused their illness. MYTH: Healthy people don’t need to be vaccinated. It’s true that the flu vaccination is routinely recommended for people who have a chronic illness. But anyone — even healthy folks — can benefit from being vaccinated. Current guidelines suggest that children ages 6 months to 19 years old, pregnant women, and anyone over age 49 be vaccinated each year. In addition, the flu shot is recommended for healthy people who might spread the virus to others who are particularly susceptible. For this reason, health care workers are routinely advised to get the flu vaccination to protect their patients. MYTH: Getting the flu vaccination is all you need to do to protect yourself from the flu. There are a number of steps you can take to protect yourself during flu season besides vaccination. Avoid contact with people who have the flu, wash your hands frequently, and consider taking anti-viral medications if you were exposed to the flu before being vaccinated. MYTH: The flu is just a bad cold. Influenza may cause bad cold symptoms. But in the United States alone, 36,000 people die and more than 200,000 are hospitalized each year because of the flu. MYTH: You can’t spread the flu if you’re feeling well. Actually, 20% to 30% of people carrying the influenza virus have no symptoms. MYTH: You don’t need to get a flu shot every year. The influenza virus changes (mutates) each year. So getting vaccinated each year is important to make sure you have immunity to the strains most likely to cause an outbreak. MYTH: You can catch the flu from going out in cold weather without a coat, with wet hair or by sitting near a drafty window. The only way to catch the flu is by being exposed to the influenza virus. Flu season coincides with the cold weather. So people often associate the flu with a cold, drafty environment. But, they are not related. MYTH: Feed a cold, starve a fever. If you have the flu (or a cold) and a fever, you need more fluids. There’s little reason to increase or decrease how much you eat. Though you may have no appetite, “starving” yourself will accomplish little. And poor nutrition will not help you get better. MYTH: Chicken soup will speed your recovery from the flu. Hot liquids can soothe a sore throat and provide much needed fluids. But chicken soup has no other specific qualities that can help fight the flu. MYTH: If you have a high fever with the flu that lasts more than a day or two, antibiotics may be necessary. Antibiotics work well against bacteria, but they aren’t effective for a viral infection like the flu. Then again, some people develop a bacterial infection as a complication of the flu, so it may be a good idea to get checked out if your symptoms drag on or worsen. The flu is a good example of how medical myths can get in the way of good medical care. When it’s flu season, take the necessary steps to stay healthy. That includes separating fact from myth. http://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/10-flu-myths...See Morenekotish
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