Flu shots: The biggest joke in medicine?

MissSarah786

My FIL wants me to get a flu shot. He's on the phone with his 16-year old grand daughter trying to get her to get a flu shot too. He keeps preaching the flu shot and how great it is. Um, you smoke a pack a day. Quit that, it'll be a heck of a lot better than getting a flu shot. Do you get a flu shot?

opalsky007

Nope. Never had the flu either.

zippityb

Yes, because I get them for free. My fiance doesn't get them, even though he works in a school, but he hates shots. I told him he had to get one if we ever had a baby.

Ciaram22

Haven't had one since I moved out of my grandparents house.

ggmae

Nope, and I've never had the flu. In my area, it's usually offered to just young children, the elderly and others viewed as "at risk." If there isn't a shortage, they open it up to everyone and I can't remember the last time I got one.

louisvillebride21

The one time I ever got one was the only time I ever got the flu. No more for me, thanks.

MissSarah786

Yeah, they usually limit who can get them. Even the CDC says only recommends it for the elderly and those under age 9 who haven't gotten all of their vaccines yet.

sapphirebaby926

When I was 17 I got a flu shot - 2 weeks later I got the flu.

katiewhompus

Never received one and probably never will. Knowing my luck it would just make me sick.

mocha beans

I've only gotten it once, when I was getting over having mono for a month.  I only did because I figured my immune system was running low, and I didn't want to get sick again.  Work paid for it.I won't get one this year and haven't for many.  I'm healthy and have a good immune system, I'll risk it.  Others can get it that need it more.  I'm sure I'd recover from a bout of the flu just fine.

tlv204

I've never had one, and I don't think I've ever had the flu actually.  I just don't understand why they would be "necessary" when they almost never prevent whichever flu strand runs rampant that year, just the ones from last year.  Random question: Is it true that the flu and cold virus are the same?  And that having the flu is, therefore, just a really really serious cold?  I don't know where I read that but I'm not sure if it's accurate or not.

ootmother2

no, I couldn't get one this year, too many restrictions that it was reserved for infants and the elderly.I do get the pneumonia vaccine though.

kaydi327

I got it when I was in high school and got a bad case of the flu as a result.  I don't think my glands have ever been that swollen.  Never got it again!

thesuninherhead

Yes, but only because I work in health (at a hospital some of my working days). FI gets one each year too, because he is type 1 diabetic, thus a 'high risk' group for the flu. I've only started getting mine since I began working at this job, otherwise I wouldn't bother. Neither of us have ever had flu, touch wood. 

sucrets4

sun - I'm guessing 'touch wood' is equivalent to 'knock on wood' here in the states?

amber1011

 I've gotten the flu shot for the past few years because I have a really terrible immune system, and when I moved to live in a dorm it was pretty much a must have. I'll probably still get one this year even though I live off campus (the school gives them to students for free because off the close proximity of all the students. Sickness really DOES spread like wildfire).

tlv204

I think I have a superhuman immune system.  I lived in the dorms for 2 years, the only "extra" vaccination I got was for meningitis (I'm glad I got that one even with a superhuman immune system), and I only got 1 cold in those 2 years.  And it was over the summer.  Hmmm.

tbh33

I have gotten one every year except for one, and the one year I missed it, I actually ended up being sick with the flu.  I didn't even get it last year when I was working primarily with flu specimens last year.BTW: you can't get the flu from the shot since its not a live vaccine.

skhynes

I work in at a VA hospital, so I get the shot.  I've never had a reaction from it nor have I gotten the flu.  My husband who works in nursing homes didn't get it the last two years (he's really scared of needles) and he ended up sick as a dog with the flu 3 times.  I never caught it from him either.

airidh80

I've gotten flu shots 3 out of the past 6 years. The three years I didn't get the shot, I got the flu. I don't get Sick Days, or Vacation Days, or Personal Days, or ANY kind of paid days off. And every time I get the flu, I'm down for a week. So the shot is absolutely worth it to me.

thesuninherhead

Yes, sucrets, the same thing. I forget you guys say 'knock on' instead of touch.And I should add, my flu shots have been free because of where I work, and FI's are also free because he is in a high-risk group, and all high risk groups can get theirs for free here. Even if we were to pay, I think the shot itself is only $30 from memory, as it is subsidised.

brookelynpaisley

Nope, and I've only gotten what I assume was the flu once. To be honest, I never went to the doctor, so I don't even know it was that.

alka131

Yes, I get the flu shot every fall. It's free through my health care, so I figure why not? I haven't had the flu for ages, either.

jagore08

I am supposed to get them because I work in the hospitals. So, yes. Side note: You don't get the flu from the flu shot. If you get the flu after you received the shot it's because either you were already coming down with the flu or the vaccine hadn't taken effect yet. (<---- medically proven)

nda_roxybabe

No way. I've never had the flu either.

Night_Sprite

My sister has asthma and I live in a college town.  I get them every year.  The year I didn't, I got a sinus infection, mono, influenza A, influenza B, another sinus infection, and a nasty cold.  This was also before my tonsilectomy from my tonsils that were so infected that they touched and choked me.

[Deleted User]

I had the flu once as a child and once 4 years ago, it was HORRIBLE! I had the shot as a teen because my brother was on chemo. I had it in college a few times and when I worked with children. I plan on getting it this year because I teach medically fragile children.

timmysgal1

um, my work gave free flu shots a few years ago so I got one.  I will probably get one again this year.  I had a really bad flu (not puking, but body aching and respiratory flu) twice in college and a puking flu in 2006 and I never want to feel that way every again!!!

MiniSteph

I haven't gotten one and I don't think I'm going to.Fi is required since he works for 911 and everyone is getting it at his work.

jagore08

Stage Manager - I know what you meant, that info was for people who believe that they get the flu from the flu shot.

melissa82

I never get it, I'm healthy, have no chronic conditions, and would likely survive the flu so the immunity I'd get from the flu itself is more beneficial to the body than the vaccine.The kicker is that I'm a health writer/editor and every year there's a huge push for the flu shot and I have to write a gazillion articles on why people should get the shot. I'm a liar.