BUFFALOKIE Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 (edited) I used to catch the flu often. The last time, I was 23 years old. I seriously thought I was gonna die. I've gotten the shot every year since. 20 years later and I haven't had flu again...knock on wood. Flu sucks. Edited October 17, 2014 by THE KIKO MONSTER
Rubes Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 If you've never had the flu, then you are very lucky. Trust me, you never, ever want to get it. Like the Kiko Monster said, you seriously feel like you're going to die. For me, it was three straight days without being able to get off the couch, even a little. People who tell me they're not sure if they ever had the flu...they didn't have the flu. You know when you have the flu. The flu shot doesn't provide complete protection against the flu, but if it lowers your chance even a little, trust me, it's worth it. And if it lowers the chance that your frail elderly (parent, neighbor, friend) or young (newborn, child, niece, nephew) gets it, it's absolutely worth it.
DC Tom Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 If you've never had the flu, then you are very lucky. Trust me, you never, ever want to get it. Like the Kiko Monster said, you seriously feel like you're going to die. For me, it was three straight days without being able to get off the couch, even a little. In other words, March Madness with the sniffles. Big deal.
birdog1960 Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 If you've never had the flu, then you are very lucky. Trust me, you never, ever want to get it. Like the Kiko Monster said, you seriously feel like you're going to die. For me, it was three straight days without being able to get off the couch, even a little. People who tell me they're not sure if they ever had the flu...they didn't have the flu. You know when you have the flu. The flu shot doesn't provide complete protection against the flu, but if it lowers your chance even a little, trust me, it's worth it. And if it lowers the chance that your frail elderly (parent, neighbor, friend) or young (newborn, child, niece, nephew) gets it, it's absolutely worth it. or even the frail, elderly or young, susceptible stranger…
BUFFALOKIE Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 In other words, March Madness with the sniffles. Big deal. Ha! Your awesome Tom.
Steve O Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 58 years old never had the flu in my life. Never had a shot. Not going to tamper with whats working. What Jim said, although technically I won't be 58 for 3 weeks.
Marv's Neighbor Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 Never had a flu shot, haven't had the flu in years and when I did it was more a 24 hour thing (knock on wood). Also don't use hand sanitizer. My system seems pretty strong. Beer makes you brave!
rockpile Posted October 17, 2014 Author Posted October 17, 2014 58 years old never had the flu in my life. Never had a shot. Not going to tamper with whats working. That was me until I was 60.
Jim in Anchorage Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 That was me until I was 60. So I can count on falling off the cliff at 60? Before I get a dime off SS?
ExiledInIllinois Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 Yes, and the bigger question for you old geezers like me is are you getting the shingles vaccination? Recommended now at 50 if you had the chicken pox...positive on both for me. Flu piece of cake compared to the shingles. My son had chicken pox when he was about 18 months old. He was born in 1998 right before they started mandatory vaccine (varicella). My daughter born in 2002 has had the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine. Anyway, my son had chickenpox pretty bad. Get this, he's already had a bought of shingles! At 13! Except for the rash, it was uneventful. Children usually do not have any problem dealing with shingles. http://pediatrics.about.com/od/weeklyquestion/a/1108_shingles.htm
Buffalo Barbarian Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 Last year I got the flu right after Christmas. After a week I realized it was more than a bad cold and went to the doctor, who diagnosed it as H1N1, AKA Swine Flu. Man, I was sick for two and a half weeks. If I had fluid in my lungs, I would have been hospitalized. It sucks being that sick and it also sucks that our time off at work is all "PTO". I usually do not get sick, so getting the flu cost me a week's vacation as far as I was concerned! I also do not consider being bedridden and contagious "personal time off". If I could have made it to work, I was contagious for over a week. I could have wiped out the call center! Does anyone else get the flu shot? I got the shot yesterday and no side effects. Flu shots are BS, don't have the virus that is current and are full of crap to make people sick, which half the people who get them get sick.
Jim in Anchorage Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 The flu vaccine contains the three most likely strains the experts think will be prevalent in the winter. Iley decide this in February for the next winter since it takes over 6 months to produce enough. Sometimes nature fools them and they guess wrong. You do not get the flu from a shot, you already had it when getting the vaccine if you come down with it right after the shot. The major strain changes about every 3 years and I would get the flu about every 3 years. Be home a week and lose about 10 lbs each time (all fluid). I was deathly ill during Super Bowl XXV. Started getting the shots about 20 years ago and haven't gotten the flu since. $ is not a concern because at CVS it costs $15 and they give you a coupon good for a week for 20% off at the store. While I was in the hospital with my stroke in July, I got the flu and pneumonia vaccines. Why is it flu is more common in the winter? Toughts? Guess?
ExiledInIllinois Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 Why is it flu is more common in the winter? Toughts? Guess? Could be humidity. It survives best at low humidity and at very high humidity. "Environmental engineers have shown for the first time the relationship between the influenza A virus viability in human mucus and humidity over a large range of relative humidities, from 17 percent to 100 percent." "...The researchers found humidity could explain the seasonality of influenza by controlling the ability of viruses to remain infectious while they are in droplets or aerosols. The viruses survived best at low humidity, such as those found indoors in the winter, and at extremely high humidity. Humidity affects the composition of the fluid, namely the concentrations of salts and proteins in respiratory droplets, and this affects the survival rates of the flu virus." http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121204162125.htm
Beerball Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 Flu shots are BS, don't have the virus that is current and are full of crap to make people sick, which half the people who get them get sick. That's a very uninformed response.
BillsFanNC Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 Even if there isn't a match between what strains they decide to put in the vaccine and the circulating strain during that particular season, you are still going to be offered some level of cross protection from the circulating antibodies generated in response to the immunization. Flu related deaths in the US each year range from <10,000 to near 50,000, and worldwide influenza kills hundreds of thousands each and every year....but Ebola!!!!!
shrader Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 I had a flu shot last Thursday for the 2nd time ever. My new job (working for a hospital) requires it. By Sunday night I came down with something and just today I'm finally starting to feel better. My wife has not had any signs of catching what I have (and she thinks it's ebola). I'm not ready to pin this one on the shot, but I can see why people would think that. Mine was just a minor annoyance though, there's no way this is the flu.
Rubes Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 Flu shots are BS, don't have the virus that is current and are full of crap to make people sick, which half the people who get them get sick. Well, there is definitely something BS about this. Very typical.
birdog1960 Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 Well, there is definitely something BS about this. Very typical. honestly, a cross section of the people i work with would be less frustrating than this. hopefully, this is not a representative sample. if it is, a bills game in buffalo in dec is likely a very good place to catch the flu.
ExiledInIllinois Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 honestly, a cross section of the people i work with would be less frustrating than this. hopefully, this is not a representative sample. if it is, a bills game in buffalo in dec is likely a very good place to catch the flu. Through the years they have been giving the shot, have they seen the reported cases of flu go drastically down? Same with severe complications and death from influenza. ??
birdog1960 Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 Through the years they have been giving the shot, have they seen the reported cases of flu go drastically down? Same with severe complications and death from influenza. ?? in many observational studies, yes. if you're really interested this paper, while not particularlyflattering to the vaccine, does a nice job of summarizing the studies. http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=486407
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