Flu, flu, flu EVERYONE is talking about the flu. People around me are dropping like flies, there seems to be some random bug going around that is making people REALLY sick. ERs and Docs are swamped. There seems to be disagreement about whether or not getting a flu shot is worth it. The number of people who I know who say they don't believe in them, or they got sick after having one. Interestingly, the sick people I know DID NOT get a flu shot. I'm telling my kids to sleep well, eat their fruits and veggies, AND WASH THEIR HANDS AS MUCH AS THEY CAN!
I'm curious...

are cold and flu viruses getting stronger?
are we being hyped a flu epidemic from the media?
do flu shots really work?
why are there so many myths about flu shots and people won't get them?

And so on and so on!! Thoughts?

I know my kids just got over that VERY virulent flu. They ran high fevers for 7 days. My youngest who is 3, temp was 105.3. Their fevers peaked up to about 104 even the last night. HORRIBLE.
The thing is, the flu shot is not effective against every strain of flu. From what I think I remember (anybody can correct me if I am wrong) they develop the vacc by examining (scientists, Im sure) to see which will be the most prevalent
and go from there. Nobody really ever know what kind of strain's gonna pop up, so those that end up getting the flu, and have been vaccinated, probably more than likely caught a different strain.
I work at a hospital, and it is recommended that I get the flu shot every year. I NEVER have, I caught the the flu once in the past 5 years I have been working. Maybe Im lucky, or have acquired immunity. I think in my own opinion, because the flu is more harsh on kids and the elderly, they probably would benefit more from getting the flu shot than to take the risk and not.
Anyway, just my :twocents: .

I got a flu shot because I will be doing volunteer work at the hospital. It didn't make me sick at all. I don't know if it will work, I've never had it before.

I had a cold last month that dragged on and on. I think there are probably new strains of the cold and flu virus that cause worse or different symptoms.

M-A

I've gotten the shot for years, ever since being diagnosed with asthma. Never had a reaction. Only time I've gotten the flu was the year I skipped the shot, though the fact that I'd just moved probably had something to do with it, too (seems like I get sick every winter after moving to a new place).

My husband works at a hospital, so he got the shot too this year. Nobody sick so far, knock wood.

amy

YOU CANNOT CATCH THE FLU from the inactivated injectable virus! Studies were done in the mmid 90's showing that if a 100 people got suagr water shots ( placebo) and 100 people got the flu shot the SAME percentage of pt's complained of
nausea
low grade fever
arm pain
etc.

I suspect the media is hyping the current outbreak abit, alhtough it is unfortunate that this particular shot is not covering all the right strains...

Thanks Maggie for pointing that out.
Just to update you guys a little, Ive been picking up hours on break from school and half the patients on my floor (which has pretty much been full with a max of 38 patients), It is a medical/telemetry/oncology floor and almost half of our patients are in isolation, being admitted with the flu. I have never seen this in the 5 years I have been working as a nurse on the same floor! It is horrible, especially when the patients already have other medical things going on. These patients are soo sick, and require a lot of care. I live in Indiana, and it is projected to get worse.
Stay Healthy Everyone!

Yep, it's a nasty variety this year. My daughter came down with it Dec 9 and had high fever 104.6 for a couple of days. Needless to say I got very little sleep and my biochem final was on Dec 11. The morning of the 11th I woke up with chills, fever etc. and knew what was coming. I did make the trek to school and take the test, although I tried not to breath on anyone!!! Made it through the final only to throw up on the way to my car......oh, what memories.

All I can say about this subject is that I didn't get the shot this year in time, I've been very sick for three weeks, and just today I was diagnosed with pnumonia. I had to take incompletes in two classes, Christmas was a drag, and now I can't even walk to the kitchen for my Albuterol/Zythromax/Nyquil/Phenergan cocktail without having a "cough out your left lung" session. GET THE SHOT. I usually do every year because I work with immune compromised people, and other than a sore arm, I've never had a complication from a flu shot.

Nanon

The thing about the flu shot is not so much that it in itself will make you sick, but that some believe that it can have an effect on the immune system that will make you more prone to getting killer colds that you can't shake, and other bugs. I've read theories on it, but no real concrete data.

The people I do know that get the flu shot yearly not only sometimes get the flu anyway, but they do seem to be sicker then their non-shot counter parts.

I wish they'd do a study on the effect of the flu shot (and other vaccines) on the immune system. One that is not paid for by a vaccine company!