When do you get your flu vaccine?

[MissGotRocks]

I got mine today along with the shingles vaccine. Insurance now covers the cost of both of them! The pharmacist told me that the shingles vaccine is $200 without insurance.

They put the flu shot in your muscle which makes the arm sore but the shingles vaccine is administered into the fatty lower part of the arm. Crazy, huh?

 

[amc80]

I will get mine at our health fair at work in a couple of weeks. I just canceled my son's appointment. He skin tests as allergic to egg yolk, even though he eats stuff with eggs in it (cooked, like baked goods) without a problem. He's never had just plain old eggs though, nor can we get him to try them. So I figure we will wait another year and hopefully have a chance to get him to eat eggs between now and then. It was a really hard decision, especially since we will have a new baby born at the peak of flu season.

If he can safely eat cooked eggs then it is recommended that he will be able to receive the flu vaccine. If you are still concerned you can call around to see if any clinic or pharmacy carries the egg free version.

He's never had eggs on their own, only when baked into foods. I didn't even know there was an egg free version. I know he can't get it from the pharmacy because he's too young. Maybe I'll call the health department.

ETA- It looks like the egg-free version is for people 18+ only.

 

[JaneSmith]

I will get mine at our health fair at work in a couple of weeks. I just canceled my son's appointment. He skin tests as allergic to egg yolk, even though he eats stuff with eggs in it (cooked, like baked goods) without a problem. He's never had just plain old eggs though, nor can we get him to try them. So I figure we will wait another year and hopefully have a chance to get him to eat eggs between now and then. It was a really hard decision, especially since we will have a new baby born at the peak of flu season.

If he can safely eat cooked eggs then it is recommended that he will be able to receive the flu vaccine. If you are still concerned you can call around to see if any clinic or pharmacy carries the egg free version.

He's never had eggs on their own, only when baked into foods. I didn't even know there was an egg free version. I know he can't get it from the pharmacy because he's too young. Maybe I'll call the health department.

ETA- It looks like the egg-free version is for people 18+ only.

"People who have ever had a severe allergic reaction to eggs can get recombinant flu vaccine if they are 18 years through 49 years of age or they should get the regular flu shot (IIV) given by a medical doctor with experience in management of severe allergic conditions. People who have had a mild reaction to egg—that is, one which only involved hives—may get a flu shot with additional safety measures. Recombinant flu vaccines also are an option for people if they are 18 years through 49 years of age and they do not have any contraindications to that vaccine. Make sure your doctor or health care professional knows about any allergic reactions. Most, but not all, types of flu vaccine contain a small amount of egg. "
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/whoshouldvax.htm#egg-allergy

"Studies show that even individuals with confirmed egg allergy can receive the flu vaccine with certain precautions.
If you or your child's reaction to eating eggs is hives only, the vaccine can be administered in the primary care provider's office with a 30 minute observation period afterward. If the reaction to eating eggs involves other symptoms such as difficulty breathing or lightheadedness, the vaccine should be administered in an allergist's office, again with a 30 minute observation period afterward."
http://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/allergy-library/egg-allergy-and-the-flu-vaccine.aspx

Please also make sure everyone who will be around the baby is up to date on their pertussis (whooping cough) shots.

 

[amc80]

I will get mine at our health fair at work in a couple of weeks. I just canceled my son's appointment. He skin tests as allergic to egg yolk, even though he eats stuff with eggs in it (cooked, like baked goods) without a problem. He's never had just plain old eggs though, nor can we get him to try them. So I figure we will wait another year and hopefully have a chance to get him to eat eggs between now and then. It was a really hard decision, especially since we will have a new baby born at the peak of flu season.

If he can safely eat cooked eggs then it is recommended that he will be able to receive the flu vaccine. If you are still concerned you can call around to see if any clinic or pharmacy carries the egg free version.

He's never had eggs on their own, only when baked into foods. I didn't even know there was an egg free version. I know he can't get it from the pharmacy because he's too young. Maybe I'll call the health department.

ETA- It looks like the egg-free version is for people 18+ only.

"People who have ever had a severe allergic reaction to eggs can get recombinant flu vaccine if they are 18 years through 49 years of age or they should get the regular flu shot (IIV) given by a medical doctor with experience in management of severe allergic conditions. People who have had a mild reaction to egg—that is, one which only involved hives—may get a flu shot with additional safety measures. Recombinant flu vaccines also are an option for people if they are 18 years through 49 years of age and they do not have any contraindications to that vaccine. Make sure your doctor or health care professional knows about any allergic reactions. Most, but not all, types of flu vaccine contain a small amount of egg. "
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/whoshouldvax.htm#egg-allergy

"Studies show that even individuals with confirmed egg allergy can receive the flu vaccine with certain precautions.
If you or your child's reaction to eating eggs is hives only, the vaccine can be administered in the primary care provider's office with a 30 minute observation period afterward. If the reaction to eating eggs involves other symptoms such as difficulty breathing or lightheadedness, the vaccine should be administered in an allergist's office, again with a 30 minute observation period afterward."
http://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/allergy-library/egg-allergy-and-the-flu-vaccine.aspx

Please also make sure everyone who will be around the baby is up to date on their pertussis (whooping cough) shots.

Thanks for posting that....I guess we can still consider it. My fear is that he's never had plain eggs, and his skin test reactions to eggs have consistently been significant (7x4 wheal and 20x15 flare; his histamine control was 7x5 wheal and 25x20). If I could get him to eat eggs and see what his reaction would be, I would feel much better about the shot.

And yep, we are all up to date on TDap. We made our parents get them as well

 

[msop04]

We just got the flu vaccine at my clinic last week, but I can't stay well long enough to get one! UGH!!

 

[pandabee]

oops sorry amc, should have asked how old your son was!

msop I was always taught that if you are well enough to be out in public and not severely sick (nausea/vomiting) then even if you have mild flu-like symptoms you can still get the flu shot.

 

[msop04]

oops sorry amc, should have asked how old your son was!

msop I was always taught that if you are well enough to be out in public and not severely sick (nausea/vomiting) then even if you have mild flu-like symptoms you can still get the flu shot.

Yeah... I've just been so sick for the past three weeks that our clinic manager wouldn't let me get it! LOL I probably should have stayed home from work several days, but we are a small company so I don't have that luxury. I AM feeling better this week, so I'll probably get it tomorrow -- yay!