Did you get a flu shot this year?

[AprilBaby]

Insurance won't pay for shingles shot until you are 60 because the primary group that gets shingles is over 60. You can get it younger, but it cost me about $400 at the dr. It was worth it for me as I seem to be autoimmune sensitive and the risk of shingles outweighed the cost.

 

[lyra]

Yes, I got my flu shot and I get one every year. I had the flu about 25 years ago and that is pure misery. Funny how people mistake colds and viruses for the flu - if you have the real thing, you know it. It is not something you get over very quickly either. I have gotten the shot ever since and have never had the flu again.

I recently got the pertussis vaccine too - particularly because of my infant granddaughter!

That is so very true MissGotRocks. I remember what it was like to get the flu. I will do anything to avoid going through that again. This is our second (third?) year with the combined H1N1/flu shot. My youngest daughter contracted H1N1 once, and it was horrible too. She was late getting the shot that year.

I remember how much the pertussis shot hurt, but I'm fairly certain our household came down with whooping cough last year, so I definitely want to ask for that one too. Apparently contracting the disease does not give you immunity. Don't want to go through that again either, it was 3 months of illness.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I haven't had flu in at least 10 years, so no. Never have had a flu shot. I'm thinking about a shingles vaccine, though, because I had chicken pox as a kid & shingles ain't no fun from what I read.

Oh, it's terrible. My father has shingles. If there's a vaccine, get it!

I actually TRIED to get the shot for shingles and they wouldn't let me they said you had to be 60 or older! I still don't understand why they don't let people get that shot if they are not at least 60???

Oh my! I had not heard that about age! I was hoping to get that vaccine. I'll have to check and see if my state is different.

 

[pandabee]

I haven't had flu in at least 10 years, so no. Never have had a flu shot. I'm thinking about a shingles vaccine, though, because I had chicken pox as a kid & shingles ain't no fun from what I read.

Oh, it's terrible. My father has shingles. If there's a vaccine, get it!

I actually TRIED to get the shot for shingles and they wouldn't let me they said you had to be 60 or older! I still don't understand why they don't let people get that shot if they are not at least 60???

Oh my! I had not heard that about age! I was hoping to get that vaccine. I'll have to check and see if my state is different.

^^ like I mentioned on the previous page...shouldn't be a state issue but an insurance one! So check with them

 

[JaneSmith]

I recently got the pertussis vaccine too - particularly because of my infant granddaughter!

And to all who have got their flu shot:

 

[woofmama]

I got the flu shot and TDAP this year. I feel it was worth it as I simply can't miss work due to illness.

I had a severe outbreak of shingles two years ago at 46 yrs old. It was horrid, absolute hell to live through. I still haven't gotten the vaccine. Doctor said I couldn't. Now reading this thread I'm going to check if I can get it if I pay out of pocket. Well worth the money to never go through that again. I urge all of you to get this vaccine.

 

[Maisie]

I am offered the flu jab for free because I have Diabetes. I was nervous of side effects but decided that it can't be as bad as the actual flu (which i've had once and thought I was dying!).

My daughter gets one because she has Asthma. Hopefully the rest of the family don't get flu because then I will have to run round after them

 

[Enerchi]

Get it every year, as an RN who interacts with clients on a daily basis, as well as have to do a compulsory stint giving injections as well.

Only one year, pre full time employment, did I get the flu and it was WICKED!!! I'm on the pro flu shot side of things.

 

[rosetta]

Since there's a lot of Doctor type people in this thread...

Is my fear of creating a stronger and stronger flu virus through vaccines unfounded?

Yes it is. There is no evidence that flu vaccines lead to more aggressive strains of influenza.

The risks of flu killing the very young and the very old are very real.

 

[Jennifer W]

It isn't offered here unless you're in a higher risk group, so I haven't had one. I mean, I haven't ever had one. I've never had flu either.
I would like to get a vaccine this year, for no reason other than I have a feeling my luck will run out eventually, and having just started a new job, I don't want to have to take two weeks off to shiver under the duvet!

Sorry to threadjack, but Kenny, how are you? Hope you're in good health? Apologies if you've updated your cancer thread and I missed it, I haven't had much time online recently, but I was thinking about you.

 

[Dancing Fire]

if i decided that i'd wanna catch the flu i will take the flu shot ...

 

[jstarfireb]

They're required for me as a health care worker, so yes, but I'd get it either way. I had H1N1 during the big fall surge in 2009, and it was horrendous, so I would continue to get flu shots even if I weren't a health care worker just to avoid something like that happening again. Fun fact: it takes 10 days after getting the vaccine to build up a strong enough immune response to avoid getting the flu. My exposure to H1N1 occurred 5 days after the vaccine, so I had some immunity already, but not enough to keep me from catching it. Given that it was my demographic that was dying from H1N1 left and right, it's very well possible that the vaccine saved my life.