Poll: Flu 2017/18 Season - Flu and Shot

[Sunset]

I heard on the radio from some health experts two things which are probably true:

Some people never get the flu, it seems they are naturally immune.

When lots of people go to get the flu shot, often there are other sick people there with the flu, and it's a great place to catch the flu.

Myself, I finally went and got the shot.

Here is the weird thing, we have HMO, so I phoned and they said if I went to the doctor it would be free, but I might have to co-pay to see the doc office. Otherwise I can go anywhere and simply pay for it, but no reimbursement.
I expressed my displeasure about that.

At Sam's club, the pharmacist said it was $30, but they could run the insurance and see if it will pay or reject it. So I did and it paid, so it was free.

So did my minimum wage heath care advisor from some call center mislead me

 

[REWahoo]

Some people never get the flu, it seems they are naturally immune.

A study done in 2016 says we may all have some immunity to different strains of the flu depending on the year we were born:

If you were exposed to a certain flu strain in your childhood, that first exposure could have resulted in long-term protection against related flu viruses, reducing your risk of a future severe infection by up to 75%...

Flu risk may be linked to when you were born - CNN

 

[Brat]

Got the 'super-dooper' flu shot (for seniors), no flu yet. One of the gals in my building is in the ICU from flu & pneumonia.

 

[TrvlBug]

I always get the flu shot. I've had the 'real' flu once and never want to go through that again. No flu this year but I'm sick as a dog on day 12 of the worst bronchitis/chest cold ever. Am on antibiotics now as doc thinks I've developed a secondary bacterial infection. DH's throat is now getting sore .

 

[Helen]

I got the flu shot about a month ago. Yesterday I though I was getting a head cold - runny nose and a lot of sneezing. Today I have a 100 degree fever. I am suppose to fly to Australia on Friday, this needs to go away.

 

[REWahoo]

I got the flu shot about a month ago. Yesterday I though I was getting a head cold - runny nose and a lot of sneezing. Today I have a 100 degree fever. I am suppose to fly to Australia on Friday, this needs to go away.

That's bad, bad news.

Years ago I came down with the flu while in Japan, 48 hours before I was to fly home. I still have nightmares about how absolutely miserable that flight home was.

 

[MRG]

So did my minimum wage heath care advisor from some call center mislead me

Probably not, at least not intentionally.

The insurance companies generally pay a third party to do their pharmacy benefits, the rules the third party has may be different from what the slightly over minimum wage worker sees.

It's not a problem with the people or the systems, sometimes they are not in sync(obviously they should be). It's a PIA. It pays to be persistent.

 

[Dreamer]

I got the flu shot about a month ago. Yesterday I though I was getting a head cold - runny nose and a lot of sneezing. Today I have a 100 degree fever. I am suppose to fly to Australia on Friday, this needs to go away.

I hope it goes away quickly. Get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluid. Hope you have a wonderful time in Australia.

I did get the flu shot. We are flying to FL on 2/9 and on a cruise ship 2/10. There are 4 of us ladies going and I hope that none of us get sick.

 

[mamadogmamacat]

Well I got it again, high fever starting Friday afternoon. So bad, i really cant take care of the pets the way i should had to have a friend haul my diabetic kitty to the vet to get her fluids administered. No way i could do it. This needs to end soon. What a terrible season, especially here in Ga from all reports

 

[MarieIG]

The flu is running rampant in my company. Yesterday one of the secretaries stuck her head in my office telling me at length how she just couldn't get over it. I think it's too soon for me to vote.

 

[Brat]

Got the 'super-dooper' flu shot (for seniors), no flu yet. One of the gals in my building is in the ICU from flu & pneumonia.

She passed away today.

 

[REWahoo]

Sad. This year's flu is nasty, nasty.

 

[mamadogmamacat]

Sorry, for some reason she was on my mind earlier today. Condolences to her family and friends

 

[Brat]

If we had the medical care of the the 1918s I wonder if this flu wouldn't have a similar result. We haven't had whole communities brought to their knees as happened then but if this hits developing countries as it has here there would be many deaths.

Scares me to death as SIL has a serious lung disease.

 

[REWahoo]

If we had the medical care of the the 1918s I wonder if this flu wouldn't have a similar result.

Here is an excellent article explaining why researchers say the 1918 flu strain was so deadly:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/276060.php

[Researchers] found that a human H1 virus that had been circulating among humans since around 1900 picked up genetic material from a bird flu virus just before 1918 and this became the deadly pandemic strain.

... the further away the new strain is genetically from the ones the body has previously been exposed to, the more different the surface proteins, the less effective the antibodies and the more likely that infection will take hold.

This is what the authors suggest happened to the young adults in the 1918 pandemic. In their childhood around 1880 to 1900, they were exposed to a supposed H3N8 virus that was circulating in the population. This virus had surface proteins that were very different from those of the H1N1 pandemic strain. Their immune system would have made antibodies, but they would have been ineffective against the H1N1 virus.

Note that the 1918 flu killed predominately young adults, those who had no previous exposure/immunity to the H1 flu strain.

 

[jollystomper]

The flu is running rampant in my company. Yesterday one of the secretaries stuck her head in my office telling me at length how she just couldn't get over it. I think it's too soon for me to vote.

Makes me wonder if one reason I have avoided it so far - and in general have only had 1 cold in the last couple of years - is due to working from home, where I'm only in the office once every 10 days or so.

 

[Helen]

I hope it goes away quickly. Get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluid. Hope you have a wonderful time in Australia.

I did get the flu shot. We are flying to FL on 2/9 and on a cruise ship 2/10. There are 4 of us ladies going and I hope that none of us get sick.

Thank you. Today is day 4 and the first day without a fever. It feels like I have a cross between a cold and a flu. I think I will be OK to fly on Friday.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[REWahoo]

Today is day 4 and the first day without a fever. It feels like I have a cross between a cold and a flu. I think I will be OK to fly on Friday.

That's good news. Glad to hear you are on the mend and will be able to make the trip.

 

[Brat]

The temp is the flu. My Portland grandchildren had the throw-up version, they were over it in 36 hours.

I worry about my DD's family particularly my SIL, he has pulmonary fibrosis.

 

[Bestwifeever]

DD just texted me that like half of her preschool class, her four-year-old has 102 temperature and the other flu symptoms In spite of getting the flu shot. Tough year.

 

[Lagniappe]

I just got back from the doctors office - confirmed my second bout of flu. This time Type B, and early enough for Tamiflu. We will see if it is any more unpleasant than last time.

 

[REWahoo]

Second bout this flu season?

 

[Lagniappe]

Yep. Good times.

 

[REWahoo]

Yikes!

I assume the first time was type A?

 

[Lagniappe]

It was H3N2, which I believe is type A. Too congested and tired to go find the paperwork.