Flu Shot

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I'm one of those who has never had a flu shot and probably never will. For me it's got nothing to do with the mercury or any concept of the big bad drug company, just that I feel I am healthy enough to fend off germs that come my way. I haven't so much as had a cold since 1997. I actually think it does my body good to learn how to fight off disease.

Of course I can say that as I am relatively young (40s), if I was 65+ I might feel differently.

If I do get the flu I would use my brain and stay at home until I was better rather than spreading the germs far and wide.

You'll probably get away with it, though infecting others is a choice you need to make.

Routinely, flu-related mortality is concentrated in the older population (though far from entirely so). But during pandemics like H1N1, that does not hold, and under-65ers die as often as older ones -- likely because of partial immunity of older people who were exposed to similar strains younger in life. H1N1 killled about .5 to 1% of its victims (often the very young and middle-aged), and up to 6% required hospitalization (for pneumonia, respiratory, etc.)

So flu is fairly dangerous to the population at large and not too dangerous to the young adult population except during pandemics. All things considered including the impressive if not absolute safety of the vaccine, my choice is to get it done. For thoses with risks, it's a no-brainer IMHO. Hope that's helpful.

 

[yukon]

First off, I'm not anti-vaccine. I like to consider myself pro vaccine safety. (Although, I AM appalled at the lack of studies on the cumulative effect of the 70 vaccines/boosters the government recommends for our children before 18 years of age.) I find it very strange that I when I ask for flu shots without mercury and either 1) they aren't available or the nurse gets defensive about "Its only a trace amount!!!!! Its been approved by the FDA as an appropriate amount of mercury!" A short google on mercury toxicity let me quickly to begin asking for the mercury free version of the flu shot. (and they are available....just difficult to find) I find it ironic our doctors tell pregnant mothers to avoid or limit fish....while at the same time they are loading a syringe containing a mercury filled flu shot. Is it really THAT ridiculous for me to suggest mercury should be removed from flu shots? Or that perhaps people should be aware these vaccinations contain mercury and there is an alternative? Sorry for creating a fuss but its a pet peeve of mine that 99.9% of people have no idea mercury is contained in these flu shots. Clever marketing seems to forget about that part. There are alternatives available. I guess my years of lurking are over....time for an intro!

 

[obgyn65]

Thank you Rich for your helpful post - as always. However, I will give here the 2010 recommendations (slight change re: influenza etc):

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5901-Immunization.pdf

I just want to make sure readers in this forum know the latest recommendations from the CDC. Hope this is OK.

Take care

Ha, generally a 5 year interval gets you a booster: TDap if never given, T alone if you are up to date.

Otherwise for prevention you might find this helpful:

 

[braumeister]

I've been happy to get a flu shot for probably three decades now, and I have gotten the flu (mild, to be sure) about 3 times in that period. Good enough results that I will keep getting the shot every year. The only year I missed was the year they gave the swine flu shot (which was very controversial), and the only reason I missed it was because I was doing some extensive traveling at the time.

As for mercury, it's much too far away for me to worry about. Now if someone found a health risk from venus or mars, then I'd want to know more.

 

[mickeyd]

I got poked a couple of weeks ago. There is a CVS nearby and the Pharmacist (or guy behind the counter) gave me a shot and about 10 ounces of paper to look at. They took my medicare card and did not want cash. I'm good with that.

 

[FIYes]

I got the flu shot last week. I have gotten the flu shot every year for the 20 or so years (except for one year when there was a shortage---I figured that I was young and healthy enough to survive the flu and I should leave for the ones who really needed it). Anyway my reasoning is I HATE being sick and if I can easily avoid catching the flu then I will. I had the Hong Kong flu as a young teenager and recall being thoroughly miserable.

 

[Alan]

I had the Hong Kong flu as a young teenager and recall being thoroughly miserable.

When you sneezed did it sound like, "TAI CHI" ?

 

[Khan]

I got the flu shot last week. I have gotten the flu shot every year for the 20 or so years (except for one year when there was a shortage---I figured that I was young and healthy enough to survive the flu and I should leave for the ones who really needed it). Anyway my reasoning is I HATE being sick and if I can easily avoid catching the flu then I will. I had the Hong Kong flu as a young teenager and recall being thoroughly miserable.

Age 18. Day or two before Thanksgiving break at college. Gave it to my sister, parents, and grandparents (and probably everyone on the bus).

Do not want ever again.

 

[FurBall]

I've never had the flu. I started getting the shot a few years ago because DH is particularly susceptible and I didn't want to bring it home to him.

I've also noticed that I don't get the once a year colds I used to get before ESRing. I'm still exposed to germy coworkers 3 days a week, but I get plenty of sleep and have no stress. As HaHa points out, alcohol helps too. With ESR, wine consumption has gone up.

 

[walkinwood]

Got mine today. I have a wonderful primary physician. Asks me "Took the day off from work?" Me - "No, I'm retired" He: "I keep forgetting that because you look so young. Good for you!". Always a smile & never in a hurry.

He & his daughter work together at the practice and his wife is the administrator. They volunteer at ALL the free clinics & health-fairs at our town.

 

[jwkde]

got mine this morning

 

[mark500]

Flu Vaccines contain mercury.

If you do the math, the amount of mercury in a tuna fish sandwich is greater than the amount you receive with an influenza vaccine.

 

[Khan]

Flu Vaccines contain mercury.

If you do the math, the amount of mercury in a tuna fish sandwich is greater than the amount you receive with an influenza vaccine.

Math is hard.

 

[Dawg52]

Math is hard.

Yeah, I can't do it without my calculator. And I was a bean counter.

 

[DblDoc]

Yeah, I can't do it without my calculator. And I was a bean counter.

Were you exposed to too much mercury during your lifetime?

DD

 

[haha]

Flu Vaccines contain mercury.

If you do the math, the amount of mercury in a tuna fish sandwich is greater than the amount you receive with an influenza vaccine.

True enough, but do you inject your tunafish sandwiches?

 

[Dreamer]

I got my flu shot on Thursday and my DH got his flu shot and TDaP on Friday. I already had the TDaP shot.

 

[Dawg52]

Were you exposed to too much mercury during your lifetime?

DD

Not unless mercury is in the meds I drink.

 

[ls99]

$29.99 walgreen's. Yesterday. And it was ouchless!

 

[Meadbh]

$0 at work last week.

 

[powerplay]

Got my flu shot today.

 

[mark500]

True enough, but do you inject your tunafish sandwiches?

Apparently, most of the mercury in fish is methylmercury, which is highly absorbed from the GI tract.

Walgreens will give a mercury free flu shot if you ask for it, for the same price as regular flu vaccine.

 

[haha]

True enough, but do you inject your tunafish sandwiches?

Apparently, most of the mercury in fish is methylmercury, which is highly absorbed from the GI tract.

Walgreens will give a mercury free flu shot if you ask for it, for the same price as regular flu vaccine.

Thanks for the info. Actually, I was just joking, I kind of liked the image of injecting a tunafish sandwich.

I really don't know anything about mercury, but I am a sashimi fan so perhaps I should take it a bit more seriously. I even bought a little cutting board and stuck it in my pack so when I am out wandering around and get hungry I can pick up a bit of Yellowtail and sit on a bench and slice up some.

Ha

 

[ERD50]

Thanks for the info. Actually, I was just joking, I kind of liked the image of injecting a tunafish sandwich.

I really don't know anything about mercury, but I am a sashimi fan so perhaps I should take it a bit more seriously.

Ha

A few years back there was an interview on Science-Friday with a researcher of mercury poisoning and he addressed some of the issues with mercury levels in fish.

Interestingly, he found high levels of mercury were associated with improved physical and mental performance in almost every test they could come up with. And the higher the mercury levels, the better.

His explanation was that although we know mercury can cause problems, the "goodness" of the higher levels of fish in the diet (where the mercury was coming from) more than compensated for the bad effects of those mercury levels he found.

Of course, he said it would be better if our fish didn't have mercury in it, but don't throw out the baby with the bath water. Enjoy your seafood.

-ERD50