Flu shots
Hiya Friends!
I had my HR rep at work asking me wheather or not I wanted a free flu injection.
Ive never had a flu shot, and Im somewhat sceptical on the subject as during the last 10 years of my working life Ive only ever had the flu once and it was gone in a weekend.
I understand that theres new strains of flu each year but is it really worth getting a shot of the flu virus and risk my current health just so I can put on my record that Ive had one?
My wife and Mum had the flu really bad last year and they both had a flu shot, am I just lucky? 
I believe that its the people who go in and out of the offices at work that are more suceptible to getting the flu due to constant cimatising "hot to cold" and reversed.
Have I done the right thing by refusing the flu shot again this year? Or have my 9 lives finally run out?
Reeceo 
Disclaimer please read!
Disclaimer please read!
Please Note: Any advice given on OzMS must not be taken as medical advice, it's merely advice given by members from their own experiences of living with Multiple Sclerosis. Always check with your GP or Neurologist or other medical professionals, it's the smart thing to do and only logical! If you have something to contribute please do so, everybody has something to offer.
Comments
I wrestled with this one
Hi Reece,
I get you. To be honest I have only had the flu shots (two strains) once and I wasn't well afterwards. I have never been a believer in flu shots. I think that they are more trouble than they are worth. And a lot of vaccinations have mercury in them unfortunately. So I have been there and done that. I feel better and seem to get less problems from refraining from the pressure to have flu shots. After all, essentially you are putting a killed virus in your body to build your immunity. I think that it is better to have a good diet and allow the body to build up properly. And you know I found out the other day that if you have a cut onion open for a day near an environment with people with colds, you are unlikely to get them.
The story is as follows:
In 1919 when the 'flu killed 40 million people there was a doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it and many died. The doctor came upon one farmer and, to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different, the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions. She gave him one which he placed under the microscope he found the 'flu virus in the onion. It had obviously absorbed the virus, thereby keeping the family healthy. And apparently because onions attract viruses and bacteria, you can't eat uncooked onion that has been cut and left in the fridge for a day.
So maybe that might be a better idea for you.
Lots of luck with your decision.
Cheers,
Jodi.
"Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant" Robert Louis Stevenson.
only winter will tell ;)
I've never done flu shots , I may have ened up with minor doses of the flu but mainly just really bad colds and infections.
Last year when all the DX was new to me and I was over relapse's and been poked and prodded, I asked my Neuro about flu shots and he told me he wouldn't advise it with my MS.(there was a pretty valid reason, and I'll still probably question it again in May)
Funnily enough the only year I was thinking about going to get one (last year) was the year I avoided having a full blown nasty cold even once. I really had to fight it and I forced my housemates to fight their colds quickly as a preventative
I don't think your 9 flu lives will be up providing you know when your body is saying "oi I need some serious virus prevention, fighting power here" and as annoying as it may sound, it really does pay to make sure those around you are looking after their health enough to not be getting themselves sick either, it does make a difference.
I've been having them for approx 10 years now
Hi Reece,
I have been having the flu vaccine shots every year for about 10 years now. I cannot afford to contract the flu and find that since having it I have been more well throughout winter as to previously not having it as I'd always pick up some bug because my immune system was low.
I always make sure I'm well and on a good day to have my shot. I haven;t had it this year yet as I was waiting for the new flu vacc which contains both the swine flu and latest flu virus in it which is finally hitting GP's surgeries.
Of course some people will not be well after a flu vacc, it's the same with any other vacc like typhoid etc; you're getting a small amount of the virus (but not alive I think) and it's main aim is for your body to react with it to form the neccessary antibodies to give you more protection should you come in contact with the virus.
I'm for them, but that's my opinion from my own personal experience. I think anyone who has a chronic illness or elderly should consider them and take them early in the year. I normally have mine around Feb/March as soon as it is available. This time it will be more than likely April before I have mine as I'm not 100% at present and know it would affect me a lot more than usual.
I also make sure that I rest totally after having it for a few days.
Maybe you should discuss this with your GP and neuro who know your medical history. You may not have had the flu in the past, but you have to remember that your MS has progressed and that has caused changes in your body that may cause you to be more suspectible.
Here's a link to an article on swine flu and flu vaccinations. It states that the mercury in it is a mercury preservative and the amount in miniscule and equilavent to what is in foods.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/swine-flu-vaccine-myths-busted-by-expe...
flu shots
Don't want them thanks.
Not me
Hi Reeceo,
I've not had them, don't really want to, take echineacha in winter, and if you read what they say about Vitamin D, that is better for you then H1N1 (Swine Vacs). I have had the odd cold and not ever had the flu.
It's a personal decision, weighing up risk and benefits, I'll be doing the same as before this year.
Helen.
Hey reece, I am about to get
Hey reece,
I am about to get my kids done for swine flu, but I wont have it with my MS.
This is only due to my last 2 Heb B vacc's seeming to bring on a relapse, my GP has said no more Heb B, and now so has my neuro. I will talk to my doc about the swine flu, as I work in hospitals, but I anticipate they will say no, due to the risk of a relapse.
So I will go the Vit C, garlic tabs, echineacha, olive leaf extract etc to prevent them in winter.
Life is like a box of chocolates.... never know what your going to get
Thanks but no thanks
No flu shots for this little black duck!
Pure Essential Oils are best!
www.youngliving.org/rebeccahiggins
Warning! Unsupervised children will be given a shot of expresso and a free kitten.
Flu shot
I had one many years ago (pre ms) & reacted badly with a bad flu so didnt have them for years - had flu bad every year & usually went to bronchitis etc.
Last year both my neuro & gp said I shoul have it & the swine flu. Work offered them but wouldnt do me as I have "allergies" etc. They have a nurse come in to do it. I had the nurse at our gp do them & had no reaction. I did make sure I was well when I had it & that I was careful for the next few days. Yes I still got a cough last year but was able to get rid of it a lot quicker.
The worse I got wasnt the flu but a virus this year, my immune system was stuffed anyway & low so I was open to it.
I figure that I am with a lot of different people at work, rotten air con/heating there too & as for the trains - say no more LOL. I have checked at my gp & they are doing it already so will book in when I am feeling ok.
Speak to your Dr about it rather than having it at work. It is your decision in the end.
Breathing in, breathing out, I return to my own blessed center.
I am ready to receive miracles!
Vitamin D and flu ordinary and swine!
Hey Kristy,
If you are taking Vitamin D you are already on the way to being protected! Google Vitamin D and swine flu and there are tons of references, here's one:
http://naturalmedicine.suite101.com/article.cfm/swine_flu_prevention_req...
Helen.
Great tip!
Cheers for that Helen!
Im glad that im not the only one whos a sceptic on this subject!
I think we all need to get back to the basics and enjoy the sunshine ,while we have it to help improve our health and general wellbeing!
"That there is Cundalini......
and Cundalini.....wants his hand back!"
(The Toecutter)
I get my flu shot every
I get my flu shot every year.
I caught influenza once and I never want to get it again! I was really sick with the flu, and then I contracted viral encephalitis on top of it, and because of it.
I was so ill that I thought I was going to die.
Don't forget if you need a course of Cortisone to treat a flare, then you'll be immunocompramised and likely to catch whatever viruses happen to be around and if you're immunocompramised, it'll be too late for you to change your mind and have a vaccination
So weigh up all the pros and cons and make the decision that suits you; one you're happy with and one you don't feel you've been forced into.
I'm with you Anne, just had mine today!
I agree with Anne about having the shots as my concern is if I get the flu I am really putting myself at risk of becoming very ill as well as causing a relapse. I've had mine every year for over 10 years and have never had the flu since doing this.
Today I received my flu vac which also had the swine flu vac combined. I had to stay in the surgery for 15 mins afterwards in case of reaction, but that seems to be normal practice with the swine flu vac. I haven't had any reaction other than a very sore arm, but would rather that and maybe a slight temp than to catch the flu, or even worse the swine flu.
Flu shot
I've been having the flu shot for about 8 years and have had the swine flu one twice and I've never had any problems with either of them. I am newly dx sith MS but I rarely get colds and have never had the flu since having the shots.
I did however have a cold in December wich the meuro thinks triggered the optic neuritis. Had my shots around 3 weeks ago and have been fine since. I was at the tail end of a relapse when I had the shots.