PSA: Get your flu shot

[theGinsue]

When I was active duty I was required to get a flu shot every year. About a third of the time those shots gave me the flu so when I retired from active duty 11 years ago I swore I'd never get another one.

This past year I've come down with the flu 3 times, the latest hit me last Thursday. I felt odd during the day but shortly after getting home from work it hit me full force. I've been down hard since then.

I never run a tempurature, ever. This particular strand of flu that hit me has had me running a temperature, severe cold chills, the worse body aches I can ever recall having, MAJOR headache, violent cough (which has made my rib cage very tender), dizziness, total loss of appretite, sucking down water and gatorade as quickly as I can but my kidneys feel like I've taken a size 14 boot to each of them, and on and on.

I've never seen or experienced the flu this bad before - it's been 3.5 days of hell - and it all may have been prevented if I'd gone and gotten a flu shot.

Folks, you do not want this flu. If you haven't done so this year, go and get yourselves and your family a flu shot. You can thank me later when your coworkers are all in misery and you don't even get the sniffles.

[Dave_L]

Makes you wonder if the flu shot all those years is what made you susceptible once you stopped getting them. I used to NEVER get them and think I got the flu once in like 15 years. My wife is a nurse so she makes me get them now and Ive gotten sick twice since doing the flu shots. It wasnt full blown flu but it was enough to put me down for a day. I still dont believe the hype on the flu shot but happy wife, happy life. I think its just luck of the draw and your exposure.

I hope you feel better soon. The time I did get the flu a few years back, it was TERRIBLE.

[Graves]

Same here, haven't had the flu since my last shot...17 years. *knocks on wood.

Thomas, 3 in a year? I love ya, man, but stay away from me! Jk, get well, brother!

[earplug]

Family all has flu shots this year. We got it. Its a bad year for flu. Note the larger obituary area in the paper.

[hurley842002]

Sounds like you got the same thing my 2.5 year old just got over, it was no bueno, he gets a flu shot every year. I haven't had a flu shot in probably close to 20 years, I've had the legitimate flu, one time, got it a few years ago.

[CS1983]

Figured out how to get around flu shot at Carson's SRC. Haven't had one in years.

[colorider]

Never get the shot and never get the flu. I'm also around strangers all day every day and in their homes with them being sick and their sick kids. I knock on wood a lot.

[TEAMRICO]

Drink water......medics claimed it cured any problem.

[StagLefty]

Now that I've reached my senior years I get the shot every year and haven't even had a cold in the last 6 years.

[Ramsker]

I think it can be hit & miss. I have gotten a flu shot every year for the last probably 15 years and I think it does help. Certainly doesn't seem to hurt--I just look at it as insurance. As I understand it, the shot usually tries to cover a few different potential strains and so it's a bit of a guessing game in terms of what is in there. Some years, the strain that took everyone down wasn't in the shot and so it really didn't do much . . . I have gotten the flu in years where I got the shot. Although it seems like it didn't hit me as bad or for as long as people I know who did not get the shot.

This year, I was the only one in the family who got the shot . . . and the only one who hasn't gotten the flu so far. My wife and kids have all had it . . . my wife has been fighting it for going on a week and it's still affecting her.

[Delfuego]

This past year I've come down with the flu 3 times, Same here! I usually do not get the flu or get it once, not this year. Hang in there Ginsue, it is a long ride, I am still coughing up garbage almost 2 weeks later.

[Great-Kazoo]

Now that I've reached my senior years I get the shot every year and haven't even had a cold in the last 6 years.


Likewise
A Pneumonia shot doesn't hurt either. After bronchitis morphed to a hospitalized stay i get one as needed.. For those of use in our "senior years" of course ;)

[Aloha_Shooter]

There is a particularly bad strain going around that doesn't appear to be one of the strains incorporated in the flu shot so I'd take it easy on yourself over not having had the flu shot. Remember, every year, the flu shot is to immunize you against a few (of dozens/hundreds) strains of flu that the CDC predicts 2-3 years in advance. There is no single "flu" to immunize against. There is also a really bad non-flu cold or something going around that took me a month or so to really get over (and I still have the occasional cough).

All personal evidence is anecdotal but I used to get the flu shot annually because the AF required it and I probably contracted flu every second or third year. I've ignored the flu shot since retiring from the AF and haven't had flu once (although I have had colds and other illnesses) in the past 8 years despite not being in as good physical condition as I used to be. My doctor asked if I wanted one this year when I took my physical and I told him I was open to it if I had any evidence that it was more effective than it'd been when I was on active duty and he didn't press the point. I think he felt compelled by medical ethics to offer me the shot but he really didn't have any answer to questions about its effectiveness or the accuracy of the CDC's prognostications.

[CS1983]

Flu shot+get's flu = Dr: "well, we cannot always predict the strain, so there is the risk despite getting the flu shot"
Flu shot+no flu = Dr: "Good thing you got the flu shot!" post hoc ergo propter hoc much?

[Guylee]

I got a flu shot once. Now I have a permanent flu and I'm autistic.

[Madeinhb]

The flu shot contains only 5 strains of the flu virus. Doctors try to guess which strains will be the largest. People can still get the flu even if they get the shot. All depends on the strain.

[Gman]

Get well soon T!

[BPTactical]

Thomas is really in menopause guys.
He just says he has the flu when he is having hot flashes and doesn't want to come out and play.

[Great-Kazoo]

Thomas is really in menopause guys.
He just says he has the flu when he is having hot flashes and doesn't want to come out and play.

Since he identifies as male. Wouldn't that be in femaleopause ?

[Gman]

Manopause

[StagLefty]

Now that I've reached my senior years I get the shot every year and haven't even had a cold in the last 6 years.

Hahaha !!! Jinxed myself. Had the crud this past weekend,ended up at the Dr's yesterday. Antibiotics and Flonase seem to have me getting back on track.

[theGinsue]

I hope you get better soon brother. I hate the flu, crud, and stubbing my toe. It all stinks.

[Irving]

I was going to post this earlier, but changed my mind. Now it's clear to me that it needs to be done.


Based on the descriptions I read from other people, every year, I've never had the flu in my life. I'm will to make this special offer to site members only. For a discounted rate, once a year, I'll spit in your mouth in order to help boost your immune system. It's not something I want to do, but feel like I'm obligated to act in order to help out this community.

[theGinsue]

I like you Stu, but sometimes you disgust me.

[Irving]

It's for the children.

[theGinsue]

I just vomited a little.