View Full Version : The Flu is Coming!
BushMasterBoy
01-16-2018, 19:40
Sounds like Southern California is experiencing epidemic of small proportions. Might want to get the flu shot ASAP. I got mine at Walgreens and have been lucky so far. I rarely get through the winter without a severe case of the flu.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-flu-demand-20180116-htmlstory.html
newracer
01-16-2018, 19:41
It's already here.
Great-Kazoo
01-16-2018, 19:48
It's been here.
FIFY.
BTW: flu shots have been available since late oct 17, if not earlier. Even with one there's no guarantee that strain will be effective against what ever is making the rounds.
hurley842002
01-16-2018, 19:50
I don't do the flu shot, I can count on one finger the number of times I've had the flu in my adult life (knock on wood).
I believe every single person at my job (department of about 40) had it at least once this season, whether or not they got the shot.
Flu is already widespread in CO.
I avoid the flu shot, most everyone I know that gets the shot gets sick.
hollohas
01-16-2018, 20:12
CDC says this is the first time in history that the flu has been widespread in every state at the same time.
On top of the flu, colds have been very bad this year. Going around worse than any time I can remember. Everywhere.
Firehaus
01-16-2018, 20:20
FYI, Flu shot this year is said to be only 30% effective to the actual strain floating around.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
My brother got the flu last Thursday... by Saturday, full blown pnuemonia... serious Drs care...4-6 weeks recovery time... another day or 2, he would have been on a ventilator for 2-4 weeks
hollohas
01-16-2018, 20:45
Both my folks got the flu two weeks ago. They said it's the worst they've ever had. My dad got very close to calling an ambulance to take my mother in.
OtterbatHellcat
01-16-2018, 20:53
Flu is already widespread in CO.
I avoid the flu shot, most everyone I know that gets the shot gets sick.
This ^^^^
I've avoided Flu shots for the last 30 years, only had the Flu once...about 25 years ago. I'm in ambulances every day, you know, with sick messed up people in them all the time. The "experts" generally blow the vaccine guesswork every damn year, so it's pretty useless in my opinion. Wash your hands, keep sanitary wipes at work, in your car, and at home....and keep your hands away from your face unless you know your hands are sanitary, and avoid those ass hats coughing all over the place when they should have stayed home.
scratchy
01-16-2018, 21:44
Spent Christmas in San Diego, spent the next week down with flu.
hollohas
01-17-2018, 09:20
Some hospitals in CA are starting to setup tents outside to process flu patients. I also heard on the radio this morning that there is a shortage of IV bags now. Rough flu season for sure.
Saw the Dr for something else in late December. He talked me into a flu shot. Not sure if it will do any good, but medicare paid for it so what did I have to lose?
I still worry about the preservatives in the shots.
My wife used to get shots yearly. She was always sore from the shot and often caught the flu shortly after. she stopped getting shots and hasn't got the flu. Washing hands and keeping hands from eyes and mouth as much as possible helped as much as anything.
Grant H.
01-17-2018, 10:07
FIFY.
BTW: flu shots have been available since late oct 17, if not earlier. Even with one there's no guarantee that strain will be effective against what ever is making the rounds.
Pretty widely reported that the current flu shot is less than 30% effective...
The flu shot is just making this worse every year.
Something ripped through our house last week. It was bad.
If you are older and/or have other illness take precautions.
Good reminder to make sure you have Gatoraide and crackers in the house. Pedialyte too if you have kids.
Pretty widely reported that the current flu shot is less than 30% effective...
The flu shot is just making this worse every year.
Latest CDC reporting says 39% effective. Not to split hairs or anything. But I don't even take those odds at the casinos. I pass on the flu shot every year- and my annual checkup at the VA they always offer and give me a strange look when I politely decline.
Grant H.
01-17-2018, 11:24
Latest CDC reporting says 39% effective. Not to split hairs or anything. But I don't even take those odds at the casinos. I pass on the flu shot every year- and my annual checkup at the VA they always offer and give me a strange look when I politely decline.
Thanks, I hadn't actually looked for a while.
As of 2-3 weeks ago it was less than 30%, and even at that the "anti-MSM/.gov/etc" side of me expects the numbers are as inflated as possible to try and assuage the masses...
Who knows.
And yes, when you decline the flu shot, general society looks at you like you have a third eyeball.
Thanks, I hadn't actually looked for a while.
As of 2-3 weeks ago it was less than 30%, and even at that the "anti-MSM/.gov/etc" side of me expects the numbers are as inflated as possible to try and assuage the masses...
Who knows.
And yes, when you decline the flu shot, general society looks at you like you have a third eyeball.
Lets also not forget, the numbers coming from the CDC might not be 100% accurate. These are the same folks that said, at one point, the swine flu wasn't as big of a deal as reported.
BushMasterBoy
01-17-2018, 12:14
The problem with not getting the flu shot is that IF you pass it on to the very young or old, it can kill them. Since I am sometimes around infants and the elderly, I got the shot. I am not allergic to eggs. Also to minimize the effects of the mercuric preservative, I just up my intake of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). I wish you all good luck this flu season!
Grant H.
01-17-2018, 12:27
The problem with not getting the flu shot is that IF you pass it on to the very young or old, it can kill them. Since I am sometimes around infants and the elderly, I got the shot. I am not allergic to eggs. Also to minimize the effects of the mercuric preservative, I just up my intake of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). I wish you all good luck this flu season!
Almost everyone I know that gets the flu shot, gets the flu. I can think of one person this season that hasn't, who got the flu shot.
I haven't had the flu in years, and I've never had the flu shot.
StagLefty
01-17-2018, 12:27
Due to most of my preventative shots being free on Medicare I figure why not and get the flu shot every year and haven't been sick at all for several years. Probably just jinxed myself [ROFL2]
hurley842002
01-17-2018, 12:29
The problem with not getting the flu shot is that IF you pass it on to the very young or old, it can kill them. Since I am sometimes around infants and the elderly, I got the shot. I am not allergic to eggs. Also to minimize the effects of the mercuric preservative, I just up my intake of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). I wish you all good luck this flu season!Many here (including myself), do not take a flu shot, and rarely, if ever, contract the flu. There are also many that used to take a flu shot, and would still get the flu, but stopped getting the flu, once they stopped taking the shot, so I'm not tracking your theory/guilt trip.
Grant H.
01-17-2018, 12:30
Due to most of my preventative shots being free on Medicare I figure why not and get the flu shot every year and haven't been sick at all for several years. Probably just jinxed myself [ROFL2]
Hopefully not, this one sucks...
The handful of people that have had this round of flu have had a pretty rough go of it this year.
Many here (including myself), do not take a flu shot, and rarely, if ever, contract the flu. There are also many that used to take a flu shot, and would still get the flu, but stopped getting the flu, once they stopped taking the shot, so I'm not tracking your theory/guilt trip.
THIS!
I can't recall, for the life of me, the last time I got the flu. I know I got the flu shot while in the Army, and got sick- can't say for sure if it was all-out influenza.
As 70,000 of our closest friends head to SHOT this weekend...10,000 people have cuddled that rifle up to their nose and mouth...or how to commingle the bacteria and viruses of 10,000 people and take a lick. GROSS!
BushMasterBoy
01-17-2018, 16:57
Many here (including myself), do not take a flu shot, and rarely, if ever, contract the flu. There are also many that used to take a flu shot, and would still get the flu, but stopped getting the flu, once they stopped taking the shot, so I'm not tracking your theory/guilt trip.
I'm just explaining what the Center for Disease Control is saying. I guess you will avoid the rabies vaccine too? OK it is your body I get that. It is not a theory and the guilt trip, your mileage may vary. And yes the science is horrible!
I've never had the flu in my life. Why would I get a flu shot? Even if you're implying some sort of Typhoid Mary scenario, getting a flu shot wouldn't prevent that.
BushMasterBoy
01-17-2018, 19:59
I believe the real fear is that a strain of the "Spanish Flu" reappears. This variant of the flu does NOT kill the old and the infants. It killed 50 million healthy people. It caused the most casualties and deaths of US soldiers in World War I. The way it works is that the extremely healthy are the most affected and their bodies over react to the virus. What happens is that you are very healthy and have almost no exposure or symptoms of respiratory distress. You haven't even had a cold virus for many years. Then suddenly you are exposed to this type of influenza virus. You body over compensates, as your immune system has no experience with this particular pathogen. Your lungs fill will fluid, and you basically drown.
Link below of the effects on the US military 100 years ago.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2862337/
OtterbatHellcat
01-17-2018, 20:14
I'm not interested in participating in vaccine guess work. Seems to me if the guessers don't feel to account for any "Spanish flu" possibilities in the guess of the year, then lots of folks get messed up anyways. It's clear that they blew it this year again as well.
I probably won't take it when I'm 70 or older either if I live that long.
I figure you're either on the boat or not already, and no amount of attempted persuasion is going to change a decided persons mind about it. Kinda like trying to persuade me to vote for Oprah.
Ain't never gonna happen. :)
hollohas
01-17-2018, 21:01
There have been multiple reported cases of young, strong individuals dying from the flu this year while showing hardly any symptoms or showing for only a period of hours. I've even read of a case of a teenaged boy that died without showing any symptoms at all. It's a bad one this year.
hurley842002
01-17-2018, 23:07
Wow, have a differing opinion than Foxtrot and get all sorts of insults thrown your way. No, I'm not worried about my kids being autistic.
Since I don't get the flu, and don't get the shot, I've got no opinion on whether the shot increases the chance of the flu or not. That said, I feel like you're being disingenuous by comparing people who think getting a flu shot causes the flu and people who think that vaccines cause autism. Those aren't even comparable. Does the flu shot not contain some element of a flu strain?
I never get the shot. Personal preference.
I did have a coworker get a flu shot (he did have some some immune system issues).
36 hours later, he was in the hospital.
3 days after that, he died.
Umm, still not comparable. Vaccines aren't vaccinating for autism, and don't contain deactivated autism. It's simply not the same. *As far as the flu, you can't say that it's 100% impossible to get the flu from a vaccine, just the same as you can't say it's 100% impossible to get a baby from sex with birth control. Are the chances low? Of course they are, definitely even lower than birth control babies.
All that said, we have this conversations every single year. In the spirit of most of our threads where we pretend to be experts, but **disclose in small print that we're not, I'm usually left with the impression that most people who are actively against getting a flu shot fall into the following categories that I've completely made up:
90% - Don't care if people get the shot one way or the other, they just don't get it because they rarely, if ever, contract influenza themselves.
88% - Would get ten flu shots a year if the Democratic Party suggested that they shouldn't.
9% - Don't get the shot because they are other people, or have themselves, gotten the shot and still caught some strain or another, so what's the point?
.09% - Believe that injecting a virus, the most prolific, mutable, adaptive, killer of our species, since the beginning of time, dead or alive, is just asking for trouble.
.01% - Aliens/government/ex-wife did it.
*Comparing vaccines to condoms is as dumb as this yearly conversation.
**I could be a doctor/barber/lawyer, you don't know me.
Now let's get a "The science is settled" meme and a picture of FlapJack in here and we can wrap this up!
EEEEETA: Nobody take my post too seriously. I shouldn't have to add a smiley to demonstrate that I'm giving everyone a good ole' ribbin'.
Did you hear any additional information, autopsy etc? Although not possible to get influenza, maybe it was an allergic reaction, separate illness, or maybe he was so compromised his system couldn't even handle inactivated opening the door for secondary infections (staph, strep, etc.)? I do enjoy hearing uncommon and rare medical cases, like some of these:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKOvOaJv4GK-oDqx-sj7VVg/videos
I wasnt close enough to go digging for more info. He was without a spleen, and was pretty much required to get vaccines.
Within a few hours of the shot, he felt ill. He toughed it out for a bit (as most of us would). Then went in and never returned.
His story is a part of my decision to not get the shot. I have picked up the flu whether or not I get the vaccine. I do not live with elderly people, or have children. Fuck it. If it comes around, and it's my turn.........
My ex and her whole family had it gave it to my daughter then she gave it to my family and I. Been a rough few days!
GilpinGuy
01-19-2018, 08:33
Weird. Casinos are filthy places - people are touching everything, buttons on games, chips, cash, etc. I wash my hands as often as possible. Yet I haven't had 1 employee call out because of flu yet. Now half the staff will call in today.[dig]
I don't get the shot either and have had the flu once in 47 years. It was nasty though. To each his own. Get it you feel you should, don't if you don't.
I normally don't get flu shots and have been pretty fortunate to rarely get the flu in the past. Since I've been dealing with my lower back issues and the possibility of having a slow-burn MRSA infection inside of me, I've gotten a flu shot for the last 2 years. I've avoided the flu so far, but I'm also not getting out and about amongst a lot of people this flu season.
Umm, still not comparable. Vaccines aren't vaccinating for autism, and don't contain deactivated autism. It's simply not the same. *As far as the flu, you can't say that it's 100% impossible to get the flu from a vaccine, just the same as you can't say it's 100% impossible to get a baby from sex with birth control. Are the chances low? Of course they are, definitely even lower than birth control babies.
All that said, we have this conversations every single year. In the spirit of most of our threads where we pretend to be experts, but **disclose in small print that we're not, I'm usually left with the impression that most people who are actively against getting a flu shot fall into the following categories that I've completely made up:
90% - Don't care if people get the shot one way or the other, they just don't get it because they rarely, if ever, contract influenza themselves.
88% - Would get ten flu shots a year if the Democratic Party suggested that they shouldn't.
9% - Don't get the shot because they are other people, or have themselves, gotten the shot and still caught some strain or another, so what's the point?
.09% - Believe that injecting a virus, the most prolific, mutable, adaptive, killer of our species, since the beginning of time, dead or alive, is just asking for trouble.
.01% - Aliens/government/ex-wife did it.
*Comparing vaccines to condoms is as dumb as this yearly conversation.
**I could be a doctor/barber/lawyer, you don't know me.
Now let's get a "The science is settled" meme and a picture of FlapJack in here and we can wrap this up!
EEEEETA: Nobody take my post too seriously. I shouldn't have to add a smiley to demonstrate that I'm giving everyone a good ole' ribbin'.
This provided a much needed laugh. Thank you for that! Have you ever considered comedy writing? You might have missed your calling...
Foxtrot, I think it is one of perspective. The data I have looked at it is clear the Flu shot (or mist) works on the strains for which it is intended. However, there are some in the medical profession that have looked at the potential that having an antibody to one strain, in some cases, can depress the immune system response to a different strain. There does seem to be some traction to that. But since human subject testing is forbidden... Anyway, so if the shot is 30%, but you are more susceptible to catching the other 70%, math says it might not be the best idea. Now if they can get the shots up to 70% or greater, then it would make more sense to get the shot.
Flu widespread throughout the nation, 30 children dead (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/flu-widespread-throughout-the-nation-30-children-dead/ar-AAuUpdk)
This year's flu season ranks among the most severe in recent years.
Influenza activity has increased and is now widespread in 49 states -- all except Hawaii -- for the week ending January 13, according to the weekly flu report released Friday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm).
Makes sense, Hawaii got that warning, so they were ready.
Agreed. I worked in a Biotech Pharmaceutical Company for several years. I actually enjoyed it, but at the same time I learned more about disease and FDA regulations than I wanted to know. Crazy to be working for a company that is giving its drug away as compassionate use with the full approval of the FDA, saving thousands of lives and then that same FDA says it is not proven to be effective enough in the human trial because of how warped the regulations are.
cmailliard
01-19-2018, 18:01
By all means, anyone find any study that backs the opinion that it is possible to get flu from a flu shot even by the tiniest probability, or that any such virus is ever capable of infection including any other related vaccine for that matter. Surely in the decades and decades and billions of vaccines we've been doing vaccines that would've come up. "one out of a million injected viruses are active!"
Based on all the science I've seen, It is absolutely 100% not possible to get flu from the flu shot., the exceptions to the rule being e.g. if the nurse has flu when they give you the shot, or they drop the flu shot in some boogers before injecting into your arm, or you have flu boogers on your arm where they inject it, or the doctors office saves money by injecting you with used syringes they cough into to boost immunity. (Hey, they've done weird stuff before like reusing colonoscopy stuff to save money...)
Are there other side effects that you can risk, potentially even fatal ones from vaccines? Yes, although rare.
IDGAF who gets it or who doesn't. I just get annoyed over invented facts.
I'll ETA: There are LOTS of people who actually believe the flu shot can give you the flu. Cite: this thread. I'm outnumbered. That said, even if they didn't believe that, they still wouldn't get it, because their risk is low, etc. or other reasons.
I have avoided posting here because as Foxtrot said, there is fact and fiction. Please remember, more people in the U.S. die from influenza every year than died on 9/11. This year I have had two friends with family members who have died from the flu. People are/were thinking it was peaking right now . . . nope, looks like a sustained plateau.
I agree with Foxtrot, IRDGAF if you get a flu shot or not, but I do agree with science on this. Many of you have taken my medical classes, you know how much I believe in the science and data of casualty care. I didn't lie to you then and I am not lying to you now. To paraphrase James Carville "It's the flu stupid". It's not going to be Anthrax, or Smallpox, or Ebola that bites us in the ass some day, it will be influenza.
I have avoided posting here because as Foxtrot said, there is fact and fiction.
You're doing it wrong. If you know something, and can back it up with real world experience, then you should be posting.
I disdain few things more than the FDA. The amount of crap that bloated POS agency has saddled upon us all has cost more lives than any disease or vehicle. People don't realize if a miracle cure was found and proven to cure all cancers....
It would be a friggen DECADE before it could be prescribed to anyone. After all the loops to jump, the company may elect to give up at any point or may elect not to bother with R&D in the first place. In some cases the FDA can make foreign countries a decade ahead of us in medical tech/drugs.
At least it's difficult to find ear wax candles now.
cmailliard
01-19-2018, 18:56
Just received this
CDC virologic surveillance data shows flu season worsening, w rapid incr in deaths & hospitalizations. Spot shortages of antivirals nationwide. Caution urged.
BushMasterBoy
01-19-2018, 20:05
Center for Disease Control flu map below...just click on play. It will show the spread of the flu across the US.
https://espanol.cdc.gov/enes/flu/weekly/usmap.htm
To increase the frustration, not only is the flu going around, but it's cold season, too. I went to the DMV the day before yesterday, and over half the people were sniffling, sneezing, and/or looking like death warmed over. Now I've got a damn cold, and my friend has the flu. It sucks.
....and hey, it looks like what I thought was a bad cold is actually the opening act of the flu. DAMMIT.
....and hey, it looks like what I thought was a bad cold is actually the opening act of the flu. DAMMIT.
Please keep that on your side of the ravine. ;)
BushMasterBoy
01-21-2018, 15:13
I thought I had the flu yesterday, turned to be a rhinovirus (cold). I was getting scared as I just had a sinus surgery a few month ago. I am the proverbial canary in the coal mine. And 2017 was the most painful year of my existence.
Let's get a poll up to see how many people that read this thread, have already, or will contract the flu this season.
I'm 84.93% sure what ripped through our house was the flu.
BUT I don't want to test that belief by getting the actual flu if this wasn't it.
I'm required to get a flu shot at work. Either that or wear a mask until like May each year. Have not had the flu in about 5 years.
OtterbatHellcat
01-21-2018, 23:48
No shot, and Flu free.
And I'm sorry for those of you that have caught it.
OtterbatHellcat
01-21-2018, 23:50
I'm already dead, so this poll is irrelevant.
I lol'd at this pretty good.
hollohas
01-22-2018, 08:52
I don't always get the shot. If I don't get it, it's usually only due to me being lazy not because of my principals.
But we have a new baby in the house this year so I made sure to get the shot as did everyone else in the house.
Wife got the shot and ended up getting VERY sick a couple months later. Our Dr diagnosed her with the flu based on her symptoms but she got a neg on the rapid test. Sent in for the lab test which ended up coming back neg too. Not sure what she had. But it sucked big time. There is some shit going around this year.
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