It's flu shot time again

[Scratch]

Last week, when I called to get an RX refilled, I learned that the doctor's office had flu vaccine already, so I went in this morning before work to get mine.

Last year's was good in that I didn't get any soreness in my arm muscle and I didn't get any flu. I hope for the same this year.

[xMenace]

Thanks. I never miss. I have a Dr's appointment Nov 8th, but I'll look for someting earlier. I just don't want to spend the $25 at the pharmacy when I can get it free at the Dr's.

[Michiko]

I got mine too last week :)

[princesslinda]

Haven't gotten mine yet...you'd think working in a doctor's office, we'd get them early...but usually, it's the first of Nov.

[MJB]

Had mine last week. Had a little soreness in the arm the next day but no big deal.

[shockme]

i gotta wait til the end of the month-that's when they're available at my clinic.....getting the pneumovax,too.....thanks to d-i gotta get MORE shots.....:eek2: trish

[Keezheekoni]

I'm getting mine on Wednesday. Was going to get it last week, but the nurses hadn't inventoried all of them yet, so they couldn't give me mine. :( :mad:

[valc3]

Got mine this morning:nurse:

[Penny]

Our insurance no longer pays for flu shots, last year we found that out the hard way. Our doctor charged $25 for the shot and $12 for the person who gave it to me! I think I will try the pharmacy this time, some of them have special days when it only cost $15.

[shabbie6247]

getting mine this friday after work :)

dodging some pretty nasty viruses that are going around at the moment :eek:

[mho357]

My wife got her flu shot and I got sick!

We get ours free at work but not until later in the month.

M

[mg_2204]

I always get my flu shot and I am looking forward to this year's too.

You guys get the pneumonia one too!!! I got that too, a few years ago. You get it once and that's it. Don't go without it.

[Alene]

I think I had the flu already last week heh... dunno if I'll bother with the shot this year.

[JediSkipdogg]

I'll be getting mine on Friday, October 12 free via work.

[Alice]

I talked to a pharmacist in Chicago about a month ago. They are seeing early signs of the crud this year. I had asked her if she had noticed an increase of respiratory illness...everyone on Michigan Ave. had sniffled and coughed on me that day while shopping! (Retail disease!)

I'm now in Florida and will probably go to the grocery store...it's just convenient to get my shots at Publix. My endo in Chicago didn't give the shots...last two years there was a shortage.

I get them every year.

[peej07]

Got mine last week, I think my arm is still sore.

[JediSurfer]

Oh no, ****. I just remembered my appointment was last saturday. I had better phone the surgery tomorrow morning.
Flu is a really nasty virus. Last time I had it in 1995 i ended up in hospital.

[notme]

I will get mine after surgery is done on the 16th. Bleck.

[Jill-O]

I get my flu shot tomorrow. I've gotten one for the past 10 or so years and never any real problems. A couple of times, I felt a little achy but that hasn't happened the past 2-3 years. Sure beats getting the flu!

[slipperyelm]

Last year, didn't a lot people here post that they have a personal policy against flu vaccines?

I'll get mine the first week of November. I always make my husband come with me and get one at the same time. He has very bad asthma and would probably be in greater trouble than I if he got influenza. Plus, he has a lot of close, public exposure. I think I heard that the height of the flu seasons in my area tends to be in January, so we want the immunity to still be effective come January. Of course one never knows.....

[HelenM]

Silly system here, received letter with voucher for free vaccination. I have to go the doctor for prescription, pick it up at the pharmacy and then return to the doctors for him to give me the injecton.
On a French forum some people were saying that they hadn'td bothered to go back to the doctors and had simply jabbed themselves. I'm not so sure, but is it really that different than injecting insulin?

[octoberlily]

Had mine last week, no problems this time. My practice nurse always lets me give it myself, she just draws it up.

Julie

Type 1 Diagnosed 6.12.74

[kgm0612]

I get a flu shot every year. Rather than drive 40 minutes to my PCP, I go to one of the flu shot clinics at a local pharmacy. I'm waiting for the Dept of Health to post the dates & times on their website.

Karen

[palefacegirl03]

We have a flu shot thing at work tommorow, it's $25 , they should have made it after payday on the 15th ,since I am broke right now, I will get mine at the minor emergency clininc next week, they only charge $20

[shockme]

Silly system here, received letter with voucher for free vaccination. I have to go the doctor for prescription, pick it up at the pharmacy and then return to the doctors for him to give me the injecton.
On a French forum some people were saying that they hadn'td bothered to go back to the doctors and had simply jabbed themselves. I'm not so sure, but is it really that different than injecting insulin?

insulins is injected under the skin. flu vaccines are injected in a muscle ..... trish

[Dewey]

Last year, didn't a lot people here post that they have a personal policy against flu vaccines?
Ummm, that would be me, but I'm only one person, not alot of people. :D

[Keezheekoni]

You guys get the pneumonia one too!!! I got that too, a few years ago. You get it once and that's it. Don't go without it.

While it's true that one shot of the pneumonia vaccine is usually enough, I'm linking the fact sheet from the CDC below that shows under Heading #4, on the second page, who should get more than one dose. Anyone with immuno-compromised systems should get two doses, as well as transplant recipients.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-ppv.pdf

Also, I believe that if you've had pneumonia within the last 5 years you are exempt from receiving the vaccine.

[tanyatype1]

I called about a week ago but they aren't giving them until the beginning of November - my whole family gets the flu vaccine!

[Scratch]

I had a bit of soreness in my upper left arm Monday night and Tuesday morning, but it's since dissipated and hopefully now my immune system is getting all bolstered up to take on this year's nastiness going around.

[statdeac]

BTDT already. Actually I got a nasty cold about 3 days later, but I'm thinking it was unrelated...

[Maddogg]

I haven't gotten a flu shot in the last 2 years.

I don't believe in flu shots, even if they are free! You can still catch a bad case of flu with the newest flu shot available...

Maybe when I get older or when I have a family I'll take the darn shot, I've got enough needly holes/marks on my body as is...

[princesslinda]

Got this from "ask.com"

Many people worry about getting a flu shot because they are afraid they will get the flu from the vaccine. So, is there any truth to this question?

A.
Well, the short answer is…no, there is no truth to it. It is NOT possible to get the flu from the flu shot.


The injected flu vaccine (the flu shot) is made from a killed virus and the nasal flu vaccine (nasal spray) is made from a weakened live virus. Although the nasal spray is made from a live virus, it cannot give a healthy person the flu.

Possible side effects from the injected vaccine include:


Soreness, redness or pain at the injection site
Low grade fever
Body aches

These side effects usually occur soon after the vaccine is administered and last 1-2 days.

Possible side effects from the nasal vaccine include:


Runny nose
Sore throat
Headache
Cough
Nausea and vomiting (in children)
Fever (in children)
Muscle aches

Because the nasal flu vaccine is a weakened live virus, people in close contact with people who have severely weakened immune systems should not get the nasal flu vaccine.

[Jill-O]

I got my flu shot at my Doctor's 2 days ago. I have gotten one every year for the past 10 or so years and never gotten the flu (and I shake hands with SO many people). Today, my arm around the injection site is a little sore and a little hot. I had mild body aches the night of and yesterday. No regrets getting it. It really reduces the chance of getting the flu. I'd get it again today if I needed to.

[owlyn]

Got mine yesterday at work. $20. I could have waited till November and gotten it at my doctor's for $15, but then I need an appointment, have to wait...etc... BTW, doctors sometimes lose money on the flu shots. Depends on the insurance plan. On some, they don't get paid by the insurance company for an office visit- all they get is your co-pay, but the vaccine costs more.

[Wildbill]

BTW, doctors sometimes lose money on the flu shots.

I bought one vial of vaccine and paid $135.00. That is ten doses. So if a clinic charges $15.00 they lose money.

I give the shots to my staff, free, and then one of them gets to shoot me. :eek:

[jen_slc]

We've already got sporadic flu activity in Utah, and so have some other states around the country. I'll be getting mine soon at work. No shortages or restrictions for this year, so there should be plenty to go around!

[princesslinda]

Got my flu shot Friday night...arm was a little sore that evening (but i'm a wuss!). No problems other than that. Felt good all weekend!

[Evermont]

Today I had my fist meeting with doc since dx. I let her talk me into getting both the flu shot (first in over a decade) as well as the new Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumococcal_polysaccharide_vaccine). If you haven't heard of it yet you may soon.

[princesslinda]

Today I had my fist meeting with doc since dx. I let her talk me into getting both the flu shot (first in over a decade) as well as the new Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumococcal_polysaccharide_vaccine). If you haven't heard of it yet you may soon.

Got the pneumonia shot last year. Doc said if you get it after age 60 you only need one dose. Before age 60, one dose every 10 years. Didn't have any problem with it.

[Evermont]

Got the pneumonia shot last year. Doc said if you get it after age 60 you only need one dose. Before age 60, one dose every 10 years. Didn't have any problem with it.

Yeah, no problem with it. They had me wait around 15 minutes after getting the flu shot in case of a reaction but weren't concerned about the PPV at all. Now they're saying booster every 5 years until 60 that means I get 5 of these guys before I'm done. The notice they hand out indicated that it's recommended for diabetics that require meds which I don't so I guess we were being extra cautious.

[jen_slc]

As diabetics, it is recommended we all get PPV once. Second doses are typically recommended once you hit age 65, as long as it's been at least 5 years since your first PPV.

Flu shots not only protect you from flu, they will indirectly lower your chances of severe pneumonia as well. There is a lot of data out there that shows evidence for a synergism between the influenza virus and bacterial pneumonia (the kind caused by the bug that PPV protects against). I.e., being infected with flu makes it easier for the pneumonia bacterium to infect you and cause more severe disease.

[liz32]

I'm debating getting the flu shot...naver have and don't normally get sick with the flu or other things going around. If I got sick all the time maybe I'd see more of a point but right now I doubt I'll get it....but might just to make the doc happy.
liz