Wellness

[40nu20]

On 11/7/2014 pitdakota said:

On 11/7/2014 40nu20 said:

chrystaltree--sounds like you work in the medical profession as do I. Do you even know what the ingredients are in a flu shot? Have you bothered to research that or do you just get it because you are required to, no questions asked? As an educated and health conscious person, I have researched the flu shot. The flu shot contains mercury (also present in the preservative free version just in a smaller dose), formaldahyde (a know carcinogen used to embalm those who have past) , aluminum ( a metal used to stimulate the immune response) as well as antibiotics, latex, egg product and gelatine from bone marrow.To get the flu shot or not is a personal choice. People are responsible for their own health and their choices. Any immunization can trigger the immune system in a less than positive way. Dormant things in the body can be awakened such as guillian barrett syndrome which is life threatening. And yes I have seen this happen. Although rare, it does happen and it is quit debilitating. There are documented reactions such as encephalopathy, wheezing, increased heart rate, fever, muscle aches and pains, as well as localized injection site pain and swelling. There are studies linking the shot to dementia. With a flu shot every year all those "trace preservatives" add up. That poor child received the shot and is now paralyzed. Yes the side effects are not common but are you willing to take that chance? No, I am not bashing immunizations or the flu shot. For certain populations like the chronically ill, immune compromised, or elderly people living in a group setting it is recommended. But again, I feel it is every persons responsibility to research and decide if it is best for them. I eat well, exercise religiously and get sufficient and quality sleep. I do not pick my nose or bite my fingernails. I am religious about washing my hands. I know this does not completely protect me. I trust my body. The immune system is a miraculous thing. I am required by my employer to wear a mask while at work to protect our patients and visitors from me because I am not vaccinated from the flu. Funny thing is, the vaccine is only 60% effective as per the vaccine manufacturer. As low as 15% effective in other independent studies. Also, if the strain the manufacturers have predicted is not correct, there goes that! JUST SAYING you should not downplay peoples experiences. They are real and significant to those who experience them.

If you work in the medical profession you might want to get up to date with your information.

All flu vaccine does not contain mercury. All of the single dose vaccines contain no mercury at all. There are multiple companies that make the flu vaccine with no thimerosal. In fact, it isn't even needed in the single dose preparation. The multi-dose vials do contain a small amount of mercury which contains 25 mcg mercury per dose.

To compare that, you would get more mercury eating canned tuna. Canned tuna can contain on the low side of 0.018 parts per million.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2011/january/food/mercury-in-tuna/overview/index...

That equals .18 mcg of mercury per 1 gm of tuna. So 6 ozs of tuna(170 gms) would have 30.6 mcg. of mercury. That certainly exceeds the 25 mcg contained in a one time flu vaccination. And that is on the low side, since some tuna can contain around .77 parts per million of mercury.

At any rate, flu shots without mercury are readily available . Not to mention that there are large epidemiological studies in multiple countries that document no association between thimerosal and autism.

As far as Gullian-Barre syndrome, a 2010 study conducted found the risk of Gullian-Barre to be higher in the general population than in individuals that had received flu vaccines.

For individuals receiving flu vaccines it is around 6 cases per 10 million people. The incidence of Guillian Barre in the general population (those not even taking flu vaccines) is around 34 cases per 10 million people on the low side. And that assumes that every case of Guillian-Barre occurring in vaccinated individuals is related. Which we know it isn't. But it does point out the risk is much greater even in the general population.

http://www.drugs.com/news/guillain-barre-syndrome-very-rare-after-h1n1-vaccine-23779.html

Over the years hundreds of millions of flu vaccines have been administered in this country. Even if only 25% of today's population receives a vaccination this year that means around 75 million vaccinations just this year alone.

It is anyone's decision whether to take a flu vaccination or not. But people need factual information, not hyperbole to make that dec

hyperbole? I have the insert from the vaccine supposedly mercury free and it does state that the preservative free version does contain mercury but in a smaller amount. so in your opinion formaldahyde is safe right? in repeated doses year after year(which hasnt been tested by the way) to each his own. i personally do not feel comfortable with that.

[Cioci Carol]

I've been getting flu shots for about 20 yrs. and this last time was the second time only that i had a reaction..because of my age the dosage was stronger the effect lasted about 2 days and then i was fine...i'm a sub in a school and around children who don't really have any manners when it comes to sneezing and coughing (adults too are just as bad) so is it a preventative, in my case yes...sometimes we have to take chances, rather be safe than sorry.

[3star]

I have gotten a flu short every year for the past several years and never had a action until last week. Had the flu shot on Tuesday and by Wednesday could not get out of bed until Saturday. The reaction was queasiness and severe fatigue - not pleasant. Will reconsider this option next year.

[millieshops]

2014 - No reaction to my October shot. Not the slightest soreness even for 10 minutes.

[chucky12345]

Vitamin D3 for flu.

http://healthynutrition.me/?p=113

http://www.hormonesmatter.com/vitamin-d3-and-influenza/

http://www.naturalnews.com/029760_vitamin_D_influenza.html

http://healthylivinghowto.com/1/post/2013/09/vitamin-d-defense-against-the-flu-bug.html

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/12/14/study-shows-vitamin-d-cuts-flu-by-near...

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

[pupwhipped]

Got my flu shot yesterday at my Doctor's office. No problems whatsoever...my arm is not even sore. Dragged my hubby with me, too, so he could get his shot. He's a wimp and hates injections, but he was going to get one this year come heck or high water.

The reason you ask? Neither one of us got the shot last year. We BOTH got the flu. My husband got sick on Christmas Eve morning, and I got sick about three days later. I went to the Doctor and was tested to see if it was indeed the flu. It was. I was prescribed Tamiflu, but it was too late for my hubby to take it. You have to start it within three days or so of symptoms. It was the worst December ever for us.

Many, many people died last year from the flu. I feel fortunate that we both recovered. We will be getting the flu shot from here on out.

[Tinkrbl44]

On 11/7/2014 tantallum said:

I have taken the flu shot every year, never had a problem. Never had the flu either. Yes, side effects to vaccines do happen, they are very rare though. I know that doesn't mean much to the person who is having it, but it is too bad that the very infrequent reactions scare so many people from getting it, and that is why tens of thousands of people die each year from the flu.

My friend's nephew died of the flu last year, he was 3.

Well, I don't know what you're basing this proclamation on, but, based on the comments on this thread, reactions to flu shots AREN'T "very rare" ...... and human immune systems vary tremendously!

I think it's nothing short of ignorant when people dismiss others' very real reactions to any type of immunization because it weakens their generalizations.

This is no different than telling a woman that menstrual cramps --- or depression ----- is all in her head!

[jeanlake]

So sorry you had a bad reaction. How disappointing. For the past two years I have had no bad reactions to flu shots -- and no flu symptoms

[Moonchilde]

In the 20 or so years I've been getting flu shots, I've never had a reaction of any kind. This year for the first time I got the 65+ Sanofi vaccine. I certainly wasn't "expecting" a reaction. I had an arm so sore it woke me from sleep at night for 3+ days, swelling at the injection site, redness of my entire upper arm and heat to the point of needing to use periodic ice packs for 3 days, and a sore throat for 5 days. It was not the flu. It was not my imagination. I believe in flu shots and my job pretty much requires them (hospital), but I am not getting the 65+ vaccine again if I can help it. I'm going back to the regular vaccine.

[Fona]

moonchilde and all of you posters who did have a bad reaction: I did say the following in my earlier post, but I would like to repeat it again - if you have a bad reaction to a flu shot, you should not have another flu shot (even a Regular) because the side effects can be even worse. I was told this by a very knowledgeable pharmacist in regard to my frightening reaction to the 65+ Fluzone High Dose shot (which I had two years ago), and I am not sure if this actually applies to a Regular shot, but please check it out before just going ahead and getting another shot. These side effects can be terrifying.