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Honored Contributor
Posts: 65,680
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Question on which flu shot to ask for

[ Edited ]

@SeaMaiden  I understand your conundrum. Without underlying health issues it would be tempting to stick with the low dose vaccine and yet I believe the reason health professionals make the age 65 'magic' for the higher dose is that there's more of a tendency for things to begin going wrong as folks age and also for illnesses to hit one harder... My mom gets the high dose vaccine and has seen no difference in any potential side effects...


In my pantry with my cupcakes...
Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,486
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Question on which flu shot to ask for

This is one of those things I don't know enough to argue about.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,913
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Question on which flu shot to ask for

@SeaMaiden 

 

I want the strongest one I can get.

 

 

 

hckynut 

hckynut(john)
Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,092
Registered: ‎01-02-2011

Re: Question on which flu shot to ask for

I had some difficulty finding the senior shot this year.  Check with your pharmacy first, @SeaMaiden.

 

 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,630
Registered: ‎08-19-2014

Re: Question on which flu shot to ask for

Definitely get the high dose shot.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,036
Registered: ‎07-25-2010

Re: Question on which flu shot to ask for

I am 66, and got the high dose flu shot and my second pneumonia shot this morning.

 

My doctor recommended the high dose flu shot once I turned 65.

 

I feel fine....no side effects.  Not even any arm soreness.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,845
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Question on which flu shot to ask for

I'm 66 and it's been 25 years since I've gotten the flu shot and even longer since I've gotten the flu.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,283
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Question on which flu shot to ask for


@tansy wrote:

I had some difficulty finding the senior shot this year.  Check with your pharmacy first, @SeaMaiden.

 

 


We opt out of the senior version, I've read too many complaints about it's side effects here. 

 

I know last year when we got ours it would have been around this past week, they were already out of the senior version and the pharmacist told us she didn't know if they were going to get anymore in. 

 

 

 

 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,162
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Question on which flu shot to ask for

@SeaMaiden Same age. Pharmacist helped me and suggested first year pneumonia shot. Same time. One in each arm. Sore for about 48 hours, but keep moving it.  

"I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees." Henry David Thoreau
Super Contributor
Posts: 443
Registered: ‎11-16-2011

Re: Question on which flu shot to ask for

I am one of the few posters here who warn about their bad reaction to a senior flu shot.  I had the HiDose Fluzone shot just after it was introduced a few years ago - persuaded by my pharmacist (with much discussion) - and the reaction I had was horrible.  I will never forget how bad I felt, and although the reaction lasted about five days, for some reason I had side effects for a long time afterwards.  No one could explain just why I had such a bad reaction but my doctor did tell me that the HiDose shot contained a lot of additives (I don't know about today) and I was probably allergic to one of them.

 

Afterwards I looked up patient's comments on the HiDose and most of them were very bad.  As I have said above, this was a few years ago, but who knows if any changes have been made to it since.  Personally, I would never even consider it again.

 

I realize this was a few years ago and it may have been tweaked since, but some posters are saying to just get it   I am happy that it worked for you all, but I am saying that it may not be that simple.

 

Take care, everyone.