bikeman564™ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #1 Posted February 26, 2019 Do you get them? I'm 44 and have never gotten one. I had the flu once in my life aboot 22 years ago. My doc asks me, and I say no. Well I'll be there Thursday because of my eternal cough and probably will be asked again. Even though I don't have the flu. Is it worth getting one, or should I keep declining? I don't really want one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 26, 2019 Share #2 Posted February 26, 2019 Not for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Grass Posted February 26, 2019 Share #3 Posted February 26, 2019 I get one in the fall. Works for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longjohn ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #4 Posted February 26, 2019 I only get them because my oncologist who I trust and who has kept my wife alive through five recurrences of breast cancer told me I need to because of my compromised immune system. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheep_herder ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #5 Posted February 26, 2019 I get them annually. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petitepedal ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #6 Posted February 26, 2019 I am prone to nasty lung coughs..and I work with seniors....I get the shot. After my stomach bug..someone asked if I got the flu shot...people call these bugs "the flu" or "stomach flu"...and they are not at all related to the influenza we get a shot to prevent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
late Posted February 26, 2019 Share #7 Posted February 26, 2019 I love vaccines, so I love the flu vaccine. The vaccine teaches your body to fight the flu, usually 5 strains a shot. Over the years, you build a 'library' of skills that sometimes helps fight a strain that the CDC misses. You also add to herd immunity. And if something goes wrong, and your immune system takes a hit, you will not be as vulnerable to the flu. When you're already sick, getting sicker is not what you want to call fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtyhip Posted February 26, 2019 Share #8 Posted February 26, 2019 I think they are important. The flu kills more people than the shot ever hurt. It makes sense. I believe in science. That being said, many out here do not. We have a measles epidemic happening because of parents refusing the vaccine. So diseases that we have gotten under control is now out of control again. JFC. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerrySTL ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #9 Posted February 26, 2019 I get one every year. WoJSTL skipped getting the shot one year and came down with the actual flu. She was hospitalized for 3 days. What many people call the 'flu' really isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted February 26, 2019 Share #10 Posted February 26, 2019 45 minutes ago, Goat Geddah said: I get one in the fall. Works for me. How do you know? ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted February 26, 2019 Share #11 Posted February 26, 2019 I've never gotten one. Like Jerry says, a lot of what people call the flu really isn't an influenza virus. I might of had it 20 years ago. I will consider it more going forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #12 Posted February 26, 2019 53 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said: Do you get them? I'm 44 and have never gotten one. I had the flu once in my life aboot 22 years ago. My doc asks me, and I say no. Well I'll be there Thursday because of my eternal cough and probably will be asked again. Even though I don't have the flu. Is it worth getting one, or should I keep declining? I don't really want one. I got one in 2006 or so when the office had a nurse come round and give FREE flu shots to all willing participants. I think it was a lot of worry about it being a "bad flu season", and I had never had one, so I said WTF and got it. Don't remember getting particularly sick nor being particularly healthy that winter, so never did it again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Grass Posted February 26, 2019 Share #13 Posted February 26, 2019 7 minutes ago, Kzoo said: How do you know? ? I'm smart. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted February 26, 2019 Share #14 Posted February 26, 2019 1 minute ago, Goat Geddah said: I'm smart. Oh. OK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prophet Zacharia Posted February 26, 2019 Share #15 Posted February 26, 2019 Yes, annually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisL Posted February 26, 2019 Share #16 Posted February 26, 2019 Used to get them in the Army but haven’t since. I get a nasty flu every 5 or so years, knocks me down for a few days and I’m good. As I get older and if diabetes ads complications I will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #17 Posted February 26, 2019 Yes, for roughly the last 13 years or so. Shortly before that my wife and I had the flu together and it was awful. I used to get the flu every few years before I got flu shots, and I haven't since, so I am a believer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheep_herder ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #18 Posted February 26, 2019 24 minutes ago, ChrisL said: Used to get them in the Army but haven’t since. I get a nasty flu every 5 or so years, knocks me down for a few days and I’m good. As I get older and if diabetes ads complications I will. Surprising they do not recommend one with your diabetes. Maybe your new doctor will recommend it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted February 26, 2019 Share #19 Posted February 26, 2019 26 minutes ago, ChrisL said: As I get older and if diabetes ads complications I will. The flu has to add complications to your diabetes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisL Posted February 26, 2019 Share #20 Posted February 26, 2019 30 minutes ago, Kzoo said: The flu has to add complications to your diabetes. Yeah I suppose if you can’t keep anything down it could wack out your meds or insulin. It also weakens your immune system. I notice I get sick more often now and it hits me harder/longer than before. But they are generally little bugs that don’t keep me from work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted February 26, 2019 Share #21 Posted February 26, 2019 7 minutes ago, ChrisL said: Yeah I suppose if you can’t keep anything down it could wack out your meds or insulin. It also weakens your immune system. I notice I get sick more often now and it hits me harder/longer than before. But they are generally little bugs that don’t keep me from work. And any infection in your body has to spike you BS number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisL Posted February 26, 2019 Share #22 Posted February 26, 2019 2 minutes ago, Kzoo said: And any infection in your body has to spike you BS number. Exactly... I woke this morning with crude in my eyes, a scratchy throat and my glucose spiked 30 points from yesterday and I ate well. Another little bug coming on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheep_herder ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #23 Posted February 26, 2019 Normally, the first thing my endocrinologist asks is if I am up to date on vaccinations and eye exams. Also, being sick for a week or so and missing work is one thing, but needing to care for livestock is a different story all together, particularly if we both get sick at the same time. I can remember in years past that I got really sick and recovered, and then my wife got sick. I knew what she was going through and kept close tabs on her until she was better. She decided she would have probably died, if I'd not been there to keep her going. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team scooter Posted February 26, 2019 Share #24 Posted February 26, 2019 I stopped getting flu shots after our kids grew up and stopped bringing a petri dish of diseases home from school. And I haven't had the flu in years. But, when we went to one of those indoor trampoline places for our granddaughter's birthday a few months back, I caught the worst case of flu afterwards. Dang bunch of little runny nosed...…….? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #25 Posted February 26, 2019 1 minute ago, team scooter said: I stopped getting flu shots after our kids grew up and stopped bringing a petri dish of diseases home from school. And I haven't had the flu in years. But, when we went to one of those indoor trampoline places for our granddaughter's birthday a few months back, I caught the worst case of flu afterwards. Dang bunch of little runny nosed...…….? It could have been worse - PINK EYE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted February 26, 2019 Share #26 Posted February 26, 2019 9 minutes ago, team scooter said: I stopped getting flu shots after our kids grew up and stopped bringing a petri dish of diseases home from school. And I haven't had the flu in years. But, when we went to one of those indoor trampoline places for our granddaughter's birthday a few months back, I caught the worst case of flu afterwards. Dang bunch of little runny nosed...…….? 2 words.... McDonalds Playlands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickinMD ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #27 Posted February 26, 2019 First, before I go into why to get the flu shot, let me say that most people who "die" of the flu actually die of bacterial pneumonia they catch after being weakened by the flu. So make sure you get the pneumonia shot - you only need it once of twice over 5 years to protect you for life from 100% of the bacteria known to cause bacterial pneumonia. The flu only protects you, in any avg. year, from about 60% of the strains of flu going around. The CDC has to guess ahead of time each year which 3 strains of flu are most likely to be the major ones so the pharma companies have enough time to make the vaccine. Some years they make better guesses than others. Of course, if you get it every year, the protection from prior years' strains remains and increases your overall resistance percentage. Still, getting the shot - especially since it costs me no extra copay - and making me much less likely to catch the flu is worth it to me. You can NOT catch the flu from the shot. The shot contains the flu virus's protein sheath (cell wall) but the DNA has been removed so it's dead. You may feel flu symptoms and a sore shoulder for a brief period after the shot as your body's immune system reacts to the three flu virus' dead protein sheaths and creates antibodies that attack such-shaped-sheaths, a little fever perhaps, etc. The more people you're in contact with, the more likely you are to catch an illness, so the flu shot is a major plus if you're in contact with a lot of people. I taught in a 3-school complex (2 middle and 1 high schools) with no open windows, an enclosed air circulation system, and over 4200 students, many of who were sent to school sick because there are major penalties for too many absences. It was stupid not to get the flu shot each year. I was stupid the first two years I was a teacher and caught the flu each year. I've had the flu shot every year since - even after retiring. We had over 140 teachers in the high school alone and those of us who got the flu shots usually retired with 100-250 unused sick days (we got 10 per year) and those who didn't get the flu shots 0-50. That's anecdotal evidence: maybe shot-getting teachers also tend to take better care of themselves in other ways, too. But I'm sure the flu shot helped boost those numbers to some extent. I've also have my pneumonia and shingles shots. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddmaxx ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #28 Posted February 26, 2019 I never got one till the oncologist told us that 1. my wife had to have one, and 2. If I wanted to visit the oncology unit I had to have one too. Professional medical advice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dottleshead ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #29 Posted February 26, 2019 3 hours ago, sheep_herder said: I get them annually. I do too but it wasn't always that way. At some point i crossed a certain age and started to catch the flu more often. A couple years of that crap and I wisened up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris... Posted February 26, 2019 Share #30 Posted February 26, 2019 I get one every year. Have not had the flu since getting the shot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #31 Posted February 26, 2019 48 minutes ago, MickinMD said: We had over 140 teachers in the high school alone and those of us who got the flu shots usually retired with 100-250 unused sick days (we got 10 per year) and those who didn't get the flu shots 0-50. That's anecdotal evidence: maybe shot-getting teachers also tend to take better care of themselves in other ways, too. But I'm sure the flu shot helped boost those numbers to some extent. You can't easily call in sick with the flu if they know you got the flu shot! Don't get the shot = more days playing hooky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikeman564™ Posted February 26, 2019 Author Share #32 Posted February 26, 2019 Then I'm not getting I flu in 44 years w/o the shot is great odds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted February 26, 2019 Share #33 Posted February 26, 2019 2 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said: Then I'm not getting I flu in 44 years w/o the shot is great odds Some statisticians would say your odds are greater then. Of course they would probably be wrong - them and the weather dudes usually are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikeman564™ Posted February 26, 2019 Author Share #34 Posted February 26, 2019 2 minutes ago, Kzoo said: Some statisticians would say your odds are greater then. Of course they would probably be wrong - them and the weather dudes usually are. Still not going for it, I appreciate peoples opinions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted February 26, 2019 Share #35 Posted February 26, 2019 1 minute ago, bikeman564™ said: Still not going for it, I appreciate peoples opinions Mine was not an opinion. Mine is fact. Statisticians and weather dudes lie. And let me add, you are going to die. BTW where is Jim? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dottleshead ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #36 Posted February 26, 2019 12 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said: Then I'm not getting I flu in 44 years w/o the shot is great odds Honestly, it started happening for me in my late 40s. I hope you can continue to beat the odds -- I certainly thought so. Father time has a way of challenging my beliefs though. Son of a gun if it doesn't always seem to win too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikeman564™ Posted February 26, 2019 Author Share #37 Posted February 26, 2019 Just now, Kzoo said: Mine was not an opinion. Mine is fact. Statisticians and weather dudes lie. And let me add, you are going to die. BTW where is Jim? cherry picked data Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dottleshead ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #38 Posted February 26, 2019 1 minute ago, Kzoo said: And let me add, you are going to die. Why are you always popping bubbles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted February 26, 2019 Share #39 Posted February 26, 2019 10 minutes ago, Dottles said: Why are you always popping bubbles? Just bringing forth the truth. #hurtseh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dottleshead ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #40 Posted February 26, 2019 Just now, Kzoo said: Just bringing forth the truth. #hurtseh Hey, Kazie, I worded that cleverly so that you might be enticed to use it as your signature. You 'blew' it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted February 26, 2019 Share #41 Posted February 26, 2019 3 minutes ago, Dottles said: Hey, Kazie, I worded that cleverly so that you might be enticed to use it as your signature. You 'blew' it. You thought your little ditty would replace the great wisdom of @AirwickWithCheese in my sig line? Now that's funny. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dottleshead ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #42 Posted February 26, 2019 3 minutes ago, Kzoo said: You thought your little ditty would replace the great wisdom of @AirwickWithCheese in my sig line? Now that's funny. Well, certainly! Until you popped my bubble. What a jerk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted February 26, 2019 Share #43 Posted February 26, 2019 1 minute ago, Dottles said: Well, certainly! Until you popped my bubble. What a jerk. Why thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dottleshead ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #44 Posted February 26, 2019 4 minutes ago, Kzoo said: Why thank you. Thank Bikeman for exposing you for the tire guy you really are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted February 26, 2019 Share #45 Posted February 26, 2019 6 minutes ago, Dottles said: Thank Bikeman for exposing you for the tire guy you really are. I didn't expose myself to anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dottleshead ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #46 Posted February 26, 2019 8 minutes ago, Kzoo said: I didn't expose myself to anyone. If I had those rubbers, I wouldn't either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted February 26, 2019 Share #47 Posted February 26, 2019 17 minutes ago, Dottles said: If I had those rubbers, I wouldn't either. What are you talking about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikeman564™ Posted February 26, 2019 Author Share #48 Posted February 26, 2019 18 minutes ago, Dottles said: If I had those rubbers, I wouldn't either. rubbers prevent getting the flu? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longjohn ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #49 Posted February 26, 2019 2 hours ago, MickinMD said: First, before I go into why to get the flu shot, let me say that most people who "die" of the flu actually die of bacterial pneumonia they catch after being weakened by the flu. So make sure you get the pneumonia shot - you only need it once of twice over 5 years to protect you for life from 100% of the bacteria known to cause bacterial pneumonia. The flu only protects you, in any avg. year, from about 60% of the strains of flu going around. The CDC has to guess ahead of time each year which 3 strains of flu are most likely to be the major ones so the pharma companies have enough time to make the vaccine. Some years they make better guesses than others. Of course, if you get it every year, the protection from prior years' strains remains and increases your overall resistance percentage. Still, getting the shot - especially since it costs me no extra copay - and making me much less likely to catch the flu is worth it to me. You can NOT catch the flu from the shot. The shot contains the flu virus's protein sheath (cell wall) but the DNA has been removed so it's dead. You may feel flu symptoms and a sore shoulder for a brief period after the shot as your body's immune system reacts to the three flu virus' dead protein sheaths and creates antibodies that attack such-shaped-sheaths, a little fever perhaps, etc. The more people you're in contact with, the more likely you are to catch an illness, so the flu shot is a major plus if you're in contact with a lot of people. I taught in a 3-school complex (2 middle and 1 high schools) with no open windows, an enclosed air circulation system, and over 4200 students, many of who were sent to school sick because there are major penalties for too many absences. It was stupid not to get the flu shot each year. I was stupid the first two years I was a teacher and caught the flu each year. I've had the flu shot every year since - even after retiring. We had over 140 teachers in the high school alone and those of us who got the flu shots usually retired with 100-250 unused sick days (we got 10 per year) and those who didn't get the flu shots 0-50. That's anecdotal evidence: maybe shot-getting teachers also tend to take better care of themselves in other ways, too. But I'm sure the flu shot helped boost those numbers to some extent. I've also have my pneumonia and shingles shots. We better listen to Mickin he has an MD after his name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dottleshead ★ Posted February 26, 2019 Share #50 Posted February 26, 2019 28 minutes ago, Dottles said: If I had those rubbers, I wouldn't either. 11 minutes ago, Kzoo said: What are you talking about? 7 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said: rubbers prevent getting the flu? Genitalia. Duh. Kazie, you need help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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