This flu is really bad.

[leftyladyfrommo]

Just talked to one of my customers who is an ICU nurse. She said this flu is awful. They have people dying from it..

The people who seem to be hit hardest here are in their 30's and 40's and didn't get a flu shot. The stuff just destroys their lungs. They had a man die last week who had been sick at home for 2 weeks and then in ICU for 2 weeks.

They have another pregnant woman in the ICU who has been fighting it for a month. She is improving slowly.

Still not too late to get a flu shot.

[Brainstormy]

1. Where are you, because

No one I know in Georgia has had flu this year. CDC says rates are declining, and that old people and the very young are most vulnerable. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/summary.htm

Last week's stats are not posted yet.

[leftyladyfrommo]

2. Kansas City.

Nurse said flu season isn't officially over until 3-31.

It's the N1F1 flu.

[tandot]

3. My cousin died from it last month

she was 40. Turned into double Pneumonia. I got my flu shot the day after she died and was extremely paranoid the two weeks it takes for the shot to be effective. I was constantly washing hands, used alcohol based hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol, and Clorox wipes on shopping cards. I am still very careful since some people get it despite having the flu shot. However, they usually have milder symptoms.

[PotatoChip]

12. So sorry about your cousin.

[tandot]

13. Thanks, PotatoChip!

The whole family was and still is in shock.

My husband developed pneumonia the same time as she did, but his was from a cold. I was really scared but he recovered fully.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. That's what this article says: Younger people are getting it this year -

probably because they aren't getting flu shots, and also maybe because this is H1N1, which went around a few years ago, and older people who got it then or were exposed to it now have some immunity.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/02/12/276025918/with-this-years-flu-young-adults-are-not-so-invincible

The "Spanish" flu epidemic of 1918 was an H1N1 strain, and it mostly killed healthy young adults by turning their own immune systems against them. Don't mess with this thing, get a flu shot. I got one, but I'm old and I always get them. When I was 19 I got some version of the flu and I've never been so sick, before or since.

[PotatoChip]

8. Huh. I didn't know that this strain was H1N1.

Folks, H1N1 is really bad! Take it from someone who knows... Get your shots asap!!!

I'll be getting one no matter what, but can't help but wonder if perhaps I built up some immunity, due to having already had it?

Does anyone know? Just curious.

[leftyladyfrommo]

5. It's just so easy to get a shot.

Why risk getting that sick?

[Brainstormy]

17. Because the shot doesn't necessarily innoculate you against the current flu

Why don't people get that? I've had flu exactly once in my life. After a flu shot.

[PotatoChip]

6. I need to get one.

Just not sure where to go. I had my annual physical in January and asked my doctor for one, but he claimed to be all out of his supply. He said that last year too as I recall.

But yeah, I'm not taking any chances. Had H1N1 in 2009, and it was horrible. Ugh!

As much as I hate WalMart, I think I'll go there. I could be wrong, but I seem to remember hearing that they are doing them.

[leftyladyfrommo]

7. Walgreens is where I got mine.

CVS has them, too.

County health department should have them.

I got pneumonia shot too since I was there. I think that one is a 1 time thing.

Now I'm looking into shingles shot because I had chicken pox when I was little. Shingles are just awful and can cause pain that lingers even after they heal up.

I also got the diptheria/tetanus/whooping cough shot a couple of years ago.

[PotatoChip]

9. Thanks, but no Walgreens in my area. :-(

I'm out in the boonies. We do have a CVS though. I'll try there first.

Shingles, yikes! Thanks for reminding me about that. Definitely want to look into getting that too.

Ditto on the TDAP. I had a mild reaction to it, but well worth that as opposed to the alternative.

[leftyladyfrommo]

10. Shingles shot is expensive.

I'm trying to find somewhere I can get it for less. Not sure if my Medicare will pay for it or not. It was about $200, I think. That is outside of my means.

[PotatoChip]

11. Wow, that IS expensive!

No wonder whatever pharmaceutical company it is who has the patent has been doing so much advertising!

Still, I'm going to look into it. Maybe my insurance will cover? I hope so, anyway...

[leftyladyfrommo]

14. That was just a ballpark figure.

I can't remember the exact price but It was high.

[Skittles]

15. I asked my doctor about a shingles shot

she recommended I get it at age 60

[PotatoChip]

16. Good to know.

Thanks Skittles!

I'm not there yet age-wise, so perhaps this can wait. My doctor never suggested getting the shingles shot, and that could be the reason why.

[SheilaT]

18. If you're over 60, the shingles shot is apparently

covered by the ACA, as one of the basic things that are now covered.

I recently got one (I'm 65) and I did it in part to use up the money left on my health care account, the money I have taken out of my paycheck to cover things like co-pays. I knew that the shingles shot is expensive, and figured this was a good way (aside from the benefits of the vaccination itself) to use up the money. I'd even called my insurance company to get an idea of the damages, and it looked like I'd have just a little more than what my copay would be. Turns out, the shot was covered. Not even a copay. Woah! Thank you, ACA,

Except I wound up not using all of my set-aside. Things could be worse.