Flu shots? I am getting flyers in the mail advertising cheap flu shots everywhere. :tinfoilhat:

[hang a left]

They are offered every single year. But I have for years now been very suspicious of them. My mother and grandmother get them and they STILL get sick. Every. Single. Year.

I am sorry. Will all the industry cronies heading every single department that is in charge of oversight for the population; I do NOT trust any type of vaccination that is offered by big pharma. Or even little pharma, there is absolutely no #######g protection.

I will not be shot up by this administration.

Jump on my thread, call me grassy knoll, I don't care.

Have Theraflu, Nyquil, and Chardonnay on hand...at all times.

[Telly Savalas]

1. Don't pharmaceutical companies manufacture Theraflu and Nyquil?

Isn't the FDA the same regulatory body which conducts oversight over these manufacturers as the manufacturers of flu shots?

[hang a left]

7. I would imagine that they are.

But theraflu and nyquil, as well as chardonnay, have been time tested over the years by myself personally. They may not stop the onset but they sure do relieve the symptoms.

[trotsky]

12. And Theraflu and Nyquil generate a hell of a lot more revenue for "big pharma"

than do flu shots. Remember why there was a shortage a couple of years ago? It was because NO AMERICAN COMPANY was making it, because THERE WASN'T ENOUGH MONEY TO BE MADE.

Man this conspiratorial crap gets so old.

[hang a left]

21. What the fuc# ever

You trust vaccines in this country. Head on. I would like to recommend a few for you myself.

I have a child that is 13 and I refuse to give him his "last" inoculation.

Why: Because I don't think that these shots, that our children are mandated to receive before they go to school, are innocuous anymore.

I, in the deepest part of my soul, believe that their is evil at work in our states united.

I don't give a hoot whether you agree or not.

[trotsky]

33. Or in other words, 'To hell with the facts, I've made up my mind.'

Nice.

Well as they say, you can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into. Good luck, hope your kid doesn't pay the ultimate price.

[hang a left]

35. Yep

To hell with "your" facts.

I am sure he already has paid the "ultimate price" being that the "other" mandatory shots he was required to receive were given on account of a ignorant mother.

Knowing what I know now...I would have never had his yellow card completed.

[hang a left]

36. Doesn't it though

Hey, guess what I have a vaccine for rude mutha fuckers. Wanna give it a try?

[trotsky]

39. Let me know if you'd ever like to discuss this issue on a rational level.

kthxbye.

[hang a left]

41. I am ready...discuss

I am a liberal to the heart. I can be convinced upon evidence to the contrary. Since we are limited by the media; I would welcome evidence that would alter my opinion.

[trotsky]

43. Um, sure.

I don't give a hoot whether you agree or not.

and

To hell with "your" facts.

Yup, plenty open you are. I'm sure that discussion with you would be most productive.

On edit: Here, I'll give you one link. Just one. http://www.ecbt.org/ Now tell me with a straight face that Rosalynn Carter wants to help Big Pharma poison our children.

[Canuckistanian]

2. Do they make Chardonnay Extra-Strength?

I've been looking for it everywhere.

[hang a left]

5. Damn...

I never even thought to ask.

I am going to google.

[appal_jack]

8. it's called brandy (n/t)

[Tian Zhuangzhuang]

18. yes under the sweet sherry label. nt

[Arkansas Granny]

3. A friend of mine has a theory about flu shots. She has noticed

that the people she knows who make sure they get flu shots every year are all Republicans. She wonders if there is something in the shots that turns people into wingnuts. Since she mentioned that I have observed the same phenomenon.

[sendero]

6. My ex.....

... gets them every year. She's about as un-wingnut as they come:)

[AZBlue]

20. Sorry to blow your theory, but my mom and I get one each year and we're as blue as you can get.

And, to add to others, we usually never get the flu, which is rare for us - we're both the kind that gets whatever bug is going around. The couple of times one of us has gotten it, it's mild and lasts maybe a day or two. I definitely believe in the shots.

[DemBones DemBones]

30. Mr. Bones and I do, too -- and the Republicans I know DON'T get them!

So it all depends on individuals.

[Arkansas Granny]

34. Well, I never claimed it was science, just a little observation.

:)

[AZBlue]

46. Still, sorry to buck the trend.

Then again, there's always an exception to any rule....
;)

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. I get them every year... high risk group

and when my hubby was in the navy, he got it too... we are both very liberal

Any other statement you may want to make?

[DemBones DemBones]

32. Do you get pneumonia vaccine, too? You should if you're high-risk

and you only need it every 5 years. We've had it twice and have two years until we need it again. It is good to know we have pneumonia protection as well as flu protection.

[LostinVA]

38. Oh please -- I get a flu shot every year

[partylessinOhio]

4. Are these flu shots preserved with mercury?

I pass on these and any other substances injected and will take my chances.

[dflprincess]

9. The ones given out at my office last year did not have it, I asked.

I don't know if that's true of all flu shots though.

I've gotton the shots the last several years and I have
a) not had influenza. Having had actual influenza a couple different times, I decided I'd rather not do that again.
and
b) not turned into a wingnut.

[demigoddess]

10. I kind of agree with you

I'm 59 and I have never had the flu, my siblings never had the flu, and my children never had the flu, even when exposed to kids in school. My husband has taken the shot for years and has usually had flu about 2 weeks later. Until the last few years when he stopped taking the shot.

Also I hear today that there are many medicines on the market not approved by the FDA, and you know how lax the approval has been lately.
I sometimes wonder if they are trying to kill off the 'surplus population' and avoid paying social security.
light:sarcasm:

[hang a left]

11. real light. I am with ya,. nt

[ileus]

13. Flu Shots = Mind Control: MK ultra for the common folks.

[Hekate]

14. My experience is that I have not had the flu since I started getting the shots.

I dragoon Mr. H into getting them too, because he is immune-compromised and the flu could make him extremely sick.

It might be a generational thing. I grew up with the knowledge that vaccinations save lives, because polio was still an annual killer, and diseases like smallpox were still in recent enough memory that we all carried smallpox vaccination scars on our arms. My mother told me her little brother almost died of whooping cough, and so on.

I understand not trusting the Bush administration, but here's an area where my mistrust is not so reflexive.

Hekate

[Strelnikov_]

15. Same experience here

Came down with influenza two times in three years. Started getting the shots yearly (except for the one year where vaccine was in short supply) and have not come down with influenza since (9 yr +/-).

Seems like cheap insurance.

[trotsky]

17. Yup, same here.

Had it once as a teen, wasn't terrible, so I never got the shot. But then right after our son was born, BAM, I got it and got it bad. Was basically in bed or on the couch with a 103+ degree fever for a week. Worst I have ever felt in my life. So I have gotten the shot every year since then, and have been flu-free.

You are correct - so many people who distrust vaccines are far removed from the ravages of the diseases they prevent. All they can focus on is imagined dangers of vaccines. Yet another study was completed by the CDC recently, further showing the now-discontinued preservative thimerosal has no causual relationship with neurological disorders. But the fearmongers don't care about research that goes against their pre-conceived notions.

[uppityperson]

16. I try to get them every yr and get less sick when I get them.

I'm a bit over 50, found that while I still get sick, I get less sick on yrs I had the shot than yrs I missed. Besides, Theraflu, Nyquil, aspirin are all made by big pharm also.

Do what makes you happy, just telling you about what I do and my results. I'm a health care worker, exposed to the flu all the time.

[Kelly Rupert]

19. Gotta keep those bodily fluids pure. n/t

[kineneb]

22. people with chronic diseases should get them

Hubby gets his at the dialysis clinic and that way doesn't get any more holes in his poor body. I probably should get the shot, but I don't qualify for any of the free immunization clinics.

[DemBones DemBones]

31. If you have to take care of your husband,

you really need the shot, too. If you can't afford it but can't qualify for free shots, something's screwy! But we knew that, didn't we? What are they charging for them now? Our insurance pays so I haven't paid attention. We used to get them for $5 at work but that was a long time ago. I wouldn't be surprised if they were $50 now. Medical costs are outrageous.

Seriously, ask your husband's doctor, maybe he can help you get a free shot as a caretaker of a chronically ill person.

[IDemo]

42. Type 1 diabetic for 45 years, haven't had a flu shot since I was 12

I can't remember the last year I have had the flu.

[kineneb]

45. Hubby has weak immune system

He is on dialysis and has congestive heart failure.

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. If you are not in the high risk groups do pass

but if you are in the high risk groups go get them.

It is pretty painless and even if you get sick, it reduces the severity of the disease and will lower your chances of getting pneumonia, the main killer here

High risk

Elderly, children, people with compromised immune systems, and those with chronic diseases... from memory

[piesRsquare]

25. No tinfoil necessary, dude (dudette?)

The flu vaccine changes every year, and a certain amount is manufactured.

So this year's flu vaccine is only used this year...can't be "saved" for next year. And the companies have to manufacture a particular number of doses. If there are leftover/unused doses at the end of the flu season, the government "buys back" those unused doses for a fraction of what it cost to manufacture them, and a fraction of what the companies would get if the doses were purchased/used. So it's in the best (financial) interest of the vaccine-making companies to have every dose of flu-vaccine used.

Over the past few years, there has consistently been a surplus of flu vaccine at the end of the season; the companies have been ratcheting up the "Get a Flu Shot" marketing efforts (hysteria) every year for at least the past 4 years (which is how long I've been noticing it) because, no doubt, they're pissed about taking the hit. Come time November we'll start hearing about kids and seniors dying.

Just the capitalism of health care; that's all. Disgusting, yes, but not to fret. ;)

I've never gotten a flu shot; don't have a need. My close friend, on the other hand, has severe asthma, and has to get one every year.

I like Chardonnay!

[cynatnite]

26. Keep in mind that flu shots only protect against certain kinds of strains...

My understanding, and someone please correct me if I'm wrong, is that they have to guess which strains of flu will be the most prevalent. That's what their aiming for. Other strains are out there and can infect someone who has had the flu shot.

[Lucinda]

27. No flu shots for me either

I have enough trouble with everything else. I dont want flu shot ickiness.
And Thera Flu works just fine.: )

[freeplessinseattle]

28. I haven't had a flu shot or the flu in almost ten years n/t

[DemBones DemBones]

29. We've been getting flu shots for twenty-five years

and have never gotten sick after the shots and have definitely not had the flu. A few people have a reaction to the shots but we never have. The shots do not protect against cold viruses, which may be what your mother and grandmother are getting, rather than influenza. It's always possible for an unexpected strain of flu to emerge that that year's vaccine won't protect against but it hasn't happened to us in 25 years.

Most of the time, when people say they have the flu, they have a virus and feel pretty rotten for a few days but they don't really have influenza. Influenza has you flat on your back for two weeks and wobbly for another two weeks or longer.

Thousands of people die of influenza and complications of influenza, mostly pneumonia, every year.


After having real influenza and being really, really flat-on-our-backs sick with it in 1970 and again in 1983, we wised up and started getting flu shots.

We also get pneumonia vaccine every 5 years, which is as often as you need it. I have chronic autoimmune diseases and my husband has to take care of me so we both need to avoid influenza and pneumonia.

Your mother and grandmother should ask their doctor about the pneumonia vaccine because pneumonia is a real danger to the elderly. Your mother may not be elderly but if she has chronic health problems, she should also consider getting the vaccine.

We have had colds when we've flown to Europe and back until we learned to buy over-the-counter saline nasal spray and use it every half hour or so on the plane. When your nasal membranes are moist, viruses can't penetrate as easily, or that's the hypothesis, anyway. Worked for us. Would probably work well if you have to be around sick people, too. Of course, keeping your hands clean and not touching your face unless your hands are clean are very important. We haven't had colds in years. Immunity increases as you get older since you've been exposed to more.

[budibudinski]

37. I've Never gotten a flu shot since its promotion begin years ago..

Not saying its wrong, and may have been a healthy decision for many. For myself I am always more concerned by government scare tactics on any front.
My own paranoia perhaps.


Can't recall when I last had the flu.

[SidDithers]

40. Yeah, I remember when that polio vaccine killed millions...

damn that big pharma for producing it.

Oh, wait.

Sid

[Megahurtz]

44. Nah.

No inoculations for me. They put Mercury and who-the-Hell-knows-what-else into the Flu Shots.
Trust Big Pharma&Friends? LOL.

Oh and Red Wine works pretty good too. :)