Flu Vaccine? - Howell,MI

Hello,

While I am not a fan of the flu vaccine, I do believe there are precautions that can be taken to prevent getting it. In fact this Monday, Nov 2 there will be a sprecial forum on things that can be done to prevent it at the First Fitness Training Center in Ferndale from 6:30-7:30. It's located at 22720 Woodward Ave #212. You should come. For questions call ###-###-####

My daughter and I probably will not unless there is a serious outbreak in the area. I, too, think the media blows things a bit out of proportion many times.

I am NOT getting the flu shot for me nor my two kids 6 and 4. I never have and dont' plan to start this year!

I also agree that H1N1 is way blown out of proportion. ALL FLU'S CAN BE DEADLY.

I too believe that the H1N1 hype has been blown way out of proportion people die from all kinds of the flu virus every year. I am an RN and never used to get the flu shot because I doubted its need and its effeciveness until one year my entire family got the flu including myself and my small children. We were sooooo very sick that I vowed to always get the flu shot after that . We have got the shot every year since then and we have thankfully not gotten it since. Hope this helps. Best of luck to you in making your decision.

I never have had nor will give my healthy kids a flu shot...

I am not ANTI flu shot... If you are in a risk category. Being a child does not mean your high risk. My niece who has a heart issue and is 2 yrs old is high risk. There is a health reason for her to NOT get the flu. My father in law with the pacemaker... etc.
As for the H1N1 shot... I have to laugh. Every year is supposed to be a "bad" flu year... and every year there is this new worry that we "need to prepare for. But EVERY year it peeters out and ends up normal. Are we a society of paniced people running here and there to do what ever the "cure" for this next bad thing is? Or is it better to be level headed about the threats?

Now, IF this H1N1 "flu " becomes a threat... The easiest way to stop it would be to keep your kids at home. BUT now that there is this "vaccination" out there there will be parents that ignore the signs of illness thinking that their kids are covered. And they will spread it to everyone else.
I would much rather use common sense than trust some small untested liquid that may not even work if the "flu" mutates even the slightest...

The average flu shot only covers a few of the strains of flu circulating at any time. So you can get the flu after getting the flu shot... If your kids never get the flu then how will they be able to fight off the stronger flu's? Perhaps the flu shots are actually causing the seemingly worse flu reactions...
Just my thoughts...

Hi L.---No one in my family will get the flu shot. I even researched and decided against the meningitis vaccine for my freshman son. A couple of reasons: research shows that they are not really effective, especially when you look at the risks involved for the few cases it may prevent. Secondly, when we receive vaccines, our immune system does make antibodies, but it is not a permanent immunity like it would be if you actually got the flu. If your immune system is working properly, you should be fine, even if you get the flu.

I will be hosting a presentation about how to strengthen and balance the immune system through diet and lifestyle. I am taking a series of wellness classes taught by a Naturopath who has her PhD in Nutrition and will be sharing some of what I am learning. If you are interested in details about that, just let me know. Or give me a call and we can talk more. Good luck. D. ###-###-####

Hi L.:
We are going as a family today to get our flu shots. My son is 7 months old and I already checked with the health department and his flu shot will be Thimerosal free (Thimerosal is a mercury based preservative). Our doctors office is not getting the flu shots in Thimerosal free this year so that is why we are going to the health department. I am ok with this shot because it has been around for awhile and there has been a lot of research done on it. However, as the sister to a brother who is living proof of a vaccination gone bad my son will not be getting the H1N1 vaccine when it comes out. I just feel as if that vaccine has been rushed and not enough testing and research has been done on it.

When my son is old enough to start getting the live vaccines I plan to space them out. He will not get his MMR at the recommended age of 12 - 18 months either. I plan to wait until he has reached all of his major mile stones before getting him that one. I also plan to have that broken up into 3 seperate shots as well.

Good luck on whatever you decide!

No, i havent giving my daughter the flu shot either. I agree with you on the h1n1 as well. My opinion is as long as proper washing of teh hands and precautions are taken, there really is no need. Ive never gotten the fle shot either. BUT, if your kids are in daycare, I myself may concider it. But thats totally up to you. Thats my own opinion. I only say this for your 2 yr old due to she cant wash her hands and all that herself yet and kids are very germy. So if she were around other kids a lot i may concider it. Good job and furthing your education too. Im also 28 and was thinking about gooing to college. Hope all goes well!

Hi, L.
I'm still trying to decide weather or not to give my children the H1Ni shot. We will get the regular seasonal flu shot. I have never had the flu and have never had the shot but after having children I think about these things a little more. It's diffrent when its just not yourself you have to worry about.
There have been alot of responses on how the media have blown this situation about of porportion and it's probably not that serious. My only reaction to this is that the parents of the children who have died from this flu may have a different opinion as to if this situation has been blown up. These deaths were not fact but real. Children have died. And I don't think the media is trying to scare people by reporting of these deaths but make people aware so that they can protect their children. And I really appreciate that.
So, with that being said, I'm going to get all the info. I can before I decide against it.
Good luck on whatever you decide

not giving it to my baby, pre-schooler, or myself ;)

Funny that you ask this, I just had this conversation with a friend of mine. My family actually did get the flu shot this year; only because last year we got slammed with sickness! This year is the first year I have every gotten one. My oldest 3.5 years, got one when she was one, just because I was pregnant and didn't want to have to take care of her. My youngest 2 can't get one because of allergies. I don't hold my breath for not getting sick at all this year, I'm just hoping not to get sick 8 times like we did last year:) As far as the H1N1, I personally think it is too new to be giving it to my kids, or self. I figured if my son was 1 last winter and survived all the sickiness, he is older and has more antibodies, he can hopefully survive it if he gets it :)

no flue shots for us this year. good luck on your decision

I don't have a very good immune system, so I got my flu shot again this year and so did my 4 year old son as a precaution. Last year even though I got my flu shot, I still came down with a terrible flu strain and had to go to the doctor. As far as H1N1 is concerned, my doctor's office advises against it, so I won't be getting that shot.

M.

I have always given my children the seasonal flu shot. My son and hsb both have asthma so it's important we all get the flu shot to protect everyone in our family. I also work in the healthcare field so I have to protect those around me. I'm reserving judgement on the H1N1. I'm taking the kids to the doctor next week so I want her opinion. I worry about my son more than the rest of us because of his asthma. Such a dilemma. I had the flu 2 yrs ago (when the vaccine didn't protect against this strain) and it was horrible. I missed over a week of work and I have never been so sick. I do not want this for my children..It's hard, we only want to do whats best for our children..Lets hope this is all hype.

I do get the flu shot, and have for 3 years now, and my daughter will get it again this year. I do know last year for her first shot, it is in 2 doses. I am recommedning that she receies it in 2 doses as well again this year. my stepson being in school, brings home lots of germs and i do worry about her getting sick. I know that the flu vaccine only helps with a few strains every year, but every time you get the vaccine, that's a few strains that you have antibodies made for life. So if it's not this year's flu, it may be next years.

I did ask the doctor about the H1N1 as we are trying to get pregnant, and I did see that more pregnant women have ended up in the hospital, than people non pregnant. But when I asked the doctor about it, they said they are not giving it out. They are just giving all people information on the H1N1 and what to look for. They said they might change, depending on what the CDC says, but when I spoke with them, they had no plans on having it on hand.

I do agree that most parents feel their kids are vaccinated and don't watch for signs. I still watch for signs, as I do know that just becuase you are vaccinated, doesn't mean you won't get the disease at all.

We did get the regular flu shot.. always have. :-)

i work at the health dept and yes its all still very confusing. im still undecided if we should get the h1n1- it wont be here avaliable to us til around thanksgiving.. so i guess i still have time. but we always get the seasonal flu shot. never had the flu and never had a prob with the shots.

We usually do the regular flu shot the my girls since they are special needs but have no plan to do the H1N1 shot due to so much unsure data I have heard about it and its lack of testing. I have also some concerns on how fast it was produced and under what guidelines, due to the fact that an emergency of sorts was declared they did not have to follow the same rules that they do for other vaccines...do lots of research if you are going to do that shot. Good luck

LOL~ sounds like you are making up your mind, but I totally agree with you! I am also in a high risk group as I suffer from an auto immune disorder, but I do get the regular flu shot - as does my son; but we practice the common sense stuff: staying in when we know we are contagious so we do not infect others or if we have a low-grade temp (as are more susceptible to catching bacterial/viral infections), Washing hands like crazy!, fitness, nutrition, getting enough sleep and I use alternative measures as I am a CMT and I have studied enough of the other related items in the field to have faith in them.

Stay healthy! :)

Just wanted to add a little info on the H1N1 shot. Everyone seems to be uneasy about giving this to their children, but I would encourage everyone to do a bit of research. Children are the ones who are hit hardest and suffer the worst complications if they get H1N1, so it is really worth considering. Adults can usually fight it off just fine, but I would rather vaccinate my child than risk her being infected by someone else who does not follow proper hygiene and handwashing, etc.

You aren't alone. While the thought of your little one being sick to the point of exaustion is upsetting I agree that this is all being blown out of proportion.

We are still on the fence about what we'll do. We will most likely not get the shot. We didn't get them last year and things worked out fine...knock on wood...and my husban works at the AIRPORT talk about germs!

For now...we will stick to hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and trying to keep plenty of vitamin C in our systems!

Whatever you do, it's not the wrong choice. Don't let people bully you into doing it and if you choose to do it that's fine too!

Good luck and good health.

I'm with you in your concerns. I keep going back and forth in my mind on whether this is a real epidemic or just hype. I talked with my kids' pediatrician yesterday and had pretty much concluded that I would have my 3 & 5 year old get the seasonal flu vaccine but not the H1N1. I was comfortable with that until this morning I heard on the radio about a previously-healthy 8th grader who died yesterday of H1N1.

While I don't believe there is really a government or medical community conspiracy around vaccines like so many do, I also don't believe experts really know as much as some think they do. Some years down the line, we'll find out that much of what we "know" to be true now really wasn't.

Research it, think it over carefully and do whatever you feel in your heart is best for your family, then rest assured that you've done the best you can.

So interesting that you pose this question. I to have never given my children the shot. This year my doctor has suggested that I consider it, though I am still opting against it.

The biggest reason of concern in the medical field is not H1N1 but the regular flu, which they anticipate to be very bad this year. However, that said, I feel like it is bad every year and thus far my children have avoided it. It just feels like more medicine in their little bodies that they don't need.

hey L.
i got mine yesterday and all five of my girls will get there tomorrow i rather be safe then sorry

We get our flu shots every year. I believe they have kept us safe from the flu. I'm a little wary of the H1N1 shot also, but really, all flu shots are "new." The seasonal flu shot is changed every year to provide protection against the latest strain of flu. We will most likely get our H1N1s as well. I'm going to speak with my doctor first, though.

I think they're overreacting about this whole swine flu stuff. So you're not the only one! I too am not giving my kids the flu nor the H1N1 (if available). I remind my older girls that are in public school (mostly the 6 yr old) not to put their fingers in their mouth or rub their eyes because that's the easiest way for germs to enter their body. I also remind them to wash their hands a lot!

I've also heard that the vaccination companies are the ones getting the media to blow this whole H1N1 out of proportion. Check out the CDC site. I've read that info too.

But, you're not the only Mom that feels that way!

I am not giving this to my daughter nor am i getting it. They are still testing the H1N1 vaccine and i refuse to subject my family to being guinea pigs. I agree it's being blown WAY out of proportion. This is just another way to send people into a panic and scare everyone. The same thing was said last year about the flu. I say talk it over w/your husband and you all come to a mutual agreement. As for me, I'll pray for my family's health and that of others.

Hi L.,

I will not give my children the flu vaccine. I do the preventative things, good diet, water, limit sugar intake, wash hands thoroughly, and supplements. They have never had the flu. They are 15 and 12.

The media is out of control and anything I've read this flu is no worse than other. If you would like to read some of the side affects for the H1N1 vaccine go to http://mamabearprod.blogspot.com

Just like last year, my 4 year old will get the flu mist and the 2 year old still has to have (I think) the shot but I will be requesting thimerosal free. The flu mist does not contain it. I will not be doing the H1N1. There just wasn't enough time to test it and I don't feel like taking that gamble with my little ones. I will probably suck it up and get the flu shot too. I guess I should mention that my son goes to pre-k 4 days a week and we all go to the gym (childcare) at least 4 times a week so they are exposed to lots of children and germs daily!

I am getting my kids 2 and 5.5 the flu vaccine, but not H1N1...I would like that to be around longer first.

I've already given my kids the regular flu shot but I'm not sure what to do about the swine flu vaccine. I'll probably give it to my 4 year old but I'm leery about giving it to my 18 month old. I don't know what to do. I'm just worried about the perservatives that they put in the vaccines, and worry that the vaccines have not been tested thoroughly. I can't help but worry about the Autism risks (which I know isn't a proven side effect).

Hi L.
I'm still on the fence on this one so seeing everyone's opinions may help me. I have given my kids the flu shot the past two years and probably will again this year but also think that the H1N1 has been blown way out of proportion, and that most cases have been no more deadly than the regular flu usually is for people at risk.
I definately don't think you are alone in your thinking and can see why people would not want to vaccinate when there are sooooooooo many other vaccines that we are told our kids need.
For me though I think I would feel awful if any of my kids got something that I could have vaccinated them against and it really adversely affected them.
Well I think i just convinced myself lol. I will be getting my kids the shots this year.

No flu shots for my family, either.

I have a 5 year old and almost 3 year twins and they will not be getting the flu vaccine this year. They are all healthy children without any medical conditions and I agree that it's blown out of proportion this year also...

My daughter will be 5 next month and she has never had the flu shot because she has an egg allergy.

H1N1 has the same egg protein and she will not be getting that either. I'm praying that the hype is wrong, but I do believe that it's blown a bit out of proportion too.

Good luck with your decision.

I am currently pregnant and have a 10 mo old. Neither one of us will be getting either the regular flu shot or the H1N1 shot. There has not been any testing done on the effectivity/safety with pregnant women and extremely limited (31 children) testing on infants under the age of 2. Based on that, we will not be getting it. My information comes from the FDA.gov, where tey list the product inserts for the vaccines directly from the manufacturers.

I have a 5 1/2 yr old and 4yr old, and they have never received the flu shot, and I don't plan on getting them one this year. I am not totally against the flu shot, I just don't think it is that useful. About half the people that I have talked to that get the shot yearly, still get the flu, and it is usually pretty bad. So my thinking is that the shot can not protect you 100%, so why bother. I am totally against the H1N1 shot, just not been around long enough. It seems like they are testing it out on us, no way am I letting my family be guinea pigs. I am however concerned about the flu since my 5 yr old is in first grade all day now, and am worried about my 4 yr old because she has asthma and gets bronchitis about 4 times during the fall/winter. I am looking for other natural ways to keep our family healthy.

I will not. I do not have high risk kids and injecting them on a yearly basis with what the CDC says is toxic levels of mercury is not ok with me. If you decide to do it insist on the vaccs that don't contain mercury.

I think it's scary what will happen in 40 years when all these people will have this mercury build up in their bodies. No clue what effect that will have but it is a neurotoxin.

4 winters ago we only got the flu shot for my son because it was free and my husband and I went without (saving $25 each). I got the flu twice (including Christmas day!) and my husband got it once while my son walked around happy as a clam. We all get it now!

Someone already said this, but I'd like to reiterate:
The flu vaccine changes every year. That's why you have to get a new one every fall. The formula is based on what the scientists and doctors think will be the worst strain for the coming season. If H1N1 had broken out sooner, it would have been a part of the regular flu shot.

H1N1 is not like the regular flu, in that it does not just target children and the elderly when it comes to death. Many early to middle aged adults (think people with young children!) have also died from this flu. If one little shot is all it takes to prevent leaving my boys without a mother...I'll do it.

I will not be giving my boys the flu shot or the H1N1 shot - I have a friend who is a Pediatric NP in an ER, and she said she feels uneasy giving her daughter (11 months old) the H1N1 shot b/c it's too new & not enough research on it. And...my friend has HAD H1N1, due to working in the ER (she gets everything!)

My thinking is this: we all got flu shots last year, and were sick several times despite our attempts to keep it away!

Hi L.,
I never got the flu vaccine until after I had my daughter. When she got old enough, I started getting her vaccinated because,well, who wants to watch a sick toddler be sick? As for the H1N1 vaccine? No way am I or my daughter getting it because there is not enough known about side effects and long term effects. Maybe next year, but I don't want my family to be government guinea pigs. Good luck in your decisions!

Just wanted to add a bit of info here... For those who are refusing any vaccine due to thimerosal/mercury, many vaccines including the flu vaccine are available in a preservative free form. (I know this because our office carries both the standard and the preservative free.) You just need to ask. Some offices do not carry the preservative free, but it is available. Just ask your office and call around if you need to...

Yes, you can still get the flu despite getting the flu shot due to the varied strains of the virus, but should you contract the virus it would be much milder as your body has prepared itself for at least some form of it. The primary focus are the very young, the elderly, those with chronic conditions, and ANYONE who has direct contact with such individuals.

Also, the H1N1 is the exact same manufacturing process as the seasonal flu - it's just a different strain. Just like each year they try to determine which seasonal flu strain will be the most widespread, so it's generally always a different shot each year. Had the H1N1 hit a month or 2 sooner, it would have been a component of your seasonal flu shot, but due to the delay it had to be a separate vaccine as the seasonal flu had already been in production.

I just had my shot today and will get both of my boys vaccinated also, as my 2 year old is prone to asthma in the winter and it is important for us to limit his exposure. An ounce of prevention, at least in my mind, for him... Good luck to you.

Hi I would recommend researching how the vaccines are made, what is in them, and deciding based on the facts not just the company out to make money presentation. It is very interesting to put fetus and vaccine in a search engine. With vaccines I could always change my mind and do more but I can't take it out of bodies that I already put it in. B.

I've never given my kids (6,3 1/2, 7 mos) or myself the flu shot. And we've never gotten too sick any winter. We try to stay away from as much sugar as possible, wash hands, and live pretty healthy so I'm sure that helps. I'm just not a proponent of taking every shot there is to give...not necessary!

Hi L.,
Honestly, I have never had flu shots, and my girls (18 & 6) have never had them either. I can't remember the last time we had the flu. (knock on wood).
I think there is a lot of hype about it... and from what I have heard (friends/family), most people who get the shots, get the flu.

I'm with you L....I've never received a flu shot, my husband has never received a flu shot, and neither of my kids have. And I've only gotten the actual respiratory flu once in my life.
And even my doctors office agrees that this whole H1N1 is being blown way out of proportion.
Stick with your gut.

Hi L., my husband and I completely agree with you. We are not and never have gotten flu vaccinations for our daughter. I really don't trust those vaccinations, and I don't think there is enough evidence, and I absolutely think the "Swine" flu is blown out of proportion. We do all we can to not get sick the natural, healthy way. Eat good, get plenty of rest, wash our hands, etc. We're going to take the chance, as we have done every year. By the way, my daughter is going to be 4 in a couple of months and last time she was at the doctor was Jan of this year, and that was for her yearly check up! And previous to that was her other yearly check up!

You need to go to this site,type this into the search: Ten Swine Flu lies told by the (MSM) Main Stream Media. Then make up your own mind.

healthfreedomalliance.org

I have no plans to vaccinate anyone in my family. I'm 35, husband is 37, kids are 8, 10, and 13. None of us have ever had the vaccine or the flu. All three kids were in day care, all three now in school. We are all generally healthy, and none of us are in a high risk category. Unless you count working in retail and talking to hundreds of people on a daily basis. My kids come home with colds, but we try to ensure they practice good hygiene-washing hands after using the bathroom, coughing or sneezing into the crook of your elbow, etc. Kids (and adults) need germs in order to build up immunities to fight off other germs. Good luck making your decision, its a personal one.

Hi L., I was going to get the mine done this year, for the first time ever since they are in preschool/daycare 2 days a week. When I called my doctor, they aren't even giving the h1n1. I talked to the nurse and my doctor isn't getting h1n1 for his kids at all, just the regular flu shot. I think I might pass on both.

I agree I think they are going overboard and are trying to make money of the vaccines. I never get the flu shots for myself or my kids.

Hi L.,
Last year was the first year for flu shots for my boys. We got them done yesterday for this year. When my boys were little and home full time with me we didn't think it was necessary but now that they are both in school (one full time) we have gotten them. It's amazing how fast kids spread things to each other. We've been in school almost 3 weeks and are already getting over colds. It may seem exteme but when both of my kids get in the car from school I make them use hand santitizer and when we get home I change their clothes. That way I try and keep the sicky germs at bay...lol. If that's possible. Good luck in your decision.
Chris

NO flu shot for any of us in our family........never have never will. Now for the H1N1 shot........... that is just too scary to think of. There are some very contravercial opinions against it to even think of getting it. The one mom is right......just keep your kids home when needed!

Hi L.,

I have 2 girls, and a baby due in Jan. My family and I have never gotten the flu vaccine, and we have never gotten anything we couldn't deal with at home. Our main reasons for not getting the vaccines are: they still use the mercury based preservative thimerosol in them, they are not well regulated by the gov't. because of the push to generate large volumes of them, everybody (regardless of age & weight) gets the same doseage, and there is no guarantee that you won't get some other strain of flu. We prefer to use good common sense, and if our kids aren't feeling well, we do not medicate and send them to school, we keep them home so they can rest and are better able to fight off other illnesses that are circulating. Good luck with your decision.

S.

Hi L. -

Such a hard thing to answer and such a touchy subject!!

We do not and will not get flu shots or the shot for H1N1 (assuming we still reserve the right to choose!) -- I have an almost 3 yr. old and a 15 month old. The flu shot is one of the shots that still contain mercury and after speaking with my PCP, they indicated that the shots are derived from the viruses they believe will come around this year. So, essentially it is an educated guess on whether or not they are vaccinating against the right strains of the flu.

Both of my kids got the flu last year, even though I stay home with them and we don't go out much during the sick season...too cold! Of course I hated to see them sick, but they both got through it just fine. Lots of love and attention from Mom.

At the end of the day, you will make the best decision for you and your family. I have been researching vaccines of all types for about 3 years now and have been to a few seminars on them as well. I try to be as educated as possible when making such important decisions for my family. So, if you would like any further info., I would be happy to pass along what I have learned. Just let me know!

Good luck!

L. - I have vaccinated my son for the regular seasonal flu since he was 6 mos old. The H1N1 shot, I'm a little leary about and I'm glad I'm not the only one in this! My son is 4 and just started preschool, so I'm praying this doesn't affect him. I just feel like this vaccine is brand new and we really don't know how certain people/children will react to it. I promote the seasonal flu shot, just a little "gun shy" on the H1N1.

My two, 3 and 6, got their flu shot last week but I am not getting them the H1N1 shot. That one scares me! Part of the reason I got them the flu shot is because I am due in December and I really don't want a newborn and sick kids all at the same time. I don't get the flu shot because I have a strong immunity.

I am not giving my children any vaccines for flu or h1n1. I have three kids 11, 9 and 5. I think the gov just blew everything out of proportion, sometimes getting the vaccine is just putting the sickness into your system and you can still get sick so I don't see the point. As a parent you should always be able to decide what is safe and right for your child.