Flu Shots For Folks Over 65 Running Low In My Area

Pecos

Pecos

Well-known Member
Location
Washington State
I went out this afternoon to get my flu shot at my regular pharmacy. They were completely out of the version for those of us over 65 and they did not expect to get more until the end of Oct. (I might already have the flu by then.) My next stop was at my Doctor's office and they were out as well. I did wind up getting it at our local Kroger store.
So, just as a heads up, you might not want to dilly-dally on this one.
 

What an unexpected inconvenience Pecos....heading for mine Oct. 15th at the docs office...hope they tell me in advance if they run out....its never happened to me before...
 
What almost no one tells you is when to get your flu shot. As a health care professional for 40 years I have learned that receiving the flu vaccine really gives you protection against the anticipated flu strains of the season for about 3 months. Getting your flu shot in August means that you will only have protection until December. I have seen some mighty sick people get the flu January through March who got the vaccine too early.

Actually, IMO it is best to get the shot in late October so that you have the longest protection for the flu season. Just my 2 cents worth.
 

I've never had a flu shot and I don't intent to get one. I had lots of surgeries for my ears from the time I was 5 and got pumped with penicillin each time. So, I figure the less medicine in me the better. I know I'm in the minority and I don't care, to each their own, I get plenty of flack about it from my doctor.

Another thing; the flu shot you get now is for known flu strains, but new strains happen and those flu shots you get won't protect you from the new ones.
 
My Medicare advantage plan doesn’t cover paying for the so called over 65 flu shot, so for many many years I get whatever the year’s regular is between early Sept & mid Oct. Just got mine Sept 27, little achy in that shoulder (the one with the worst arth.) for a day then business as usual. Never got flu & in my case I think it literally boosted my immune system to fight off other viruses and non covered new strains of flu , especially the 10 or so years I was doing taxes Jan-April with clients & their kids literally dripping mucus at my desk, never caught anything. Works for me.
 
TravelinMan said:
What almost no one tells you is when to get your flu shot. As a health care professional for 40 years I have learned that receiving the flu vaccine really gives you protection against the anticipated flu strains of the season for about 3 months. Getting your flu shot in August means that you will only have protection until December. I have seen some mighty sick people get the flu January through March who got the vaccine too early.

Actually, IMO it is best to get the shot in late October so that you have the longest protection for the flu season. Just my 2 cents worth.
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Thanks, that is good information.
 
This year's strain in the vaccines is likely the wrong one again according to several epidemiologists. I do contract work in nursing homes where all residents and most staff get them and the flu comes through nearly every year. I stopped getting them around 15 years ago and have had the flu maybe once. When it (or any virus) is making the rounds, I take several doses of elderberry extract, extra C, use a tissue for opening doors, etc.

https://www.statnews.com/2019/09/30...xnxqIsKaQosq3YtnGRtcttEkWpZQsPJ_disZ98Mk_jkVQ
 
PVC said:
I've never had a flu shot and I don't intent to get one. I had lots of surgeries for my ears from the time I was 5 and got pumped with penicillin each time. So, I figure the less medicine in me the better. I know I'm in the minority and I don't care, to each their own, I get plenty of flack about it from my doctor.

Another thing; the flu shot you get now is for known flu strains, but new strains happen and those flu shots you get won't protect you from the new ones.
Click to expand...
Reassuring to see an intelligent post that isn't from a programmed robot!
 
AnnieA said:
This year's strain in the vaccines is likely the wrong one again according to several epidemiologists. I do contract work in nursing homes where all residents and most staff get them and the flu comes through nearly every year. I stopped getting them around 15 years ago and have had the flu maybe once. When it (or any virus) is making the rounds, I take several doses of elderberry extract, extra C, use a tissue for opening doors, etc.

https://www.statnews.com/2019/09/30...xnxqIsKaQosq3YtnGRtcttEkWpZQsPJ_disZ98Mk_jkVQ
Click to expand...
We hear this every year when people who got their flu shot get the flu, then they ask "Medical Professionals" why. They're always told that same old line - "Well this year's flu is a different strain, so the vaccine may not protect you."
And when an older person gets the flu after getting their flu shot, they're given another line: "Well....if you're over 65, you may not benefit from the flu shot.
Well, I've never had a flu shot. I had the flu 38 years ago & never since. During those years, I worked in places that didn't have paid sick leave & everyone came to work sick - including with the flu. How did I ever escape the flu in all those years of exposure.........?
Oh, and my sister & I are people who the flu shot is so heavily marketed to - we're both diabetic & have "Compromised Immune Systems" & should get our flu shots. My sister stopped getting flu shots 6 years ago after being sick of getting sick for 2 weeks after each flu shot.
The crowded E.R.'s that occur with each heavy flu epidemic - mostly consisting of people who had a flu shot is evidence of its uselessness.
I always tell people, "If the flu shot gives you confidence, go for it. Confidence is half the battle."
 
Geezerette said:
My Medicare advantage plan doesn’t cover paying for the so called over 65 flu shot, so for many many years I get whatever the year’s regular is between early Sept & mid Oct. Just got mine Sept 27, little achy in that shoulder (the one with the worst arth.) for a day then business as usual. Never got flu & in my case I think it literally boosted my immune system to fight off other viruses and non covered new strains of flu , especially the 10 or so years I was doing taxes Jan-April with clients & their kids literally dripping mucus at my desk, never caught anything. Works for me.
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I've gotten my shot in my backside like the olden days, for two years in a row G, and the small amount of pain is tolerable for a few days compared to in the upper arm...have suffered badly with pain and not being able to use the arm for around a week...this was my suggestion to the nurse which she was apprehensive about...she had to get the docs permission as they said it might not be as effective, go figure....
 
The mind is a powerful thing! If you get a flu shot and don't get sick = good. If you don't get a flu shot and don't get sick = good.

I get one primarily because, in college in a dorm, we had a particularly virulent strain come through one winter. Guys were getting high fevers (105 F), bone crushing aches and lying in bed for 4 or 5 days. After a few days of remaining healthy I thought I had dodged a bullet. Not to be! The next day my fever reached 104 F and I ached so much I thought I would die. Taught me a lesson.

Flu vaccine may not be perfect and not for everyone, but I can get one every season and not suffer any adverse effects, not even a sore arm.

P.S Haven't had the flu since that one time in college about 50 decades ago and I worked in health care for 4 of those. Does the shot work? For me, yes, whether by mind or body!
 
TravelinMan said:
What almost no one tells you is when to get your flu shot. As a health care professional for 40 years I have learned that receiving the flu vaccine really gives you protection against the anticipated flu strains of the season for about 3 months. Getting your flu shot in August means that you will only have protection until December. I have seen some mighty sick people get the flu January through March who got the vaccine too early.

Actually, IMO it is best to get the shot in late October so that you have the longest protection for the flu season. Just my 2 cents worth.
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Please provide the citation for a scientific study that backs up your assertion. I have never heard of such a thing, before. As far as I know, the vaccine causes your body to produce antibodies, and these antibodies do not have a limited lifetime. Again, please provide the citation. Thanks!
 
TravelinMan said:
What almost no one tells you is when to get your flu shot. As a health care professional for 40 years I have learned that receiving the flu vaccine really gives you protection against the anticipated flu strains of the season for about 3 months. Getting your flu shot in August means that you will only have protection until December. I have seen some mighty sick people get the flu January through March who got the vaccine too early.

Actually, IMO it is best to get the shot in late October so that you have the longest protection for the flu season. Just my 2 cents worth.
Click to expand...

treeguy64 said:
Please provide the citation for a scientific study that backs up your assertion. I have never heard of such a thing, before. As far as I know, the vaccine causes your body to produce antibodies, and these antibodies do not have a limited lifetime. Again, please provide the citation. Thanks!
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@treeguy64 That was my experience most years I got the flu shot. Would get it in the fall, then get a horrible case of the flu usually in late March or April. I quit getting them because I figured it was doing something wonky to my immune system since I have autoimmune diseases. Almost like it ramped it up, then sharply dropped similar to a diabetic's sugar swings. Still think it was because in the 15 years I've skipped it, I haven't gotten the flu except for a couple of times during the peak for this area.

When I worked in dialysis, one of our nephrologists actually had patients get two ...one early fall, one later in the winter because he had noticed the drop off in immunity the years the vaccine was actually the correct strain.
 
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AnnieA said:
@treeguy64 That was my experience most years I got the flu shot. Would get it in the fall, then get a horrible case of the flu usually in late March or April. I quit getting them because I figured it was doing something wonky to my immune system since I have autoimmune diseases. Almost like it ramped it up, then sharply dropped similar to a diabetic's sugar swings. Still think it was because in the 15 years I've skipped it, I haven't gotten the flu at all except for a couple of times during the peak for this area.
......
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Thank you for posting that @AnnieA ....
As I have autoimmune issues, I always felt that getting the flu shot 'gave me the flu'. ... W/o the shot I never got sick .. I couldn't explain it .
Of course I was told that's not true, and I didn't know what I was talking about.
Thanks for some backup to my theory on the issue.
 
fmdog44 said:
Flu shots do not PREVENT one from getting the flu. They make it less severe. I get one every year for that reason and after a certain age the flu can lead to death.
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That is what they came up with to explain what they couldn't explain - why people who got a flu shot still got the flu. They know that no one will ask for evidence to back it up - because there is none.
 
A little early for flu vaccine. Late October is about the earliest that’s recommended by our doctor. It’s only effective for about 9 weeks or so in older patients. The over 65 vaccine has four times the antibodies of the regular one. A younger person might be different, our immune systems become weaker as we age.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/vaccineeffect.htm
 
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I've taken the flu shot every year for the past at least 15 years. Never got the flu since then. My dad always swore that the flu shot gave him the flu until he got a bad case of the flu and has taken the flu shot since then, many years now. And hasn't had the flu since. I don't know how one can get the flu from an inactivated flu virus. Maybe it's the other stuff that goes into the flu vaccine that is causing the bad reactions in some people? Some people are allergic to the flu vaccine because of that.
 
Olivia said:
I've taken the flu shot every year for the past at least 15 years. Never got the flu since then. My dad always swore that the flu shot gave him the flu until he got a bad case of the flu and has taken the flu shot since then, many years now. And hasn't had the flu since. I don't know how one can get the flu from an inactivated flu virus. Maybe it's the other stuff that goes into the flu vaccine that is causing the bad reactions in some people? Some people are allergic to the flu vaccine because of that.
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Some of the vaccines have a preservative, some nasal flu vaccines contain an attenuated live virus. Reactions could be caused by a number of underlying health conditions.
 
Lots of "questionable" advice here, I'm afraid. Everyone needs to do their own research. What works for you, may not work for someone else. Be informed, be careful. I get the flu shot every year. Haven't had the flu since I was a teen. (Knock on wood, Kinehora.)
 
I take the high-dose vaccine. During my years with the state police, I was given the shot each year. No complaints.
 
I really don't get the argument except when one feels pressured to get one. Otherwise, I say do what you want. Why should anyone else care?
 


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