It's that time of year again... Flu shot or not?

Camper6 said:
I just dread having to talk my doctor out of getting it.

My arm was sore for six months after the last one I got.

So last year he gave me the nasal spray that they give kids.

I didn't get the flu, but I think if you stay away from crowded places, it's unlikely you will get it.

For some reason it seems to show up in senior homes. I don't understand that because I think they all get the shot.
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I worked as a Medical Case Manager and had many patients in nursing homes. There is generally a reason people get more and more vulnerable as they age. People start noticing after a while that they will feel a little less vital in the fall, winter and early spring. As humans we, like all other living things, are tied to the rhythms of this planet. In nursing homes more people die from roughly October thru about March/April. If people who are very run down, just plain old, survive winter they may be OK till the following fall. This is how we die if we don't die by other factors.

If our immune system is vulnerable we get the flu no matter the immunity boost. More the older we get.
 

Uncontrolable said:
Hi Lolly: These flu shots are usually recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. This is the first time I have heard of an immunity booster. I used to be a nurse. If you are concerned call your Dr. or call the pharmacy and ask about the side effects associated with with this vaccine. On the other hand I have taken these shots for years and have never had more than a very mild case of the sniffles and a slight temp which I thought I could associate with this shot.
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Thank you ... I've never had a problem either.. but my concern is about the new Over 65 shot.. it's higher potency and I have never had one of those
 
Falcon said:
Never get one. Never get the flu either. Must be my immune system taking over.
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Happyflowerlady said:
I have never ever had a flu shot, and I seldom get sick or have the flu; so it is just not something that I even think about doing. I take plenty of probiotics (kefir and yogurt) and that seems to keep my immune system working well enough that a flu shot is not necessary. I don't get the pneumonia shot either. My doctor always tells me that I should get one, anyway.
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I seldom get sick or have the flu like you Happyflowerlady, in fact the only times I would get the flu was when I was young and was letting them jab me every year with the flu shot. Since I learned what was in it, and how ineffective it really was, I decided many years ago to stop them, and I haven't regretted it at all or had the flu. I also use probiotics and supplements to keep my immune system strong without the harmful pharmaceutical drugs and shots.

I wish I had never agreed to it like you and Falcon, but better late than never.
 

Lolly said:
Thank you ... I've never had a problem either.. but my concern is about the new Over 65 shot.. it's higher potency and I have never had one of those
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Lolly, this is one time when I am not sticking to my story. I started thinking about last year. I did get a high potency shot. I did feel bad for a few days and had a slight temp. These are the symptoms you might feel.
 
SeaBreeze said:
I seldom get sick or have the flu like you Happyflowerlady, in fact the only times I would get the flu was when I was young and was letting them jab me every year with the flu shot. Since I learned what was in it, and how ineffective it really was, I decided many years ago to stop them, and I haven't regretted it at all or had the flu. I also use probiotics and supplements to keep my immune system strong without the harmful pharmaceutical drugs and shots.

I wish I had never agreed to it like you and Falcon, but better late than never.
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I do not know that I can agree with you here. It sounds to me like you have led a pretty active life. If you have kept yourself in shape then you likely do not have to take any supplements in order to stay healthy. If we eat a relatively healthy diet our bodies normally produce everything we need in terms of vitamins and minerals.

So it may be just natural. You said you had the flu when you were younger. The flu itself may have boosted your immunity. Your possible immunity to the flu may not be reflective of the immunity others might have.

I am not criticizing your choice for you. You have the right perhaps even the duty To follow what you believe. I always make the recommendation, that the person I am talking to about medical decisions, should consult with their doctor or other professional.

That is just my training speaking.
 
Most of our immune system starts in our gut; so when we are getting enough natural probiotic to keep the healthy bacteria in there growing good, and the bad ones killed off, then we have a much better chance of having a strong immune system and not getting a virus.
Our lymph system is about three times as large as our circulatory system, but it does not have a pump like we have with our heart for pumping blood. The lymph is what takes out the toxins and carries them where they can be expelled from the body; so this is where living that active lifestyle and exercising comes into the picture, because exercise is what moves the lymph along in the body.
Like you , SeaBreeze, I have lived an active lifestyle, at least for most of my life. I lived in the country, rode horses, fished and went hiking and swimming, and of course, there was always a lot of livestock chores and snow shoveling to keep me busy.
Now, I live in town and can't do most of that anymore; but we do go to the fitness center almost every day, and I swim and do water exercises.
Like Uncontrolable mentioned, having had the flu when I was younger probably helped to boost up my immune system as well.
I remember reading that 3 people can come in contact with the same virus, one will get a light cold, one will be very sick, and one won't even know they were exposed, and it just depends on how well our immune systems are doing.
I agree that each person needs to make their own choice with this, and it is good that the people who need and want the shots are able to get them, and it should be covered by Medicare.
 
Happyflowerlady said:
Most of our immune system starts in our gut; so when we are getting enough natural probiotic to keep the healthy bacteria in there growing good, and the bad ones killed off, then we have a much better chance of having a strong immune system and not getting a virus.
Our lymph system is about three times as large as our circulatory system, but it does not have a pump like we have with our heart for pumping blood. The lymph is what takes out the toxins and carries them where they can be expelled from the body; so this is where living that active lifestyle and exercising comes into the picture, because exercise is what moves the lymph along in the body.
Like you , SeaBreeze, I have lived an active lifestyle, at least for most of my life. I lived in the country, rode horses, fished and went hiking and swimming, and of course, there was always a lot of livestock chores and snow shoveling to keep me busy.
Now, I live in town and can't do most of that anymore; but we do go to the fitness center almost every day, and I swim and do water exercises.
Like Uncontrolable mentioned, having had the flu when I was younger probably helped to boost up my immune system as well.
I remember reading that 3 people can come in contact with the same virus, one will get a light cold, one will be very sick, and one won't even know they were exposed, and it just depends on how well our immune systems are doing.
I agree that each person needs to make their own choice with this, and it is good that the people who need and want the shots are able to get them, and it should be covered by Medicare.
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You forgot the liver, kidneys and bone marrow. Bone marrow produces red and white cells, liver and kidneys carry waste. Liver and gall bladder aid in digestion and liver provides various hormones. The largest organ, the skin, protects us from a myriad of diseases The thymus and the appendix both have rolls in producing immunity. Although the thymus gets smaller as we age. The gut does not normally require probiotics, and will function just fine unless someone has a severe case of diarrhea. Then they might benefit from probiotics.

I agree with you, as I did with Sea Breeze, life style is very important. If you exercise and treat your body well your immunity in general may be higher. As we age our immune system gets older as well. Eventually, no matter what we do, we pass a threshold and eventually pass away. Also, clear back in 1970 medical texts indicated that we, as a population were having a much higher incidence of cancer and immune deficiency diseases than we should be. The causes of some of these diseases is still in question except they seem related to pollution and exposure to radiation and chemicals. I ramble.
 
Lolly said:
Medicare pays for flu shots... However it does not pay for the Shingles shot.. wonder why?
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Shingles is a result of the vaccine for chicken pox. The disease course, once you actually have a bout of shingles, is short. In other words, you normally may have a bout of shingles two or three times then you will have immunity. So the government, in their infinite wisdom may not want to pay for a vaccine since the disease goes away pretty fast. The problem is that it hurts like hell when you have it.
 
Lolly said:
Medicare pays for flu shots... However it does not pay for the Shingles shot.. wonder why?
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Really?

My doctor keeps bugging me to go get it and claims that medicare will pay for it.

Not that I care. I just keep blowing him off. I have no intention of getting it.
 
I'm on a bunch of meds, so I go into the pharmacy a lot. At the drug counter, they don't ask what my name is-they know it. So why do I get asked for a flu shot each time I go in? If you call for a phone refill, you have to listen to their flu speech. And I don't like the "it's free" part. It's free only if your insurance pays for it. Why do I feel like a fish with all these dangling worms around?
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I'm on a bunch of meds, so I go into the pharmacy a lot. At the drug counter, they don't ask what my name is-they know it. So why do I get asked for a flu shot each time I go in? If you call for a phone refill, you have to listen to their flu speech. And I don't like the "it's free" part. It's free only if your insurance pays for it. Why do I feel like a fish with all these dangling worms around?
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I think you are facing a retail manager tactic that was forced on him by his supervisor. "Ask everyone through the door if they have had a flu shot." They do not want to take the time to consult their computer. It is easier to just ask. It is not just you who is being asked.
 
I always get whatever flu shots are offered. Not only am I over 65, I have C.O.P.D. I seem to be very susceptible to URI's - especially when I'm around young children - and my little great grandson (who goes to nursery school - where there are all kinds of little kiddie colds, etc.) lives here with us. Flu can lead to all kinds of complications and it just isn't worth it to not get the shot.
 
Dragonlady said:
I always get whatever flu shots are offered. Not only am I over 65, I have C.O.P.D. I seem to be very susceptible to URI's - especially when I'm around young children - and my little great grandson (who goes to nursery school - where there are all kinds of little kiddie colds, etc.) lives here with us. Flu can lead to all kinds of complications and it just isn't worth it to not get the shot.
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I here that concern. I quit smoking, but have copd. My Dr. said I will get worse before I get any better. So I am worried this year. I had a slight case of pneumonia last year. Knocked me out pretty fast. That is when I quit smoking.
 
Happyflowerlady said:
Most of our immune system starts in our gut; so when we are getting enough natural probiotic to keep the healthy bacteria in there growing good, and the bad ones killed off, then we have a much better chance of having a strong immune system and not getting a virus.
Our lymph system is about three times as large as our circulatory system, but it does not have a pump like we have with our heart for pumping blood. The lymph is what takes out the toxins and carries them where they can be expelled from the body; so this is where living that active lifestyle and exercising comes into the picture, because exercise is what moves the lymph along in the body.
Like you , SeaBreeze, I have lived an active lifestyle, at least for most of my life. I lived in the country, rode horses, fished and went hiking and swimming, and of course, there was always a lot of livestock chores and snow shoveling to keep me busy.
Now, I live in town and can't do most of that anymore; but we do go to the fitness center almost every day, and I swim and do water exercises.
Like Uncontrolable mentioned, having had the flu when I was younger probably helped to boost up my immune system as well.
I remember reading that 3 people can come in contact with the same virus, one will get a light cold, one will be very sick, and one won't even know they were exposed, and it just depends on how well our immune systems are doing.
I agree that each person needs to make their own choice with this, and it is good that the people who need and want the shots are able to get them, and it should be covered by Medicare.
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I agree with everything you said HFL, I'm sure my immune system isn't as strong as it can be, but I was never very strict about diet, exercise and healthy living....but, I do know when I need to pay attention. Good to hear that you're still staying active, going to the gym an exercising. I think when I'm on Medicare I'll get a free gym membership like my husband did, Silver Sneakers from the Kaiser Advantage Plan, then I'll start visiting the gym at least a couple of times a week.

I've always said too, it's a personal choice for everyone, and those who choose to get the shot should be able to get one easily and it should be covered under their health plan.
 
I think that you would enjoy the fitness membership, SeaBreeze. We have Silver and Fit, which is basically the same thing, just a different company has our advantage plan. Bobby likes to go in and work out with weights, and I love the water; so we each do our own thing at the fitness center.
It is possible that your husband can add you on for a reduced rate, simply because he has a membership, even though it is through his insurance plan. I never hurts to ask, in any case.
Truly, I miss the things that i used to be able to do.
I yearn to have a horse, and ride down the trails just one more time even; but my balance is all messed up, and I do not have the muscle tone I used to have, so one sideways jump because we saw a deer unexpectly, and I would be off and on the ground before I knew what happened to me.
So, I enjoy the things that I can still do, and am thankful that I am not as helpless as some people my age that we see. I am not perfect with my eating; but I shoot for 80%, which still gives me some leeway when a pizza sneaks up on me unexpectedly.
 
Uncontrolable said:
I here that concern. I quit smoking, but have copd. My Dr. said I will get worse before I get any better. So I am worried this year. I had a slight case of pneumonia last year. Knocked me out pretty fast. That is when I quit smoking.
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How active are you? The more active you are, the better. It will help to some degree to stave off some of the progression. My best friend also had C.O.P.D. and she wasn't active and wouldn't quit smoking. She also overused her inhalers - another "No No". "Was." is unfortunately the operative word
I take TaeKwondo - the guys at the dojang are very nice and understanding of my limitations. I get out of breath with some of the more intensive exercises and have to occasionally have to sit out one for a short while. There's also TaiChi and Yoga to name a few. There's all kinds of things - can't stress enough how important it is to remain active.
 
Camper6 said:
Now they want to give you the shingles shot as well. My doctor offered it to me free. I refused.

I don't know. I just don't feel comfortable getting all these dead viruses injected into my body.
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You might want to reconsider the shingles shot. My Dad had it and I understand it's excruciatingly painful
 
Dragonlady said:
You might want to reconsider the shingles shot. My Dad had it and I understand it's excruciatingly painful
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You can check the literature on Shingles if you wish. Just pull it up on the internet. I had shingles which I think I got from a visit to my grandfather when he had an active case. It is very contagious. It is more likely that people will get shingles who received the chicken pox vaccine when they were young. I have had shingles three times now. Each case was less severe. The literature says you may only get two or three cases of shingles before you gain immunity. I don''t know whether I would have taken the vaccine. But I did not know I was predisposed to get it because of the chicken pox vaccine. I would talk to my Dr. if I were you. You may have a medical history that he may advise it. I have not had another case and I am 67.
 
Dragonlady said:
You might want to reconsider the shingles shot. My Dad had it and I understand it's excruciatingly painful
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I had my shingles shot 2 years ago... I have seen people suffering with shingles.. It is incredibly painful and debilitating. The pain can last up to a year.. as it can cause what is called post herpetic neuralgia. Shingles tracks along nerves and the nerve pain remains long after the lesions are gone. Anyone who has had chicken pox is susceptible to shingles as the varicella virus lies dormant along the nerves at the base of the spine and can at anytime emerge. As we age, our immunity lessens making shingles a possibility.. That is why a booster vaccine is necessary to boost immunity to it and keep it at bay should it erupt.
 
Lolly said:
I had my shingles shot 2 years ago... I have seen people suffering with shingles.. It is incredibly painful and debilitating. The pain can last up to a year.. as it can cause what is called post herpetic neuralgia. Shingles tracks along nerves and the nerve pain remains long after the lesions are gone. Anyone who has had chicken pox is susceptible to shingles as the varicella virus lies dormant along the nerves at the base of the spine and can at anytime emerge. As we age, our immunity lessens making shingles a possibility.. That is why a booster vaccine is necessary to boost immunity to it and keep it at bay should it erupt.
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Sounds good to me. I was just scratching the surface. But, as I said, if you need more information contact your Dr. where you may discuss this issue as it relates specifically to you. General information is nice, but knowing the specifics of a disease can never tell you about what your Dr. knows. Not everyone who gets shingles has the same reaction. I had supra orbital shingles. I had a little itching and a couple of vesicles on my forehead. I was a little down for a few days, but that was it. Just because I had a mild case doesn't mean you will. One more time, consult your Dr.
 

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