Flu question

[AnnaMarie]

I am not asking for medical advice so I hope this post is OK. If not...delete it.

We have been getting flu shots for several years. As a result, we haven’t dealt with a flu for several years. Until now.

Our teen has been home sick all week, and we're pretty sure it's a flu, though a mild one.

Aches and pains
Cough
Sore throat
Headache (this is his main complaint)
May have had low grade fever the first day
Poor appetite first day

Everything I can find says he can return to school when his fever is normal...but it really hasn't even been up. I am assuming this means when he feels up to it, he can return to school.

How long does a flu usually last?

 

[GNTLGNT]

I am not asking for medical advice so I hope this post is OK. If not...delete it.

We have been getting flu shots for several years. As a result, we haven’t dealt with a flu for several years. Until now.

Our teen has been home sick all week, and we're pretty sure it's a flu, though a mild one.

Aches and pains
Cough
Sore throat
Headache (this is his main complaint)
May have had low grade fever the first day
Poor appetite first day

Everything I can find says he can return to school when his fever is normal...but it really hasn't even been up. I am assuming this means when he feels up to it, he can return to school.

How long does a flu usually last?

...he's young, and as long as he has no immune system issues-then the flu is normally a self-limiting problem-meaning his body will fight it off as quickly as it can....anywhere from 3-10 days is a safe rule of thumb....fluids and over the counter symptom relief to help in the battle, plus all the rest he can get....."flu" shots are never a guarantee of not catching the critter....every year, the vaccine brewers try to determine which of the multitude of strains will be the most virulent and try to come up with an inoculation that will combat those.....

 

[AnnaMarie]

Thank you GNTLGNT.

I do have a reasonable understanding of flu shots and why sometimes they don't work. I used to object to them, so did research which involved speaking to our family doctor. We originally started getting them because I was caring for father-in-law while he was undergoing chemo. Now, we all get the shots to protect my husband. An uncomplicated flu could kill him. Son may object to getting the shot next year since he got sick this year....but as long as he lives here he has to have it. His dad's health requires that.

 

[mal]

I never had a flu shot in my life and had the flu every year. I took a flu shot about 5 years ago at the behest of my wife and against my own better judgement. I've never had another flu shot since, but I also have never had the flu since! Go figure.

 

[Kurben]

Used to take it but dont any more. Lazy i guess.... but Havent had flu in many years now but I once were down with a real mean one, 40 degree fever (celsius, not fahrenheit) but that is 9 years in the past now.

 

[arista]

I do not take a flu shot. I figure sometimes nature just needs you to boost your immune system.

 

[80sFan]

I had the flu once...the year I was "required" to get the shot for my job.

 

[no bounce no play]

Thank you GNTLGNT.

I do have a reasonable understanding of flu shots and why sometimes they don't work. I used to object to them, so did research which involved speaking to our family doctor. We originally started getting them because I was caring for father-in-law while he was undergoing chemo. Now, we all get the shots to protect my husband. An uncomplicated flu could kill him. Son may object to getting the shot next year since he got sick this year....but as long as he lives here he has to have it. His dad's health requires that.

I just want to mention this because I know y'all have allergies. I quit getting flu shots because I would always get sick after getting them. Last year, after reading multiple articles stating flu shots do not make you sick, I decided I wanted one. The doctor said I couldn't get a flu shot though because he had discovered I have a serious allergy to latex. There isn't latex in the serum itself, it's in the applicator. So now I guess I know why flu shots always made me sick

 

[stacy270]

My family gets a flu shot every year.And they still get sick.I got the flu shot ONCE and my arm ached for a month so I went back to skipping them.

 

[80sFan]

Also, a friend of mine has a young daughter with cancer. When she was in the hospital, my friend asked anyone who received a live vaccine within the prior 4 weeks NOT to visit. The hospital had a policy in effect that recently vaccinated individuals were to be kept away from those with weakened immune systems, since live virus vaccines are known to shed.

 

[AnnaMarie]

I just want to mention this because I know y'all have allergies. I quit getting flu shots because I would always get sick after getting them. Last year, after reading multiple articles stating flu shots do not make you sick, I decided I wanted one. The doctor said I couldn't get a flu shot though because he had discovered I have a serious allergy to latex. There isn't latex in the serum itself, it's in the applicator. So now I guess I know why flu shots always made me sick

That is really interesting. I thought latex was always a soft plastic.

It used to contain egg and was unsafe for people with that allergy. I think that has been changed....but I'm not sure what they use as a binder now.

~~~~

Make sure you tell anyone doing dental work that you have a latex allergy. They always have some non-latex gloves available...and that plastic thing some use when drilling needs to be non-latex. Last time I checked (and it's been a long time) ambulances and hospitals here were using non-latex gloves and tubing....but I told my oldest he should still tell them....you never know when they'll switch back. Some people are allergic to the alternative they use.

 

[AnnaMarie]

Also, a friend of mine has a young daughter with cancer. When she was in the hospital, my friend asked anyone who received a live vaccine within the prior 4 weeks NOT to visit. The hospital had a policy in effect that recently vaccinated individuals were to be kept away from those with weakened immune systems, since live virus vaccines are known to shed.

Unless it's recently changed, the flu shot is not a live vaccine....but the mist is.

One of my kids was scheduled to get some kind of shot when he was in primary (MMR booster maybe?) and he was also scheduled for surgery. One call confirmed whatever he was getting was a live shot....we delayed the shot and went ahead with surgery instead.

When I was taking care of FIL with cancer, his doctor wanted us all to get the flu shot. If he hadn't said it, I would have made sure it was safe for him if we did. And if anyone was scheduled for any other shots, I would have made sure they were safe for him.

 

[80sFan]

Unless it's recently changed, the flu shot is not a live vaccine....but the mist is.

One of my kids was scheduled to get some kind of shot when he was in primary (MMR booster maybe?) and he was also scheduled for surgery. One call confirmed whatever he was getting was a live shot....we delayed the shot and went ahead with surgery instead.

When I was taking care of FIL with cancer, his doctor wanted us all to get the flu shot. If he hadn't said it, I would have made sure it was safe for him if we did. And if anyone was scheduled for any other shots, I would have made sure they were safe for him.

You're right, it's the mist, not the shot. I had it confused with the varicella vaccine.