The Flu Shot.

[staropeace]

How about the flu shot? I have not had mine yet which is kind of stupid. That is on my bucket list for next week. In Alberta,Canada, I can go to the drugstore or the doc's office and get it for free. I do not know about the rest of Canada but, in Alberta, the pharmacists can give these shots and allergy shots,as well. It depends on if they take the courses required for this and other things...refilling prescriptions on things like bloodpressure pills if the doc is not available. They keep files on your health and take your bloodpressure and download this to your doc if you wish. It is kind of handy. Are flu shots free in the States?

 

[king family fan]

Our insurance covers it. My husbands is given by a nurse on their work site. My son and I can go to the local drug or our family doctor. My son and I must get ours as well.

 

[staropeace]

I have to go or I will be sorry for sure lol.

 

[Neesy]

How about the flu shot? I have not had mine yet which is kind of stupid. That is on my bucket list for next week. In Alberta,Canada, I can go to the drugstore or the doc's office and get it for free. I do not know about the rest of Canada but, in Alberta, the pharmacists can give these shots and allergy shots,as well. It depends on if they take the courses required for this and other things...refilling prescriptions on things like bloodpressure pills if the doc is not available. They keep files on your health and take your bloodpressure and download this to your doc if you wish. It is kind of handy. Are flu shots free in the States?

Sorry - not American. I will not get the flu shot. My doctor had the needle already pulled out and ready to go without asking if I wanted it but I said no thanks. (I work in a hospital but have no direct patient contact so I decided against it). The last one I had was that H1N1 that everyone was panicked about and it messed me up! I was sick for three days

 

[VultureLvr45]

Sorry Star... We pay 25 - 50 bucks a shot for the flu shot. When I worked in health care I had free access to immunizations through my work. Despite what everyone says, our health care system is screwed up. Far too many of todays lower to middle class are without health care, not able to afford it. I believe health care should be free for all citizens. Preventative, Emergent, Long term, Mental Health, Progressive, even Alternative Health Care. My God, so
many of us are working ourselves too hard without balance. As an American, I am disapointed in the failure of this system. Between the insurance companies not paying for things or having huge deductibles, the cost of medications (non-generic), the decrease in length of stay in hospitals to absurdly short stays, and the loss of value of a life. Our system is massively screwed.

 

[AnnaMarie]

@Neesy flu lasts a lot longer then three days.

In Ontario we can also get it at the pharmacy, and it is covered by our provincial plan. (Side note...the government pays a pharmacist more then they pay a doctor to give the shot.)

I started getting the flu shot because my husband had gotten so sick one year I almost lost him. That didn't make me more fearful of how sick I would get, but fear that if I get the flu I will give it to him. So now we all get the flu shot.

 

[VampireLily]

Sorry - not American. I will not get the flu shot. My doctor had the needle already pulled out and ready to go without asking if I wanted it but I said no thanks. (I work in a hospital but have no direct patient contact so I decided against it). The last one I had was that H1N1 that everyone was panicked about and it messed me up! I was sick for three days

I've only gotten the shot twice and both times I was sick for over a week....so.....No Thanks!

 

[fushingfeef]

They can be found for free in the USA. I've been getting them ever since I had children because I don't want them catching it from me. And I never get the flu so I know they work!

 

[hipmamajen]

Our insurance covers them, but I don't think we'll get them this year. We usually don't.

Last year we got them because we had a brand new baby in the house, and because our sweet teenage friend Alysia was in such poor health we wanted to protect her. But Alysia passed in October, and Torleif is a husky toddler, so we'll likely pass.

 

[kingricefan]

I've gotten them in the past but haven't for the last three years now. I work with the public everyday, but so far have been lucky (I guess) that I haven't had the flu. When I did get them, I always felt 'funny' for 3 or 4 days. Never got really sick from them, but don't like feeling out-of-sorts for that long of a time either. I don't believe my insurance covers them either.

 

[Neesy]

T

Our insurance covers them, but I don't think we'll get them this year. We usually don't.

Last year we got them because we had a brand new baby in the house, and because our sweet teenage friend Alysia was in such poor health we wanted to protect her. But Alysia passed in October, and Torleif is a husky toddler, so we'll likely pass.

Torleif? Is Torleif a little Viking baby?

 

[hipmamajen]

Hey, where did you get that picture of Tor?

;-)

 

[Autumn Gust]

We never get the flu shot in our house. In fact, we subscribe to the "germ theory" (a term I made up). We don't use anything antibacterial and have the "five second rule" if food drops on the floor. We figure it's good to constantly expose yourself to a low-level of germs so as to build up immunity to them-- that way, when a nasty one comes along, it doesn't hit you like a mack truck. None of us has had the flu in years.

 

[Neesy]

We never get the flu shot in our house. In fact, we subscribe to the "germ theory" (a term I made up). We don't use anything antibacterial and have the "five second rule" if food drops on the floor. We figure it's good to constantly expose yourself to a low-level of germs so as to build up immunity to them-- that way, when a nasty one comes along, it doesn't hit you like a mack truck. None of us has had the flu in years.

The 'like' button is not good enough for this post - this deserves a super duper 'like'

 

[The Nameless]

Sorry - not American. I will not get the flu shot. My doctor had the needle already pulled out and ready to go without asking if I wanted it but I said no thanks. (I work in a hospital but have no direct patient contact so I decided against it). The last one I had was that H1N1 that everyone was panicked about and it messed me up! I was sick for three days

I thought they give you a "dead" strain in flu shots so the body can create the anti-bodies without suffering the symptoms?

In the UK, people who are in risk groups are advised to get one via a letter from your GP surgery - people who have got or have a history of Asthma, people with HIV, people under going chemotherapy, over 60's etc. I used to get a letter but now I don't, guess they don't care if I get sick or not. I can't remember last time I got proper flu, I'm quite lucky with it - I get colds or "man flu" about 4-6 times a year.

 

[Neesy]

I thought they give you a "dead" strain in flu shots so the body can create the anti-bodies without suffering the symptoms?

In the UK, people who are in risk groups are advised to get one via a letter from your GP surgery - people who have got or have a history of Asthma, people with HIV, people under going chemotherapy, over 60's etc. I used to get a letter but now I don't, guess they don't care if I get sick or not. I can't remember last time I got proper flu, I'm quite lucky with it - I get colds or "man flu" about 4-6 times a year.

Special Consideration Regarding Egg Allergy:
People who have ever had a severe allergic reaction to eggs may be advised not to get vaccinated. People who have had a mild reaction to egg—that is, one which only involved hives—may receive a flu shot with additional precautions. Make sure your health care provider knows about any allergic reactions. Most, but not all, types of flu vaccine contain small amount of egg.

I copied and pasted the above from CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

This could be my problem right here - when I was quite young my Mom took me for allergy testing and one of the things I was allergic to was eggs
Anyway I have read many times that you cannot get the flu from the flu shot. Whatever I had did make me feel quite horrible. I missed work because of it.

I actually do eat eggs now that I am an adult so I really don't know what it is but like Autumn Gust said, it may be better to build up your immune system rather than relying on injections every year (it is your body to decide what to do with so we should have that freedom of choice).

If I get sick I do not force myself to go in and therefore spread germs to my coworkers

 

[The Nameless]

Yeah, could be the egg thing, I think the vaccines are incubated in eggs during production (or something like that). I think once the flu enters your system, it is a day or 2 before you feel the effects, it maybe possible you had the flu the day before you went for the shot, and the symptoms only showed up after the shot, I was due to get one once but on the day I was meant to get it, I came down with flu like symptoms so they said not to get it.

 

[Walter Oobleck]

I have an appointment to see the doctor next week and I'm sure she will ask me if I want a flu shot as she has in the past and I will say okay sounds like a plan. I trust her advice. I've had flu shots in the past...maybe not every single year...and I don't recall any adverse reactions. We have insurance but I've no clue how much is paid...as we are paying medical bills even with insurance. Had a balance up at this one hospital and was paying $50/month...this lady there calls about a month ago give or take, and says if I can pay $600 they'll call it good. The balance was about 50-60 bucks more than that. And this morning I noticed my wife left a bill to be paid on the counter...and the lady said that's the only thing I'd have...a lab-work bill for 21.33.

Considering insurances...being self-employed and at times having had employees, I've encountered insurance agents who tell me you're better off paying that off yourself...this when I bring an employee to the hospital who has shot himself in the finger with a nail gun...or one slipped while carrying a chimney block. Didn't help when the hospital attendant at the ER entrance tells me, oh you again, I wouldn't want to be working for you. Anyway, I call the agent the very first accident whatever it was he tells me you're better off paying that off yourself. I asked him then why am I paying you thousands of dollars in work comp fees? Ma had a car accident this once...brings the car to a body shop...a few days later the insurance agent is on the horn with dad, telling him that he has found some used struts at the local yard. Dad tells the agent I'm not paying you for used insurance. Like it comes out of their pocket or something. Life is grand.

 

[GNTLGNT]

...as a nurse, I've seen the vaccination work both wonders and fall flat on it's face...to me it asll depends on the inate strength of the recipients immune system to begin with...I used to get them when I worked in the acute care setting, but now in the prison I am awash in so many varities of crap-my immune system is pretty stout-so I no longer fart around with them...

 

[HollyGolightly]

A friend of mine works on the vaccine at St. Jude - he says its a crap shoot every year. We get it every year (though I haven't gotten mine yet, the kids and the husband have). Sometimes we still get the flu, sometimes we don't. It's a good idea if you have a weak immune system for sure. My son has asthma and the flu gives him a hard time when he gets it. He's down at least a week longer than the rest of us. But he does that with the common cold as well.