flu shot?

[Lathum]

Anyone ever gotten one from the drugstore?

Our local Walgreens is offering flu shots. I was at the doctors the other day and they didn't have them yet.

My wife mentioned Walgreens does. I just feel odd getting a shot from somewhere that isn't my doctor.

Anyone have experience with this?

[MrBug708]

I havent gotten one before. I think I'd rather have the flu then be pumped full of mercury

[Swaggs]

I have gotten them at a drugstore before. If you aren't planning to see your primary care physician before flu season, it is usually a little quicker and more convenient than setting up an appointment, dealing with waiting times, etc.

[henry296]

I've done it at Costco and had no issues.

[Tasan]

I get them at CVS every year. No problems here, and usually very fast.

[claphamsa]

I wouldn never get a flu shot, those things fuck people up!

(I have had flu 2X in my life...guess how many times Ive had the flu shot)

[DaddyTorgo]

why do you want a flu shot lathum? you're not in an at-risk category (unless you have medical issues idk about?)?

i'm all for vaccines, but flu shots for non at-risk categories just lead to increasingly drug-resistant strains of flu

[Groundhog]

Never had a flu shot. Usually get the flu once every year or two, though rarely do I get it very bad. This year I've had it freakin' 3 times, though only once badly.

[flounder]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

I havent gotten one before. I think I'd rather have the flu then be pumped full of mercury

If you're really that concerned about mercury (which you shouldn't be), you can get the nasal spray version.

[Glengoyne]

The shot at the drug store is the same stuff that you get from the physician. The drug stores and some insurance companies are pushing for the pharmacy route of delivery.

My office provides a free flu shot for all employees, they bring a nurse onsite one day each year. Once they have the vaccine...it is still in tight supply...I'll get my shot again this year.

[SackAttack]

Needles + Sack = aw hell naw.

I think I've had the actual FLU once that I can ever remember. The rest of my life it's been colds and the like. But the flu? Just once. Once in 28 years is a chance I'll take.

[Lorena]

Same here Sack, I get the occasional cold, but have never gotten a flu shot and probably gotten the flu once, although I don't remember.

[RainMaker]

I'm not worried about the flu per say, but I've heard that getting Swine Flu is just a bitch. Just feel like complete ass for a week. Not sure if I want to deal with that.

Basketball season starts up in a month and I'm guessing that being in a stadium with 20,000 other people is probably a good way to catch the flu. Was thinking of getting one for the first time.

Are there any side effects or disadvantages to this? How fool proof is it?

[claphamsa]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

why do you want a flu shot lathum? you're not in an at-risk category (unless you have medical issues idk about?)?

i'm all for vaccines, but flu shots for non at-risk categories just lead to increasingly drug-resistant strains of flu

this is 100% not true. Flu mutates very rapidly! the over treating has issues with bacteria, THEY become resistant, viruses mutate on their own.

That being said, there has been lots of statistical info suggesting that the best was to stop the spread of H1N1 is to vaccinate exactly our segment of the population, not the at risk people, This is because we move around more, and its better to keep it 100% away from people who are at risk (Im just the reporter here) and also, for some crazy reason old people dont seem to be getting H1N1 like other flus!

[claphamsa]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Never had a flu shot. Usually get the flu once every year or two, though rarely do I get it very bad. This year I've had it freakin' 3 times, though only once badly.

then you havent had the flu. people say all the time they have the flu when they get the sniffles. if your not in bed for a week, then you dont have the flu.

[claphamsa]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I'm not worried about the flu per say, but I've heard that getting Swine Flu is just a bitch. Just feel like complete ass for a week. Not sure if I want to deal with that.

Basketball season starts up in a month and I'm guessing that being in a stadium with 20,000 other people is probably a good way to catch the flu. Was thinking of getting one for the first time.

Are there any side effects or disadvantages to this? How fool proof is it?

all flus are a bitch this one just moves easier between people and animals.

Im unaware of disadvantages.
But there is not in fact any vaccine for H1N1 at this point, were spending Billions to develop it in time, but its not here yet. I asked (off the record) and was told MAYBE mid October! So dont let anyone tell you otherwise.

[flounder]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Are there any side effects or disadvantages to this? How fool proof is it?

Well, first off, the regular flu vaccine won't protect you against swine flu. You'll have to wait until clinical trials are finished on that vaccine to get it. Hopefully it will be ready in a month or two.

The flu vaccine isn't foolproof. There are too many different flu strains circulating to develop a vaccine for all of them. They try to get enough strains that you'll be protected from those they expect to be the most widespread, but there's no way of knowing which ones those are ahead of time.

There are some side effects that can occur, but they are extremely rare. The vaccine is made in chicken eggs, I believe. So if you have an allergy to eggs you could have a severe reaction. Other than that, there are no disadvantages whatsoever besides having to get stuck with a needle, and even that you can avoid by getting the nasal spray.

A friend of a friend had a 4 year old daughter who caught the flu and spent 3 months on a ventilator in pediatric intensive care. Her lung function will probably never return to normal. So I always give my son the flu shot. My wife and I always get it, even though we're both healthy, because we don't want to give it to him. If you are an adult in good health, you're in a very low risk group, but you still can spread the disease.

[claphamsa]

Originally Posted by flounder

Well, first off, the regular flu vaccine won't protect you against swine flu. You'll have to wait until clinical trials are finished on that vaccine to get it. Hopefully it will be ready in a month or two.

The flu vaccine isn't foolproof. There are too many different flu strains circulating to develop a vaccine for all of them. They try to get enough strains that you'll be protected from those they expect to be the most widespread, but there's no way of knowing which ones those are ahead of time.

There are some side effects that can occur, but they are extremely rare. The vaccine is made in chicken eggs, I believe. So if you have an allergy to eggs you could have a severe reaction. Other than that, there are no disadvantages whatsoever besides having to get stuck with a needle, and even that you can avoid by getting the nasal spray.

A friend of a friend had a 4 year old daughter who caught the flu and spent 3 months on a ventilator in pediatric intensive care. Her lung function will probably never return to normal. So I always give my son the flu shot. My wife and I always get it, even though we're both healthy, because we don't want to give it to him. If you are an adult in good health, you're in a very low risk group, but you still can spread the disease.

There is lots of research into cell based vaccines... but no luck so far. so yes, all chicken!

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by claphamsa

this is 100% not true. Flu mutates very rapidly! the over treating has issues with bacteria, THEY become resistant, viruses mutate on their own.

That being said, there has been lots of statistical info suggesting that the best was to stop the spread of H1N1 is to vaccinate exactly our segment of the population, not the at risk people, This is because we move around more, and its better to keep it 100% away from people who are at risk (Im just the reporter here) and also, for some crazy reason old people dont seem to be getting H1N1 like other flus!

fair enough re: your point about flu mutating rapidly on it's own. my bad.

interesting - i hadn't seen that statistical evidence...sign me up!

[Lathum]

I'm not afraid of needles or getting sick. I actually never get sick but mt doctor wants me to get one.

I just feel strange walking into a pharmacy and getting a shot.

[claphamsa]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I'm not afraid of needles or getting sick. I actually never get sick but mt doctor wants me to get one.

I just feel strange walking into a pharmacy and getting a shot.

thats the new thing... all the pharmacies and walmarts and what not are hiring nurse practitioners to have clinics....in all likelihood its probably about the same care you get in a doctors office as long as its normal shit like a shot, or a sinus infection....

[claphamsa]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

fair enough re: your point about flu mutating rapidly on it's own. my bad.

interesting - i hadn't seen that statistical evidence...sign me up!

u can have mine!

[Pumpy Tudors]

lol

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by claphamsa

That being said, there has been lots of statistical info suggesting that the best was to stop the spread of H1N1 is to vaccinate exactly our segment of the population, not the at risk people, This is because we move around more, and its better to keep it 100% away from people who are at risk (Im just the reporter here) and also, for some crazy reason old people dont seem to be getting H1N1 like other flus!

Well, the issue with Swine Flu in particular is that the people at risk are us, are young adults, not the elderly. That's because the elderly have previous exposure to a similar enough strain of H1N1. Younger adults have no exposure and thus are developing it, that's why it's considered to be unusually virulent, because the bulk of the population has no exposure to it.

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by claphamsa

this is 100% not true. Flu mutates very rapidly! the over treating has issues with bacteria, THEY become resistant, viruses mutate on their own.!

dola

Not to mention the vaccine *isn't* a treatment. It's not going to produce drug-resistant variants regardless, there's not drugs involved.

That said I don't generally get any flu shots. I feel like in general vaccination public health efforts are best kept to less common but more deadly illnesses. We need to find ways to deal with illness as a society that include creating better health and increasing treatment for people on the fringes.

[flounder]

Well, flu kills 36,000 people a year in the US and hospitalizes 200,000 more even with vaccination. I'm not sure why it wouldn't qualify as a deadly disease.

[Autumn]

I said I would save it for "more deadly" diseases.

And though that number gets bandied around all the time now, it's not quite what it seems. Pneumonia and flu deaths are lumped together into one statistic and pneumonia deaths are often from other sources.

[Autumn]

dola

Anyway, my point was that I think there's more effective ways to deal with influenza than attempting to vaccinate against a quickly mutating illness which is easily spread every year. A vaccine is better used against a non-mutating illness which can be eradicated through use of the vaccine.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

Needles + Sack = aw hell naw.

I think I've had the actual FLU once that I can ever remember. The rest of my life it's been colds and the like. But the flu? Just once. Once in 28 years is a chance I'll take.

You're going to get it now you know. Smooth move Exlax.*


Feels good to use that phrase for the first time sijnce 7th grade.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Autumn

We need to find ways to deal with illness as a society that include creating better health and increasing treatment for people on the fringes.

Well, while you're rounding up society to fix things a different way, I'll be living the good life with my vaccination! HAHAHAHAHA LOTS OF LOVE

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

Well, while you're rounding up society to fix things a different way, I'll be living the good life with my vaccination! HAHAHAHAHA LOTS OF LOVE

Ah but when I round up society and don't vaccinate them, the flu will be rapidly mutating and your vaccine will be useless. ha ha ha

[Pumpy Tudors]

shit!

[bigmouth]

Originally Posted by henry296

I've done it at Costco and had no issues.

did you get 10 shot's for the price of one?

[flounder]

Originally Posted by Autumn

dola

Anyway, my point was that I think there's more effective ways to deal with influenza than attempting to vaccinate against a quickly mutating illness which is easily spread every year. A vaccine is better used against a non-mutating illness which can be eradicated through use of the vaccine.

I don't understand what the downside is to vaccinating. Of course it doesn't work perfectly and of course we should do more to promote general wellness. I just don't see why we can't do both.

[Logan]

Lathum, my roommate is a Walgreens pharmacist and gives out flu shots. He's been fully trained and all that. I trust him, medically, over pretty much every doctor I've ever been to.

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by flounder

I don't understand what the downside is to vaccinating. Of course it doesn't work perfectly and of course we should do more to promote general wellness. I just don't see why we can't do both.

I guess the downside as a society is just time and money spent on vaccines that could be spent in other areas. There's also the slim but realistic risk of problems associated with a vaccine.

But I think mostly it's just a sense of what we emphasize. We see a strong campaign to get people to take a flu shot, and that becomes kind of a replacement for busy people and busy doctors and a busy society of all the things we could do to actually be healthier. I transcribe doctor visits as part of my job and I hear how "health" has been reduced to a series of bullet points consisting of action items doctors can cover in 15 minutes: flu shot, colonoscopy, tetanus shot, okay you're done. It has an effect on how society thinks about health when this is how we approach everything. In some cases a vaccine is a great approach, in the case of flu I think it's a poor one.

[flounder]

Originally Posted by Autumn

I guess the downside as a society is just time and money spent on vaccines that could be spent in other areas. There's also the slim but realistic risk of problems associated with a vaccine.

I'm curious to know what other areas you think would have as great an effect on flu deaths and hospitalizations as vaccines. The CDC web site says:

In years when the vaccine strains and the virus strains are well-matched, the vaccine can reduce the chances of getting the flu by 70%-90% in healthy adults. The vaccine may be somewhat less effective in elderly persons and very young children, but vaccination can still prevent serious complications from the flu.

If we stop vaccinating for flu, we will see more hospitalizations and more deaths. That will cost society a lot more than flu shots do.

Originally Posted by Autumn

But I think mostly it's just a sense of what we emphasize. We see a strong campaign to get people to take a flu shot, and that becomes kind of a replacement for busy people and busy doctors and a busy society of all the things we could do to actually be healthier. I transcribe doctor visits as part of my job and I hear how "health" has been reduced to a series of bullet points consisting of action items doctors can cover in 15 minutes: flu shot, colonoscopy, tetanus shot, okay you're done. It has an effect on how society thinks about health when this is how we approach everything. In some cases a vaccine is a great approach, in the case of flu I think it's a poor one.

So if we spent less money on flu shots, doctors would spend more time with patients and that would somehow prevent people from getting the flu? I'm not following the chain of logic there. If anything, more cases of flu will use up more health care resources and give doctors less time to devote to patient wellness.

[stevew]

I would never get one. What is the flu anyways? The violent chain reaction barf/shit combo? Cause i've maybe had it 3-4 times. I might have the 5 year old get a shot, since she's kind of frail.

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by flounder

I'm curious to know what other areas you think would have as great an effect on flu deaths and hospitalizations as vaccines.

I'm not following the chain of logic there. If anything, more cases of flu will use up more health care resources and give doctors less time to devote to patient wellness.

Sorry, I don't really have the time to get into a discussion about this that would have enough detail to satisfy your questions, I think. I'm too busy for that at the moment, so it doesn't make sense for me to give you any more half answers.

To answer your original point, Lathum, I think it's kind of odd to get a shot at a pharmacy, since I've never heard of it before now, but it makes pretty good sense and I'd go for it. Sounds much simpler.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

You're going to get it now you know. Smooth move Exlax.*


Feels good to use that phrase for the first time sijnce 7th grade.

Don't worry. I'll share it with you.

I'm not stingy!

[lungs]

When I was in college, I'd usually get the flu once a year. My extremely unhealthy lifestyle at that point probably didn't help, along with being around tons of people.

Got a flu shot the year after I left school and didn't get sick at all for the first time in a really long time.

Last year the son-of-a-bitchin' flu struck me early in October before I got vaccinated. To make things worse, that led to pneumonia and I was sick for damn near a month.

[Lathum]

Me and the Mrs. got our shots yesterday at the Safeway Pharmacy. Pretty painless except we had to wait about 30 minutes.

We will both be getting the swine flu vaccination when it is released, supposedly in a few weeks.

Since my wife is pregnant her doctor wants us both to get them. She told up pregnant women are 6 times more likely to die from it.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

fair enough re: your point about flu mutating rapidly on it's own. my bad.

interesting - i hadn't seen that statistical evidence...sign me up!

I initially thought the same thing. Asked my brother about it who has a phd in biochemistry and works with Abbot.

The flu vaccine actually teaches our body how to prevent it from working it's way into your system. Antibiotics work after the fact so sometimes they don't kill all the bad bacteria and that mutates into something resistance. The vaccine essentially blocks it and never enters that stage.

In fact, he said that getting the flu vaccine helps reduce resistance strains of bacteria. Many doctors just prescribe antibiotics for flu-like symptoms which causes much more usage in the public and more resistent strains. He said that in areas where flu vaccines are heavy, doctors prescribing antibiotics is cut in half.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Me and the Mrs. got our shots yesterday at the Safeway Pharmacy. Pretty painless except we had to wait about 30 minutes.

We will both be getting the swine flu vaccination when it is released, supposedly in a few weeks.

We got ours at Walgreenes (work was going to be another month, and Walgreens billed BCBS for us so I didn't even bother with trying the doctor). Waiting for the H1N1 vaccines and we'll get those as well. The flu is not to be trifled with, plus I and my daughter have asthma so we REALLY don't want the flu.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I initially thought the same thing. Asked my brother about it who has a phd in biochemistry and works with Abbot.

OK, that's not how I understand it, but since I don't have a phd in biochemistry (though I did work at Abbott recently!), I'll defer to your brother. However, if you could get a clarification, that would be great.

The flu, unless I'm greatly mistaken, is a virus. Antibiotics, which work to eradicate bacteria, do nothing against viruses. Thus, a problem we've had (not just in the U.S.) is people prescribing antibiotics for flu-like symptoms which basically do nothing, and may even be negative.

The negative with the misuse/overuse of antibiotics is that you kill the weak bacteria but the strongest bacteria may (emphasis: may) continue to live. Therefore in a number of cases all you've done is make the strong bacteria stronger, building up a cache of resistant strains. This is the whole idea behind the movement to slow down on the use of antibiotics.

Now, there are medicines called anti-virals, which work against viruses already in one's system, but my understanding is that these aren't as well understood as antibiotics nor as effective.

The bottom line of which is, of course, that to avoid viruses like the flu it's best to get a vaccination, since there's not a ton that can be done after the fact to combat them (outside of inpatient care, in severe circumstances).

The way the vaccine works, of course, is to introduce some sort of weakened strain into your body which gets your body to develop antibodies to that virus. So when the virus hits your system from an outside source your body is already ready for it and will handle it a lot faster. You still might get the flu, but it'll be a lot, lot less severe, and you may not even notice it.

Vaccines for chicken pox, smallpox, etc... work the same way.

[claphamsa]

H1N1 Vaccines are going to be available very soon

[miked]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Me and the Mrs. got our shots yesterday at the Safeway Pharmacy. Pretty painless except we had to wait about 30 minutes.

We will both be getting the swine flu vaccination when it is released, supposedly in a few weeks.

Since my wife is pregnant her doctor wants us both to get them. She told up pregnant women are 6 times more likely to die from it.

So from 0.001% to 0.006%?

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

The flu, unless I'm greatly mistaken, is a virus. Antibiotics, which work to eradicate bacteria, do nothing against viruses. Thus, a problem we've had (not just in the U.S.) is people prescribing antibiotics for flu-like symptoms which basically do nothing, and may even be negative.

This. Your entire post is also my understanding. And people going to doctors with a runny nose and demanding antibiotics is a huge problem in this country (along with people using antimicrobials and hand sanitizers and wipes for EVERYTHING) because we are creating resitant strains of bacteria that we have no easy way to fight.

[Telle]

Originally Posted by miked

So from 0.001% to 0.006%?

The risk of flu while pregnant, especially in the third trimester, is pretty serious. Yes the risk of actual death is probably still on the low end, but you're looking at a decent risk of hospitalization and premature birth.. and recent studies have shown that even being just a week early can have long-term consequences.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

OK, that's not how I understand it, but since I don't have a phd in biochemistry (though I did work at Abbott recently!), I'll defer to your brother. However, if you could get a clarification, that would be great.

The flu, unless I'm greatly mistaken, is a virus. Antibiotics, which work to eradicate bacteria, do nothing against viruses. Thus, a problem we've had (not just in the U.S.) is people prescribing antibiotics for flu-like symptoms which basically do nothing, and may even be negative.

The negative with the misuse/overuse of antibiotics is that you kill the weak bacteria but the strongest bacteria may (emphasis: may) continue to live. Therefore in a number of cases all you've done is make the strong bacteria stronger, building up a cache of resistant strains. This is the whole idea behind the movement to slow down on the use of antibiotics.

Now, there are medicines called anti-virals, which work against viruses already in one's system, but my understanding is that these aren't as well understood as antibiotics nor as effective.

The bottom line of which is, of course, that to avoid viruses like the flu it's best to get a vaccination, since there's not a ton that can be done after the fact to combat them (outside of inpatient care, in severe circumstances).

The way the vaccine works, of course, is to introduce some sort of weakened strain into your body which gets your body to develop antibodies to that virus. So when the virus hits your system from an outside source your body is already ready for it and will handle it a lot faster. You still might get the flu, but it'll be a lot, lot less severe, and you may not even notice it.

Vaccines for chicken pox, smallpox, etc... work the same way.

I think that's what I was trying to say but maybe I didn't write it properly. I'll e-mail and ask him to write something although he's not good at putting things in laymans terms.

I just know he said the vaccine was good because it caused less people to get sick and go to the doctor. Which in turn meant less antibiotics wrongly prescribed and less chances of drug resistent strains of bacteria out there.

In a nutshell, the vaccine is good for everyone.