Flu shots

October 8, 2003

>Most people with

>CFS are immune upregulated to the point where they really dont get colds

and

>flu that often.

Urban Myth in my opinion!

I know several PWCs who get every cold and 'flu 10X stronger and longer

than the average person, and we get them non-stop during the winter months.

But I would still be scared of taking the 'flu shot bec my immune syst is

terrible

Nelly

October 8, 2003

exactly duckblossom, that is what I am afraid of with respect to people with

CFS taking things that are highly immunogenic, like vaccines, it could cause a

crash...and in your case you never recovered from it....not really worth it

in my opinion...I hope you feel better soon,

October 8, 2003

Hi Nelly,

> Urban Myth in my opinion!

No indeed. I'm into my tenth year with ME and no cold or flu yet. My

immune system is still upregulated and I feel like flu every day. I

long for the day I have a real cold just to feel a bit normal again.

October 8, 2003

Hi .

I think Nelly meant that it's an urban myth that ALL PWCs don't get

colds or flu, not that some don't get colds or flu.

I think that the assertion that PWCs don't get colds or flu is often

stated and that the assertion needs to be modified.

I'm one of the PWCs that are very susceptible to colds and flu. I get

flu shots and I haven't had a problem with them personally.

Tom

>

> Hi Nelly,

>

> > Urban Myth in my opinion!

>

> No indeed. I'm into my tenth year with ME and no cold or flu yet.

My

> immune system is still upregulated and I feel like flu every day.

I

> long for the day I have a real cold just to feel a bit normal again.

>

October 8, 2003

After getting this disease in the first place, taking a flu shot was the worst

thing that ever happened to me. I never recovered. I don't intend to get one.

Adrienne

Re: Flu Shots

Hi,

It's flu season again and everyone or almost everyone thinks one should get

the flu shot. I took one years ago and was very sick for a week but they say

that it has changed and cannot give anyone the flu because it is a dead virus.

Don't know if it gave me the flu or not but was very ill.

Any comments,

H.

October 9, 2003

Well, you have not had a flu in several years..If you did, you would

know that they don't go away in 7-9 days. They stay for weeks and

weeks, even several months. What you said about our immune system

working against these flu's, I don't know, but I have not had the

usual 4-5 flu's a year since I quit work...I have had a few shots,

though...not every year. I don't usually get sick of the shots.

Maarit...

> I wouldnt reccomend getting a flu shot but its your choice. Most

people with

> CFS are immune upregulated to the point where they really dont get

colds and

> flu that often. In my opinion if I did get the flu, which I have

not gotten

> for 6 years of being ill I would deal with the symptoms and wait to

get better,

> rather then risk taking a flu shot. A flu shot, dead or attenuated

virus or

> whatever, makes no difference, is immunogenic. It will cause your

immune

> system to react to it, this can lead to problems especially with

something like

> CFS, it could lead to a crash that could last who knows how long.

I would be

> extremely cautious about getting a flu shot, again just my

opinion. My opinion

> its not worth it, if you get a cold or flu, deal with it for 7-10

days until

> the symptoms go away. Its better then taking a flu shot, getting

sick from it

> for a month or god knows how long.....

>

> Hope this helps,

>

October 9, 2003

I believe the common " flu " which is caused by the influenza virus typically

resolves itself in around 10 days, with probably like 2 weeks being the max

time you are going to have a problem with it, in people with NORMAL immune

systems. People with CFS, obviously its a different animal.

The literature that supports the use of vaccine as a preventative measure for

the flu stresses the testing has been done on people with normal immune

systems, which individuals that suffer from CFS obviously do not have.

Thus far I have had three people with CFS tell me they crashed from recieving

the flu shot, one of them crashed and never got better. In my opinion I

would rather take my chance that I get the flu, rather then take a chance taking

a

flu vaccine, that may make me very ill, for an unknown duration of time and I

dont even know how effective that Vaccine is going to be because my immune

system is already dysregulated, and all the testing that has been done on the

flu vaccine has been on individuals with normal immune systems.

Just my opinion,

October 9, 2003

Hi ,

I don't take the flu shots as members of my family who

have taken them in the last few years have all got

sick afterwards, sometimes for weeks. These are not

people with a CFS or ME dx and it still makes them ill

with flu like symptoms.

My Fiance on the other hand takes the flu shot and

doesn't get the flu symptoms.

Kindest regards,

Annette

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October 12, 2003

Bethany, that is a question that each of us make for ourselves by weighing

the pros and cons and then, it seems, taking our chances whichever choice we

make. I used to get the flu vaccines for the boys but quit when I learned

that they have thermisol in them. I think there was something on Dr.

Mercola's site about the spray that was in the negative. I know he does not

think the shots are a good thing.

Why I Never Get Flu Shots

http://www.mercola.com/2000/nov/26/flu_shots.htm

October 13, 2003

You have to remember a few things about the shot/mist for the flu:

1) It is NOT guaranteed to contain the virus that will become active

early/late in the season.

2) The vaccine may infect you child due to a weakened immune system.

3) If anyone who gets the nasal spray sneezes on your child UP TO 21

DAYS after the spray. They are spreading the active virus that

resides in their nasal cavity to your child.

4) A recent study has shown those that receive flu shots for three

consecutive years or more are 3x as likely to develop Alzheimer's, if

they live that long. (Note: Concentrations of mercury are higher the

more severe the disease is in their brain tissue.)

Final analysis: It is a gamble that the shot will actually cover you.

It is guaranteed to damage you (unless you find one without

Thimerosal)

October 22, 2003

My parents got their flu shots yesterday. I knew they would and I at least

asked them to try to get thimerosal free ones. But is there a thimerosal

free flu shot in the US?

Sandy R.

Flu shots

> My father suffered complications after his last years flu shots - he got

> influenza and accute asthma which had to be treated in the hospital. Yet,

> this year, he took the shot again even if I had been talking about the

> vaccination connection with him quite a lot. My father is an intelligent

> man, but I think what veered him back to the beaten path were his own

> doctors. He had asked them directly whether his illness and the flu shot

> might be connected. They had just given him a blank stare and said it is

not

> possible, and they had never heard of such a thing. So everything that he

> had heard from me was completely wiped off his mind just because someone

> with a white jacket told him otherwise and didn't even show any kind of

> proof... I guess this is very common: it is easier to listen to the

> " authorities " than your own body's signals. I hope to God he won't suffer

> from this year's shot!

>

> Katja

>

October 25, 2003

Tricia,

Da Flu shot and me weird ideas about it.

I have had the flu shots most every year that they have been

available. But here is something that I have noticed about getting

them.

The first one I ever got was many years ago when I was in the

military. Each one of those made me sick with flu symptoms. Then I

got my flu shot usually from the county health dept nurse whenever

they was available cheap or for free, and most all of those made me

sick with flu symptoms.

I then started getting them from the " white coats at the clinic " and

did not have any side effects, and also remeber not getting the darn

flu of any sorts during those winters.

OK then I end up going to work for the government. OK can get the

flu shot over at the health nurse office at the govt office building

for free. I did that and guess what. SICK yes would get the darn

flu symptoms.

After getting all this Stills stuff, I started getting my flu shot

back from the " white coats " at the clinic. And NO getting sick

from those shots.

So I have convinced myself that the darn flu shot from the govt, be

it military, the VA, or county health nurse, or health nurse at the

govt office building is not worth taking. " now aint that some

attitude for a govt employee to have huh? "

I think I will continue to get mine from the " white coats "

Maybe it is fresher batch, maybe it is possibly handled or shipped

better or something, your guess would be as good as mine.

" IS IT A CONSPIRACY? "

Dan

October 26, 2003

Could be true Dan, because when I got the flu shot from the

" white coats " no reaction to the shot. Some years a little ache

in the arm and that was it. Makes one stop and think.

from Wisconsin,

Tricia

" I Hope You Dance! "

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

Subject: Re: " flu shots "

Tricia,

Da Flu shot and me weird ideas about it.

I have had the flu shots most every year that they have been

available. But here is something that I have noticed about getting

them.

The first one I ever got was many years ago when I was in the

military. Each one of those made me sick with flu symptoms. Then I

got my flu shot usually from the county health dept nurse whenever

they was available cheap or for free, and most all of those made me

sick with flu symptoms.

I then started getting them from the " white coats at the clinic " and

did not have any side effects, and also remeber not getting the darn

flu of any sorts during those winters.

OK then I end up going to work for the government. OK can get the

flu shot over at the health nurse office at the govt office building

for free. I did that and guess what. SICK yes would get the darn

flu symptoms.

After getting all this Stills stuff, I started getting my flu shot

back from the " white coats " at the clinic. And NO getting sick

from those shots.

So I have convinced myself that the darn flu shot from the govt, be

it military, the VA, or county health nurse, or health nurse at the

govt office building is not worth taking. " now aint that some

attitude for a govt employee to have huh? "

I think I will continue to get mine from the " white coats "

Maybe it is fresher batch, maybe it is possibly handled or shipped

better or something, your guess would be as good as mine.

" IS IT A CONSPIRACY? "

Dan

November 1, 2003

Hi all,

If I don't get a flu shot I get the flu. Two out of the last ten years I

didn't get the shot and got a bad flu. In only one year, the flu shot

triggered an acute viral infection -- I think. So on balance, for me, I take the

shot.

But it's clearly a verrrrry individual decision based on the danger's flu

might pose to you and you're prior reactions to flu shots, etc. I don't even

think the docs have an " expert " opinion on this for PWC's, except perhaps to

help us sort through the issues.

michael

October 6, 2004

In a message dated 10/6/2004 10:14:33 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

ercokat@... writes:

Our newspaper says that caregivers of children with chronic conditions

should NOT get the flu shot, but mothers with babies 6 months and under SHOULD.

I was just at my ped's today with Kody and we discussed this, and he said

that parents and siblings of kids with compromised immune systems definitely

should get the shot! He said the guidelines that state " chronic conditions "

are more for kids with say only asthma and the like. Our kids need us to be

healthy because one, they need us to take care of them, and two, if we

ourselves

don't get it then we could be exposing our kids to something dangerous to

them.

Diane, Mom to Takoda, AKA Kody, Di Syndrome, Hypogammaglobulinemia,

Seizure Disorder, Asthma, GERD, bowel dysfunction, learning disabled, central

nervous system problems (as yet undiagnosed), possible mitochondrial disorder,

CAPD, generalized anxiety disorder, and all around really great kid! Also

Mom to Arika age 17, Kaila age 13 (asthma/allergies), and Sami age 10

(dyslexic, asthma/allergies). Please visit my website at

_www.geocities.com/schmidtzoo/SNAK_ (http://www.geocities.com/schmidtzoo/SNAK)

October 6, 2004

My child has IgA Deficiency and chronic ear/sinus infections, like

yours. I specifically asked the specialist this past Monday if it

was ok to get the flu vaccine. The specialist not only said it was

OK for our daughter to get the flu shot but that he HIGHLY

RECOMMENDED it. He said everyone in the house should get it.

The specialist said that the shot will not guarantee that your child

won't get the flu. But if he does get it, the vaccine might help

your child fight the illness off better, which can avoid a lot of

complications and hospitalization for the flu and residual illnesses.

In my opinion, the papers are not publishing information that is

specific to an IgA Deficient child. Toss 'em. Speak to your immuno

or specialist, who knows what specific issues your child deals with,

and if the specialist/immuno tells you its safe, get the shot. And

hurry, because they are running out of flu shots already and they are

not as easy to get. (Remember I am speaking from the standpoint of a

child diagnosed with IgA only. I am not sure if the shot would be

safe for a child with a different form of PID, I am only speaking

about my own particular situation and I'm not a doctor.)

Also, if you do get the flu vaccine, make sure it is the vaccine that

contains only the dead flu virus and not the Mist. Other parents

here on this discussion group gave me that warning and my

obstetrician, pediatrician, and pulmonologist all confirmed what they

were saying. The Mist contains the live virus and that you

definitely don't want.

Good luck to you, . Hope you have a relatively healthy winter.

/Dayann

> Our newspaper says that caregivers of children with chronic

conditions should NOT get the flu shot, but mothers with babies 6

months and under SHOULD. Both of my kids have already gotten their

shot, but I have not because my doctor doesn't have them in yet. I

was going to get one at the local pharmacy on Thursday, but

the " guidelines " in the paper are telling me I should not get one and

save for those in need. I really, really don't want to get the

flu from me if I get it. She's already had her shot, but that

doesn't mean she won't get it at all. What has everyone else heard

about this?

>

> , Mom to , 4, IgA Deficient, Asthma, Chronic ear/sinus

infections and Connor, 6, still home with strep

>

October 6, 2004

In a message dated 10/6/2004 12:42:46 PM Pacific Standard Time,

dale@... writes:

I assure you that if you stand in line and tell them that you are the

parent of an immune deficient child, you'll get a flu shot!!!

's Peds jumped on this issue yesterday and gave him a flu shot. Since

he has been receiving them, he has never had a bad flu. Once in a while, maybe

a stomach bug...but nothing major. To repeat what I've said before (for the

newcomers) Bri's Ped says: " Flu shots were made for kids like . "

Sandi, Mom to , age 11. Immune Deficiency, Tetrology of Fallot,

Pulmonary Valve transplant, Mitral valve stenosis, chronic ear, nose and throat

infections, asthma, severe allergies (including meds), Carnitine deficiency,

GERD,

suspected Di syndrome.

October 6, 2004

I must have written a confusing message. Both of my kids have had the flu

shot already. They received it about 3 weeks ago when my son had his check-up

appointment. Yes, IgA kids should definitely get the flu shot, as should their

families. We've done it since she was diagnosed. My husband and I haven't

gotten it yet because our doctor hasn't received any.

However, our paper (quoting the CDC) said that only " out-of-house caregivers

of those with an underlying illness " should get the flu shot. I called the CDC,

and they told me that I should not get the shot and save it for someone who fits

the criteria from the list (because of the shortage). They said my daughter

having had the shot is enough.

You're right. I think I'm going to go get one anyway. I don't know why they

determined that as the caregiver to a child with a PID that I should save it for

someone who is " more in need " of the shot.

, Mom to , 4, IgA Deficient, Asthma, Chronic Ear/Sinus Infections and

Connor, 6 (still " strep-ing " )