The flu shot making people sick

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

It's not my intention to start a debate on the flu shot, but I'm afraid it's going to happen in this thread. Oh well, here we go....

I work in the ER. About 6 nurses were talking last evening about the flu shot. The vaccination is highly encouraged at out hospital, but not required. 4 of the nurses said they would not get it and all four INSISTED that flu shots make them deathly ill. One nurse even said that when she worked in oncology, she was required to get the flu shot and then "spent the next 3 days curled up in bed." The next year, when required to get the shot, an oncology doctor told her the shot would not make her sick, but she told the doc "yeah right, I spent 3 days in bed with a high fever...there is no way you are making me take that again."

I don't want a debate about someone's right to refuse the flu shot; however, I was stunned by the level of ignorance by these nurses. There are reasons to not get the shot, but saying "the shot makes me sick" is not one of them.

OK, so that was a rant....just try and resist the urge to argue for or against required flu shots.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Our hospital requires all staff to get a flu shot. If you don't, you can be dismissed. That alone kind of peeves me off. Nevertheless, I get one without complaint, even though I'm generally a "less is better" type of person when it comes to immunizations (none of my kids get immunized until they're between 5-12 years, and only selective vaccines). I agree with you WRT the widely held belief that the flu shot makes people sick.

[brownbook]

Read "Vaccinated....One Man's Quest to Defeat the World's Deadliest Diseases."

[in 1919] "Maurice Hillerman's mother died a day after he was born, and his twin sister stillborn. As an adult he said that he felt he had escaped an appointment with death. He made it his life's work to see that others could do the same..........his goal of eliminating childhood disease.

But never mind science, lets not let facts get in our way.....we all know the big bad medical/scientific/pharmaceutical complex is just out to make money, the health of the public be dammed.

I have always gotten the flu shot. I have never been sick.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

According to the CDC's updated vax sheet, fever is one of the possible side effects from the flu vaccine. So, yes, you may feel unwell for a couple days after the shot, but you wont get the flu from the vax.

[AgentBeast, BSN, RN]

I haven't gotten sick and I haven't fallen over dead from any vaccine I've ever received.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

It amazes me how many educated people refuse vaccines.. Seriously??? I am all about preventing disease. If you can create a safe vaccine against deadly disease why not get it? There are those who cannot due to illness, medication, and allergies. The rest of us have no excuse. Why would you risk dying or suffering permanent damage from something that could have been prevented?

[tokebi]

The horror of people dying left and right from infectious diseases has become such a distant memory that people simply forget why we have vaccines to begin with. Instead, it's become a political issue, ethical issue, even a personal issue. It's ridiculous. It used to be life-or-death issue! I'm afraid people won't see that until a serious wave of breakout happens and people witness the tragedy with their own eyes.

[June55Baby]

Last October, my then 10 month old grandson received his first flu vaccine on a Tuesday and by Friday night was having full blown witnessed, video-taped focal seizures.

After being hospitalized for a week and having EEGs, an MRI, and several other neurological tests, the seizures stopped as quickly as they started and to this date he has never had another seizure. The diagnosis? Focal seizures caused by the influenza vaccine and a warning against further flu vaccines.

Needless to say, my daughter refuses to have ANY further vaccinations for him AND his twin sister and all I can say after that nightmarish week last October is, I can't argue with her.

On the other hand, I get a flu vaccine EVERY year and have since 1976. Have never had a reaction other than a little sore arm and very slight fever on one occasion.

[emilydalton89]

I was told by my Doctor that I could possibly have "mild" flu symptoms for a few days after the flu shot.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Needless to say, my daughter refuses to have ANY further vaccinations for him AND his twin sister and all I can say after that nightmarish week last October is, I can't argue with her.

Guess she plans to homeschool exclusively?

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I was told by my Doctor that I could possibly have "mild" flu symptoms for a few days after the flu shot.

Fever and body aches are "mild flu-like symptoms", but of course does NOT mean you've got a mild case of the flu. Or got "sick" from the vaccine; rather, they're normal reactions TO the vaccine.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I am extremely thankful that I work in a facility where NONE of my staff refuses the vaccine, or even dislikes the idea. No one is required to get the shot, but they understand that should they refuse and at some point exhibit symptoms of illness, they will be relieved of their duties--read: no work--until 48 hours after the last symptom disappears. Actually, everyone WANTS the shot!