[totallytheresa]

I just think the whole thing is confusing. Can the scientists be pretty sure that they know the flu strain for this year? Because that's what's confusing to me... do we get it, then have it turn out that strain isn't so prevalent? Or not get it and just hope for the best? Because I have 3 kids, and we have never gotten it- the waiting list was so long last year, that out ped's office said to not bother, to just reenforce with the kids hand washing, etc....

[Shotzie]

Which particular strains are chosen to be in the vaccine is a complicated decision making process that begins after the end of each year's flu season.
It's not an absolute guarantee, but it's the best chance we have to be protected.
And the reason I am for taking a flu shot is that recent studies have shown that it has positive effects on our health that are totally unrelated to the flu.

Did you know that a recent study showed that a flu shot can decrease the incidence of MI's? That a flu shot decreases perinatal deaths of both baby AND mother?? That even if the flu mutates into a different strain than the one in your injection you still get benefit?? (because most flu's are so much alike you might get the different flu but you will feel like you have a cold and not be sick for 2 weeks like with full blown influenza) That for each employee who takes a flu shot a business can save $40. to $70. per person?
That the flu shot has been found to be so safe and effective they are giving it to pregnant women in their FIRST trimester??

These statements are all true and based on studies done in the last 5 years.
Remember, we are intelligent and we are professionals. We understand cause and effect relationships as well as coincidence.

If I drive away from my dentist's office after having my teeth cleaned and have an accident with a tractor trailer it doesn't mean that having my teeth cleaned CAUSED the accident...it was simply a coincidence.
It's the same way with taking a flu shot and developing some weird problem...dandruff, migraines, diarrhea, vaginal itching, eye floaters, personality disorders or out-and-out craziness...those things were not CAUSED by your flu immunization. The viruses are DEAD and can't cause any of those things....but an active mind can!!!

My point continues to be: Make your own decision based on what you believe and want for yourself. But don't spread misinformation to the public. When we do, it affects peoples lives...and like I mentioned in an earlier post, your misinformation may cost someone else thier life!

[group_theory]

Originally Posted by totallytheresa

I just think the whole thing is confusing. Can the scientists be pretty sure that they know the flu strain for this year? Because that's what's confusing to me... do we get it, then have it turn out that strain isn't so prevalent? Or not get it and just hope for the best? Because I have 3 kids, and we have never gotten it- the waiting list was so long last year, that out ped's office said to not bother, to just reenforce with the kids hand washing, etc....

You can never be 100%, but the system in place is pretty effective (annual effectiveness range from 70% up to 95%)

Flu season differs in different parts of the world. The World Health Organization have stations (112 national influenza centres in 83 countries) which collects samples of the flu from their region and send them to labs for study. Usually a new strain will emerge in the far east and slowly spread its way westward.

In February, WHO experts gather to decide which strains to include in the upcoming North American influenza season. This is based on many factors, including which strains are predominate in Asia, Europe, etc. Travel patterns are also taken into account.

For this year, the 2004/2005 North Hemisphere strains are
an A/New Caledonia/20/99(H1N1)-like virus
an A/Fujian/411/2002(H3N2)-like virus
a B/Shanghai/361/2002-like virus


The 2005 Southern Hemisphere strains are
an A/New Caledonia/20/99(H1N1)-like virus;
an A/Wellington/1/2004(H3N2)-like virus;
a B/Shanghai/361/2002-like virus


The reason why you need to take the flu shot annually is due to antigenic drift/shift. The influenza virus is highly mutable, so there are slight changes that occur yearly. This is the reason why last year's flu season was worse than normal. There was a significant antigenic drift from what has been predominate in previous years.

A more major concern is antigenic shift. Epidemiologists believe that influenza antigenic shift coincide with influenza pandemics. The 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic is believed to have killed 20 to 40 million people (more people died from the spanish flu than World War 1 or the bubonic plague of of 1347-1351). The death rate for 15 to 34-year-olds of influenza and pneumonia were 20 times higher in 1918 than in previous years. That's why this current bird flu outbreaks in SE Asia is of concern to WHO and CDC - if under the right condition and circumstances, we might have a new influenza strain that can be transmitted and infective towards humans.

Sorry for this "virology/public health" lecture. Think of it as free education (no tuition) I hoped I answered your question/curiosity.

P.S. Handwashing (esp w/ kids) is always a good idea - don't want to get any virus (flu/cold), bacteria, or parasites like the lovely Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm).

[nursechick182]

My freshman year in college I decided to get a flu shot since I had gotten the flu really bad the last 2 years while I was in high school. That was my first time to get a flu shot. About a week later after getting it, I starting having horrible diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea that lasted for 4 weeks straight. I couldn't eat anything without getting sick right after. It was awful at the time, being in a crowded dorm that used community bathrooms. I have always wondered what the heck caused me to have such horrible stomach problems for that long. I always thought I had a bad reaction to the flu shot or maybe I just ended up getting a really bad case of the stomach flu by coincidence. Has anyone heard of having stomach problems after the shot? I haven't gotten the shot again since, and I haven't gotten the flu either, thank God. My nursing instructors always asked me if I was allergic to eggs or some other subtance in the flu shot that I can't remember the name of now. Anybody else heard of this?

[Shotzie]

Remember, we are intelligent and we are professionals. We understand cause and effect relationships as well as coincidence.

If I drive away from my dentist's office after having my teeth cleaned and have an accident with a tractor trailer it doesn't mean that having my teeth cleaned CAUSED the accident...it was simply a coincidence.
It's the same way with taking a flu shot and developing some weird problem...dandruff, migraines, diarrhea, vaginal itching, eye floaters, personality disorders or out-and-out craziness...those things were not CAUSED by your flu immunization. The viruses are DEAD and can't cause any of those things....but an active mind can!!!

Your symptoms started 1 WEEK AFTER your flu shot...in that time you came into contact with a million different bacteria and viruses. What you are describing is a gastrointestinal illness. Not a reaction to any vaccine. You were probably contaminated with a food borne illness.
What in the world would make you focus on an event that happened 1 week before your symptoms? I bet in the meantime you ate out at restaurants, you touched the door into a public toilet, drank from public water fountains, had soda from ice dispensers that might have had slime in the ice machines, munched on fruit that may have been inadequately washed.

Look up the sx for Salmonella, Shigella, Norwalk and Aurora virus.
Those are a heck of a lot more likely to have caused you illness than a flu vaccine (flu vaccine is DEAD remember?)

[group_theory]

Originally Posted by nursechick182

My freshman year in college I decided to get a flu shot since I had gotten the flu really bad the last 2 years while I was in high school. That was my first time to get a flu shot. About a week later after getting it, I starting having horrible diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea that lasted for 4 weeks straight. I couldn't eat anything without getting sick right after. It was awful at the time, being in a crowded dorm that used community bathrooms. I have always wondered what the heck caused me to have such horrible stomach problems for that long. I always thought I had a bad reaction to the flu shot or maybe I just ended up getting a really bad case of the stomach flu by coincidence. Has anyone heard of having stomach problems after the shot? I haven't gotten the shot again since, and I haven't gotten the flu either, thank God. My nursing instructors always asked me if I was allergic to eggs or some other subtance in the flu shot that I can't remember the name of now. Anybody else heard of this?

I doubt the flu shot had anything to do with the diarrhea. Is it possible that you had a delayed-type hypersensitivity to the shot? Yes, but usually GI involvement of type 4 hypersensitivity is due to eating the allergic substance.

Many things could have contributed to the diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Of the infectious type, Giardia lamblia is the most common cause of water-borne infectious diarrhea. You may have picked up a Giardia cyst from someone in the dorm or school. 7% of stools examined in the US are positive for Giardia cyst. It could also have been Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, E coli, Rotovirus, Norwalk virus, etc
Of the non-infectious causes, it may be lactose intolerance (esp when milk is an ingrediant in food), celiac disease, carcinoid syndrome, pancreatic insufficiency, etc.

Anyway, hope this reply helps.

[Sheri257]

Wow. I'm really surprized and, actually, shocked that people in the health care profession would even debate the merit of vaccines. This is stuff they teach you in basic bio. And has everyone forgotten the vaccines required for nursing school? Certainly there are good reasons for this.

All I can say is: I finally stopped getting the flu every year when I started taking the flu shot.

[nursebedlam]

many folks don't even know about true influenza, l have many people come to me and complain they have influenza, however they drive and walk to get to the surgery to complain. I find that strange.

[Katnip]

Several docs and a microbiologist I've talked to said the vaccines protect mainly against respiratory type flus. You can end up with GI symptoms from them, but if you come down with something all GI, you've picked up some other kind of virus, not the flu you've been vaccinated against.

Not sure if that's true 100% of the time, though.

[Havin' A Party!]

BTW, the nasal spray version of the shot isn't recommended for healthcare workers (or nursing students in clinicals).