Flu shot facts

Shotzie · Sep 7, 2004

Experiencing eye irritation from your contact lens solution is not a contraindication to taking a flu shot(for example: my son and I both have to use thimerisol-free contact solutions but we have been taking a flu shot for years without effects).

But having a history of experiencing a systemic reaction to thimerisol given internally is certainly a reason to avoid the shot.

Everyone must choose for themselves whether or not to take a shot. For some nurses, their personal decision does not affect anyone but themselves. For others (like nurses working with fragile children or in LTC) their decision not to take a shot makes it likely they could carry in the virus to their patients.

But my great concern is the number of nurses who spread general misinformation and fear about the flu shots. It bothers me to no end to see nurses who haven't kept up with what's new, who don't know what they are talking about, and their opinion influences the decisions of the public--and I don't mean with only the flu shot either.

My dearest friend is a nurse who runs the health/nursing side of a large school district in Texas. She has had one nurse who was adamant that the flu shot was dangerous and should never be taken. She told staff members that the vaccines were live and dangerous, and spread many of the harmful rumors about the flu vaccine and vaccines in general. My friend had spoken to her in the past about influencing decisions based on facts and research, even providing the journals and current information as required reading. Last year Texas experienced an early, hard flu season. They had offered the flu shots but on the two campuses this nurse worked in only 3% of the staff took a shot as compared to 62% on the other campuses. Those two campuses were hit so hard with flu the shcools both had to be shut down for a week. They had several of the older staff hospitalized with secondary infections and their cost for this run of flu is 10X that of that seen in other years on those two campuses.

This nurse is not longer working for that district.

QueenNurse · Sep 8, 2004

Shotzie, I totally understand what you mean about nurses spreading misinformation. We have trouble too with our nurses giving telephone advice that is not approved on our protocols. We caught one RN telling her 18 year old patient with asthma that they didn't need to take a flu shot until they were in their 60's :rolleyes: and we had already distributed the CDC's info and our doctor-recommended info that tells who should have a flu shot.

Nurses owe it to their patients, their jobs and their profession to keep up with what's going on in the medical world. Everyone should take at least one professional journal. If you can't afford it, at least get on the Web and cruise the good sites like the CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Diabetes Association, American Liver Foundation, etc, etc. Stay away from the places where the doctor is selling their own products or promoting their own personal agendas in medicine.

As far as people getting Guillian-Barre from a flu shot. That link is nebulous at best. They've never been able to reproduce it or duplicate it in research conditions ever since. The warnings not to take a shot if you have every had anything like G-B is said in a "just to be safe" effort" by the FDA.

And it's very, very rare, even during the swine flu year. It would be highly unlikely for two people in the same city, much less the same dorm to have contracted it.

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2004

That's fascinating...I'll be sure to have my lifelong friend tell her neurologist that she never really had G-B after all.

I never said current vaccines have that impact. I said I was affected by my first hand experience seeing so many people ill after the 70's experience. I don't currently work in direct care nor with fragile populations.

I think it is safe to say there are well respected points of view on either side of this question. I don't get flu shots. I don't tell anyone else what to do nor do I pontificate about it to others. Just my call.

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Sep 9, 2004

... here are the FACTS about the influenza vaccine:
FLU- is influenza. It is not a cold, it is not a stomach virus that lasts 24-48 hours and consists of nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
Flu is a serious illness that consists of severe body aches and fatigue, chills, fever, sore throat, dry cough, nasal congestion, and sometimes, mild nausea or diarrhea. The average American who gets the flu misses 4 or more days of work and feels badly for another 5 days.
The influenza vaccine is 70-90% effective in preventing the flu in young, healthy adults. It can reduce influenza-related death in the elderly by as much as 80%
Palache AM, "Influenza vaccines: a reappraisal of their use.", Drugs 54:841-56, 1997
FLU is a dangerous illness. Millions of people in the United States-about 5% to 20% of U.S. residents-will get influenza each year. An average of about 36,000 people per year in the United States DIE from influenza, and 114,000 per year have to be admitted to the hospital as a result of influenza.
U.S.Center for Disease Control 2004
The FLU shot REALLY works-Those who take the flu shot can expect to have 25% fewer episodes of the flu and other upper respiratory infections, take 43% fewer absences due to illness and have 44% fewer visits to the doctor during the flu season.
New England Journal of Medicine 1995
The FLU shot WILL NOT CAUSE YOU TO GET THE FLU!!!
I don't care what you have heard, I don't care what you have experienced. The viruses in the vaccine ARE DEAD. It cannot give you the flu. If you got a flu shot and then came down with cold symptoms, it wasn't because of the flu shot...it was coincidence, not cause and effect. It takes 2 weeks to develop full immunity to the flu after you get the shot. That's why you take it in early October and flu doesn't have it's greatest activity until December (usually).
Also, it is possible that you might take a shot and still get the flu. But you will feel like you have a cold instead of being on your butt for 2 weeks. That's because a flu shot will still offer partial protection even if you are infected with a completely different strain of flu than is in the vaccine this year.
CDC, 12/03
The FLU shot is very safe- It is so safe it is even being recommended for pregnant women, nursing mothers and babies.
"Vaccines in pregnancy". Munoz FM - Infect Dis Clin North Am
It's better to take the Flu Shot than to wait until you have the disease and take antivirals. The flu shot is about $20.00 from commercial flu clinics, is usually free when taken at work and costs only your copay when you go to your doctor. The antivirals only work if you start them within 48 hours after the onset of symptoms, you will still miss a day or so of work because the meds only shorten the flu, not eliminate it. The antivirals only work against the A strain of flu virus, they are very expensive (approx. $75 to $150 per RX, depending upon how long you are on it).
Get your FLU shot-your heart will thank you!- Two studies suggest that a flu shot might protect you not only against the misery of the flu, but against a heart attack or stroke as well.
Harvard Heart Letter | October 2002...

Shotzie -- Thanks for the post! Trying to understand the source(s) of the info.

Is the above of a conglomeration of published works which you assembled for us? Or was it all put together by the USDC? Or neither of the above?

Appreciate the clarification.

movealong · Sep 9, 2004

The CDC and the WHO formulates the flu vaccine every year, targeting the 3 main strains that they think will be the most prevelant that year. They have a success rate of >90% in this.

The flu vaccine will not shorten the course of the flu if you get it. It's not designed to do that. Nor does it provide protection from every flu strain, again, it's not designed for that, just the 3 strains it was formulated for. I'm very surprised to read some of the comments here, where this knowledge seems to be lacking.

This year's vaccine protects against: A/Fujian, A/New Caledonia, B/Shanghai

strains.

As for the question of the vaccine and thimerosal:

Thimerosal is a very effective preservative that has been used since the 1930s to prevent contamination in some multi-dose vials of vaccines (preservatives are not required for vaccines in single dose vials). Thimerosal contains approximately 49% ethylmercury. There is no convincing evidence of harm caused by the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines, except for minor reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site. However, in July 1999 the Public Health Service (PHS) agencies, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precautionary measure.

Today, with the exception of some flu vaccines, none of the vaccines used in the U.S. to protect preschool children against 12 infectious diseases contain thimerosal as a preservative

AND:

Influenza vaccine is currently available both with thimerosal as a preservative and preservative-free. For the 2004-05 influenza season, it is likely that 6-8 million doses of inactivated influenza vaccine without thimerosal as a preservative will be available.

AND:

A study of influenza vaccination examining over 2,000 pregnant women demonstrated no adverse fetal effects associated with influenza vaccine. Case reports and limited studies indicate that pregnancy can increase the risk for serious medical complications of influenza. One study found that out of every 10,000 women in their third trimester of pregnancy during an average flu season, 25 will be hospitalized for flu related complications.

Additionally, influenza-associated excess deaths among pregnant women have been documented during influenza pandemics. Because pregnant women are at increased risk for influenza-related complications and because a substantial safety margin has been incorporated into the health guidance values for organic mercury exposure, the benefits of influenza vaccine with reduced or standard thimerosal content outweighs the theoretical risk, if any, of thimerosal.

Of course each person has the right to make their own decision about receiving the flu vaccine. I personally got them every year when I was in hospitals and clinics.

I am fairly sure the thimerosal free flu vaccines are safe, of course, for those with thimerosal allergies.

movealong · Sep 9, 2004

Is a thermisol-free version of the flu vaccine available? The Hep B vaccine is available in a thermisol-free formula for vaccination of infants less than 2 months of age. Just curious ...

Yes, thimerosal free flu vaccines are available.

"Today, with the exception of some influenza vaccine, none of the vaccines used to protect preschool children against 12 infectious diseases contain thimerosal as a preservative."

movealong · Sep 9, 2004

AS GB syndrome:

In 1976, vaccination with the swine flu vaccine was associated with getting GBS. Several studies have been done to evaluate if other flu vaccines since 1976 were associated with GBS. Only one of the studies showed an association. That study suggested that one person out of 1 million vaccinated persons may be at risk of GBS associated with the vaccine.

movealong · Sep 9, 2004

http://www.fda.gov/cber/vaccine/thimerosal.htm#intro

mscsrjhm · Sep 9, 2004

Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative found in vaccines. It is also found in many contact lens solutions. I have had horrible reactions to thimerosal in the lens solutions, which may account for my weakened immunity after receiving vaccines.
An allergy to thimerosal is an absolute contraindication to receiving the flu shot.
True, it is contraindicated. I am lucky, I never developed a full blown allergy.
I had reactions to thimerosal via contacts, and do not eat eggs-eggs cause severe GI distress. I DO, however, take a flu shot every year. Other than a very sore, reddened arm for a few days, I have no other reactions.

Shotzie · Sep 10, 2004

I tried to be clear about the sources of my information by notating them under the info. I maintain a flu shot file of current recommendations and research. Some of the articles were found by doing a web search and some was found doing an article search at our medical library. You can find much of the same by searching the web with search words such as "flu shot, children--flu shot, pregnancy--flu shot, nursing mothers--flu shot, elderly"

KaroSnowQueen, RN · Sep 10, 2004

When I worked LTC, every year we would give out flu shots. Every year, there would be one or two very fragile little people whose families would say be sure to give Grandma/pa the flu shot, we don't want them to get sick. :uhoh21: Without fail, those one or two would become dreadfully ill right after the flu shot with flu like symptoms and at least one of them would die. :crying2:

Anybody can say whatever they want to about the flu shot doesn't give you the flu, but I know what I had observed for ten years, and that's the way it was every year.

I have never taken a flu shot and don't intend to. And if I had a little fragile grandparent, I wouldn't let them take it either.

Not saying that's what everybody should do, but that's where my observations have led me.

ed9999 · Sep 10, 2004

Last October I was in my last semester of Nursing School, for one of my classes I volunteered to give flu shots at a local hospital.While there I thought it a good idea to get the vaccine as well and I did. Later that afternoon I developed a white spot that travelled across my left eye and later had a headache for about five days. I do get migraine headaches about two times a year with a flash of light for an aura at the begining of the headache. My migraines only last 24-36 hrs.The headache that I suffered after the flu shot was not like the migraines that I get. Along with the pain in my head I also experienced dizzyness and just did not feel like myself. I later found out that at least one other person had the same thing happen to them.I am 99% sure that I will not get another flu shot this or in any other year. If anyone out there knows of this type of reaction and why it happens please respond.