Lots of reactions to the flu vax this year

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RNfaster

488 Posts

My doc declined to give me one this week as I am ill with upper respiratory. I found it interesting that he would say, this year it would really make you worse......

Hmmm... I'd like to better understand why. Maybe (per my very basic understanding of microbiology), because your immune system would be "distracted" by the invaders --even though they are dead. If that is the case, then maybe that's why some folks get sick --they have a mild case of something else and then get the flu vaccine, which "distracts" their immune system.

I'm curious if anyone has some reference material on the above. I'd like to learn more. Will google it later.

ebear, BSN, RN

934 Posts

Specializes in Med-Surg/Peds/O.R./Legal/cardiology.

sharona, hope you feel better soon 'punkin!

RNfaster

488 Posts

Anybody know which strains this year the vaccine is covering?

Influenza A - Solomon Islands/3/2006 (H1N1)-like

Influenza A - Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2)-like

Influenza B - Malaysia/2506/2004-like antigen

"(T)he strains of the influenza aiming for North America appear to be drifting and mutating, raising questions about how much protection this year's flu vaccine will offer.

The process of creating the annual flu shot is a complicated one and actually begins almost a year ahead of time. The World Health Organization monitors flu activity around the world, looking for predominant strains. As flu viruses reproduce, they often trigger slight changes in their genetic code, which scientists call antigenic drift."

...

"The WHO then selects the strains that they think are most likely to predominate in the northern hemisphere. They generally select three -- two subtypes of influenza A viruses and one influenza B virus-- to go into the vaccines to be used the following fall and winter.

Each year, authorities change one or two of the three strains in the vaccine, which is why it is important to get a new flu shot every year to ensure protection against the most recent strains."

"No drug or vaccine is ever 100 per cent effective and this year's vaccine won't be a perfect match either. But scientists point out that the antibodies the vaccine helps produce will offer some immunity over whatever strains do arrive.

"In recent seasons, even where there has been a vaccine mismatch, the vaccine can afford 40-50 per cent protection," says Dr. Theresa Tam of the Public Health Agency of Canada.

And some protection is better than none, especially for the elderly, she says, for whom the flu can actually be fatal."

(http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071024/flu_shot_071024/20071024/)

MisMatch, LPN

146 Posts

Specializes in geriatrics.

My concern/question - I'm 51 y/o, never had the flu, never had a flu vaccine. I work at an ALF, and start clinicals in January. Should I get the vaccine?? Thanks.

RNfaster

488 Posts

My concern/question - I'm 51 y/o, never had the flu, never had a flu vaccine. I work at an ALF, and start clinicals in January. Should I get the vaccine?? Thanks.

I'd talk to your doctor about it. When I talked to mine, she was definite in her recommendation because I have asthma. She also gave me a pneumonia vaccine.

I am not answering your question directly as I don't think we're supposed to do that on this board, and also because I am nowhere near qualified to do so. --But if you look at the data on the flu shot http://www.cdc.gov/flu/ and http://www.who.int/csr/disease/influenza/en/, etc., it's a good bet for many. Folks that have allergies to eggs should not take it (as it is usually in a solution derived from eggs), and folks that are currently sick should not take it.

Fiona59

8,343 Posts

The only thing we've noticed is that this year we are having more people with blood "trickles" after we finish the injection. We've all aspirated but it seems like every othr person bleeds.

carrie13

79 Posts

I felt tired and had a temp around 101 for a couple days after my flu shot this year.

flightnurse2b, LPN

1 Article; 1,496 Posts

Specializes in EMS, ER, GI, PCU/Telemetry.

i never get a flu shot.. the one year i did i was sicker than ever! the majority of trouble ive seen though from flu shots is either people that are (usually unknowingly) sensitive to eggs or egg products...even though its a "dead" virus, its still egg protein... the ENT doc i go to was offering the flu vax in a nose spray this year, but i'll take my chances..

Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

Of the 15 of us who got our flu shot this year at my clinic, all of us felt like our arms had been ran over by a truck the next day. Only one person had flu-like symptoms.

We have noticed a lot of blood trickling as well this time around.

luvmy3kids

675 Posts

My youngest dd is 2 1/2 yrs. She had the flu shot on Saturday and started a low fever by Tues. night. She's had a fever since Tues and today it's been up to 102+. She puked all over the kitchen floor (so I attributed her fever to a stomach bug), but now after reading this thread and thinking about it.... I'm not so sure...

My other 2 kids have been fine so far. We shall see I guess.

Jo Dirt

3,270 Posts

and people think I'm paranoid for not getting one.....never got one and never plan on it....

I have had people say they took a flu shot and got sicker than they had ever been, therefore they would not take another one.

I had to give two flu shots when I was doing HH and one of the patients ended up in the hospital.

Then, I hear people say the shots have never bothered them, though I've never had one and never will.

woody62, RN

928 Posts

Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.

I have gotten the flu shot every year since the 1976 swine flu vaccination. The only time I have ever gotten the flu was in 1976. The swine flu vaccination covered the wrong strains that year. I got my flu shot three weeks ago and suffered no ill effects, as usual.

Woody:balloons:

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