Flu shot? shingles

saddletramp

saddletramp

Line Up and Wait
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saddletramp
I did my second class medical renewal in September & all was fine. My dear wife however, insisted that I have my annual physical with our family doctor "just in case" All was fine.

My doctor insisted that I have a flu shot. He's given me one for the last five or so years.

He also gave me a prescription for a shot for shingles. I'm not too sure if I need that one.

How many of you do the flu shot? Shingle shot?
 
If you had chicken pox in the past, shingles shot is highly recommended. There's a new one out that's 90% effective at prevention.
 
I get a flu shot every year. The cost/benefit/risk analysis is pretty simple. Cost is near zero, benefit is preventing a week or more lost to illness, risk is nearly zero since it’s a dead virus vaccine. There’s some discomfort with the shot.

Last time I talked to doc about shingles vaccine he was dismissive because of reported effectiveness was below 50%. I’ve known a few folks who had shingles and it doesn’t sound like fun. Maybe the new vaccine is better.
 
Had both. Daughter had shingles and it wasn’t nice. Get the flu shot every year.

Cheers
 
Flu shot required for work every year and they pay.

Pharmacy this year said Shingles not until 55 so I got awhile before I need that one.
 
Had Shingles 10 years ago. Seriously considered a nerve block even at the risk of death. Luckily it cleared up that week.

If there is anything you can do to even try to prevent it you should.
 
Velocity173 said:
Flu shot required for work every year and they pay.

Pharmacy this year said Shingles not until 55 so I got awhile before I need that one.
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I had shingles at 49. Unless there is a downside, I'd say get the shot now, rather than later.
 
OK, here's the deals:
- flu shot, although somewhat less effective this year than most - it can provide protection agsinst contracting influenza, lessen its intensity; and in my mind most importantly, the more people receive it the less likely an influenza epidemic to occur (public health concern). Someone here will be along shortly with their N=1 anecdote that the shot gave them the flu, etc, etc - pay attention to the science, not them.
- shingles vaccine - approximately 30% of adults will have an attack of shingles in their lifetime if not vaccinated, not infrequently with significant morbidity; the current vaccine (one shot) IS indeed only about 50% effective, but running the numbers is still highly recommended; the new vaccine (two shots) is, according to my PharmD friend , expected on shelves in January with approx 90% reported efficacy. I've gotten the old shot and will be first in line for the second shots. Someone here will be along shortly with some BS conspiracy theory involving Big Pharma and shingles vaccine
 
i pass on the flu shot every year...’they’ always seem to guess wrong about the strain. a buddy and my father-in-lawhad shingles a few years and i did not want to go thru that agony so both my wife and i did the shingles vaccine.
 
I never get the flu shot. The flu bugs change every year and the vaccine manufactures are always chasing them and trying to guess which will be the ones that matter. They give you misleading statistics like it is 50% effective against a certain virus but don't tell you that your flu might not be that particular virus. It also is less effective in the elderly which is the exact population most at risk for complications of the flu. Possibly getting the vaccine every year might have adverse health consequences and there are risks such as guillaine barre syndrome. Other countries are finding these problems but we cannot do such studies in the U.S. because the government insists everyone get vaccinated, and it's a big money maker for the drug companies which being a capitalist I have no problem with per se but after finding out about the very corrupt connections between certain politicians and drug companies now, I do not trust the recommendation to get a flu shot every year to actually be in my best interest.

The shingles on the other hand I did get. It also has questionable effectiveness at preventing shingles altogether (not much better than 50%) but if you do get it the risk of post hermetic neuralgia is reduced. That is the real problem with shingles - you do not want that- and so if the vaccine reduces the chance of that even a little I am going for it. Having said that the best weapon against shingles is to keep a supply of valacyclovir or equivalent in your medicine cabinet and begin treatment stat if you break out in shingles.
 
wrbix said:
OK, here's the deals:
- flu shot, although somewhat less effective this year than most - it can provide protection agsinst contracting influenza, lessen its intensity; and in my mind most importantly, the more people receive it the less likely an influenza epidemic to occur (public health concern). Someone here will be along shortly with their N=1 anecdote that the shot gave them the flu, etc, etc - pay attention to the science, not them.
- shingles vaccine - approximately 30% of adults will have an attack of shingles in their lifetime if not vaccinated, not infrequently with significant morbidity; the current vaccine (one shot) IS indeed only about 50% effective, but running the numbers is still highly recommended; the new vaccine (two shots) is, according to my PharmD friend , expected on shelves in January with approx 90% reported efficacy. I've gotten the old shot and will be first in line for the second shots. Someone here will be along shortly with some BS conspiracy theory involving Big Pharma and shingles vaccine
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My neighborhood drug pusher (also PhD pharmacology) and my GP recommend the new 2x shingles shot. I had the old style about 5+ yrs ago. Will be getting the new one.
 
A colleague of mine got shingles in her face. Destroyed her eye and facial muscles, now she looks like a cross between Moshe Dayan and Sylvester Stallone. I should get the damn shot.
 
steingar said:
A colleague of mine got shingles in her face. Destroyed her eye and facial muscles, now she looks like a cross between Moshe Dayan and Sylvester Stallone. I should get the damn shot.
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Yep! I've read what it can do to the eye. Viruses are horrible evil little life forms.
 
My local grocery store gives a 10% discount on grocery purchases when you get your flu shot there. Thanks to Obamacare, preventive medicine is covered by your insurance plan, so there is no additional out-of-pocket expense for you. It takes about ten minutes to fill out the form and get the shot. So I basically get paid at a rate of $120/hour to get mine. Sometimes I have a day or so of soreness, but it’s not bad. I’m around a lot of older people, so if I can reduce the chances of them dying of the flu—and get paid for it—it’s worth it to me.
 
Unless you're in a risk category for dying from the flu, it's a waste. They are always just guessing at which strain it's going to be anyway, and if you look at the number of different strains, well, your odds in Vegas are probably better. I think it's just another scheme by big pharma to pull more money out of your pocket, even if it is only a few bucks. My opinion is that the less big pharma is able to get into you, the better off you are. Besides, having the flu isn't the end of the world. Just a few days staying home and resting, watching movies on the TV.

Now, shingles is a different story. But only if you've had chicken pox. My father had shingles, and it was not fun. If I had ever had chicken pox, I'd be getting the shingles vaccine without a doubt.
 
I got both at my physical about a month ago. Didn’t see any downside to either.
 
I don't do shots for the sake of shots, I also tend to get sick less than lots of my friends.

Unless it could kill or maim me I don't like to get things injected into my body, but stuff like yellow fever and the like, I'll get those shots.
 
James331 said:
I don't do shots for the sake of shots, I also tend to get sick less than lots of my friends.
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I usually get shots when they are recommended, and I also tend to get sick less than many of my friends, so that is not a good way to judge.
 
James331 said:
I don't do shots for the sake of shots, I also tend to get sick less than lots of my friends.
.
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.....but think of the children!
Seriously, the more vaccination penetrates a population, less risk to population in general, especially the vulnerable and frail.
It is not all about you.
 
Everskyward said:
I usually get shots when they are recommended, and I also tend to get sick less than many of my friends, so that is not a good way to judge.
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Agree wholeheartedly. People need to stop making decisions on basis of N=1
 
wrbix said:
.....but think of the children!
Seriously, the more vaccination penetrates a population, less risk to population in general, especially the vulnerable and frail.
It is not all about you.
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When it comes to putting stuff into my body, yes, it IS all about me.

But if you want to get shots to "protect" yourself from me, that's your right.

Again, for the gnarly stuff I'm vaccinated, with the traveling I've done Im probably better vaccinated against the real killer stuff than most Americans, that said I don't get injections just because someone says jump, and with my track record of health what I'm doing has historically worked for my body, so it's going to take a MUCH better sales pitch.
 
OK - a hypothetical: you have children and a high morbidity/highly contagious measles epidemic is spreading worldwide, would you support the decision of your child's schoolmate's parents to refuse to have their child vaccinated for same and insist they continue to attend school?
 
wrbix said:
OK - a hypothetical: you have children and a high morbidity/highly contagious measles epidemic is spreading worldwide, would you support the decision of your child's schoolmate's parents to refuse to have their child vaccinated for same and insist they continue to attend school?
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I support the right of a parent to do what he/she believes is in the best interest of their child. but I also strongly believe that if those parents want their child to interact with my children (all of whom are hypothetical), your children, anyone else in a public setting then those children should have the vaccinations required by law. the wife and I have had the shingles vax a few years back and will ask about the newer vax when we see our doc in a week or so. we both do not get the flu vax for reasons previously stated but would do so if required by law or exigent circumstances.
 
Certainly it is everyone's right to decline vaccinations that are beneficial to the public health, but sleep well at night if/when the influenza pandemic occurs, killing many particularly the frail and those less well served by our health care system.
<shaking head and shuffling off, again>
 
James331 said:
Again, for the gnarly stuff I'm vaccinated, with the traveling I've done Im probably better vaccinated against the real killer stuff than most Americans, that said I don't get injections just because someone says jump, and with my track record of health what I'm doing has historically worked for my body, so it's going to take a MUCH better sales pitch.
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I'm on my 3rd CDC card in the last 13 years.
 
wrbix said:
OK - a hypothetical: you have children and a high morbidity/highly contagious measles epidemic is spreading worldwide, would you support the decision of your child's schoolmate's parents to refuse to have their child vaccinated for same and insist they continue to attend school?
Click to expand...
Maybe not so hypothetical. As I recall a Rubella vaccination was required for school attendance sometime in the early-to-mid 70s. I think there was an opt out clause but then the children could be required to not attend school. I'm sure laws varied by state. Anyway we all had to line up and get stuck by the vaccination gun sorta like the ones used to treat cattle (hey, it was farm country). I'm sure there was no chance of a dirty needle with those guns (sarcasm there folks).
 
rk911 said:
CDC card?
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Clark1961 said:
vaccination record - handy if yer traveling a lot and to places that require specific vaccinations. I've got an old one around here somewhere...
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What he said. Also called a yellow card.

When traveling to Burkina Faso, all the disembarking passengers had to show their shot record, proving they had a yellow fever shot, before heading to passport control. I haven't run into any other places that required a shot card to be shown upon arrival, but I have had to send copies of it in to get a visa.
 
I’ve gotten the flu once and it was the same year I got the flu shot. Everyone in my household got the flu this year except me and 3 of them had shots.
 
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