Do you get the flu vaccine? What about your kids?

[blondflava]

DD got her flu vaccine today (we were going to the doctor just to check her ears before a flight and she had the vaccines already in stock). DH and I will probably get ours sometime in October.. How about you? Do you get them or skip?

[Twoboos]

We skip. Even though I had flu-like symptoms for a few days last winter, I will still skip.

I don't have a concrete or compelling reason why. We just don't do it. :shrug:

[SnuggleBuggles]

Just thinking about this. We have gotten it for the kids almost every year they've been eligible. I consider not doing it every year b/c I'm not convinced it's good or necessary (otherwise normal, healthy kids). I know there are risks and benefits to either option.

Dh and I don't get it. The one year he got it was the only year he got the flu ever. Probably a coincidence though none of the rest got the shot or the flu. I got the flu 3 years ago and it sucked but not enough to make me get the shot the next year.

Beth

[JBaxter]

No we do not never have and never will.
Not me, DH or the boys. My mother, sister and brother are all ER/ first responders and all decline the flu vaccine.
The rate of accuracy of the flu vaccines never impressed me much

[mom2binsd]

The kids and I do, I do especially because I work in nursing homes. I've never had the flu and I don't have any side effects from the vax.

[waitingforgrace]

Yes we all do. I have had 2 cases of horrible flu one of which landed me in the hospital when I was 18. Convinced me to "take my chances" on the vax.

[eh613c]

I never had the flu vaccine. DH had the flu vaccine when I was pregnant the first time and he still got the flu....and then he gave it to me. Since then he hasn't gotten one. The kids get the vaccine.

[hillview]

Kids do all the time. I do most of the time (might have missed once in the last 10 years). DH does maybe every other year (just doesn't get around to it). My parents both do 100%
/hillary

[infomama]

Kids do. I used to as I have asthma (mild but still) but last year I skipped it and I was fine. DH never gets it.

[pinkmomagain]

We all get them, every single one of us. No time to get the flu.

[kerridean]

We all get them, always.

[georgiegirl]

We all do. Dh is a physician and works in oncology, so he's around some nasty bugs. Im not sure how well it works. 2 years ago I landed in the hospital with pneumnia for 5 days despite getting both the regular shot and the h1n1 shot.

[sweetsue98]

We all do! I am exposed to so many people on daily basis and also expecting. I would hate to get the flu.

[dogmom]

I got it this morning leaving work. I'm a RN in an ICU, I would consider it unprofessional bordering on unethical not to get it. I also have my kids and husband get it. He whine about it and I told him he was going to have no sympathy from me and have to take care of the kids sick if he got the flu without having the vaccine. Sure, it's not always 100% effective, but it is effective most of the times and it certainly helps that whole herd immunity thing. You never know when you are going to be the unlucky statistic for the flu.

[icunurse]

The kids received theirs last week. I will get mine as soon as my worksite administers it. DH will get it soon, too. My hospital, part of one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S. is requiring everyone to get the flu shot. Last year, you had to sign to opt-out. This year, you need a note from a doctor saying you have a medical reason not to get it or you need to be prepared to go before a board to explain your religious reason against it. I guess the chance of some increased protection is better than none, especially if you are taking care of sick and immune-suppressed people (and dealing with icky visitors!).

[ellies mom]

The girls and I always get one and I usually try to get the husband in to get one as well.

[BabyDahl]

Yes and yes. Like dogmom, I work in a setting where it would be nearly unethical for me not to get vaccinated (hospital with solid organ/bone marrow transplant and oncology patients). I receive it every year and I will get it for DD at her next appt.

[khalloc]

I dont get it. But I always have mu kids get it.

[KHF]

None of us get it. The only year we all got the vaccine, we all got the flu (plus H1N1).

[wendibird22]

Yes we all do. DH and I didn't before kids but we have every year since. DH works in elementary and I in higher ed so we are in contact with sick kids and sick young adults frequently. Both girls are in daycare full time so also exposed to lots of sickness. We spend enough sick days with stomach bugs and other viruses so we try to prevent what we can. Plus DD2 was an RSV baby who also has chronic ear infections that resulted in tubes. She catches e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.

[brittone2]

No (us) and no (for the kids).

In the past, when I was working in EI I did get it, but I haven't since that time and have no plans to.

[daisymommy]

No one in our family does.
I don't think they work, and I don't like the chemicals in them.
DH and I got the flu shot for 10 years, and every.single.time. ended up with "flu like symptoms" so severe we had to stay home from work, within 48 hrs. of the shot. What was the point of getting it? And neither of us believe that it could be a coincidence that we got sick for 10 years straight right afterwards.
Since stopping it (5 years ago), no one in our family has gotten the flu, except DS got it one year.

Fwiw...the year that everyone was getting H1N1 shots, they were given out at DS school (with parental permission). DS didn't get it. A huge portion of the school ended up getting H1N1 and nearly closed down one week. DS was still healthy as a horse.

[Moneypenny]

None of us get the flu shot. None of us are immune compromised, I don't believe the shots are very effective, and I don't like all the extra stuff that ends up getting injected into your body.

[Jo..]

I hate flu vaccines with a passion. Both times DH and I got the vax, we got horrible "flu like symptoms" for a week.

I'd rather roll the dice and get the flu once every 5 or 6 years than get the vax and be GUARANTEED to be sick every year, and still have a decent chance of getting the actual flu, since the vax developers are only guessing what this year's most common strains will be.

The last flu that we all had was swine flu (2 years ago?), DD and I were REALLY sick, DS and DH had very mild symptoms.

[m448]

no flu vaccine for any of us. My DH is one that used to get the flu each year he'd get the vaccine then he stopped getting them once we met. I've gotten the flu twice in my life. In fact, the last time I got it I was 6 weeks pregnant and I'm a former childhood asthmatic with sometimes symptoms. I had the shivering fever, the inability to get out of bed for several days but my midwife told me to superdose on vitamin C and zinc (giving me dosages) and plenty of fluids plus rest. I was fine.

I stock up on occilo, I keep plenty of vitamin C around, bone broth in the freezer, I have wellness herbs mixed and ready to go for immune boosting tea and this year I'm adding a homemade elderberry tincture to the med cabinet. Those are my go to first response items since I know they work.

[bubbaray]

We all get the flu vax, every year. DD#1 and I have asthma, so the flu is quite serious for us. ETA: I've been getting the flu vax for 20 yrs or so and have never gotten sick from it. None of us have ever had flu symptoms after getting the shot. The most we've had is a sore arm.

[BabyBearsMom]

We all get it. The one year DH and I didn't get the vaccine we both got the flue (pre DD). This isn't a stuffy nose or a headache, this is the hard core, honest to god, think you are going to die, flu. DH and I were so sick, we could not get out of bed to walk to the bathroom. If it weren't for my mom coming and nursing us, we would have had to check ourselves into the hospital. I have never been so sick in my entire life. I was too sick to watch television. I was too sick to sleep. My mom had to force feed us chicken broth because we were to sick to eat. I will never ever skip the vaccine again.

[arivecchi]

We all get it every single year and no one has experienced flu like symptoms.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

We all get it every single year and no one has experienced flu like symptoms.

:yeahthat:

i used to never get the flu vax, then 3 yrs ago i got the flu, then gave it to DH. it royally sucked. we both worked from home, but still managed to get it somehow. decided to roll the dice next time that i was preggo with DS, and had no probs whatsoever. past 2 times i've been getting it i was pregnant and i never had any problems or reactions whatsoever. dh and ds got it too, and no probs at all. did not want to deal with the flu and kids.

[egoldber]

Older DD gets it every year because of her asthma.

When younger DD was born, a preemie and then with RSV at 9 weeks, we all got them for the 2 winters after that.

I haven't decided if I will get one this year or not. They do them free at my work, but this year's vax is the same as last year's.

[lowrioh]

Get it EVERY year. DH and I had a really bad case of the flu when we were in college and were almost hospitalized. DH had the flu two years ago (no flu shot) and he was miserable. This year we will all get it.

[daniele_ut]

I'm REALLY torn about it this year. I used to get them regularly pre-kids and we both got one the year DS was born because he had respiratory distress at birth. Since then, though, we have not. I'm supposed to deliver this baby at 36 weeks in December, so there is a possibility that he may also have respiratory distress. Ugh.

[StantonHyde]

DH and I both work in hospitals so we are required to have them. The kids get them too because we don't want them getting whatever we bring home. None of us has ever gotten sick from the vax. DS got H1N1 in the summer before the vax was available--not fun.

[maestramommy]

yes, we all get them every year. Initially because it always seems like there's an infant under 6 months in the house. But once they pass 1 yo they get it too. Too many old people touching them at church, and I don't want MY kids infecting THEM! Plus my preschooler goes to class with kids who are immunocompromised.

[NewfieNat]

Yes. We all do, every year. DD is on an immuno-suppressant (low dose of a chemo drug) and we take NO chances. Every fever lands her in the ER.

[brittone2]

OP, you may be interested in looking at some of the Cochrane Database reviews on influenza vaccine.
http://www.cochranejournalclub.com/vaccines-for-preventing-influenza-clinical/

http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab001269.html

http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab004879.html (not sure if this has been updated since the original update in 2007)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20166073

these types of review studies have their limitations, obviously, but in many cases, the original studies have their own limitations

for example:
from http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab001269.html (emphasis mine)
This review includes 15 out of 36 trials funded by industry (four had no funding declaration). An earlier systematic review of 274 influenza vaccine studies published up to 2007 found industry funded studies were published in more prestigious journals and cited more than other studies independently from methodological quality and size. Studies funded from public sources were significantly less likely to report conclusions favorable to the vaccines. The review showed that reliable evidence on influenza vaccines is thin but there is evidence of widespread manipulation of conclusions and spurious notoriety of the studies. The content and conclusions of this review should be interpreted in light of this finding.

eta: they also have a review on impact on asthmatics

[HannaAddict]

All of us do, I have since I was pregnant first time. Haven't got flu since and had several horrible flu episodes before. Not hospitalized or anything but if don't need to get it and risk to my little ones is real, glad to have modern medicine. Have not got it this year, not sure pediatric doses are in yet and it is early.

[AnnieW625]

No, and I have asthma; it was never pushed until about 10-12 yrs. ago and at that point I'd had asthma for about 10 yrs so I didn't see the point.

I got it once 2 yrs. ago when I was pregnant, and I also got swine flu one too because a pregnant mom died of swine flu near us, but honestly I regretted getting that one because I got a mild case of swine flu myself (bad head cold, lots of wheezing, mild fever, and chest infection). I will not get another flu shot if I can help it. If swine flu hadn't been around I probably wouldn't have gotten even the regular flu shot.

DD1 has gotten flu shots maybe 3 times in 5 yrs and won't get one this year. She got one at 8 months and I never got her the follow up, she got one the following year I think, and then she got one 2 yrs. ago only because I was pregnant. I do not plan to have her vaccinated again until she can make a decision on her own, so maybe 13?

DD2 has never had a flu shot and I don't plan on her getting one either.

I don't think DH has ever gotten one either, and in 2009 there were shortages of both so he didn't even get one then.

[ThreeofUs]

We usually don't - the accuracy just isn't there - but this year we will.

[Kindra178]

We all will. I have always gotten it because of my asthma. Dh gets it free at work (I think I can too, I just never seem to pay attention when they offer it). Boys have always gotten it and will always get it due to asthma as well.

Last year was the only year I didn't get it because I was sick the vast majority of the fall and winter with sinus infections. I will definitely get it in September this year.

None of us ever had any complications from either the flu vax or H1N1 except for a sore arm.

[spanannie]

We all get the flu vax here. None of us have had any issues and they have been effective. I do, however, go out of my way to get the P-free vax.

[jent]

Yep. All of us.

[Corie]

Yes, we all get the flu shot every year.

None of us have ever experienced any flu-like symptoms
after the shot.

[Snow mom]

DD gets it every year because she's in daycare and the germs flow freely. I have only gotten the flu shot once in my adult life (the year I was pregnant with DD.) I have no idea what DH does.

[wallawala]

DD and I do. DH hasn't seen a doc or dentist since HS *sigh*

DD is in daycare and has asthma. I work in healthcare. so have a high exposure rate. I feel strongly we both are covered in anyway possible, even if it's not, perfect. I have gotten the flu twice in the last 10 yrs despite the shot. It's such utter hell. Last time I had it was three years ago, and I was out of work for a week. 5 days of a fever of 104 (I thought my thermometer was broken). It's the only time I've taken sick leave for myself from work since starting there 5yrs ago. I am first in line for vax every year.

[suzi]

All of us get the vaccine. I prefer to wait until late September/early October for dosing so immunity does not peter out late in flu season.

[ett]

We all do. DS2 has asthma and egg allergy. Last year, DS2 got the first dose at the allergist's office and was not able to get the second dose because they don't do it at the allergist's office, my ped. did not have it, and they couldn't order me a single dose.

[Gena]

DS gets the flu shot because of his asthma. DH is required to get it because he is a volunteer firefighter/EMT. He gets it free through his fire department. I get the flu shot some years but not others, depending on timing and availability.

None of us have ever had side effects other than soreness at the injection site.

[AngelaS]

Nope, we don't get it and have no plans to start.

[Melaine]

No we are not planning to do it this year.

[JoyNChrist]

I do every year (because I catch EVERYTHING and I don't have time to be sick). DH and DS1 got it last year because we had newborn preemies at home. Not sure what we'll do this year.

[mommylamb]

The one year I didn't get the flu vax I ended up with the flu and was knocked on my a$$ for a couple weeks. It was awful. So yes, we get it here. I can't remember when it's recommended for pregnant women (2nd trimester? that's where I am now), so I need to talk to my midwife about timing for this year. But DH and DS will certainly get it. We've never experienced flu like symptoms.