Flu shot

That’s correct, randomized and blinded studies have been done to see if patients getting the inactivated flu shot developed more flulike symptoms than the placebo group. There was no difference.

The most common side effect is local area soreness/redness/tenderness. Some people will develop low-grade fever, bodyaches, and muscle aches. But again, no difference compared with placebo.

Since influenza is somewhat common, many get vaccinated for the flu and develop the real flu by coincidence around the same time (the vaccination takes up to two weeks to be effective). These folks, however, did not get influenza from the vaccine.

 

That was true with me the first time I got the age appropriate, 'big shot.' But the last two years, nothing. Instead of the trivalent (?), the older folks vaccination has a quadrivalent mix and twice the volume ... hence the initial discomfort from the first shot.

Bob Wilson

 

i read there is a 'dead' shingles vaccine coming, that will be welcome.

 

Fingers crossed them. I had chicken pox as a kid, didn't we all?

 

Anything you can get to reduce the impact of the "Australian flu" is worth trying. It's absolutely hideous.

 

Had the flu shot back in October - haven't been sick to date. This is, of course, purely anecdotal and has no clinical basis whatsoever.

As long as you don't succumb to McCarthyism (of the Jenny variety), feel free to debate the merits of the flu or any other vaccine, then decide for yourself.

 

Ok, single vaccines are one thing, adding thimerosal to three or four different vaccines to combine them is another, I'm not a fan of flu shots, does anyone here use a tongue scrapper?

Not anti vax, anti Thimerosal.

 

no, what is a tongue scrapper?

 

yes, but i'm not sure it helps.

 

There's a chicken-pox outbreak here at the moment: one of my daughters got it, but the other didn't.

They're both vaccinated against it.

In Britain (certainly when I was young, but I think even now), you don't get a chicken pox vaccine: you just get chicken pox from someone when you're at school.

In Australia, you get one vaccination under government policy. I didn't know this until my daughter got sick last month, but you need two vaccinations to be immune. If you only get one vaccination - as is policy - you're not immune. But you usually won't get very sick. My daughter - and most of her friends - got between 5 and 20 spots, and felt a bit under the weather for two or three days, and had to stay off school and away from pregnant women for a week. And that was about it.

 

Tongue Cleaner Part No. UE00451 Qty Per Case - Walmart.com

Look at the price
Just ordered a three pack on eBay for 10$ shipped.

 

ouch! but my tongue is worth it. what's the purpose?

 

look up the pictures. iirc, there's more to it than that.

 

You're ruining my memory of a large paper taper with a candle heating it inserted into the ear canal to draw out the offending debris.

Try scrapping your tongue, it's eye opening.

 

i brush mine. i switched from my head after my hair fell out.