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Influenza US 2019/2020 and vaccine

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by tochatihu, Sep 30, 2019.

  1. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

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    Good article in Boston Magazine that covers much of what is in the Lifespan book:

    Has Harvard's David Sinclair Found the Fountain of Youth?

    Seems David Sinclair is quite controversial in the scientific community, and even in his family. He talks about results that haven't gone through peer review, let alone 20 years of incremental scientific proof. One measure of proof is his appearance - he's 50 and could pass for early 30s. His oldest daughter doesn't like the idea of people who have "screwed up this planet so royally" should be kept around. His son would like to continue his father’s work “if he ever dies.” If?

    I think the initial effect of the research will be an improvement in healthspan, as distinct from lifespan.
     
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  2. GabrielD

    GabrielD Member

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    I read with patience all posts and noticed that everyone has in a way or another the idea to take some medicine, natural or medicinal to avoid ilness.
    I have some questions:
    why everybody is so sure that they will become infected?
    what happenned with auto immune system?
    I checked in my lifetime experience how many days I need to be healthy if I take medicine (paracetamol, Fervex, Coldrex) and only hot drinks 1-2 hours frequency... (tea, soups).
    I was surprised to observe that after 5-7 day I had the same results.

    So, I just want to be noted down that people can get infected from different causes, one of them could be spreading the viruses through populated area, like malls, metro, or residential...

    I really want to know how much money they make every winter from selling anti influenza medicine... It must be some sort of transparency...
     
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  3. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

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  4. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    You get more high powered flu shots...which I am shocked you do not yet qualify...get with it bisc
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    ya, my doc said no, not sure why, didn't ask.

    might have been because i was 64
     
    #45 bisco, Dec 29, 2019
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2019
  6. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    That would explain it. I am worried about pneumonia because every time I get a cold, just when I seem to be getting over it, it seems to morph into more than a cold. So I got the Prevnar pneumonia shot as soon as I got onto Medicare Age 65. I had already requested the other pneumonia shot in my early 60's paid out of my own pocket (that is cheaper one). They say the older you are, the less effective shots are, so I do not understand why they set 65 as the first year you are allowed to get insurance coverage for pneumonia shots.
     
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that's interesting, i got a pneumonia shot in january. they covered it, but idk which one it was, i wasn't offered an option
     
  8. t_newt

    t_newt Active Member

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    The problem with the Prevnar pneumonia shot is it has proven to not be very effective. It turns out not to cover a lot of the types of pneumonia that people get--especially the types often picked up in hospitals.
     
  9. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

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    All the more reason to make sure your vitamin D is sufficient. The only way to do it in winter is with supplements, at least 5000 IU per day. Best to measure blood/saliva level and take however much is necessary to reach 40 to 80 ng/ml.

    Pneumonia is a killer, particularly in older people. Like get to the hospital for IV antibiotics. And hope that they can find one that still works on you.

    Or locate a doctor who can do UBI or IV ozone. Not going to happen in any hospital I've heard of.
     
  10. KennyGS

    KennyGS Senior Member

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    I ended up contracting the flu last year, even though I now always vaccinate. This was the first time this happened to me since I began vaccinating. However, the severity and duration were much less than the one other time in my life when I caught the flu bug without vaccinating. So I believe that my shot at least reduced the effects.
     
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  11. AzWxGuy

    AzWxGuy Weather Guy

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    I am down and knee-deep with shingles presently. I should have waited in line like everyone else three years ago. Thought I could skip this one, a decision that turned out badly. Being prior military, I'm usually fairly judicious about immunizations. The flu shot isn't personal for me but for the herd. Haven't had the flu since 6th grade. I usually don't get sick, even colds. Wife has COPD so she gets flu and pneumonia shots every year. Darn the luck.
     
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  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sorry to hear it! my daughter had it this summer, horrible. wishing you a quick recovery!
     
  13. AzWxGuy

    AzWxGuy Weather Guy

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    Thanks Big B. Going on almost 2 months of awful suffering, and still no indication of recovery. Wouldn't wish this on anyone.
     
  14. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Thanks for the reminder. I thought my HMO's immunization schedule called for shingles after 60, but a quick refresher shows it is now 50. So I don't have to wait anymore, not that I had long to wait on the old schedule.

    Is there still a wait due to vaccine shortages?
     
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    depends. i waited 3 years, finally found it at wegman's. none of the chain pharmacy's have been able to get it, and the hospitals won't touch it.
    but other parts of the country, no problem.
     
  16. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    There are very few useful treatments for shingles symptoms and post-herpetic neuralgia. I assume @AzWxGuy is aware of lidocaine creams.
     
  17. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    I better get Shingrex too ...couple years ago I was sitting on Dr's chair and almost had the needle in my arm, texted my wife wife while I was sitting there, and my wife said since we had infant grand daughter I need to cancel the injection.
     
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    really? never heard that one, was that the live vaccine? i had to get tdap for my grandchildren
     
  19. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Having other reason to be at the clinic this morning, I checked, and they had vaccine available. So I got the first course.

    Hope I don't get the worst of the side effects and get taken out of commission tomorrow, but those are still minor compared to what AzWxGuy is dealing with. Thanks very much for the reminder.
     
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  20. AzWxGuy

    AzWxGuy Weather Guy

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    Thank you for your concern. I'm on oral prescription meds and have tried the OTC 4% lidocaine and would probably need a prescription strength to touch this stuff. I've been carpet bombing with capsaicin 0.1% (Capzasin cream) which seems to be doing some good. Another use for pepper spray. Improvements are thus far illusive. This is a long-term recovery sort of thing. Burning up all my sick leave.
     
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