Who is Getting the Flu Shot?

[mjaclyn]

After much research and discussion, DH and I decided to have our children get the seasonal flu shot. Our DS is 6 months and DD just turned 3. After their shots they were both cranky and DD had a low fever, but both of them were fine by the next day. Our Pediatrician's office only had (at the time) the Nasal version of H1N1 which DS can't have because of his age, and I'm reluctant to get for DD. We're still deciding whether or not to get the H1N1 shots, but how many of you have gotten it (or have had your children get it)? Have you had any side effects or adverse reactions? I think we most likely will end up getting the H1N1 vaccine as well....I've read alot of information about it and I think it will make sense for us.

[wdw_bound]

Our whole family (me, DH, DD and DS) have had the seasonal flu vaccine. We get it every year. I work in healthcare, and have seen people, from kids to adults to the elderly, get seasonal flu and suffer severe complications, up to and including death. Even people who "didn't think they needed the vaccine." After my first flu season in healthcare, I knew there was no way I could live with the guilt of having been able to protect my family and choosing not to, so we all get vaccinated.

As for the H1N1 vaccine, it is still very hard to find in our area. Our family will probably wait until it is more accessible so that people higher up on the CDC at-risk list can be vaccinated first.

[scootch713]

My kids(age 7 and 10) got the nasal of both... the seasonal and the H1N1. I had been on the fence with it, then they offered it at our school. A month or so had gone by and my brother and MD said there was not complications being reported from the vaccine, and told me if I could get it to do so. So they had the nasal for it. I too felt that if the vaccine was available and I didn't get it... how would I ever live with myself if I didn't get it and something happened to them. I also thought with our upcoming trip(in 3 days :) ) that they would be exposed to a ton of people. They did fine with both vaccines, no fussiness, no fever, nothing... they did great and I feel much safer jumping on that plane and ship this week knowing they were vaccinated. Hoping I can find the H1N1 for myself, but so far here it is just for high risk groups.

[Madame Leona]

My kids had the seasonal flu vaccine (little one shot and big one nasal) and I would like to get the H1N1. The problem is that it's hard to get in our area. People are spending hours in line at flu shot clinics and many are being turned away because of shortages. I'm afraid of what I would expose my kids to standing in lines that long. Plus, a two and four year old would not do well in that type of line.

[jillluvsdisney]

I had the seasonal one done at work but the
H1N1 seems to be very scarce in my area right now. It more doses become available, I will get it.

[RenDuran]

My kids just got the H1N1 shot on Thursday...and it's only because my son is in the high-risk group because of his asthma. The kids are both in private school and most kids in our area that don't go to public school are having to wait until the shot becomes available. I gave them both Tylenol about an hour before the shot. I've done that whenever they get vaccines, since they were babies.

We've gotten flu shots for as long as I can remember. I started years ago, before becoming a mom. And now that I have a son with breathing problems, I make sure we do what we can to stay as safe as possible.

[Scar]

Since you asked, I will not be getting the flu shot... ever.

[SurferStitch]

I don't get flu shots. Then again, I also don't seem to get the flu. I sometimes (rarely) get a real nasty bug (sore throat, fever, etc.), but the doc always tells me it's not flu.

DH got one last year (first ever) the day he was released from the hospital after being diagnosed with MS. With MS, the flu, or any illness, can trigger a relapse, and we didn't want that. He didn't get one this year, and from what he said, he probably won't. I'd hate to see him get sick and have complications, but then again, I still don't like flu shots, and neither does he.

I just don't like to inject or ingest any drugs into my body that I don't absolutely need. If I was high risk for severe complications from the flu, I might consider it, but until then, no flu shot.

[citizensnoopy]

I got both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 vaccination, but I'm a doctor who spends a lot of time in the ICU. To date, 6 people have died from H1N1 at the hospital where I work --- including 3 children and a previously healthy 28-year-old female. For me, there was never any question about getting both shots.

[DizNee143]

i WANT to get the flu shot..but its sooo hard to find..
im 9 months pregnant and i keep getting told i should get it..but i cant find it anywhere..
supposingly my obgyn got some on friday and are only giving it to there pregnant patients..hopefully there arent to many other pregnant ladies and when i go tomorrow for my visit i can FINALLY get my flu shot!
we'll see what happens..

[DisneyDog]

I got the seasonal flu shot and the mist version of the H1N1. DS7 had the seasonal flu shot and I want to get him the H1N1 vaccine, but can't seem to get one for him. I was outraged to learn that 1,000s of vaccines were sent to Wall Street firms for their staff to get vaccinated, but schools, pediatricians and OB/GYNs can't get them.

I have had no ill effects from either vaccine and I am very glad that I got them. I hope my DS doesn't get sick, but at least I will be able to take care of him in the event that he does.

DH, btw, hasn't had any of the vaccines. He wants to get both but has not been able to get them.

[ElenitaB]

As soon as I can find the shots and match them to my treatment schedule, I'll be getting both seasonal and novel H1N1, as will my son (nothing says love like the bugs your kids bring home from school to you).

[mjaclyn]

Question - If I get the H1N1 vaccine before my kids do (they have to wait a month in between the seasonal flu shot and the H1N1 shot), and have flu-like symptoms (like the ones listed on the flu & CDC websites as side effects), can my kids catch H1N1 from me since they haven't had the shot yet? I expect because of the shortage of vaccines, the only version that will probably be available to DH and I is the Nasal Mist. I know it contains a weakend virus as opposed to a killed virus, so how does that work? Am I contagious to others for a certain amount of time after I get the vaccine?

[MNNHFLTX]

Question - If I get the H1N1 vaccine before my kids do (they have to wait a month in between the seasonal flu shot and the H1N1 shot), and have flu-like symptoms (like the ones listed on the flu & CDC websites as side effects), can my kids catch H1N1 from me since they haven't had the shot yet? I expect because of the shortage of vaccines, the only version that will probably be available to DH and I is the Nasal Mist. I know it contains a weakend virus as opposed to a killed virus, so how does that work? Am I contagious to others for a certain amount of time after I get the vaccine?From what I have read, there is a small risk of transmission of the virus (from someone who received the nasal mist) to immunocompromised individuals they may have close contact with. The manufacturer's website states that nasal mist recipients should avoid contact with these persons for 21 days. If your children are over age two, are healthy and have no chronic conditions that might compromise their immune system, it sounds like they would be okay.

[Madame Leona]

I'm taking my boys Monday to get the vaccine. Our county finally got some and they are prescreening over the phone and making appointments based on the number of vaccines they received. I'm really happy my boys don't have to stand in a crazy long line.

[Disney Doll]

I've had both, I'm pregnant so even though H1N1 isn't readily available in our area I did get one because pregnant women have been a priority. DS age 2 just got the seasonal flu vaccine. He doesn't go to daycare or anything so I figure his risk for H1N1 is lower and we'll wait until it's easier to find. DH never gets flu vaccines of any kind. He never gets sick so he just doesn't worry about it as much. He has been using lots of hand sanitizer though so he must be more concerned than he lets on.

[DonLefNY]

My whole family gets the seasonal shot every year (kids are now 17 & 18). I'd like for my kids to get the Swine shot, but it's not avail in our area.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

My DD finally got her shot yesterday. We've had, like so many others, problems with supply, but they finally had some, and we were shocked that there was NO LINE!!! Granted, she had a PD Day at school, so we went at 11am, but still, it was nice not to wait.

She's high-risk due to her asthma, so although it won't give her any protection for a while yet, I'm very relieved that she's had it!

[mjaclyn]

Where is everyone going that there are long lines? Can't you only get the flu shot from your doctor? I've heard of people getting them at places like Sam's Club but is that really safe? How clean could a Sam's Club be?

[Kathy Jetson]

We all got our regular flu shots. Ds6 just got his h1n1 on Friday. I can't find the H1N1 for adults yet or we would have gotten that too.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

I was going to wait and get them both together. As of today, I haven't gotten either! I'm still hoping though. I'm high risk as far as having asthma and PVC's (heart) so hopefully soon!

[RenDuran]

Where is everyone going that there are long lines? Can't you only get the flu shot from your doctor? I've heard of people getting them at places like Sam's Club but is that really safe? How clean could a Sam's Club be?

Places that have a pharmacy can give vaccines too. Does Sam's Club have a pharmacy? I got my seasonal flu vaccine at a Target pharmacy.

[Hull-onian]

We just got the seasonal flu shot on Tuesday and my arm still hurts. The line of people waiting didn't go down for a long time. It also got video taped so we could watch it on Yahoo!! We knew a lot of the folks. It was weird. Oh well, hope everyone will be safe this winter.

[SurferStitch]

We just got the seasonal flu shot on Tuesday and my arm still hurts.

A friend of mine got the H1N1 shot, and her arm hurt terribly the next day. Day two - her entire body was in pain. Day three - she was even more miserable. She went to the doctor, and he said she was having a severe reaction to the shot (which she said she never had before). Not sure what he gave her to help.

It took about a week until she felt good enough to go out into the world again. I felt so bad for her. She really suffered.

[MNNHFLTX]

I got my H1N1 shot yesterday. Quick trip over to Employee Health and it was done. I do have to say that it seemed to hurt worse than the regular flu shot, but since there's no technical reason why this would be so, I'm attributing it to the person who gave it to me. ;)

[CanadianWDWFan]

We were shocked by the long lines at the clinics for the shot. So on Monday my DW called our doctor's office to see if they would be getting the shots. As luck would have it they just got a bunch of doses and we made our appointment for Tuesday. All of us got the shot.


We just got the seasonal flu shot on Tuesday and my arm still hurts.
My arm hurt for two days after. The first morning was the worst for sure.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

My sis called me first thing in the morning on Tuesday and told me they were having the seasonal flu clinic here in town. I went and waited about 45 minutes for my shot. They still don't know when they'll have the H1N1 for my group (asthma etc).

[jillluvsdisney]

They had a clinic in the county I work in for first responders so I got my H1N1 shot on Friday. My arm hurt after the seasonal shot but not this time. I'm going to Disney in less than 2 weeks so I'm glad I finally got that second shot.
I seem to get sick a lot when I fly.

[azdisneymom]

I got a seasonal flu shot in October. I get one every year since I work in special ed and several of the kids are medically fragile. I just got the H1N1 last week. No sore arm, no body aches, nothing.

The only think I insist on is the injection. I will not take the nasal spray.

[IloveDisney71]

I've had my regular flu shot but haven't been able to get the H1-N1 shot yet. I work in an elementary school and really want to get the H1-N1 shot due to all the little kiddies.

[RedSoxFan]

DS17 and DS13 are on the wait list at the pediatricians office for both types of the flu shot. However, on 12/9, they will be able to get the H1N1 shot at school; that is, providing they have enough to go around. They will start at the elementary school, then the middle school and finally the high school. DS17 may not be in luck as he's a senior. DS21 and DS19 are in college and still haven't been able to get the shot.

[stitchaholic]

my kids just got the H1N1 shot yesterday, they both have sore arms at the injection site, my daughter seems to have mild flu like symptoms that we are treating with advil

[HollyB]

Our public health district is being praised widely as a model of how to do these H1N1 vaccines. They did all the elementary schools in October. The twins got theirs at the high school the second week of November. When they finished the schools, they had public drive through clinics over the weekend and DH and I both got it. Everyone in the family got the flu mist because that is what they had the biggest stockpile of here. They were saving the shots for people who couldn't have the mist. No one in our family showed any side effects from the mist--other than the kids said they felt "loopy" for a little while after getting it.

That said, only about 50% of the school kids in the area got the vaccine (parents had to opt in). The school district sent letters to everyone's homes, so parents were opting not to vaccinate (rather than just missing the information in the backpack). The vaccine was given free of charge to everyone, so cost was not an issue either.

I know the public health district is planning to take community clinics to the school areas with the least participation to give people a second chance. That will happen after Thanksgiving.

[diz_girl]

DH and I just got our seasonal flu shots on Saturday. Our local K-Mart Pharmacy just got some doses. My arm was a little sore, but not much. The key to reducing the muscle soreness is to completely relax your arm while you are getting the shot. I know that it is an intramuscular shot, but I don't know why relaxing the muscle during the shot reduces soreness.

DS got his seasonal flu shot last month and his first H1N1 nasal dose a couple of weeks ago. Our pediatrician now has the H1N1 vaccine, so we hope that they still have it when DS can have the second dose next week. That would sure beat standing in line outside of the clinic in the cold for two hours like we did for the first dose.

Since only higher-risk people are allowed to get the H1N1 vaccine around here, neither DH nor I have gotten it.

[ElenitaB]

I got both of them Monday afternoon at the cancer institute... I felt very lucky that I was able to get both during the one week in the month when my immune system can handle them. My arm is still a bit sore, but it certainly beats getting sick. Now to get them for DS...

[DisneyDudet]

As a healthcare worker, I have gotten a seasonal flu shot every year since starting nursing school. I have never really had an issue with it. This year, I felt feverish the next day (as did most people who had it at work), but other than that, I was good. My arm was store for a while and that was it.

About a week or so ago, we got our shipment of H1N1 injectable vaccines and I got one the first day we had them. It hurt less than the seasonal flu and I just felt blah during the day. After that, my arm wasn't as sore as the seasonal shot and I felt great!

There is a lot of fear in the vaccine. The injectable vaccine is extremely similar to the seasonal flu shot, with just the H1N1 virus. The vaccines are the DEAD virus, so you cannot get the flu from them. If they had been able to predict that this season's flu would be the H1N1, the seasonal flu shot would cater to that virus. The development of the virus was too late for them to make the vaccines for the season, which is why they are separate. The risks for the H1N1 vaccine is extremely similar seasonal flu vaccine. The inhaled version, on the other hand, is a LIVE virus. This poses and increased risk of developing flu-like symptoms, but is still safe.

I encourage others to receive both vaccines. It may seem that the flu is becoming latent, but with the holiday travel, it is expected that we will see a recurrence of the bug. As always, practice good cough/sneeze and hand hygiene!!