Flu Shots

[RobinN]

it will tell you the SINGLE dose in a glass vial is Thimerosal free.

You will need to find out if your insurance will pay for this type. I am sure it costs more to administer. Many insurance HMOs won't allow for such expenses.

[RobinN]

Because of the problems I had with serious infections from my arm injury, I MUST have a flu shot because my immune system is very very weak.

I am not sure that adding another virus to the body actually helps boost the immune system. In fact the body now has to ramp up to be able to handle it.

I have been reading that Vit D is an alternative.

This explanation actually makes perfect sense.

The vitamin D formed when your skin is exposed to sunlight regulates the expression of more than 2,000 genes throughout your body, including ones that influence your immune system to attack and destroy bacteria and viruses. Hence, being overwhelmed by the “flu bug” could signal that your vitamin D levels are too low, allowing the flu virus to overtake your immune system.

For most people, the flu shot does not prevent illness, but actually does the polar opposite--it weakens your immune system and makes you more predisposed to the illness.

The people who actually die after contracting the flu do so because they are already sick and have compromised immune systems, and that certainly doesn't have to include you.

In addition to making sure your vitamin D levels are in the optimal range, the following tips are surefire ways to improve the function of your immune system and greatly reduce your chances of getting the flu this winter:

* Avoid sugar.
* Get plenty of sleep.
* Exercise regularly.
* Eat according to your nutritional type.
* Eat garlic regularly.
* Support yourself during stressful times.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...ufacturer.aspx

[majormana]

Robin Right now i dont have health insurance and i know when i drink vitman d milk it makes me sleep.

[drarvindr]

No vaccine for me!. In India the BCG ( tb vaccine) is compulsory for all children but i didn't get it as i was part of an experimental trial to prove that BCG was useless in children born in south india ( they were right. Apparently TB is so rampant in south india that we get naturally immunised anyway). Don't plan on getting flu shots ( cost an unbelievable 3000 bucks here!) unless i have my spleen removed or something and cannot fight infection the ordinary way.

[sixpack]

I had (and my kids had) our first flu shot in the Fall of 2003. I chose to get the shot that year because I had a newborn and was overly concerned about health issues at the time (eh I get post-partum anxiety and freak) and just felt we HAD to have them that year. We had the option of thermisol free or with it. I do think the 'free' type was more expensive. We don't have any allergy type issues really so I opted for the usual shot. I'm glad to say we had absolutely zero probs with it.

I will say that I've never had the flu (I'm 45) and neither have my kids---flu shot or not. Now having said that this year we'll all succumb and be sick like dogs.............

My mom gets the flu and pneumonia shots every year well atleast for the past 5yrs. She's 71 has RA, type II diabetes and a couple of other things. My mom tends to be hyper-sensitive to a lot of medications but hasn't had any trouble with the flu or pneumonia shots (actually I think the pneumonia shot is every couple of years).

Honestly lots of people have strong opinions about medications and immunizations. Some feel they are the root of all evil and some think they are cure-alls without any ill effects being possible. The truth likely lies in the middle with some people not being able to tolerate the meds and some able to tolerate everything. Everybody needs to do what they feel is best for his/her own families.

[RobinN]

FluMist MedImmune (contains no mercury)
*nasal spray vaccine approved for children 2 years and older
Fluarix GlaxoSmithKline (contains no mercury)
FluLaval GlaxoSmithKline (contains 25 mcg of mercury)
Fluvirin Chiron (contains 25 mcg of mercury)
Fluzone Sanofi Pasteur - *request mercury-free version
Fluzone 5 mL vial - (contains 25 mcg of mercury)
Fluzone prefilled syringe - (contains no mercury)
Afluria CSL Limited - *request mercury-free version
Afluria 5 mL vial - (contains 25 mcg of mercury)
Afluria prefilled syringe - (contains no mercury)

[darkmarkshark]

No, I get jabbed enough as it is for blood tests

[RobinN]

Robin Right now i dont have health insurance and i know when i drink vitman d milk it makes me sleep.

That is a different kind of D in milk
What you need to do, and it takes no insurance to do this...
Sit outside for 30 min each day in the sunshine, with as much skin exposed as you can possibly allow.
If you live in a cold environment, this is going to be a bit tricky, but when possible it is the best form of Vit D there is.

Even with this said, and living in SoCA, I don't believe my daughter gets enough. Her sport is indoors,and she does not sit in the sun at school. So I supplement her with a natural D gelcap.

[Meetz1064]

have one when I started working with disabled adults. I was seriously sick for three weeks. Could not lift my arms, could barely lift my head for a week.

I won't be getting one again, EVER.

[BuckeyeFan]

I took the flu shot one time as an EMT since we were exposed to so much illness. It was provided for free at the time.

Got one of the worst flu cases I have ever had that year. It did absolutely no good. It was many years later until I learned about the mercury in them.

[joan]

One year my boss asked me to get the shot so I wouldnt be out. I didnt want to but I did it. I have never been so sick in my whole life. I have not taken the shot since nor do I give it to my kids. I pass on the shot these days.

joan*

[Ruth]

I have taken the flu shot every year. I did not know about the mercury in them until this year. This year I had a real bad flu.

I had pneumonia last year with the flu shot. Great stuff!!

[stilldancing_98]

My son and I both got the flu shots. We were both getting sick and even with little colds we were having more myos. This is the first time for me in years a non active formula for me. It did not bother me one bit. My son had his at his Dr. and he was fine.

[Shelley]

So I looked it up.... here ya go.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiomersal

It was marketed as Merthiolate? That's the stuff my mom insisted on putting on all our scrapes, scratches, and cuts. She refused to try Bactine, saying it was junk. She also refused to try anything that wasn't that horrible pink stuff. She said iodine was the best thing for cuts. I'm gonna look up Merthiolate before I put my other foot in my mouth. But holy cow!

[Shelley]

Merthiolate poisoning

Your Mercury Exposure

Exposure to mercury linked to neurobehavioral disease epidemic in children

[RobinN]

You made me look up a liquid that my mom used - mecurichrome
Not sure if that is how it is spelled but it was close enough to bring up this info:

merbromin (murbrō´min),
a mercury-bromine compound used as a germicide for disinfection of the skin, mucous membrane, and wounds. Used in 10% alcoholic solution (Scott-Wilson reagent) in the treatment of moniliasis.

mer·bro·min (mr-brmn) n.
A green crystalline organic compound that forms a red aqueous solution, used as a germicide and an antiseptic.

merbromin
organic, hydroxomercury disodium salt; used as a topical antiseptic. Called also mercurochrome, which in some countries is a trademark name.

[Ruth]

Hi Still Dancing

I had mine at my doctor's office. This is only the first year that we had a bad reaction. There is mercury in it Robin. I did not know that.

[borgolibero]

I read in my wikipedia http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thimerosal and it sems there are studies on dangers on child, but they do not talk about adult people. My parents are quite old and they usually take flu shot, in Italy is free if you are over 65, if I rembember correctly.

[Ruth]

Yes, I raised four children. They received the regular shots as children. Later though, a lot of parents noticed that their children were having bad side effects. They were just to young to handle that amount of shots that they were given. If I had to do it all over again, I would have waited until they were older. The school system has the say over it and they should not. The parents should. I am talking about all shots besides the flu shot. I did not give my children the flu shot until they were much older.

[RobinN]

I read in my wikipedia http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thimerosal and it sems there are studies on dangers on child, but they do not talk about adult people.

There is some concern about the shots and the elderly. Some are making connections between them and the current rise in alzheimers. I have read the belief that this is adult onset autism.

Yes there is thimerosal in the shots. You must specifically ask for it without, and then check the packaging to be entirely sure. The drug companies use it to extend the life of the drug. Certain medication is packaged in batches of multiple shots. They continue this practice even after knowing it isn't good for us.

a crystalline organic mercurial antiseptic C9H9HgNaO2S used especially for its antifungal and bacteriostatic properties