Strollerderby

Personally, I had a nasty reaction to a flu shot the last time I got one - About a 4 inch diameter, 1/2 cm raised bright red circle on my arm that ached constantly and hurt like a BI.... when it got touched. Really painful. And then nasty exhaustion and achyness and grossness all over the place. So, yeah, won't be getting it again.

Our son was born with Esophageal atresia and down syndrome and a few other complications and so they gave him a flu shot, and they want both my other kids and us to get one as well, i have never had one i always heard it makes you more supseptable to getting it does anyone know if this is true.

Whether I've gotten a flu shot or not in the past, I always had a similar winter ... so no flu shots for me during pregnancy or now, and my son hasn't had one either ...

When I was a nanny the boss would bring home a shot from work to give to me every year.  I stopped nannying when I was pregnant with my first son and haven't had one since.

It's not that I have anything against one, I'd just been told wrong about getting the shot when pregnant, and without the shot coming to me, it's much harder.

We gave our first son the shots when he was 6 mos, but missed our chance with him last year.  I was a nervous wreck.  I already have both boys scheduled to go in next month.  I'm nervous though, they're doing the mist for the 2yo, any tips there?

Notice the lack of appointment for me?  Where do I even go to get one?

I have Type I diabetes, and I have had the disease for 23 years now.  My immune system does not seem to respond as well as other people's - I get sick more often than my friends, colleagues, husband, parents, and it takes me longer to recover. It also makes it even more difficult to control my disease.  I've always gotten a flu shot because I'm in the "at risk" category, and I always will - I see it as a sensible precaution against something that could kill me, or even cause me to lose my job (if I'm out of work for three months with it, for example) or injure my health long-term (if I have really high sugars during the time).  And I've never gotten the flu - so at least in my case, Kayla, I think it really has made me less susceptible, not more (I think if it made you more susceptible, the medical community would work to find another preventative measure - they are generally open to evidence and change (at least in some cases).

I'll be getting one when I take my 2 yr old to the ped. because I got the flu early in Jan and I DO NOT want it again, yet I'm confused now after reading Bekka's comment.  I probably will though.

I've never had the flu in my life, and I'm almost 40. My 63-year-old mother never has either. I don't bother with the flu shot, and until one of my kids manages to contract it, I'm not going to have them get it either.

I had asthma as a child, and always got the flu shot. I'm pregnant this year, and you can bet that I'm still getting one. My husband has only had one flu shot, offered through work last year, and it was the only time he's ever gotten the flu. I'm still making him try again this year. If he gets sick again, I guess he's off the hook.

I haven't had the flu since 5th grade, and my husband hasn't in over 20 years.

Our kids have never had it. I'm not going to mess with nature on that front.

I did not get a flu shot while I was pregnant.  In fact, I find it bizarre that they tell pregnant women to avoid fish because of mercury, but tell them to get a shot that has mercury in it.  

Katie, I'd question the use of the mist on your 2 y/o. The mist has the LIVE virus in it and has a tendency to create a runny nose which contains the virus! Anyone around that is not protected (you and your older son won't be immediately after your shot) is susceptable to contracting the flu's that are contained in the vaccine as your child sneezes, wipes his nose, etc.

As far as getting the shot for yourself, if you feel the need to get one, check with your doctors office to see if they have an adult vaccine clinic where you can go and get it. If your doctors office doesn't offer the flu vaccine, many pharmacy's offer it for a minimal fee. But I would seriously reconsider the mist for your child(ren).

As an immuno-comprimised person, I am in the camp with leahsmom so I do get the shot for myself but no one else in my family gets one. I would never consider the mist b/c I wouldn't want to expose others to the live virus.

My kids ahve always gotten them, especially since my son is high-risk.  I never get a flu shot, and was never offered the option while pregnant either time.  My husband used to get one every year while he was in the military, this will be his first year without one.  

I did not get the shot while pregnant which was very stupid after 4 miscarriages.  I got the flu from a jerk co-woorker and was literally bed ridden for 14 days at 4 months pregnant.  I was scared to death.  Sine my immune system was compromised due to the pregnancy the flu was much worse and took longer for me to fight off. Plus I could not take anything for it except Tylenol since I had a medical condition and no decongestants were allowed. So get that shot ladies.

cooltmblt the reaosn your husband got the flu was the shots last year did not cover all of the flu varities.  A lot of us got a strain that was not in the shot.  I did.  But the flu shot is reforumlated every year with the strans they think might be dominate.  I hope they get it right this year.

All 4 of us (1 yr, 2 1/2 yrs, and my husband and I) will be getting the shot this year. If I remember correctly, the number of kids hospitalized with the flu during a typical year is around 14,000. While the shot can't prevent all strains of the flu, I'd rather be safe than sorry. One of my worst nightmares is having my kids sick, especially from something preventable. (Yes, we vaccinate, too.)

Alice, that's what I figured, but he's very insistent that he got the flu from the shot. I just don't think I'll push it if he gets sick again this year.