ugh.

Funny...I'm not even sure what I have is the flu. And all this hubbub, bub. No I haven't ever got the vaccine. Guess there are some things I don't want to do, and one is get shots for something I've had almost every year since I was a kid. While it makes me miserable, I know my immune system is still in fighting shape, and I haven't died yet.

Therapist wrote:

Sleeprider wrote:This year's flu vaccine is less effective than hoped for as the prevalent strain mutated. What misinformation is that?

That is not what you said and it is not what I replied to. It is quite a bit different from what you wrote to start with:

Sleeprider wrote:As I understand, the flue vaccine distributed this year fights the wrong strain and offers little protection.

Sleeprider wrote:I got the vaccine

So you covered yourself and don't care if something you post discourages others from getting the vaccine?

You do realize there is a nutty and persistent anti-vaccine crowd that is spreading ignorance? You might want to make it clear that you are not among them.

You've gotta be kidding...get lost. Seriously, please put me on ignore.

Tatooed Lady wrote:No I haven't ever got the vaccine. Guess there are some things I don't want to do, and one is get shots for something I've had almost every year since I was a kid

Wow!

I have heard the excuse for not getting a flu shot, "I never get the flu, so I don't get the vaccine."

But I never thought I would hear the excuse, "I get the flu every year, so I don't get the vaccine."

Do what you want, but in order not to spread your misery, please stay away from nurseries, nursing homes, schools, churches, restaurants, shopping malls, airplanes, buses, subways ...

There is a nasty bug going around an enterovirus called EV-D68. It attacks mostly children and people with breathing problems. My sister and all her friends at the Lapidary club got it. It took many of the over 6 weeks to recover. Going to the doctor is useless because they really don't have anything to help with it. Go to ER if it gets really bad. Even adults have died from this. Don't go near children.

We found that an old fashioned steam humidifier with Vicks or Eucalyptus oil gave some relief.

Tatooed Lady wrote: and I haven't died yet.

*pokes her with a stick* *draws back stick with the end snapped off*

nope! she ain't ded yet!

Cereal Killer wrote:

Tatooed Lady wrote:No I haven't ever got the vaccine. Guess there are some things I don't want to do, and one is get shots for something I've had almost every year since I was a kid

But I never thought I would hear the excuse, "I get the flu every year, so I don't get the vaccine."

Do what you want, but in order not to spread your misery, please stay away from nurseries, nursing homes, schools, churches, restaurants, shopping malls, airplanes, buses, subways ...

eyuh, I do have to admit that I sorta agree with this point.

though, she's likely only coughing on other truckers at truck stops, not nurseries, nursing homes, schools, churches, restaurants, shopping malls, airplanes, buses, subways ... not a lot of big rigs on subways where I come from. very few on airplanes, though it does happen.

Cereal Killer wrote:

Tatooed Lady wrote:No I haven't ever got the vaccine. Guess there are some things I don't want to do, and one is get shots for something I've had almost every year since I was a kid

Wow!

I have heard the excuse for not getting a flu shot, "I never get the flu, so I don't get the vaccine."

But I never thought I would hear the excuse, "I get the flu every year, so I don't get the vaccine."

Do what you want, but in order not to spread your misery, please stay away from nurseries, nursing homes, schools, churches, restaurants, shopping malls, airplanes, buses, subways ...

Ahem...I MAY be a trucker, but I'm NOT an idiot, even if I like stupid movies, 80's hair bands and don't get a flu shot every year. I keep myself mostly secluded from others while on the road. Come to think on it, I'm semi-pro at being a hermit while at home as well! I got this creeping crap from my boyfriend, who was at a family holiday party, which included, gasp, children and seniors with health issues. AND I didn't ask if ANY of them had a flu shot or not. It pisses me off more than I can say that sick people still go to family parties because they don't want to miss out. *snort*
Get your shot, and protect yourself against people like me who try to avoid contact and wash our hands as much as we can but still get the whammy.
See, this is why i keep myself caged away from the general public. Especially when I'm sick or they are. Can't WAIT for menopause.

I get the shot. I know that out of the dozens of flu virus strains "going around",
even the quadrivalent shot only covers the ones estimated to be the most dangerous each year,
and milder ones are not covered at all. I know I am somewhat more protected against the strain that could kill me.
So far, it seems to be worth it.
{{{{{and menopause is AWESOME!}}}}}

Tatooed Lady wrote:I got this creeping crap from my boyfriend, ... and wash our hands as much as we can

shoulda doused HIM in hand sanitizer when he got back!

HOLD STILL *spray* this'll only hurt a little *gets long handle scrub brush*

Tatooed Lady wrote: See, this is why i keep myself caged away from the general public. Especially when I'm sick or they are. Can't WAIT for menopause.

Menopause makes other people less stupid????? how come no one told me this......

It made my "fuse" a bit longer.
I know there are some world class dolts out there, but sometimes now, I can just "let it be".

OkyDoky wrote:

Therapist wrote:

Sleeprider wrote:As I understand, the flue vaccine distributed this year fights the wrong strain and offers little protection.

Trying to spread ignorance which can harm people?

This year's vaccine:

- Effective against about 50% of the cases of H3N2
- Effective against H1N1
- Effective against the B strains

Tatooed (sic) Lady should go to the doctor TODAY to be checked and get a prescription for Tamiflu (or Relenza) if the flu is confirmed. If you wait too long, Tamiflu is ineffective.

I don't believe Sleeprider is spreading ignorance. This years vaccine, while covering some, is not covering the most prevalent strain.

yeah, just to back that up:http://mic.com/articles/107494/this-yea ... -worst-off

CDC came to that conclusion after its data revealed startling information, including the fact that nearly 7% of all deaths in the U.S. for the week ending Dec. 20 were due to pneumonia and influenza. In order to qualify as an epidemic, the number of deaths caused by the issued pneumonia must reach the threshold of 6.8%.

The flu, a real case of it would be devastating for me due to both breathing and heat issues.. Not only due I get the flu shot every year, but I also got the pneumonia vaccine as well.

Like most vaccines, protection is more than for the individual it also protects those that have or can't get a vaccine due to age or other conditions.

While this year's flu vaccine misses the mark a bit for what is the most common variation, it does protect from other variances of tree flu which also being spread.

Most of the people I've seen that have gotten sick have not gotten the flu, but bad colds which is a significant difference.

Flu, pneumonia, shingles; all shots are completely worth getting.
--not just for my health, but what I don't catch I also do not transmit to the adorable grandson.

OkyDoky wrote:

Therapist wrote:

Sleeprider wrote:As I understand, the flue vaccine distributed this year fights the wrong strain and offers little protection.

Trying to spread ignorance which can harm people?

This year's vaccine:

- Effective against about 50% of the cases of H3N2
- Effective against H1N1
- Effective against the B strains

Tatooed (sic) Lady should go to the doctor TODAY to be checked and get a prescription for Tamiflu (or Relenza) if the flu is confirmed. If you wait too long, Tamiflu is ineffective.

I don't believe Sleeprider is spreading ignorance. This years vaccine, while covering some, is not covering the most prevalent strain.

The particular strain you're talking about is slightly different from the strain included in the vaccine. It probably helps somewhat even against the "wrong" strain, since they're closely related.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu ... 4-2015.htm

Can the vaccine provide protection even if the vaccine is not a "good" match?

Yes, antibodies made in response to vaccination with one flu virus can sometimes provide protection against different but related viruses. A less than ideal match may result in reduced vaccine effectiveness against the virus that is different from what is in the vaccine, but it can still provide some protection against influenza illness.

The antivirals like Tamiflu might be helpful, but are much less useful than a vaccine for the correct strain. There's some debate whether they're actually worth using. There's little debate that it doesn't do much unless you take it as soon as you get the flu.