Who has gotten the H1N1 (swine) flu shot?

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I saw my PCP today and asked about the swine flu shot and she will not be giving it. She does not feel comfortable giving it since it has not been tested long enough to really know what the side effects are. She said that she is not getting it and she is not going to have her son get it either. She recommended that I NOT get it and when I called my cardio last week, his office said that they are leaving the decisions to the individual patients about getting it or not. I do not feel comfortable getting it, so I will just pass and stay away from large crowded places. I was supposed to get the regular flu shot today, but had a fever and cough, so no shot this week. Gotta wait til fever is gone and I feel better. Had the pnuemonia one in 2007 so I am still good for another few years there!!!!
 
I have already gotten the regular flu shot which I get every year, without fail. I'm debating on whether or not to get the H1N1 injection & I'm really torn.

I too try to avoid crowded places however, what do you do if you go to church on a regular basis? I carry sanitized wipees in my purse because during the service, you turn & shakes hands with the person next to you & hold hands during part of the prayer service. Do you reneg your hand --- how do you handle that without coming across as 'rude'?

I also try to do as much shopping online as I can but inevitably you have to go to the grocers, out to eat occasionally, etc.

So, I'm fighting a battle right now of whether or not to get the swine flu shot. :confused:

Note: My husband never gets a flu shot at all & refuses to do so because he thinks, "the government is trying to kill as many ppl as possible!" :rolleyes:
 
Have decided not to take the H1N1 vaccine. There are articles out there that report side effects that can't be truly "confirmed".

There was an outbreak of Swine in the 70's. The vaccine caused some sort of muscular disorder that ended in death for some folks. There are reports that animal cancer cells are being used in the current vaccine.

In short, I will take the seasonal vaccine and leave it at that. The epedemic has already started. Hear it's more than half way over. Started last April. Had the flu in June....so I may have already had it anyway.

Personal decision:)

PS....Norma...your husbands thought has crossed my mind. Scary!
 
I talked to my family doctor this week and he is not suggesting getting the H1N1 shot. He just feels the vacine was rushed and not all the testing was completed in Canada. He suggested for me just to get the regular flu shot in Decemebr like every other year. It is all so confusing......
 
on the fence.........

on the fence.........

I got the regular flu shot a couple of weeks ago (and will get second one in Feb. as a booster, since i got the first one so early), but I'm a bit concerned about the H1N1 vaccine. Seems as if it's come to market very fast, no matter what we're told. I have a PCP app't. at the end of the month, so I'll ask at that time (and stew about it until then!)
 
Wow, this is one time is pays to be old. From what I have read many places they are not even recommending the H1N1 for people 65+ (unless maybe you have a really chronic breathing problem). We don't seem to be very susceptible to it. They aren't sure why but think it may have something to do with antibodies we've built up from years of past flu shots. So even though I have COPD, I think I too will pass on this one. Finally do get my regular flu shot next week, which I'll gladly take.

Midge
 
maybe for us oldies, we were around when that last biggie came through and it was akin to this one, I think. therefore many of us had it or were exposed and maybe we are safer now?

My husband and children had it and I took care of them, all of them very sick at the same time, all the while congratulating myself that I didn't get it - until they got well, went back to work and school. thought I would die; it was horrible.

at Christmas, 2008, we had company and w/in 24 hrs we were all sick and had to go to doctor for treatment. it was flu of some sort . maybe it was swine but we will never know; we just know that whatever it was, we don't ever want it again. (our ompany brought it)
 
I had a regular flu shot years ago and never after that. I have been fine and I am NOT going to consent to have a swine flu shot ever. No one can tell you exactly what's in it. More people die of the vaccinations than of the actual flu. Think about it!
 
When I had my regular seasonal fly shot last week I asked my doctor about the swine flu *** and he said I was in a priority group on more than one count. We have the vaccine in storage in the island, about 8,500 doses initially I think they said. We are just waiting for it to be licenced before they distribute it.

This is what it says on our government website about the vaccine.


Swine flu vaccine - questions and answers
WHO WILL GET THE VACCINE FIRST?
SAFETY AND SIDE-EFFECTS
GENERAL INFORMATION
PREGNANT WOMEN

WHO WILL GET THE VACCINE FIRST?

When will the swine flu vaccine become available?

We will start offering the vaccine as soon as possible after the vaccine is licensed and we have stock available. We anticipate the two vaccine brands will be licensed by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) by mid October. Licencing may be restricted pending further information, for instance in young children. Ministers have decided to vaccinate those at greatest risk first.

Who will be vaccinated in the first phase?

People who are most at risk from complications of swine flu need to be vaccinated first. These groups are, in order of priority:

* Pregnant women, subject to licensing and women who have recently had a baby. The European Medicines Agency, who license the vaccine, will indicate whether it can be given to all pregnant women or whether it should only be offered at certain stages of pregnancy
* People aged between six months and 65 years in clinical at-risk groups.
* People who live with those who are undergoing induction or consolidation chemotherapy for cancer and certain other severely compromised patients .
* People aged 65 and over in clinical at-risk groups.

Health care workers will also be offered the vaccine. They are both at an increased risk of catching swine flu and of spreading it to other at-risk patients A sustainable clinical force is needed to care for those with swine flu and other illnesses.

What are the clinical at-risk groups?

These are people with:

* chronic respiratory disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and people with asthma that require them to use continuous or repeated use of inhaled or systemic steroids or who have had previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission
* chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
* chronic kidney disease, such as kidney failure,
* chronic liver disease, such as chronic hepatitis,
* chronic neurological disease, such as Parkinson's disease,
* diabetes requiring insulin or oral hypoglycaemic drugs, and people with other choronic metabolic diseases
* immunosuppression (a suppressed immune system), due to disease or treatment
* Children and young people on long-term salicylate (aspirin) therapy
* People who are obese with a BMI of more than 40

Why are healthy people over 65 and children not a priority for the swine flu vaccine?

Healthy people aged over 65 appear to have some natural immunity to the swine flu virus. Although children are more affected by swine flu, the vast majority make a full recovery - therefore the experts do not advise that children (other than those in at-risk groups) should be vaccinated initially.

If I am in a priority group, is it compulsory to be vaccinated?

No, swine flu vaccination is voluntary. However, medical advisors strongly recommend everyone in an at-risk group to have it.

How do I know if I am in a priority group?

If you are in a high-risk group, your GP will write to you about getting a vaccine.

SAFETY AND SIDE-EFFECTS

Is the vaccine safe?

Licensed vaccines, including influenza vaccines, are held to a very high standard of safety. In preparing for a pandemic, clinical trials to assess safety and immune responses have been carried out on vaccines very similar to the swine flu vaccine and these have been shown to have a good safety profile.

The vaccine manufacturers are using the tried and tested processes that they use each year to make seasonal flu vaccines to produce swine flu vaccines.

Jersey will use the vaccines only after they have been licensed by the European authorities. The licence will be issued by the European Commission following advice from the European Medicines Agency. Vaccines would not be licensed if they were considered unsafe.

How has it been tested?

Stringent tests carried out at each stage of the vaccine’s development ensure that the process is working correctly and that the virus has been inactivated (killed). Extra tests are conducted on each batch of the vaccine and are verified by an independent laboratory within the Official Medicines Control Laboratory network.

Will the vaccine give me swine flu?

No. The vaccine does not carry a 'live' virus, so it cannot give you swine flu. Some people may experience mild fever up to 48 hours after immunisation as their immune system responds to the vaccine, but this is not flu.

How will it protect me from swine flu?

The most important role of vaccination is to protect individuals from the potentially serious effects of swine flu and the complications that may follow.

Why should I be vaccinated?

As this is a new virus, most people are susceptible to this infection. Currently in healthy people the virus most frequently causes mild disease.. However we have learnt from previous pandemics that viruses can change and can lead to more serious disease.

What are the side-effects?

As with most vaccines, the most common after effects are redness and swelling at the site of injection, a mild fever, general aches and pains, a rash and feeling tired. These will usually go away within a day or two. Vaccines may very rarely cause a serious allergic reaction. However, health professionals who administer vaccines are trained to manage this situation, even though it is very rare.

Is there a link between Guillain-Barre syndrome and swine flu vaccines?

Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare neurological disorder, was an identified risk with a swine flu vaccine used over 30 years ago in the United States (in 1976). It is thought that one extra case of GBS occurred with every 100,000 doses of vaccine. The reason why the 1976 vaccine increased the risk of GBS remains unknown.

Since 1976 the manufacturing processes for producing vaccines have advanced significantly and millions of seasonal flu vaccine doses have been produced and safely used each year. Many studies have looked at whether other flu vaccines used since 1976 carry a risk of GBS and no good evidence of a link has been found. Indeed recent research suggests no significant increase in risk after vaccination but a greater risk after natural influenza infection. –that is, vaccination may reduce the risk of GBS.

GBS has a number of different causes and can occur in a person who has never received an influenza vaccine.- 1-2 cases occur every year per 100,000 population.

Does the vaccine contain any porcine (pork) product?

One of the vaccine brands does not contain pork products. The manufacturing process for the other vaccine uses trypsin which is prepared from porcine pancreas glands and porcine gelatine however there are no detectable traces of these products in the vaccine.

Is the vaccine safe for people with an egg allergy?

One of the vaccines being developed (Baxter’s) does not use eggs in its production and therefore would be suitable for people who have a confirmed anaphylactic reaction to egg products. This vaccine would be used in this instance.
Individuals who have had a confirmed anaphylactic reaction to any component of vaccine and therefore cannot receive the vaccine are still able to receive antiviral treatment if they become infected with the flu virus.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Can the swine flu vaccine be given at the same time as other vaccines?

Yes. The swine flu vaccine can be given at the same time as other vaccines, including the seasonal flu ***.

I've already had swine flu - do I still need to be vaccinated?

You can only be certain that you have had swine flu if it was confirmed by a laboratory test. Otherwise, you may have had normal flu or something else. Unless you know for sure that you have had swine flu, and are in one of the high-risk groups, you should have the vaccination.

Will the vaccine still provide people with protection if the swine flu virus mutates between now and the autumn?

At this stage, it is impossible to predict if or how the H1N1 swine flu virus will mutate (change). However, experiences with the H5N1 bird flu aqnd other flu vaccines would suggest that an H1N1 vaccine would also provide a high level of immunity against closely related strains. The level of cross-protection is expected to be greatest for more closely related strains.

When will everyone else who isn't in a priority group receive the vaccine?

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that the use of the vaccine in the wider healthy population should depend on how the pandemic evolves and on emerging clinical data on the use of the vaccine. This will be kept under review. We will take this advice, along with new information on delivery of vaccine supplies, into account before announcing further groups.

Where can I get the swine flu vaccine?

If you are in one of the priority groups to receive the vaccine, you will be contacted with further information as to where to attend for vaccination.

PREGNANT WOMEN

Why are pregnant women being offered the swine flu vaccination?

Pregnant women are more likely to catch swine flu and are also more likely to develop complications. This is because women’s immune systems are naturally suppressed during pregnancy. This continues for several months after the birth of the baby (known as the post partum period). To help protect pregnant women and women in the early post-partum period, they are being offered the vaccination ahead of other people who are considered at less risk.

Should I be worried if I am at such risk?

No, please don’t panic. Your immune system still works and most pregnant women will only have mild symptoms and will recover within a week. The risk of complications is small and the vaccine will help to reduce this risk.

How will I know if I catch swine flu?

If you are pregnant and you catch swine flu, the symptoms should be similar to those of regular flu. You will normally have a fever or high temperature (over 38°C/100.4°F) and at least two of the following:

* unusual tiredness
* headache
* runny nose
* sore throat
* shortness of breath or cough
* loss of appetite
* aching muscles
* diarrhoea or vomiting

What are the possible complications that can occur if a pregnant woman gets swine flu?

* pneumonia (an infection of the lungs)
* difficulty breathing
* dehydration

These are more likely to happen in the second and third trimester. If a pregnant woman develops a complication of swine flu, such as pneumonia, there is a small chance this could lead to premature labour or miscarriage. There still isn't enough information to know precisely how likely these birth risks are. It is therefore important to be well prepared, to take precautions against swine flu and to consider having the vaccination.

What precautions can I take to avoid catching swine flu?

If you're pregnant, you can reduce your risk of infection by avoiding unnecessary travel and avoiding crowds where possible. Pregnant women should also follow the general advice outlined below:

* Always covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing
* Disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully
* Maintaining good basic hygiene, for example washing your hands often with soap and warm water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face, or to other people
* Cleaning hard surfaces, such as door handles, often and thoroughly using a normal cleaning product.

Is the vaccine safe to give in pregnancy?

The swine flu vaccine will be licensed for use in pregnancy by the European Commission following advice from the European Medicines Agency. Vaccines would not be licensed if they were considered unsafe.

Who will give me the vaccine?

Qualified and trained nurses will administer the vaccine. Midwives have liaised with the immunisation nurses to advise on which women should be invited for vaccination. Midwives will also be available at the vaccination session. Please advise the nurse if you wish to speak to a midwife when you attend for the vaccination.

If you have any questions, you can email the health department or call the helpline on 445566. Lines are open Monday–Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm. If you have medical queries, please call your GP and not the helpline.
Page Last Updated: 02/10/2009
 
Went to get my flu shot yesterday. My arm is very sore from it this year. Also posed the question to my doctor about the pneumonia shot and swine flu shot. She wasn't in yesterday when I went in but just got a call from her that there is no need for me to get either of the shots. Certainly hope that she is right.
 
I had a regular flu shot years ago and never after that. I have been fine and I am NOT going to consent to have a swine flu shot ever. No one can tell you exactly what's in it. More people die of the vaccinations than of the actual flu. Think about it!

Ummmm, I respect your decision to not protect yourself (and indirectly, others) by opting to not get a flu shot; however, the abundance of information about H1N1 and flu vaccines in general seem to differ from your statements. I'm wondering if you can perhaps post the source of information that indicates that "no one can tell you exactly what's in it" and that "more people die of the vaccinations than of the actual flu"?
 
I'm a believer in medicine and research. I believe in vaccinations when there is a risk without them. I probably will get the h1n1 vaccination, because I have asthma and other risk factors. I sincerely dislike being so sick you feel like death is knocking on your door... and I've been there. If this can prevent that, I'm all for it.

Pretty sure I read somewhere that the seasonal flu vaccine has been seen in some areas/studies to provide some lessening of severity of the H1N1. The CDC has not observed the same results though.
 
I've already had the regular flu shot for this year and when I asked my internist if I should get the H1N1 shot, he said, "absolutely, you are the exact type of person we are trying to target." The very next day I got an e-mail from my kids school saying they have managed to secure enough vaccines (don't actually have it yet) to vacinate all of the kids, teachers and families of both. And the best part is it's free! So, yes, I will be getting it.

Kim
 
I had the H1N1 injection last Friday and have had no side effects. I went to my local GP to get an INR prescription and somehow ended up getting the H1N1 injection too.
 
I got the regular flu shot last week and my arm is still sore! All my doctor's advice me not to get the swine flu shot because of having cancer (CML) and also having a heart problem. It just hasn't been tested enough. Although just yesterday at the hospital a friend of mine has colon cancer and they removed a lot of her colon, it also has spread to her liver so she will be going throung extensive chemo to try and shrink the tumors before they do surgery. She had a friend that visited her the day of surgery which would have been last Friday and this friend called yesterday to say that her little girl (that was with her Friday) had been diagnosed with the swine flu just yesterday at the doctor's office. Now everyone has to wear masks when they go in to see my friend. I also work on this floor and I just hope that being so careful that we can stop it from spreading any further, only time will tell. Please say a prayer for my friend, her future doesn't look too good.
 
My cardiologist told me yesterday that he does not want me to get the swine flu shot. He said he is not allowing his family either to get it. He told me to just get the regular flu shot. I'm not commuting on subways anymore and am seldom around children since my grandkids are in Florida. I'll just stay away from crowds when I can and use my Purell.
 
Laura,
Did he say why he doesn't want you or his family getting it?
There seems to be disagreement among the doctors. Makes it hard for us to know what to do. Some docs say get it and some not.

I'll be checking with my PCP to get her opinion as soon as I hear it is available for us to get.
 
No Way!

No Way!

I don't do flu shots...never have...don't plan to start. Yeah, H1N1 is a nasty bug, but most flu virus bugs are nasty.

I got H1N1 a few weeks ago. the virus ran its course in about 72 hours. It was one of the easiest bouts with the flu I've had.

We deal with seasonal flu issues every year. The biggest difference I see with H1N1 is the media hype that's accompanied it, but that's just my personal opinion; others are entitled to theirs.

-Philip
 
Get my regular flu shot in the morning at drs office

H1n1 sometime in Nov through work and because of

my job with jails,prisons contacts with people all sorts

my cardio and family Dr have suggested for this reason

i get it and when available i will take it offered through
work.

I quit listening to the news conflicts of the h1n1 shot and
the scareiness they comment on this flu and the shot and
feel my gut feeling generally is correct and my gut says get
the h1n1

I updated my pneumonia shot from 10 yrs ago just recently
in July and now tomorrows reg flu shot always for last 18
years had the reg flu shots and been fine
This year get the works with h1n1 too i cant take a chance
in my line of work at this point,dangerous enough with added
h1n1 influences and at times im a bigger danger to self:D so
what have i got to loose?:p
 
Thanks for the link, Norma. I must admit I'm still a bit skeptical. I've yet to be convinced it's safe.

When I see (hear) some doctors and nurses saying they refuse to get it, hmmm, makes me think twice.

All logic says it should be safe if same method is being used to make it but I don't feel it's been tested long enough on enough people.

Anyone else feel this way?


I am not taking it so far!!
 
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