I got my flu shot at CVS a few weeks ago–no problems. Last year the nurse in my PCP’s office administered the vax. My arm was sore and ached for a few days.
I think the difference was in the person administering the shot. Years ago, I broke an ankle skiing and needed hardware to repair my ankle. After the surgery, I contracted a staph infection. Long story short–I ended up on IV antibiotics and got lots of needles stuck in my arm. I have a theory that nurses/PAs who administer shots either have it down so that you don’t feel a thing or they don’t and you end up with a sore arm.
I get the pneumonia shot every year since I’ve know two people (both middle age at the time) who almost died from it. I’m talking being in comas and hospitalized in ICU for months. Both completely healthy otherwise before getting the flu.
Pneumonia vaccines are not given yearly. Depending upon your age and other pre existing health factors, you could end up with 1 dose of PV13 and 2 doses of PPSV23. So, in essence it is possible to have a pneumonia vaccine for 3 yrs in a row, but not yearly going out from there.
A doctor and a pharmacist both (separately/ unrelated) told me that they felt kinda sick for several days after getting this year’s flu shot. The pharmacist said her whole family felt ill.
@atomom, I didn’t used to get them regularly either until I had the actual influenza–not a bad cold, not a stomach bug–when my daughter was two, my husband was out of town, we had no family who lived anywhere near us, and I was barely able to get out of bed for a week. Not being able to care for your own child puts the need for prevention in focus. So do the documented cases of perfectly healthy people who die from the flu, every single year. The more people who get shots, the better the prevention for society as a whole, including those can’t get them, such as infants. (And by the way, I barely felt this year’s flu shot and my family members didn’t either.)
These were last year’s numbers on pediatric deaths in the United States: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/news/reported-flu-deaths-children.htm
The flu season is barely underway and one child has already died.
I’m not affiliated with this organization, but greatly respect the work they do to raise awareness and dispel myths (and actual lies from some groups) about flu shots. https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/
Infants younger than six months can’t get flu shots and are particularly vulnerable, so flu shots aren’t recommended for all. Here are the CDC recommendations of who should receive shots: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/whoshouldvax.htm
The following is from the CDC website regarding the Influenza vaccine. It describes the possibility of MINOR side effects that last 1-2 days. These are far less than the effects of the flu virus or passing the virus to immunosuppressed persons or infants. Minor problems following a flu shot include:
soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given
hoarseness
sore, red or itchy eyes
cough
fever
aches
headache
itching
fatigue
Can a more serious side effect occur? Yes, but about 1 in 1 million, as with any medication.
After reading about the flu deaths, I feel ashamed for griping about some arm pain and fatigue for several days after my quadrivalent flu shot. Now I just need to persuade dh to get his shot.
And this was just announced in our area of Southern California- a previously healthy male toddler has died. This is a new pediatric death for this year’s flu season.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/qa_flublok-vaccine.htm describes the FluBlok recombinant vaccine, which is made without using eggs and is suitable for people with egg allergies. However, news articles suggest that it may be more effective against the A-H3N2 component, because the vaccine strain for A-H3N2 may mutate away from the wild version when grown in eggs, making the usual egg-grown vaccine less effective against A-H3N2 strains.
I’ve been getting flu shots for years now, and I’m sure it’s only a coincidence, but I haven’t had one cold since I’ve started getting them - and I always got at least two colds a year (one in late fall and one in late winter.)
I heard yesterday that there is concern that a recent mutation in the flu virus may mean that the vaccine being given will be less effective than hoped. Last year’s vaccine effectiveness was 42% for the same reason. I had mine vaccine when it first came out - August, I think.
I’d hoped to get a pneumonia vaccine since I take frequent 15 hour plus air trips to Asia. My non-medical mind thought that might be a good idea, but my MD says not till I’m 65. Guess I will just keep up with the frequent hand washing.
