<p>We are no flu for 5 of us (all got the shot) and flu for H, who skipped it this year. Office staff the same. Flu for those who passed.</p>
<p>My son, who is in the high risk group for flu complications due to a chronic health condition, got the flu shot and got the flu. He was very very sick!</p>
<p>I am thankful for the flu shot.</p>
<p>Six of six of my immediate family got the flu shot. One got the flu, but it was mild.</p>
<p>Four of four of the grandparents got the flu shot and none got the flu.</p>
<p>I have had the flu shot every year for 20 years and never got the flu. Except this year I did get it and it was bad. I work at a longterm health care facility and even though everyone was vaccinated we had at least 20 clients test positive for the flu virus (and everyone else that was in contact with them was treated prophylactically with Tamiflu). Usually we have at most one. What is interesting is that no one else in my family got the flu (despite 2 not having the vaccination) I think it is because they actually had the flu 5 years ago (and I didn’t because I had the shot). It is my guess that they missed the mark on the vaccine, at least in our region.</p>
<p>The strain going around here locally is one that was not covered by the shot. Many people have been sick - most that I have talked to got the shot. I did not get the shot - I don’t ever get the shot, I did not get the flu and haven’t had it in years.</p>
<p>I think that strain has just about run its course here though.</p>
<p>martharap –</p>
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<p>You must have been so worried about him. Did everything turn out okay?</p>
<p>I have faithfully had the flunshotbevery year since 2000 due to risk of complications. Have been obliged to take several courses of Tiflis over the years but managed to avoid getting full-fledged flu, for which I am extremely grateful. H is feeling poorly at the moment and am toying with the idea of having him start a course of Tamiflu. We fly home tomorrow.</p>
<p>Our son didn’t let us know he was very sick until a December blizzard caused his flight home to be cancelled. Once he called, I urged him to get to a clinic ASAP, which he did. He got a terrible doctor there who prescribed meds our son can not take, which the doctor should have known. Luckily the pharmacist associated with the clinic walked my son back to the doctor and demanded the correct prescription. It took some time but he did ultimately recover.</p>
<p>He promised he would get a primary care doctor (in addition to the specialist he already sees) so that the next time he gets sick he has someone to see. Did I urge him to do this when he first moved to the town he now lives in for graduate school? Of course. Did he do it? Of course not. Do I think he has since found a primary care doc? Of course not. Is there anything I can do about it? Nope.</p>
<p>I worry about his health a lot, but he’s an adult now and he is in control of his medical needs. He is a smart kid and hopefully he’ll get wiser as he gets older.</p>
<p>No body has had a flu shot in our family this year & so far no one has gotten sick.
It sounds like my book group has been ill though, Ill be curious to see if they had a vaccine.</p>
<p>Based on the low overall effectiveness of flu shots, I will accept all anecdotes of flu shot + no flu and/or no flu shot + yes flu, as coincidence. I have also accepted that my 2 month cold (morphed into sinus infection) that immediately followed my flu shot was also a coincidence and not caused by my flu shot. I understand that society as a whole is better off if everyone gets a flu shot even if the shot is only 10% effective, but for each of us as individuals it’s hardly worth the bother.</p>
<p>You had a cold for two months? 
Check for bronchitis too ( if you are coughing)
We take Yin Chiao ( Plum Flower brand) at the first sign of a cold or flu, and it is knocked out in a day or two.</p>
<p>My S got the flu and was miserable for about 2 weeks he said. He also has never followed up to get an MD even tho I found him 3 in LA where he attended college and several in VA/DC where he works. D finally saw the MD specialist I tried to get her to see for 4 years. She likes him and he is fascinated by her case. </p>
<p>So far don’t know many in HI who have gotten the flu yet.</p>