Flu shot: Yes or No?

Preston Crawford said:

I generally don't get the flu, I don't think. Nor do I get the flu shot. And because I bike 14-20
miles a day I stay pretty healthy. But I'm thinking of doing it this year, just cause I'm starting
to get older, etc. I'm curious if people would advise against/for this. Did you feel worse
afterwords? Did it affect your ability to work out?

Preston

It did not affect me whatsoever. However, I've been sick when I had the flu shot, so it's not
a cure all.

--
Bob M in CT Remove 'x.' to reply

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I generally don't get the flu, I don't think. Nor do I get the flu shot. And because I bike 14-20
miles a day I stay pretty healthy. But I'm thinking of doing it this year, just cause I'm starting
to get older, etc. I'm curious if people would advise against/for this. Did you feel worse
afterwords? Did it affect your ability to work out?

I have gotten a flu shot every year for the last 19 years (mandatory while I was in the Navy), and
have never had a problem beyond a sore spot on my arm which went away with 48 hrs.

Some people do see worse side-effects, such as feeling lousy for a day or two, but I never have, and
neither has my wife.

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

"Preston Crawford" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I generally don't get the flu, I don't think. Nor do I get the flu shot. And because I bike 14-20
miles a day I stay pretty healthy. But I'm thinking of doing it this year, just cause I'm starting
to get older, etc. I'm curious if people would advise against/for this. Did you feel worse
afterwords? Did it affect your ability to work out?

If you don't usually get sick then don't bother. Flu shots are to prevent susceptible people -- the
old, the weak, and the very young -- from getting dangerously sick (ie pneumonia), and to prevent
epidemics in groups like the military, who cannot afford to compromise their effectiveness. People
should not be getting flu shots just to avoid the inconvenience of the common cold, which is what
most people experience when they get the flu.

Matt O.

"Preston Crawford" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I generally don't get the flu, I don't think. Nor do I get the flu shot. And because I bike 14-20
miles a day I stay pretty healthy. But I'm thinking of doing it this year, just cause I'm starting
to get older, etc. I'm curious if people would advise against/for this. Did you feel worse
afterwords? Did it affect your ability to work out?

I get one every year. And aside from feeling slightly lightheaded for an hour or so after the shot,
I suffer no ill effects.

I never get the flu either. Don't know if the shot helps or not, but I'm not going to find out
the hard way.

Dave

In article <[email hidden]>,

W K said:

AND cycling hard can leave you more open to infection.

As long as I get around by bike, and avoid setting foot on crowded rush-hour buses in the
fall/winter, I'm okay.

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
[point] bc [point] ca

In article said:

"Preston Crawford" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I generally don't get the flu, I don't think. Nor do I get the flu shot. And because I bike 14-20
miles a day I stay pretty healthy. But I'm thinking of doing it this year, just cause I'm
starting to get older, etc. I'm curious if people would advise against/for this. Did you feel
worse afterwords? Did it affect your ability to work out?

If you don't usually get sick then don't bother. Flu shots are to prevent susceptible people -- the
old, the weak, and the very young -- from getting dangerously sick (ie pneumonia), and to prevent
epidemics in groups like the military, who cannot afford to compromise their effectiveness. People
should not be getting flu shots just to avoid the inconvenience of the common cold, which is what
most people experience when they get the flu.

Matt O.

I"m with you on that. I've -never- had a flu shot and never will. You have -no- idea what's in those
isolates. Even purified; CJD/prions, weird monkey virus, dayum. Of course with old peeps, CJD won't
hit 'em for 10 years or more...

-B

--
Email Replies to johnson<nospm>01j <att> ntelos <dott> net

"Matt O'Toole" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Preston Crawford" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I generally don't get the flu, I don't think. Nor do I get the flu shot. And because I bike
14-20 miles a day I stay pretty healthy. But I'm thinking of doing it this year, just cause I'm
starting to get older,

etc.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'm curious if people would advise against/for this. Did you feel worse afterwords? Did it
affect your ability to work out?

If you don't usually get sick then don't bother. Flu shots are to prevent susceptible people --
the old, the weak, and the very young

He says he's starting to get older. AND cycling hard can leave you more open to infection.

Quoted message said:

-- from getting dangerously sick (ie pneumonia), and to prevent epidemics in groups like

the

Quoted message said:

military, who cannot afford to compromise their effectiveness. People

should

Quoted message said:

not be getting flu shots just to avoid the inconvenience of the common

cold,

Quoted message said:

which is what most people experience when they get the flu.

I think your microbiology is a bit iffy there. Apart from the money - why not? (I'm guessing here
that you don't live in a state where these things are distributed by a socialist inspired system
that cannot spend as much tax payers money as it feels like, and so runs out, in which case it may
have to be rationed to "the worthy"😉

also - Surely "the flu" is usually nothing like "the common cold". The worst thing about "colds", is
that there are many, many viruses (and bacteria) that get called this, and are not prevented with a
flu vaccine.

"the flu" can put someone out of action for at least a couple of days- that is not a minor
inconvenience- especially if you happen to know anyone that is immuno-compromised. Almost anyone
could benefit, and if you are in contact with a lot of people it would have benefits for you, your
work, and all the other people that you could infect.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

"Preston Crawford" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I generally don't get the flu, I don't think. Nor do I get the flu shot. And because I bike
14-20 miles a day I stay pretty healthy. But I'm thinking of doing it this year, just cause I'm
starting to get older, etc. I'm curious if people would advise against/for this. Did you feel
worse afterwords? Did it affect your ability to work out?

If you don't usually get sick then don't bother. Flu shots are to prevent susceptible people --
the old, the weak, and the very young -- from getting dangerously sick (ie pneumonia), and to
prevent epidemics in groups like the military, who cannot afford to compromise their
effectiveness. People should not be getting flu shots just to avoid the inconvenience of the
common cold, which is what most people experience when they get the flu.

My company pays for flu shots for all employees who want one, to avoid a problem where 2/3 of the
office was out with the flu for a week a few years ago, and most of the work just backed up. It
didn't look good to our customers.

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by David Kerber
In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

"Preston Crawford" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I generally don't get the flu, I don't think. Nor do I get the flu shot. And because I bike
14-20 miles a day I stay pretty healthy. But I'm thinking of doing it this year, just cause I'm
starting to get older, etc. I'm curious if people would advise against/for this. Did you feel
worse afterwords? Did it affect your ability to work out?

If you don't usually get sick then don't bother. Flu shots are to prevent susceptible people --
the old, the weak, and the very young -- from getting dangerously sick (ie pneumonia), and to
prevent epidemics in groups like the military, who cannot afford to compromise their
effectiveness. People should not be getting flu shots just to avoid the inconvenience of the
common cold, which is what most people experience when they get the flu.

My company pays for flu shots for all employees who want one, to avoid a problem where 2/3 of the
office was out with the flu for a week a few years ago, and most of the work just backed up. It
didn't look good to our customers.

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!


REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

I get the shot every year too. If you get the real flu you'll feel absolutely miserable for 2 or 3 days, and barely functional for another 2 or 3, and generally sucky for a couple more. Your skin will hurt, your eyes will hurt, your toenails will hurt - you'll be cold but sweating - it totally sucks. A friend of mine got it a couple years ago and said it was almost as bad as when he had malaria in the Peace Corps. Old folks and immune depressed folks should have first dibs but I'll be in line next and I'll try to convince my friends to get it too.

"Matt O'Toole" <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

If you don't usually get sick then don't bother. Flu shots are to prevent susceptible people --
the old, the weak, and the very young -- from getting dangerously sick (ie pneumonia), and to
prevent epidemics in groups like the military, who cannot afford to compromise their
effectiveness.

You should also get one if you come in frequent contact with any of the susceptible groups
(teachers, health care workers, restaurant workers, etc.). I agree that the benefits are
questionable for most healthy adults, except those who get sick every year or have serious side
effects. For most people, this isn't a life changing disease like hepatitis. Talk to your doctor if
you are unsure about the possible effects of the disease on your health.

In article <[email hidden]>, Preston Crawford

Quoted message said:

I generally don't get the flu, I don't think. Nor do I get the flu shot. And because I bike 14-20
miles a day I stay pretty healthy. But I'm thinking of doing it this year, just cause I'm starting
to get older, etc. I'm curious if people would advise against/for this. Did you feel worse
afterwords? Did it affect your ability to work out?

With most people the worst after-effect is a day or two of tenderness in the muscle receiving the
shot. 'Way better, 'way less limiting of being active than a nasty bout of the 'flu.

Flu shots are recommended for people over 50 (and various other situations). Exactly how much
general fitness may serve to improve your immunity to any particular virus -- there's no clear
answer on that question AFAIK.

Vaccinations may not be perfect, but next to sanitation they rank as the most important health
advance of our time -- much more than all the high-tech machinery in the fanciest hospitals. Flu
vaccinations are a bit more questionable, since they are only good against a few particular viruses
that virologists guess are going to be a problem in the coming flu season.

-frank
--

A flu shot is for the FLU not for colds which are two different things. I am required to get flu
shots each year for the past 15 years as a job requirement and have never had a problem at all.
Neither do my coworkers. The best suggestion is to discuss it with your physician (or nurse
practitioner).

Yes trust everything western medicine offers. It's all good, there are never any side effects, don't
ask questions, medical doctors and scientists have all the answers. Our society would be in horrible
shape if it weren't for their marvels.

"Preston Crawford" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I generally don't get the flu, I don't think. Nor do I get the flu shot. And because I bike 14-20
miles a day I stay pretty healthy. But I'm thinking of doing it this year, just cause I'm starting
to get older, etc. I'm curious if people would advise against/for this. Did you feel worse
afterwords? Did it affect your ability to work out?

Preston

"Preston Crawford" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I generally don't get the flu, I don't think. Nor do I get the flu shot. And because I bike 14-20
miles a day I stay pretty healthy. But I'm thinking of doing it this year, just cause I'm starting
to get older, etc. I'm curious if people would advise against/for this. Did you feel worse
afterwords? Did it affect your ability to work out?

I used to get a flu shot every year (doctor recommended), but stopped 4 or 5 winters ago (mostly out
of laziness). Haven't gotten sick yet (knock on desk wood)...

Bill "encounters enough [censored] in life" S.

I am not one to get shots normally. BUT, if you work in a place where disease just seems to spread,
it might be a good idea. Most of my life, I have worked out of my home, and I almost never get sick
(I am 56 years old and have spent less than $3000 on health care my entire life). BUT, I worked in
an office with poor ventilation for two years recently, and I once got the flu. I absolutely wanted
to die for about two days (I know that sounds overdramatic, but it was awful), and was I not well
for about 3 or 4 more days.

For what it's worth.

Steve Scarich

Matt O'Toole said:

If you don't usually get sick then don't bother. Flu shots are to prevent susceptible people -- the
old, the weak, and the very young -- from getting dangerously sick (ie pneumonia), and to prevent
epidemics in groups like the military, who cannot afford to compromise their effectiveness. People
should not be getting flu shots just to avoid the inconvenience of the common cold, which is what
most people experience when they get the flu.

As somebody who faithfully gets flu shots, but really does not enjoy it (the waiting in line, the
needle...), can you tell me what excuse I can use to not get a flu shot? The business depends on me
operating at full throttle, and I'll have to tell the excuse to my co-workers, who don't want to
get sick...

Quoted message said:

Matt O.

--
Rick Onanian

(VidCamel2) said:

The best suggestion is to discuss it with your physician (or nurse practitioner).

Don't be silly! We all know that the best suggestion is to discuss it with a bicycling newsfroup.
--
Rick Onanian

Ken said:

You should also get one if you come in frequent contact with any of the susceptible groups
(teachers, health care workers, restaurant workers, etc.).

...child care workers. Drat, I forgot about that when I posted my request for an excuse. My
girlfriend works in a daycare center, and gets sick constantly from exposure to those vermin that
people try to pass off as human children. Strangely enough, she speaks nicely of those vermin....
--
Rick "A fly flew through the flue, and got the flu" Onanian

Rick Onanian <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You should also get one if you come in frequent contact with any of the susceptible groups
(teachers, health care workers, restaurant workers, etc.).

...child care workers. Drat, I forgot about that when I posted my request for an excuse. My
girlfriend works in a daycare center, and gets sick constantly from exposure to those vermin that
people try

I was thinking more of the other reason: you don't want to pass the disease along to people who
would be endangered by it. I don't think you're much more likely to catch it from kids than from
co-workers in a group working environment.