I am a teacher and don't usually get flu shots because the one year I did I got so sick! I didn't get a chance to ask my OB if I should get a shot now that I am pregnant and it is being offered to me before I speak with her again. What are your thoughts on getting the flu shot while pregnant?
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Re: Flu Shots?
My OB strongly, highly, emphatically recommends pregnant patients get one. They say this with as much emphasis as they can and then say, "Of course, it's up to you. BUT you really should..."
I am planning on getting one. I haven't had one in a few years, but every time I've had one in the past, I've had no adverse reactions to it.
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My mom got a flu shot 5 or 6 years ago and had a nasty reaction to it, she got sick and her arm swelled up. The doctor told her she shouldn't get them anymore because the reaction would be worse every time, the doctor also advised me against getting them because I will most likely have an adverse reaction too.
Its on my llist of questions for the nurse when we meet tomorrow.
Off B.C. Jan '06, started charting Feb '08, 2% morphology and PCOS, no O with meds,
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Off B.C. Jan '06, started charting Feb '08, 2% morphology and PCOS, no O with meds,
IVF w/ICSI only option to conceive.
Licensed Foster Parents 07.11
Miracle BFP 7.20.11 1st beta 6,274! EDD 3.17.12
Miracle Baby born March 5, 2012 . 6lbs 1oz, 19 3/4"
Miracle BFP #2 10.8.12 - edd 6.20.13
I have never gotten one and as one PP said, the science behind it is kind of a shot in the dark. There are new strains out yearly and you may end up with it anyway.
I work in an office with 6 people. I have never gotten the flu. MH has never gotten the flu, and also works in a very small office. I think if either of us worked around a lot of people or with kids I may feel differently...
That being said, if my OB can tell me why, and give solid enough evidence, Ill get one. Shots and needles don't bother me, so it's not that. I just do not, and never have understood putting a virus into my body that may just make me sick and do nothing b/c the flu strain in my area is totally new this year.
It's highly recommended that pregnant women take the flu shot. The flu vaccine administered as a nasal spray is NOT recommended. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/pregnant.htm
That said, talk to your doctor and pharmacist to attempt to determine WHY you got sick after receiving the flu vaccine that one year. Note that there's both a shot and a spray. The spray uses a live culture and is thus the only delivery method that can cause the flu in individuals with weakened immune systems. Typically, this is anybody under the age of 2 or over the age of 50, but can theoretically apply to anybody who has a temporarily suppressed immune system. The shot uses a dead culture and cannot cause the flu in the recipient. Because there are so many different strains of flu virus, the vaccine itself is largely based off of the most commonly spread strains at the time of production - which means you can still get the flu even after getting a flu vaccine. In addition, it's common for the vaccine to include egg and/or gluten products as well as various preservatives which can all cause allergic reactions. You should talk to your doctor if you believe that your illness may have been caused by an allergic reaction to the vaccine. Lastly, if you received it at the same time as other vaccines, your illness may have been caused by the other vaccine. In particular, the TDAP Tetanus/whooping cough booster causes flu-like symptoms in 10% of adult recipients and 30% of adolescent recipients.
I get it every year (including when I pregnant with DD). I got the flu once and would prefer never to get it again. Especially while pregnant.
Also, I have 2 close friends that have severe asthma who I spend a lot of time with. I would feel horrible if I gave the flu to them. I know the chances of that aren't great, but it feels like the right decisions for me.
I have gotten the flu shot with both my previous pg and will so again this time once I'm out of the 1st trimester.
Contrary to what was said above, there is extensive research conducted on what goes into a flu shot yearly, not to mention the research is carried over from year to year. (My husband works in drug design at a pharmaceutical company. What goes into flu shots is not taken lightly, nor is recommending that pg woman get them).
My OB said I needed to get it along with DH and DD. I got it when pregnant with DD and I was fine.
Since you're a teacher, I would get it.
I have severe asthma and am always urged to get one but never do. I have only got the flu once in my life and it was horrible. I will probably not get one this year either.
Just to clarify, the flu shot does not prevent stomach viruses. It prevents influenza, the flu with aches and high fevers.
I will get it because we are all now in the at-risk group this year.
See I do get sick from the flu shot. Everytime I have had a flu shot I either develope cold or flu symptoms with in 3 days. And it lasts for a week and requires meds. None of the other vacs I've had made me feel sick. Hell the only down side to my rabies and Hep B vacs was my friend squeezing my arm in the same spot as the injection site (he did it twice and it hurt like hell, I almost killed him). So unless my OB says I have to I'm avoiding it.
My OB's nurse told me that last flu season several of their patients got the flu, & because your immune system is already weakened when you're pregnant, many of them were hospitalized. She said one person was in the hospital for a few weeks because of complications related to it.
I didn't get it last year and I had lo in November, we had one of the coldest winters and I had him around church and my 9 yr old's school and classmates and he has never been sick (he's 9 months now). I guess it just depends on what you feel comfortable with.
It's a GIRL!
ETA: Also, I don't think my dr even asked me but he knew how I felt about taking meds if it wasn't absolutely necessary and that we didn't want any vaccines given in the hospital for our newborn so he probably knew I'd say no. I've been going to him for 9 yrs.
It's a GIRL!
They won't give them to newborns. Thats why my pedi said for me to get it, so my LO would have the same benefits. I had DS in Dec and he never got sick.
This. I've had the flu shot 3 times, and each time got ridiculously sick. My doctor knows this so he advised me against getting it. My mom and both sisters have the same issue.
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My OB recommends that all her pregnant patients get it. It will also protect your baby once the baby is here.
I have gotten a flu shot every year and last year I got the flu really really badly. I was on the couch for three solid days and my grandma ended up in the hospital with it. It was a different strain. So even though it may protect you from the most common strains, it doesn't protect you from all. I'm sure that one of my kindergarteners gave it to me...haha!
I know I'm late to this but just wanted to add my thoughts.
I won't be getting the flu shot. I got it after my son was born, and I have had an issue with mercury ever since. Some of my lyme symptoms were made worse because of it, and I've had to do a heavy metal detox (this is not quackery for those who are skeptical of my story - I've been tested and had a dramatic improvement of my symptoms which can not be explained by placebo for various, complicated reasons). It's kind of scary because I believe that under normal circumstances it would be a good thing to do, but I am now really freaked out by the flu shot. The trouble with vaccines is that the risk of something adverse is really low, but if you are one of those people it's awful, and you don't know if you are going to be that person until after you get a shot.
I am also a teacher. I got one during my first pregnancy, both a regular shot, and the swine flu shot. It was during the height of the swine flu scare, and I was freaked out! I don't think I ever had a flu shot before that.
I will probably get one again this year.