Are you getting a flu shot?

deanna1313 · September 2013

Not bashing anyone for getting the flu shot by any means. friends of mine get it that are teachers because they are concerned about how germy the school is. Teachers aren't required, though. Just wanted to clarify and no, I'm not anti-vaccinations!!! Lol

ShannonSky · September 2013

mblaine512 said:

I have never got the flu shot and last time I was prego I didn't get one either. People always get sick after getting them!

You can't really get sick from the shot since it's not a live virus. You CAN get sick from the nasal spray, which is a live virus, but hopefully not as bad as if you actually get the flu. Personally, my family just does the shot.

ajsweeton · September 2013

I would have gotten my flu shot today at work if I wouldn't have had to out myself as being pregnant. I see the MFM on Friday and plan on asking if they'll give one there or if I need to make an appointment with my GP

ajsweeton · September 2013

deanna1313 said:
@carabiner252 all if the children were required to get flu shots because young children, elderly And pregnant are most susceptible. not arguing with you, but just telling you the companies logic. I never thought of it before, but what your saying makes sense. I believe most daycare centers are the same way. Also, if it is against your religion or whatever you don't have to get one for your child in a daycare either. At least not this one. We were pretty strict with staff being out when sick and being sent home. Yes, I had regular contact with the children. I just believe a healthy adult body should be able to fight it on its own. My doctor is shockingly against the flu shot,also. It makes me wonder why!

I think I read that you've never had the flu. As someone who had it a few years ago let me suggest: if you'd ever had the actual honest to goodness flu you'd get vaccinated every year. It's horrible and when you're sick you can understand how many people die from it every year. When I had it my temperature was holding around 103.5 until I got medication. My BP was so high the tube shot across the room when the nurse was tried to take blood. I sure wouldn't want to go through that while pregnant.

JerseyGirl129 · September 2013

I get one every year since I work in an elementary school and the kids are always sniffly and sneezy in the winter. I'm hoping the doc will give me one when I go for my first prenatal appt on Oct 8.

kmtneb · September 2013

Just for my flu shot yesterday (I have to for work) and I told the pharmacist I was pregnant and he said he gave me the preservative free version. I called my RE office about it and they said they recommend it. Didn't say anything about waiting until after the first trimester.

flutepharm87 · September 2013

Already got mine. My boss came in for a visit with a rotations student, so I took advantage of the extra immunizers and got the student to "shoot me up" before they left. Then I texted DH and told him to drop by after work so I could give him his shot as well. So now we have to wait for the boys' pedi to get their vaccine in stock so I can get them their shots too.

Please, as some posters have already mentioned, get vaccinated. If you're concerned, I know for a fact that CVS stores carry the preservative-free version that's safer in pregnancy and most insurances cover the vaccine at no cost to you. Such an easy thing to do to protect you and baby and stay healthy this flu season!

GracieLou Freebush · September 2013

Absolutely. My next appt is mid-Oct and my OB will give it to me then.

deanna1313 · September 2013

@ajsweeton sorry to hear how horrible it was for you. I should clarify. I did have what my doctor assumed was swine flu that I caught on a cruise I was on(really was horrible timing). I just said I never had it, but I meant from being with the kids. I don't normally catch stuff from the kids. I think my immune system was so use to fighting everything off they had. Lol I have just read too many things about it and the preservatives. It makes me paranoid! Like keep reading about the things you shouldn't do while pregnant. When you said "I would hate to go through it while pregnant" it made me think about it differently. Under normal circumstances I wouldn't get it, but thank you because I wasn't looking at it from the right perspective. It would be 10x worse while pregnant. Ugh!!!!

natn529 · September 2013

i got my flu shot last week at 6.5 weeks, administered by my ob/gyn on same visit as my 1st U/S.

i was absolutely bull-dozed by the flu last Fall (haven't been that sick since i was a kid) and i had a lovely head cold a few weeks ago at 4 weeks - so i'm not taking any chances.

Unknown · September 2013

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MunchkinMoon · September 2013

Yeah... My doctor didn't flat out say that I "had to", but he kept stressing that he "highly, highly" recommends it. So, yup!

deanna1313 · September 2013

@Carabiner252 this is a good point to all of you who plan to do daycare. When you tour check with their policy on flu shots for children and staff. If the staff aren't required at least make sure they have a strict "no sick teachers allowed" policy. My center is part of one of the biggest corp in the country and don't require a flu shot for staff. Hopefully you don't get a BS answer on a tour.

We never had an issue with it at our center. I was there for 12 years and there weren't really too many things passed'. Typical colds, but normally from student to student or student to teacher.

caballo718 · September 2013

I will def be getting one. After having the flu last year I couldn't imagine being pregnant and having the flu.

Sarac2288 · September 2013

I always get one so will be checking with my doc when I go next week

sisterjanet · September 2013

I'm really hoping I can just get the shot at my first midwife appointment, so I don't have to figure out another time to get the shot. I have to get it for work, but I would get it anyway while pregnant. With my son, the lady administering the shot was actually the first person (besides DH) that I told, because she was trying to explain what the nose shot is, and I suddenly thought to ask if it mattered that I was pregnant. (It does. You have to get the needle shot. I'm actually less scared of the needle shot than a nose spray though.)

chillypenguin · September 2013

My DD and DH got Influenza A last year and it was absolutely horrible. I didn't get it, I had gotten a flu shot at work, but DD was too young. She was only 4 months old and I had to feed her with a syringe because she couldn't eat. My husband said it literally felt like he was dying. All 3 of us are getting it this year!

Bmlopez3054 · September 2013

I'm in the military and have to get it. I just got mine on Friday and now I have a cold..awesome. Having a cold on top of being pregnant makes me just want to lay in bed allll day!

delatl · September 2013

I usually get on at work since I work in a college. My OB appt. is a few days before the flu shot clinic at work, so I plan to ask them for it then and if not, I'll get it at work. I'm terrified of getting the flu while pregnant and causing my fetus harm. I plan to pester my husband and family into getting them too.

sws684 · September 2013

Absolutely!! Get your flu shot!!

Happy healthy communities!

amoralez · September 2013

I'm waiting to talk to my dr at my oct 16th appt (almost 9wks) to see if at ok in first tri. I want to get it ASAP since I work at a credit union and am around germs all day and dirty money!

ho11yday · September 2013

I already got mine at work. Our intern was super excited to shoot people in the arm and, as a reward for all her hard work during her rotation, I let her stick me.

ArmyMedic7588 · September 2013

Snowflake312 put it in the best words I think. Women who are pregnant and develop the flu have a much higher risk of a child developing bipolar and schizophrenia disorders. Your baby is not able to get a flu vaccine for at least 6 months. But if you get the flu shot during pregnancy (should be 2nd n 3rd trimesters) then your baby actually carries the vaccine for their first 6 months. Also pregnant women are at a MUCH greater risk of getting the flu and having a more serious time with it. It can was it'll cause you to become hospitalized. Working with our state medical command for the army I give flu shots I pregnant women all the time. It is prefectly safe after your first trimester. Also, all this is about the flu SHOT not the flu mist. The shot is an inactive virus, the mist is a live virus which can seriously harm the baby in any trimester. Hope you ladies all have a H&H pregnancy! And take care of yourselves!

markir07 · September 2013

I had to because of work, I'm 8 weeks today and I got it on Tuesday. I just made sure to get the preservative free one from Walgreens (you have to ask for it and not all locations have it). My Ob said it was recommended I get one. Trust me, I was a little hesitant but the preservative free one made me feel a little better.

MayBabyBrown · September 2013

Interesting- the books say to get one, and it seems the American medical community is pretty clearly in favor of the flu shot during pregnancy... Here in Germany, however, they seem to feel differently. My OB said there is no reason to get one, no real evidence supporting prophylactic value. Not sure what I will do.

deanna1313 · September 2013

@ArmyMedic7588 & @Markir07 thanks for the great information. It makes me feel better about getting the shot.

awknyc · September 2013

I am definitely getting mine. My OB/GYN said that at my next appointment in 2 weeks they'd give me one.

artichoken · September 2013

I got mine at my first OB appointment.

kschroeder21 · September 2013

I was going to ask my doctor at the next appointment since I have heard I need to and it was in the packet I got at my last appointment.

vivere_ridere_amore · September 2013

Nope. Never had it and I've only had the flu like 3-4 Times. M doesn't get it either.

CaliVal · September 2013

Bmlopez3054 said:
I'm in the military and have to get it. I just got mine on Friday and now I have a cold..awesome. Having a cold on top of being pregnant makes me just want to lay in bed allll day!

Which branch are you in?! I'm active duty in the Coast Guard.

mrspopsicle · September 2013

I've had the flu and it was the worst two weeks of my life. I didn't fully feel like myself for close to a month. Had I been pregnant at the time, I'm quite sure I would have been hospitalized (very high fever and very dehydrated).

I work in a pediatric ICU and have taken care of plenty of normal, perfectly healthy kids and young adults extremely sick with the flu including a handful who have not survived. Just because you "never get sick" does not mean you can't or won't get sick this year. Influenza is serious business. Get immunized! It's just not worth the risk.

rebecca1198 · September 2013

Carabiner252 said:

deanna1313 said:

I was a daycare director up until last year and never had a flu shot even though I was around those germy kids. My primary doctor is not a fan and has never had a flu shot either. This makes me really unsure of what I should do. I want to talk it over with my OB at my first appt.

I'm sorry, not trying to bash you, but I would be upset if my daycare providers weren't vaccinated. But if you were the director and not directly working with the kids that might be different. But I feel that anyone working with kids has a responsibility to do what they can not to spread infection, with the exception of those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.

ITA. This was a question I always asked when interviewing daycares.

Kate373 · September 2013

My doctor highly suggested that I get it at my last appointment but I refuse to. No matter what statics they throw at me my answer will always be no. Because my family has a history of getting more sick and far worse when we get the shot versus letting us fight it on our own. Getting the shot for myself in my eyes would be like asking for an abortion. My doctor will probably butt heads with me about this my whole pregnancy but I'm sticking to my guns.

2009lovebirds · September 2013

I was told I can get preservative free shot during 1st trimester but read above should wait until 2nd trimester. Any thoughts?

I do hate the flu shot - I always get sick. My dr said that is because while your body is fighting off or developing immunity you are more susceptible to catching a cold/sickness from someone else's germs. She highly recommends getting it so I will.

sammy.k · September 2013

Yes. It's not about you anymore... You're sharing your body. Think of what could happen IF you get an awful case of the flu? Not worth it to me in the slightest.

JAM85 · September 2013

I won't be because the flu shot triggers a flare in my lupus symtpoms which is worse than actually getting the flu itself for me and my baby but I'm obviously a special case

LilyGracesMommy · September 2013

I too am an RN and under these same mandates. I will get the flu, but my hepB is low & I need a booster ... Thinking I will ask my OB about safety of the booster, as I'm not sure and really need it for work

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