I've never gotten one, because my grandpa got very sick from one (Gillan-Barre Syndrome, though I sure I'm spelling that wrong) and his doctors warned him it is very possible for his family to have the same complications. I should research it more, as this was more than ten years ago.
G-B is scary stuff!! I know someone who got it from Gardasil after tolerating all types of vaccines in her first 16 years. Her older sister and cousins had Gardasil with no issues. I think they believe there may be some genetic predisposition, but mostly it's a totally idiopathic reaction. Definitely worth looking in to a little bit more, so you're comfortable getting whatever vaccines you may need in the future!
I found this on immunize.org
We have noticed that CDC recommends that we begin vaccinating with seasonal influenza vaccine as early as September or even earlier. Does protection from seasonal influenza vaccine decline or wane within 3 or 4 months of vaccination? Should I wait until October or November to vaccinate my elderly or medically frail patients?
CDC recommends that seasonal influenza vaccine be administered to all age groups as soon as it becomes available. Antibody to seasonal inactivated influenza vaccine declines in the months following vaccination. However, antibody level at a point several months after vaccination does not necessarily correlate with clinical vaccine effectiveness. There are no studies that compare vaccine effectiveness according to the month when the vaccination was given. The authors of a review on antibody declines among the elderly after vaccination reported, "In conclusion, we found no compelling evidence for more rapid decline of the influenza vaccine-induced antibody response in the elderly, compared with young adults, or evidence that seroprotection is lost at 4 months if it has been initially achieved after immunization." (See Skowronski, et al., Rapid Decline of Influenza Vaccine-Induced Antibody in the Elderly: Is it Real, or Is It Relevant? Journal of Infectious Diseases 2008;197:490-502).In addition, there is a lack of evidence for late-season outbreaks among vaccinated persons that can be attributed to waning immunity.
@MississippiCatfish I worked in flu vaccine research for many years. The vaccine will boost your immunity for the entire flu season and then some. We have found that having the vaccine previous years also helps with immunity going forward. It is a weaker immunity, so you still would want to get it every year. No need to worry about getting the vaccine too soon. Once the flu shot is available (which it is now) is a good time to get the vaccine.
@MississippiCatfish I worked in flu vaccine research for many years. The vaccine will boost your immunity for the entire flu season and then some. We have found that having the vaccine previous years also helps with immunity going forward. It is a weaker immunity, so you still would want to get it every year. No need to worry about getting the vaccine too soon. Once the flu shot is available (which it is now) is a good time to get the vaccine.
Hope that helps.
Thanks @mruda! Is your work published anywhere I could read it? And maybe pass along to my boss? I just keep thinking about the room of 30 RNs (myself included) who were concerned and confused about when to receive the flu shot for no reason!
I've gotten mine every year after my first pregnancy. It usually prevents the flu but I will say that last year I got it and I got he flu too! I felt horrid! I had a really high fever, swallowing felt like razors, my sinuses were super clogged, my body hurt, I just wanted to curl up in bed all day. Hope I don't get it this year. I think I have heard that if you get it while you are pregnant it is dangerous...not sure though.
My job offers incentives to getting it by giving employees who received the flu shot through the HR nurses a lower prescription drug deductible. But even if they didn't, I would still get it. Any possible extra protection I can give this baby, to me, is worth the sore arm.
Re: Flu Shot Concern