I was watching Inside Edition tonight and they had a story of a lady (she was young....probably early 20's) who had a flu shot then developed severe dystonia. She could barely walk - but what was so strange is that she could walk backwards just fine. And she could run. But walking forward was almost impossible. Her speech was affected, too. Except when she was running and then she could speak normally. Strange!

Here's the story:

http://www.insideedition.com/news.aspx?storyId=3525

I just saw an interview with an MD on some TV show. They are saying its pyschosomatic for her. Sheeesh! dont you hate when you show up really sick, and they say "just calm down sweetie, its just anxiety!" I wanted to crawl thru the screen and punch her in the head!

The woman used to be a cheerleader, and is clearly suffering. I would be freaked out!

It affects everyone differently.

A couple years back, my entire family got the flu. Dh, dd, (live with me) mom, bro and family, sis and some of her family. They ranged from 7-10 days feeling horrible. Dh never calls off or misses work, not for anything. Even he was in bad shape though. We were really worried about mom, took her to the doc twice.

I had a mild fever - 99 - for about 4 hours, felt nauseous, ached all over. Really thought I was getting what they had. Fell asleep and woke a little crummy. But by the time I had my coffee I was fine.

This is as sick as I get any more. I started feeling like something was coming on while I was in FL - achy, fevery, sore throat, stuffy nose. One of the guys dh works with was same way. I was fine by next day, the other guy took a week to get over it.

I used to get every bug everyone else got, the same way they got it. My kids got pink eye, and we'd all be at the doc's, getting a RX.

Have not caught it in years even with close exposure.

Some people just fight stuff off better than others.

I read somewhere that they are using squalene (sp?) which is an oil based adjunct that triggers your immune system. And they were saying that in studies they did with lab rats that squalene caused these rats to develop MS like symptoms with their hind legs draggin behind them before it killed them. That is some scary stuff.

Even more scary is that I asked my pediatrician her opinion of the flu shot for DD. I was told "unless she is high risk (ie asthma) I am not willing to give her either flu shot". She proceeded to go on to say that the H1N1 shots are not being properly tested, they are being fast tracked onto the market and that this is the study that is being performed they are giving this drug to upwards of 5 million people to see what happens. And that is not a risk we should be taking with our children. She also told me the reason she is against the flu shot is because of the adverse effect it has on a childs immune system. It is better for the child to develop their own antibodies to certain infections the flu being one of them.

Which makes total sense for people like brain who have caught every bug brought home throughout their life to have a much stronger immune system as an adult.

I'm the same way you are, Brain. I just barely get whatever is going around....just enough to know something is up.......then it's gone.

But....when I do get a full blown illness I really do it up right. I got back to back bronchitis in 2005 a few months before I was dx with MS. I sometimes wonder if it caused the terrible flare that earned me my dx.

Legzz - I completely agree with you not getting the dd a shot, after reading that.

I get that this is a serious flu, but it is just the flu, not the plague. Most people stand a better chance against this thatn who knows what in this injection.

I understand why they fast track it, because there's no point getting it out after the flu has hit everyone. But they should already have a WAY better grip on how to make a safe vaccine than they seem to.

This is why we have an immune system, and we do have to train it to fight. The better we work it out, the tougher it is - until it malfunctions.

Kitty, I think partly mine is built up, but more it seems to malfunction to my benefit. I should not still be immune to all forms of cold or flu and I figure this is going to reverse on me at some point.

My nephew's wife sent me this article. They've got three little girls and no one in their family is getting the flu shot or H1N1 shot for that matter. I'm not sure if her kids get the other vaccinations that they have to have for school. She home schools so I'd venture to guess that they don't. This is some scary stuff:

http://www.naturalnews.com/027258_va...u_vaccine.html

I just heard a Scientist, on 60 Minutes, state that the HiNi virus is related to the 1918 flu and has found that most people born before 1950, have built up immunities against it.

That's why us old folks are not on the must have list, for the HiNi flu vaccine. Finally, a positive reason to be OTH!

BTW, he also said that the HINI vaccine is safe and all should get it..

I thought I'd be off the hook since I had the Swine Flu when I was about 7 but noooooooooooo, they say that's too long ago. Ugh. I'll ask my doc today. The VA wants me to have it since I am a caregiver. I'll get it if they say I should. Chris, my oldest, teaches at a school so if he brings anything home I want to be protected.

They also said on 60 minutes that individuals with neurological diseases and those with immune compromised systems should get the vaccine. My neuro also recommended it. I do plan on getting it if it becomes available. I am around too many college students. I also prefer to listen to the scientists and specialists advice on this matter.