Flu shots??

smae · 09-25-2010, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mere

I cannot really say whether you should or should not get a flu shot. I, personally, would not. Can you avoid the immunization or do you work in a high-risk facility (such as a hospital or doctors office)?

I think I would definitely ask the doctor and remind him or her of the fludrocortisone you are taking.

Mere

From what I understand is that if I am on Fludrocortisone, vaccines are not recommended. I will print that page about the medication (the information about vaccines was not on the print out the pharmacy gave me) and double check with my doctor when I see him in a week or two.

I do not work--I am currently bedridden. I just have always gotten one because my immune system has always been weak (not due to any condition, but I always catch everything!). I tend to have a lot of different people coming over to visit, and of course my mom works full time and is exposed to things that she could give to me.

I will check with my doctor and make sure, but it sounds like I should not be getting the shot after all. Thank you again for bringing my attention to that--I wouldn't have known that if you are on steroids, you shouldn't get shots--if I wouldn't have seen what you said about prednisone! Thank you and take care!

smae · 09-25-2010, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MelodyL

Here's a good question. If one were to decide NOT to get a flu shot, and that person does not ride trains, and only takes buses periodically and uses hand sanitizers after touching various surfaces when on a bus or in a supermarket, what other precautions can a person take (provided they have excellent immune systems I mean), to hopefully prevent them from catching the flu.

Thanks much

Melody

Have you ever tried elderberry? I have a dear friend from my church back at college who is 64 and very much believes in using vitamins and herbs instead of vaccines and prescription medications. She takes elderberry anytime she is around people who are sick--she used to be a nurse.

"Elderberry is used for its antioxidant activity, to lower cholesterol, to improve vision, to boost the immune system, to improve heart health and for coughs, colds, flu, bacterial and viral infections and tonsilitis. Bioflavonoids and other proteins in the juice destroy the ability of cold and flu viruses to infect a cell. People with the flu who took elderberry juice reported less severe symptoms and felt better much faster than those who did not." -Quote taken from: http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-elderberry.html

echoes long ago · 09-25-2010, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrsD

Chronic lung infections/bronchitis are a sign of low EFA status. Flax oil and fish oil (or the new Krill oil) strengthen tissues to resist infection. I used to get bronchitis alot when I was working, being exposed to sick people all day long, but when I started taking the oils, all that stopped!

A little off topic but i have had over 40 respiratory infections in the last nine years. Since i have been taking fish oil the rate i have been getting them has slowed down but at the same time i am not exposed to toxins that i used to be exposed to on a regular basis at work. I also am not around people to anywhere near the degree i previously was and am quite isolated now. As with most things in life its probably a combination of the three rather than just one factor but to me its definitely worth a try to take the fish and or flax oil and see whats what.

echoes long ago · 09-25-2010, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MelodyL

Here's a good question. If one were to decide NOT to get a flu shot, and that person does not ride trains, and only takes buses periodically and uses hand sanitizers after touching various surfaces when on a bus or in a supermarket, what other precautions can a person take (provided they have excellent immune systems I mean), to hopefully prevent them from catching the flu.

Thanks much

Melody

The jury is out on hand sanitizers from what i have been reading. I would not rely too heavily on them to prevent transmission of bacteria or viruses. I read of a study not long ago that people who use hand sanitizers constantly actually have a better chance of getting sick more often in the the long run because the are not exposed to bacteria or viruses and build up no immunity to them. Not touching your nose, or eyes or mouth while in contact with people or objects outside seems like the best bet to me.

MelodyL · 09-25-2010, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarah Mae

Mere,

I wasn't aware of this. I am not on prednisone, but I am on fludrocortisone. I read your post and went to check to see if there was any information on shots while on fludrocortisone.
I had posted a question about if people with neuropathy were supposed to get a flu shot or not. My neuropathy started in December (09) and I had already had a flu shot.

The answers were a bit mixed, and most people said to ask my doctor. I did, and he said he always recommends getting the flu shot. Well, that was before he put me on the fludrocortisone.

Anyway, the information says this:

"Patients should not be vaccinated against smallpox while on corticosteroid therapy. Other immunization procedures should not be undertaken in patients who are on corticosteroids, especially on high dose, because of possible hazards of neurological complications and a lack of antibody response."

So, I should NOT be getting the flu shot as long as I stay on this medicine, correct? I may go off of it the first week in October when I see him again, or I may be on it long term.

Thanks, Mare, for bringing that to my attention. And thank you, Melody, for asking this question! Without it, I would not have thought twice before getting the flu shot, since that is ultimately what my doctor told me I should do. (I would assume that he is aware that people on this medication should not get a flu shot, but I do not get flu shots at the clinic. My mom works for the state at the college in town, so we go up there to the employee (and family) flu shot clinics.)

I'm glad I asked this question too.

I always listen to what others post.

I listen and I learn.

And I'm better for it.

Let's all stay as healthy as we can be!!! And not take stuff we shouldn't take. At least we should read all the side effects and inter-actions with any meds that we are on.

Mel

mrsD · 09-25-2010, 04:30 PM

The viruses in our flu vaccines are supposedly "dead"... infact so dead they don't stimulate the immune response. So the manufacturers add adjuvants to the vaccines to irritate the immune system. It is these adjuvants which do the long term damage.

The smallpox vaccine was a weakened virus and actually caused smallpox and various other nasty things when injected. A very small % of people vaccinated died as a result.
When steroids are given under these circumstances where a weakened but alive virus is in the vaccine, one can get a full blown attack of the disease. (because steroids suppress the immune system).

In a person getting the dead virus however, steroids are still not advised because they will suppress any immune response at all, and NEGATE the vaccine, and hence there will be no immunity at all and it would be all for nothing. (except the irritating adjuvants which will cause inflammation on their own). The only LIVE virus I am aware of is the oral polio vaccine, which comes with a long warning page when it is given to babies.

It is important to understand this. The two situations are vastly different. We do not use weakened live virus in flu vaccines (unless they are accidently contaminated at the site of manufacture).

Mere · 09-25-2010, 09:07 PM

Yes, that makes sense, Mrs.D. Thank you for shedding some clarity...

Mere

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