Posted on by LydiaA1614

Why I Don’t Get A Flu Shot

immunization

First of all, I have posted a lot reblogs over the last few days. I have been under the weather and not able to write much. Plus, I reblog because I believe the post is worth sharing.

Secondly, this post is about why I don’t get flu shots anymore. I am in no way suggesting that others do the same. I only want to give my reasons so you can make your own informed decision. There are no doctors’ recommendations involved.

I have a very poor immune system. I always have. I had chronic bronchitis growing up, I catch every cold and flu bug going around and back again. My right sinus seems infected from October to March, plus I have environmental allergies and asthma.

On top of all that, my fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and osteoarthritis don’t help. My husband drives a bus for the elderly and disabled, including patients on dialysis. He has to be careful not to get them sick, but he also catches bugs from his clients and brings the viruses home.

The fact is, it is inevitableĀ that I am going to get sick. I don’t go out much in the winter and I try to avoid places where I may get ill. And, the flu shot actually makes me sick. It gives me the flu within 24 hours of receiving the shot and while it does that to a lot of healthy people, mine lasts a long time.

I do get the pneumonia shot once every five years. It does not seem to have the same effect and has protected me. I have a damaged lung so having pneumonia can be very hard on my good lung.

So, it isn’t that I don’t believe in the shots, I really do. And I encourage people to get it if it helps them. I don’t really feel that a flu shot is the right thing for me.

Lydia!

22 Replies to “Why I Don’t Get A Flu Shot”

  1. Good for you for using your own best judgement!! I just trust that my immune system will do it’s job (I try to boost it with good food, exercise, and rest. The last time I got the flu (I’ve had it once in the last 20 or so years,) I went to bed when I got home from work (about 3 or 4 in the afternoon,) and woke up in the morning feeling much better.
    I am also not against shots, I just don’t buy into the more the better. Still can’t figure out why they make a chicken pox shot!!

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    1. Thanks for your reply. I actually can see the importance of the chicken pox shot. I was positive I had it when I was a child so I babysat for my neighbour who had twin boys – both with the chicken pox. The next day I was travelling to my MIL’s and started to feel itchy. Then the marks started to hurt. We went to the doctor and I was told I had chicken pox. They are ten times worse that when a child has them and I am more susceptible to shingles and cold sores which are in the same family of virus. I have had both since the pox.

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      1. The problem is that no vaccine gives life long immunity. It’s a false sense of security that ultimately puts many more people at risk. When you are vaccinated, you can still catch and pass on disease even though you are not symptomatic. This means you don’t stay home and you come in contact with A LOT more people. I prefer natural immunity, for the most part, however messy it is!

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    1. Thanks on the domain. It was a bit of a struggle but my techie hubby finally managed to work it out. I used to get my flu shot like clockwork every year. It was just something I did too. But since my health bottomed out I have to look at some things a little differently!

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  5. I can identify with all of this plus I have seen statistics that show flu injections work for only a few poeple. There are so many varieties of flu virus and the flu jab only protects against a few of them if at all. I react badly to it and stopped having it many years ago, as did my husband. I hope you recover from your own particular virus quickly and completely, sinus problems are no picnic.

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      1. They generally recommend anyone with a compromised immune system to get the flu shot since your susceptible to it. I don’t have a super compromised immune system, but mine is slightly compromised and it’s one of the reasons I get it every year, but I definitely respect your decision and if you feel you have adverse reaction then definitely don’t get it. Stay safe, be happy, and healthy! From one fellow spoonies to another.

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      2. Thank you, I really do appreciate your input. It has been interesting seeing the comments to this post. It has prompted conversation and I feel that is a good thing in the spoonie community. At least we can be heard by each other when sometimes it feels like no one else is listening. My next post is all about that.

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  7. I quit getting the flu shot over 10 years ago. With all my problems and all the medication and everything that I already have to put into my body, I just decided that I’m not putting anything in that I don’t have to. I’m disabled and mostly in bed, except for the doctor appointments, but I only see my primary care doctor every 8 weeks because she manages all my meds after another doctor prescribes because I have about 17 doctor’s, specialist’s, so that’s the only office I should be concerned about picking up a virus or bacterial infection. All the other doctor’s are hematologist, rheumatologist, neurologist, pulmonologist, etc. so I don’t usually see too many sick people in all these offices and they all seem to have a box of masks at the front desk, so if you are ill, you are supposed to put one on and sometimes I put one on just to keep myself from getting anything. Everyone has there deal with whether they get the flu shot or not. To each her own, but it’s not a good choice for me. Take care. Peace out! šŸ™‚

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    1. Wow, I thought I had a long list of doctors and conditions! Yeah, even my primary doctor thinks I should get it and I say why? I am not bedridden; however during the flu months I am out rarely. I even get most of my groceries delivered through the internet and my husband picks up the rest. I don’t see my main doctor often because she is quite a distance away. Most of my other doctors are very close and like with yours, most of them don’t have patients with the flu often. I just am not going to have one extra thing if I don’t have to. You and I agree on that!

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  8. I am like you…I used to get the flu shot regularly, however I still would get sick with the flu then pneumonia. One of my conditions is a lung disease. Many people tell me I should be getting the shot. I would get the shot then be sick with the flu for at least 2 weeks. One year I was sick nearly the whole year after getting the shot. Some people say don’t get the live shot. I say no my body does not like them. I make sure I take many supplements I don’t go out much in winter and make sure the house is warm.

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    1. It is hard when people don’t understand that we are not being difficult, we are just looking out for ourselves – we have different needs and reactions to medications. I hope you have had a relatively flu-free winter!

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