Originally Posted by
pickandgrin
My experience:
In 1976, there was a big government campaign to get everyone vaccinated with the swine flu shot. I took it as did several members of my family. It contained live virus and it made me sicker for longer than I’ve ever been before or since. No one else in my family got sick. Nor did anyone else I knew. Even the ones who didn’t get the shot.
Since then, I worked in a health care facility for 9 years. I was pressured by management to take the seasonal flu shot every year so I did. I got the flu every flu season that I worked there. I have since left the health care environment and have not gotten any flu shot. It’s been 5 years and I haven’t gotten the flu until now.
I am currently recovering from what I’m pretty sure is H1N1. I’ve commiserated with friends who have had the test and been positively diagnosed with H1N1. And I received a letter in the mail this week from the local County Health Department declaring that their studies indicate that 98% of the flu in this county is H1N1.
It wasn’t the worst flu I’ve ever had. My fever was low grade and my discomfort was moderate. It did put me down for longer than flu normally does. And it seems to be hanging on longer than I would otherwise expect. I do not fall into a group that has been categorized as “High Risk” so I anticipate full recovery in another week or so.
Since I’ve already had H1N1, I certainly won’t be getting that one. I’m somewhat undecided about the seasonal flu shot. The shots usually give me a headache and I don’t have any quantitative evidence that they actually work for me. Actually, my experience makes me view the expert advise as somewhat dubious.