# Did you get sick from your flu shot this year? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 17, 2011, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964 "2011-10-17T21:34:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/41 "2011-10-19T00:33:53Z")
I wonder if talk about “extra strength” flu shots may in some cases refer to vaccine this year protecting against both H1N1 and “usual” seasonal influenza. From today’s USA Today: \*"Myth 3: New “combined” shots are riskier than older ones. This year’s shot, which protects against both H1N1 and seasonal flu, was made the same way as every other flu shot, says Randy Bergen of Kaiser Permanente in Walnut Creek, Calif. Every year, vaccine makers include viral strains that are most likely to cause illness. Typically, these include two influenza A strains — an H1N1 and an H3N2 — and a strain of influenza B, Abramson says."\* For those who feel they don’t need a flu shot because they’re healthy and not “at risk”, consider 1) H1N1 has severely sickened and killed people (including healthy young folks) with no known risk factors and “good immune systems” (hyper-immune responses have been singled out as causing especially severe cases). 2) Getting protected from influenza also protects those around you who _are_ particularly susceptible to illness from catching your germs. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/42 "2011-10-19T00:38:35Z")
There’s an extra strength shot??? BTW, I assume your Mom had the injection and not the nasal spray vaccine? The injection is not a live vaccine, but the nasal one is (don’t know why). Anyhoo, the vaccine only protects one from what is believed to be the most common strain(s) this season. You still can get the flu. Not sure if ehr doctor can tell which is more likely to be the case for her. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/43 "2011-10-19T01:25:22Z")
I voted “No”, but it’s only been 8 hours. Arm’s pretty sore (that’s unusual) but otherwise OK. I’m posting to add that MrsPullin got pretty sick after her shot. We don’t know for sure if it was the shot, but she seemed to be affected a lot more this year. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/44 "2011-10-19T01:37:22Z")
I usually get a flu shot, and usually only have a mild reaction. This year, the strains included are all the same as last year (which I got), so I don’t know that I’ll bother. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/45 "2011-10-19T02:01:05Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > I’ve never gotten a flu shot, and I don’t plan to start this year. No, I’m not an anti-vaxxer; I just don’t feel it’s necessary for me in my current condition (44, healthy, and not in any of the major risk groups). As far as I know I’ve never gotten the flu either. > [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > I have never gotten a shot either. I’m also not anti-vax, but I just don’t know why I need one. > > Fairly healthy 55 year old female here. > [@chiroptera](#): > > No shot here either, just because I don’t see a need as I get a cold or “bug” maybe every four years or so, and only had flu once in my life, almost 40 years ago. > > I did have a flu shot about 15 years ago when I was volunteering at a hospital. It may have been coincidence but I came down with the mother of all head colds within a week of the shot. > [@Anaamika](#): > > But that’s just the thing - I’ve never had it. When I have it for the first time, I figure I’ll start getting shots the following year. But in all my life, knock on wood, I have avoided it. Here’s my story. Some years I got a shot, some years I never got around to it. Didn’t matter, because I never got the flu. About 8 years ago, I didn’t get the shot and I did get the flu. (If you’ve never had it, real flu takes you from feeling okay to death’s door in about 4 hours.) The next morning, my temperature was 103F/39.5C. I went to the doctor, knowing there’s nothing he could do about the flu. He told me to go to bed and come back in two days. Two days later my temp was 104F and I had pneumonia. It was a week before the fever broke, and I was out on my feet for another week. I’ve never skipped a shot since. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/46 "2011-10-19T02:32:53Z")
I got a flu shot and within a day or 2 came down with a relatively mild flu. Then my wife got it . She did not get a shot. it laid us out for almost 3 weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/47 "2011-10-19T02:45:01Z")
I got my annual flu shot about 10 days ago. No symptoms at all. In the worst case I’ve only gotten mild symptoms from flu shots. I didn’t used to get the shots. I wasn’t in any high risk groups. The flu will knock me back for a week, but I run fevers and burn off the worst in a day or two, with several days of not-too-bad recovery. But now that I have kids I’m exposed to _everything_ - especially when they were little. My wife pointed out to me a few years ago that I could not spare 5-7 days being sick, and I should save my leave time for something fun. I’ve been getting the shots for at least 10 years, not big deal for me, and no flu. I’m over 50 now so I need to keep up with the shots. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/48 "2011-10-19T02:53:58Z")
Got my shot last week. Achy arm, some exhaustion the next day but that could have been other factors. I had the flu in high school. I remember it well (what I CAN remember of it, that is). I ran a hallucinatory high fever for 4 days, couldn’t keep anything down, lost 10 pounds, and was weak as a kitten for several weeks afterwards. Since teach not children, but lots of non-traditional students who HAVE children, and my traditional-age college students STILL seem to be petri dishes, I get it every couple of years. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/49 "2011-10-19T07:08:15Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > I’ve never gotten a flu shot, and I don’t plan to start this year. No, I’m not an anti-vaxxer; I just don’t feel it’s necessary for me in my current condition (44, healthy, and not in any of the major risk groups). As far as I know I’ve never gotten the flu either. There are two reasons that even someone like you might want to get a flu shot. First, the flu is a really nasty illness. It can knock a healthy person flat for a couple of weeks. Second, by immunizing yourself you help protect others who can’t be immunized, like very young children, people with HIV, people undergoing chemotherapy, people who are allergic to the vaccine, etc. If enough people are immunized an epidemic becomes practically impossible - a phenomenon called “herd immunity.” ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/50 "2011-10-19T07:54:27Z")
I got my flu mist a few weeks ago. I hate the flu mists. They don’t make me sick or anything, it’s just really uncomfortable to get a little burst of cold mist spray shot up my nose. Much prefer the shots. Just a quick jab in the arm with a needle and I’m good. Also got my Anthrax booster shot pretty recently. Pretty much a required thing in the military. As I haven’t heard of anybody dropping dead from Anthrax in the military, the shot obviously works. 😃 My main peeve with getting immunization shots from the military med-techs is that they seem to have been taught a technique where their off hand shields the view of the needle. I guess some folks can’t stand to see it, but it makes me uneasy when I _can’t_ see it. How do I know what that joker’s doing if I can’t see? ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/51 "2011-10-19T14:02:53Z")
A little. The company gives them, so I have no idea whats in them or how strong they are. Since the people giving the shots don’t consider themselves my Dr, they aren’t bound by anything to tell me either. ---
**Author:** ![Barrett\_Bonden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@Barrett\_Bonden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrett_Bonden)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/52 "2011-10-19T14:32:46Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > I’ve never gotten a flu shot, and I don’t plan to start this year. No, I’m not an anti-vaxxer; I just don’t feel it’s necessary for me in my current condition (44, healthy, and not in any of the major risk groups). As far as I know I’ve never gotten the flu either. This used to be the conventional wisdom, but it has changed in recent years. A friend of mine in the medical field recently explained to me that she **particularly** recommends that young and healthy people get vaccinated. Apparently there are current strains of the flu going around that are similar to the Spanish flu, which was fatal because of the strength of the body’s immune response. Also herd immunity benefits society. Just doing my part. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/53 "2011-10-19T19:02:08Z")
I haven’t gotten my employee-sponsored flu shot yet. Keep this thread around for a couple more weeks and I’ll report back. I will say that I’ve gotten a flu shot almost every autumn for the past decade and never gotten sick from it. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/54 "2011-10-19T20:53:10Z")
I’m getting my flu shot this Friday. I’ll report back later this weekend if there were any side effects. I was going to get it today. But we had a cold front move in Monday and I got chilled before turning on the heat. My throat is a bit scratchy today. Figured a flu shot might push me right over the edge. ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/55 "2011-10-20T12:52:44Z")
i can’t vote since i haven’t gotten mine yet, but invariably if i DON’T, i end up sicker than a dog. last year in january i woke up with a fever of 102.7 and it didn’t get any better for about three days. ain’t doin’ THAT again… ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/56 "2011-10-20T15:30:26Z")
I just got home from getting my flu shot. It’s been about an hour since I got it, and the injection site is already swollen, and the muscle is a tiny bit sore. We’ll see what happens! ---
**Author:** ![geneb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e4f/32.png) [@geneb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geneb)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/57 "2011-10-20T19:29:29Z")
Never had a flu shot, don’t plan on getting one. They’re provided by my office, but I’ve never had the flu and don’t really see a need to get the shot. ---
**Author:** ![Dinaroozie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Dinaroozie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinaroozie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/58 "2011-10-20T19:36:35Z")
I got the shot and had no negative reactions. My arm felt slightly bruised the next day, but it’s not clear whether that was from the shot or from punching myself in the arm to prove to my incredulous friend that my arm wasn’t sore from the shot. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/59 "2011-10-20T23:41:36Z")
I was at the doctor’s today, and I asked the nurse. Seems that the high dose or extra strength flu shot is for those over 65. I don’t know if that’s the clinic policy, or what…but that’s what she said. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964/60 "2011-10-21T00:11:07Z")
Got the shot yesterday. Not only did the shot itself not hurt, but my arm has felt no pain afterwards. A+++++ would inoculate again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-get-sick-from-your-flu-shot-this-year/599964.md?page=4)