Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
I can't find the shot available around here; nor can I find shots for the seasonal flu any longer.
H1N1 Vaccine
- Thread starter stevenmd
- Start date
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
One thing I can tell you, as a doctor (but not a medical one), getting health info from tin foilers on a 4WD discussion forum is bad for your health.
I think of it as natural selection.
Every year I was in the Army I got a flu shot. We were told (anecdotally, don't know if it would be legally valid) that if we refused the flu shot and got the flu, we could be punished administratively (article 15.)
Besides that, being in a unit that frequently had to travel to sub-saharan Africa, we got vaccinated for just about everything: Yellow fever, cholera, Hep A and B (each one a 2 shot series) Gamma Globulins (just before deploying to Haiti in 1994), anti-malarials (incluing Mefloquine, which we called "crazy pills), a bunch of other stuff I don't even remember and of course the infamous Anthrax vaccine when I deployed to the middle east in 2004.
Never had a bad reaction that I could trace to any of those shots so I just have to smile and shake my head at the tinfoil hat crowd.
Besides, every Dale Gribble wannabe out there knows the government doesn't put mind control drugs into vaccines - that's what chemtrails are for!
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
Our evil social healthcare system somehow wrangled one of the large pharmacuetical manufacturers in Canada to prioritize production to provide enough for to immunize everyone here. I understand this has affected worldwide supply because there are only 6 manufacturers? Sorry about that.
Actually though, they outright cancelled the regular seasonal flu vaccine production. Something about a study showing that people who got the regular shot last year, were twice as likely to have gotten H1N1 last spring. No idea on the causality of that.Actually, I come to places like this to get a "second opinion". The diversity of knowledge in places like this is incredible. Some of the worst advice I've ever gotten is from doctors.
I forgot to mention, but that's also one of the reasons I'm considering it. I have a newborn and almost 4 year old at home.
I'm just so skeptical becuase this is being pushed so hard, and it's non-sensical. This started last spring, they made a huge deal, and it was so not a big deal. In fact, the death rate per person infected is less than the regular flu was. So why all the hype?
roadkill
Adventurer
I've read that many have been infected and have either not needed medical attention and/or were never admitted to a hospital but the CDC has the mortality rate based on only those admitted to a hospital.
first SARS, then avian bird flu and now swine flu. wonder what the next "panic" will be. IMO its all media hype.
edit to add, I am not going to get the shot. I've read enough about the lack of testing and use of adjuvents that I want no part of it.
first SARS, then avian bird flu and now swine flu. wonder what the next "panic" will be. IMO its all media hype.
edit to add, I am not going to get the shot. I've read enough about the lack of testing and use of adjuvents that I want no part of it.
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
Roadkill, that is a good point. Early on they were only counting "cases" in the rare occaision somebody was hospitalized. So the "mortality" was artificially high. It was later on in the spring when they started getting a better handle on it that they started counting real cases they realize the mortality rate was lower than the regular flu.
And, they're not even testing for it anymore, which is leading to some interesting results.
The 13 year old boy, presented to hospital with flu symptoms. They didn't even get a doctor to examine him. The triage nurse just looked at him, said he had the regular flu, don't worry about it and go home. He died the next day. Rumor here at work was a guy was diagnosed with H1N1. Panic ensued until we got the full story. He went to his doctor, looked at him and said "Well, it's too early in the season for regular flu, it must be H1N1, so quarantine yourself for 3 days."
And don't get me started on the hand sanitizing thing. My wife had a baby last week so I was in and out of the hospital several times. They now have this security booth set up, they stop you , ask you if you have symptoms, give you a mask if you do. In either case, you HAVE to use the hand sanitizer. So at one point, I'm carrying two suit cases, one in each hand. I set them down, use the sanitizer, then pick up the cases again. So if there was anything on my hands, I just cross-contaminated again with the suitcase handles. It's completely pointless.
The doctors just don't want to come out and say "Look, there's nothing we can do. If you get it, you get it." So they just put out this "wash your hands" thing. Now kids are getting dermatitis on their hands from excessive washing.
And, they're not even testing for it anymore, which is leading to some interesting results.
The 13 year old boy, presented to hospital with flu symptoms. They didn't even get a doctor to examine him. The triage nurse just looked at him, said he had the regular flu, don't worry about it and go home. He died the next day. Rumor here at work was a guy was diagnosed with H1N1. Panic ensued until we got the full story. He went to his doctor, looked at him and said "Well, it's too early in the season for regular flu, it must be H1N1, so quarantine yourself for 3 days."
And don't get me started on the hand sanitizing thing. My wife had a baby last week so I was in and out of the hospital several times. They now have this security booth set up, they stop you , ask you if you have symptoms, give you a mask if you do. In either case, you HAVE to use the hand sanitizer. So at one point, I'm carrying two suit cases, one in each hand. I set them down, use the sanitizer, then pick up the cases again. So if there was anything on my hands, I just cross-contaminated again with the suitcase handles. It's completely pointless.
The doctors just don't want to come out and say "Look, there's nothing we can do. If you get it, you get it." So they just put out this "wash your hands" thing. Now kids are getting dermatitis on their hands from excessive washing.
Superu
Explorer
Since you asked.
Yes, I am planning on getting the H1N1 as soon as it is available here. My entire family (2 adults, 3 kids 10, 8 & 4) has already been vaccinated for seasonal flu and my 4 yr. old has had the H1N1 vaccine as well.
At this time, my 10 year old is 2 days w/o a fever after a bout with flu that is waiting to be confirmed as H1N1. Since he was vaccinated over a month ago for seasonal and due to the rapid onset of symptoms, our pediatrician feels it is more likely than not that it is H1N1. We'll find out soon enough and yes, he will be getting the vaccine next week at school.
My 8 year old just got back from the doctor's office and is in the same boat now with 102.8 fever. The variable here is that he also has asthma which makes him more vulnerable than average to complications from flu. My wife is picking up his scrip for Tamiflu as I type this.
Add to that the 12 year old girl in the next town who recently died suddenly after appearing to get better from the flu and rapidly deteriorating (yes, she has been confirmed H1N1 positive with no known underlying health issues, in otherwise excellent health and fitness and well regarded youth soccer player.) and I will hedge my bets with the vaccine rather than against it.
Finally, maybe the fact that I work in Biotech/Pharma and I know well the dedication and selflessness that many of our doctors, scientists and lab techs exhibit makes me less likely to buy into the Govt./BigPharma/Boogeyman conspiracy theories.
There are plenty of areas on which I don't trust big business and government, but this isn't one of them.
Yes, I am planning on getting the H1N1 as soon as it is available here. My entire family (2 adults, 3 kids 10, 8 & 4) has already been vaccinated for seasonal flu and my 4 yr. old has had the H1N1 vaccine as well.
At this time, my 10 year old is 2 days w/o a fever after a bout with flu that is waiting to be confirmed as H1N1. Since he was vaccinated over a month ago for seasonal and due to the rapid onset of symptoms, our pediatrician feels it is more likely than not that it is H1N1. We'll find out soon enough and yes, he will be getting the vaccine next week at school.
My 8 year old just got back from the doctor's office and is in the same boat now with 102.8 fever. The variable here is that he also has asthma which makes him more vulnerable than average to complications from flu. My wife is picking up his scrip for Tamiflu as I type this.
Add to that the 12 year old girl in the next town who recently died suddenly after appearing to get better from the flu and rapidly deteriorating (yes, she has been confirmed H1N1 positive with no known underlying health issues, in otherwise excellent health and fitness and well regarded youth soccer player.) and I will hedge my bets with the vaccine rather than against it.
Finally, maybe the fact that I work in Biotech/Pharma and I know well the dedication and selflessness that many of our doctors, scientists and lab techs exhibit makes me less likely to buy into the Govt./BigPharma/Boogeyman conspiracy theories.
There are plenty of areas on which I don't trust big business and government, but this isn't one of them.
howell_jd
Adventurer
I say get the vaccination if available. And be prepared for a mutation...not necessarily an H1N1 mutation but any number of possible mutations. It's a fact of life that viruses abound. Consider this though, tuberculosis (caused by a bacterium not a virus) used to be a leading cause of death in America (and continues to plague many areas of the world) but is hardly a contributing factor to early death anymore because of preventative measures. That's why an H1N1 (and future vaccines for any and many flu strains) is advisable. I've been stuck with needles, given oral doses of vaccine, snorted mists, had vaccine delivered direct through skin (like a liquid needle - ouch). Gov't experimentation perhaps but in my line of work missing a day because of sniffles affects mission readiness.
lwg
Member
I don't get the regular flu vaccine for the very same reason I won't get the H1N1 vaccine. For now, my immune system is plenty strong to handle the flu. Not getting the vaccine allows it to do its job properly and build up proper immunity.
I really not a tin-foiler per se. There is tons of research and logic behind my decision. My wife works in health care (Dr's office) and tons of folks are coming in with the flu right now. She still hasn't had any of her patients hospitalized.
To the folks who work in ER's and such, you are just as polarized about this as others. Keep in mind that by the time somebody with H1N1 reaches you they are probably in pretty bad shape. I would guess/assume that for every person hospitalized for H1N1 there are literally thousands who aren't. Thus you are more likely to see the bad side of this virus.
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One thing I can tell you, as a doctor (but not a medical one
Funny stuff. My whole family will be getting the H1N1, if we can find it.
Life_in_4Lo
Explorer
currently not avail at my doctor
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
I got my shot today... but I was wearing my tin foil hat so the government mind control drugs can't take hold.
RMP&O
Expedition Leader
Perhaps I am misinformed but I still won't be getting any shots. I don't get flu shots of any kind. The only shots I get are vacs for Yellow Fever, Dengu Fever, Malaria, ect when I travel. I also skip on taking my malaria pills most of the time when I travel.
I still stand behind my statement...the FDA apporves many things for safe consupmtion that are well known and proven to be very harmful to humans. I feel the same is true with the medical industry so unless I really need something I am not taking it. I live healthy, eat well and take care of myself. Last time I had a cold was 5+yrs ago. Last time I had the stomach flu was 3+yrs ago. If you take care of yourself and practice good hygine you very rarely get sick.
Swine flu doesn't scare me one bit. Neither did SARS. Millions of people die every year from smoking cigs or drinking booz or living unhealthy lives. That doesn't seem to be important though to those in charge. If the cash being spent on Swine Flu was spent on other things more important maybe we could come up with some real results for real problems.
I don't care if anyone wants to get the shots, that is your choice. But I will never get the shots. If I get sick I have many ways of getting rid of the virus using natural methods that work very well for me. Just for poo and giggles here is a video of one of many different things you can take to prevent getting sick or get rid of a virus. Watch the movie if you are interested and take it for what it is....I am not trying to cause arguements by linking it just showing other things are out there besides shots.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGjUp1zoov8
Lost Canadian
Expedition Leader
I got mine this morning. The way I look at it, what's one more? I've been immunized against MMR, tetanus/diphtheria, hep A&B, polio, typhoid, yellow fever, meningococcal meningitis, cholera, and who knows what else. I don't get sick very often, but when I do it seems to kick the snot out of me,...and I don't particularly enjoy it. So I'll take my chances with the one in a bajillion odds that I'll have an adverse reaction if it means I won't get sick from H1N1.
Superu
Explorer
I guess I'm missing something here. Smoking and drinking are conscious choices. Are you saying that one can simply "choose" not to get influenza? Seems to me that plenty of clean living people still get the flu every year.
And what exactly, should "those in charge" do about people drinking and smoking?