November '09 - H1N1/swine flu discussion

[amnesiac]

Enjoy!


ETA - please remember that this thread is for vaccine issues. Disease specific discussion such as treatment, spread or prevention other than vaccines should be placed in our Health & Healing forum.

Please also remember that any news/current event discussions must remain focused on the general vaccine related issue in this forum & should not focus on any specific individual. Speculation or conspiracy theories are also not something we wish to host here.

Feel free to PM me or Mosaic with any questions, comments or concerns.

[Juvysen]

[Jenelle]

Asthma still a concern here. It is consuming my thoughts sometimes. Would love links on this month's thread pertaining to the vax and asthma.

[newmum35]

Dr Gordon has some good swine flu info on his page

http://www.drjaygordon.com/


Also I noticed Dr Tenpenny's site has been updated as well:

http://drtenpenny.com/


Lots of good info here, and let's not forget NVIC as well!

http://www.nvic.org/

[newmum35]

So is NJ the only sane state or are there others?

N.J. holds off on declaring flu emergency, despite nearby states' decisions


http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/s...,6850359.story

[Pumpkin_Pie]

I need some advice on the flu vaccines this year. First of all, DS has received no vaccines at all, and I am not going to be giving eithe the regular flu shot or the H1N1 to him. Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuttttt, I work in childcare, and it is not the childcare that DS goes to, so between the two of us we are exposed to HUGE amounts of children every day.

I have not received the flu vax myself for years, and since developing an allergy to the tetanus vaccine, I don't do any vax's for myself at all anymore as a general rule.

I am terrified of getting the flu and being out of commision for a week or more and then him getting it and being out for a week or more. If we both happened to get a nasty case of it and are out of it for two weeks, I could theoretically be out of work for a month. I absolutely cannot afford to be out of work that long. I am starting my new job full time (I was working at the same place part time for the last three weeks) on Monday. I am a single mama and I am coming off public assistance, so I have no savings built up, and I am absolutley depending on these first few paychecks for survival. I don't have any sick time or vacation time built up yet either, so if I am out, or DS needs to stay home, it is all unpaid.

So, my big question is this: To get the vaccines or not? Yikes!

[Mommyintraining2]

Originally Posted by Pumpkin_Pie

I need some advice on the flu vaccines this year. First of all, DS has received no vaccines at all, and I am not going to be giving eithe the regular flu shot or the H1N1 to him. Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuttttt, I work in childcare, and it is not the childcare that DS goes to, so between the two of us we are exposed to HUGE amounts of children every day.

I have not received the flu vax myself for years, and since developing an allergy to the tetanus vaccine, I don't do any vax's for myself at all anymore as a general rule.

I am terrified of getting the flu and being out of commision for a week or more and then him getting it and being out for a week or more. If we both happened to get a nasty case of it and are out of it for two weeks, I could theoretically be out of work for a month. I absolutely cannot afford to be out of work that long. I am starting my new job full time (I was working at the same place part time for the last three weeks) on Monday. I am a single mama and I am coming off public assistance, so I have no savings built up, and I am absolutley depending on these first few paychecks for survival. I don't have any sick time or vacation time built up yet either, so if I am out, or DS needs to stay home, it is all unpaid.

So, my big question is this: To get the vaccines or not? Yikes!

Most people I have personally heard of who had had it (unvaccinated) got it mildly and only for a few days. Personally, we used homeopathic right away and only had it for three days. I think the stress of not knowing what to do can lower your immune system. And the "what-ifs" will make you crazy (and maybe sicker). I highly recommend doing some serious reading (here and any links posted) and make a decision. Then be confident with the decision. It will do your heart and anxiety level some good. And it will help keep your immune system up, should you decide to vax or not. Just my thoughts...

[Pumpkin_Pie]

I have also heard of lots of folks getting a very mild case of it, but I have had two co-workers out for at least a week within the past few weeks, and a few kiddos who have also been out for at least a week in both the school that I work at and the school that DS attends. I am just worried that this strain locally is hitting everyone harder. Not sure if that makes sense.

I really don't want to get the vaccine for DS or myself, but I guess I am starting to let the hype get to me. I am so on the fence...

[ekblad9]

Subbing

[mamakah]

Originally Posted by Pumpkin_Pie

I have also heard of lots of folks getting a very mild case of it, but I have had two co-workers out for at least a week within the past few weeks, and a few kiddos who have also been out for at least a week in both the school that I work at and the school that DS attends. I am just worried that this strain locally is hitting everyone harder. Not sure if that makes sense.

I really don't want to get the vaccine for DS or myself, but I guess I am starting to let the hype get to me. I am so on the fence...

have you read the vaccine insert for the h1n1/seasonal flu shot this year? You won't be on the fence anymore when you read that no testing has been done on children, so therefore they don't know whether it's safe or effective for children. Pg. 8
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Biologi.../UCM182401.pdf
I've stopped watching the news. I think if you hear the same thing too much you will start to believe it no matter how hard you try not to.
p.s. my friend and her family all had H1N1 this week, they were each sick for about 3 days.

[newmum35]

Originally Posted by Pumpkin_Pie

I am terrified of getting the flu and being out of commision for a week or more and then him getting it and being out for a week or more. If we both happened to get a nasty case of it and are out of it for two weeks, I could theoretically be out of work for a month. I absolutely cannot afford to be out of work that long.
So, my big question is this: To get the vaccines or not? Yikes!

I feel it is extremely unlikely you are going to be out of work for a month. It is going around my area and there have been confirmed cases in the school where my sisters kids attend. All their kids have also already been sick (well, a few did not seem to catch it, all the others did, 5 in total) - all mild cases so none needed to even see the dr - they were not confirmed, so we do not know for SURE whether or not it was H1N1 they had (its possible they had something else) but since this is what is going around right now (98% is assume to be H1N1 this time of year) we assume it was. (In the school they attend there WERE some confirmed cases) ...one of the boys got sick on friday, was ill with fever (101) and cough over the weekend and was back in school on monday (never missed a day) - he has asthma too. Another nephew had a fever 104 for a few days no other symptoms. One of my sisters on the other hand had a fever 3 or 4 days, then a lingering cough or sore throat. There are some high risk groups in my family including asthma, obesity and diabetes and none have needed to see the dr over this flu. I was exposed but didn't seem to get anything... I don't know if that meant I had an asymptomatic case or simply didn't catch one of the germs, I do take a lot of vit D...

you do need to feel comfortable with whatever decision you choose. For me it is a no brainer. The vaccines simply don't have that great of effectiveness. IF they were say 100% effective, then, I suppose it might be worth considering (I personally would still choose to have natural and lifelong immunity rather than temporary immunity from the vax, but I could understand if others chose differently)

I highly recommend you read this article:

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200911/brownlee-h1n1


Realistically, it is likely that you would be vaccinated AND still end up with influenza anyway. Consider how much work you'd have to miss if you end up with one of the "rare" side effects from the vaccine, like this girl did:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEN5K...layer_embedded

[Jenelle]

Originally Posted by newmum35

Consider how much work you'd have to miss if you end up with one of the "rare" side effects from the vaccine, like this girl did:

[seamama11]

It is a tough choice. My husband had it last week. I keep reading about mild cases, and have to wonder how many of them are truly the h1n1 flu, and how many are just different viruses. We had my children swabbed because I wanted to know. If they had it I could completely rule out vaccinated them for it. (most likely won't vaccinate, but still reading/thinking) They had 101 fevers, sore throats, coughs, but their test came back negative.
My husband was very different. He was exhausted for two days before, and in bed for 4 full days, and out of work for 5. He felt like he got hit by a bus, was in so much pain that he couldn't even lift our 20 month old. I know these things hit different people differently, but I am starting to think that there are not quite as many cases as some people believe. Lately, anyone with a fever or cough thinks they have it, is it possible that it is as prevalent as people say....
good luck with your decision.
oh and the few kids I know that have had it were sick a lot fewer days, like 2 or 3.

[NatrlCatholicMama]

Originally Posted by seamama11

\My husband had it last week. I keep reading about mild cases, and have to wonder how many of them are truly the h1n1 flu, and how many are just different viruses.

Wonder the same thing about severe cases, b/c the CDC told everyone to stop testing in July, and most cases "confirmed" H1N1 are actually confirmed type A influenza, with the assumption that "most inf. A flu's right now are H1N1." Few have actually been confirmed novel 2009 H1N1. And if you check CBS' analysis of the CDC's own data, almost NONE of the flu this summer (all of which was assumed by the CDC to be H1N1 in their data to promote the "pandemic" idea) was H1N1 - in fact, almost none of it was flu at all.

And most of the well-publicized deaths have been for people who turned out, upon not-so-well-publicized review, to have had underlying conditions (not exactly the case of "H1N1 smites yet another perfectly health young adult" originally portrayed) or something different (not the flu) altogether.

But the idea of it being pandemic & deadlier-than-usual sure does sell vaccines.

[Wild Lupine]

Atlantic Monthly article

Has anyone read the article about the H1N1 vaccine in this month's Atlantic Monthly. I thought it was very good at showing how flimsy the evidence about the effectiveness of the flu vaccine and tamiflu were. It also gave me some good, clear talking points how the emphasis on vaccines as the main method of prevention keeps people from finding other, more effective ways of slowing the spread. I liked the article and am wondering what others thought of it.

[***edgar]

This is a repost,
I was asked to move it.
Thanks for your help....

Hello ladies,
This is my first post here. I am not vaxing my child (22 months), because I don't believe it is good for her. However, my daughter was a preemie, so I am trying to keep her protected at least for the first two years by breastfeeding her and by limiting her exposure to sick kids. The otherday, I met my friend and he daughter at the zoo, and my daugher drank after her kid....Who had just been vaxed with H1N1. Now I am really worried. Is it possible that my daugher could get sick from this? I know they say that you can't get swine flu this way, but I am not saure that I believe it. Help!

[NewMa]

I haven't posted on this board for ages, but have continued to read on through the years. I am not having either of my daughters vaxed (for flu or otherwise) but am curious and concerned about the vaccine clinics that are being held in our city's schools. The kids are being given the h1n1 shot in one arm and the seasonal flu shot in the other arm, at the same time. Has their been ANY research done to prove the safety of this practice??? Also, I thought that the flu shot was one shot followed by a second shot one month later. Parents are now being told that one single shot for each vax provides adequate protection. (Sounds convenient, given the shortage, right?) I find the inconsistencies and conflicting info very frustrating, even though were aren't vaxing. Curious to hear about how this many be playing out in other areas.

[NewMa]

Originally Posted by ***edgar

This is a repost,
I was asked to move it.
Thanks for your help....

Hello ladies,
This is my first post here. I am not vaxing my child (22 months), because I don't believe it is good for her. However, my daughter was a preemie, so I am trying to keep her protected at least for the first two years by breastfeeding her and by limiting her exposure to sick kids. The otherday, I met my friend and he daughter at the zoo, and my daugher drank after her kid....Who had just been vaxed with H1N1. Now I am really worried. Is it possible that my daugher could get sick from this? I know they say that you can't get swine flu this way, but I am not saure that I believe it. Help!

Unless she was given the nasal spray, she wouldn't have received a live version of the virus in the vaccine and shouldn't be able to spread it.

[handspun]

subbing.

[littlecindy]

my son was really clumsy while on tamiflu, too...