Flu shot? - Page 3

[ShadowMoon]

I have never gotten the flu shot and don't plan on getting it in the future. My son has also never gotten it. We try to eat healthy, wash our hands regularly, etc. especially during flu season.

[SunshineJ]

Well, if I'm remembering correctly, as of last year the flu shot was NOT verified as safe for pregnant women per the inserts from the manufacturer though the CDC and other groups still promoted it for such. The women I know who have been pregnant watch everything they put into their bodies, so I can't imagine those same women opting for a flu shot that's not proven safe!

Our family will continue to decline the shot again this year. I had the flue 9 years ago while pregnant with ds, and got a very mild form of the H1N1 last year. The flu is unpleasant, uncomfortable and annoying but for most people it's not life threatening. Certainly there have been cases where it's been much more serious, but that can really happen with any disease or condition. I've always believed it's an unfortunate fact of life that in order to be healthy you must first have the opportunity to be sick. If we get the flu, then we're probably going to spend a very miserable week, recover and continue on. Not something I'm exactly excited about but most likely not the end of the world either.

[Otto]

Originally Posted by SunshineJ

Well, if I'm remembering correctly, as of last year the flu shot was NOT verified as safe for pregnant women per the inserts from the manufacturer though the CDC and other groups still promoted it for such. The women I know who have been pregnant watch everything they put into their bodies, so I can't imagine those same women opting for a flu shot that's not proven safe!

It's obviously not possible to do an RCT on the time frame associated with the flu vaccine, nor would it be particularly desirable, given that the basic manufacturing process doesn't change from year to year. I'd go so far as to say that the objection itself is something of a dog whistle, in that the complaint is implicitly one of failure to satisfactorily demonstrate harm.

[Angela512]

I've never gotten a flu shot...especially when you read the vax inserts and they all specifically state that it is untested and has unknown results of pg women and fetuses. No way.

But, I won't get it even when I'm not pg. I think it's funny they are willing to prescribe drugs that they know what's in them and those substances are proven harmful...but cannot comment on a naturopathic treatment because it's "unproven" by the FDA. Most of the drugs out on the market these days wouldn't have been if the FDA didn't get a nice big payoff or the powers that be at the FDA didn't have interest in the drugs being presented.

[ImaSophie]

We don't get flu shots (the kids and myself) My youngest did get H1N1 last year but I took him in right away (at first signs of the flu) because he is an asthmatic. He was very sick for a little over a week but he had the antiviral med and that made a huge difference. We choose not to get the H1N1 vaccine for him because he is non vaccinated per his dev. pedi's advice, and we didn't want our oldest to get the inhaled version because then he would be shedding it upping the odds of our youngest catching it.

We use Sambucus Kid's (andI use the the adult version) Formula Elderberry Syrup, Umcka, Olbas cough syrup, sometimes hylands products, frequent hand washing, and limit the exposure to large crowds (for my youngest) when it is cold/flu season. Umcka works REALLY well when ever I get a cold, my oldest seems to never get sick but the youngest & I get every little bug/germ he brings home (we also both have asthma and fall-spring is rough in our home some years).

I always think it is ironic when people do not trust homeopathic or naturopathic healing because most medicines are mimicking chemically what is found in nature to be curative.

[phathui5]

Are you able to look for a midwife instead? My midwife never gave me a hard time about going the natural healthcare route.

As far as the shot, I've had four pregnancies, four healthy babies, and no flu shots.

[SunshineJ]

Originally Posted by Otto

It's obviously not possible to do an RCT on the time frame associated with the flu vaccine, nor would it be particularly desirable, given that the basic manufacturing process doesn't change from year to year. I'd go so far as to say that the objection itself is something of a dog whistle, in that the complaint is implicitly one of failure to satisfactorily demonstrate harm.

Personally I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that something that is being recommended for a select group of the population to have been tested safe for that population. Nearly every drug out there has had the trials and tests performed with a resulting safety code for pregnant women, why should the flu shot be any different?

[Otto]

Originally Posted by SunshineJ

Nearly every drug out there has had the trials and tests performed with a resulting safety code for pregnant women, why should the flu shot be any different?

In point of fact, there are very few drugs that fall into FDA Pregnancy Category A. Should the flu shot be any different?

[caned & able]

As a person who has watched persons close to me in older generations affected by X-ray pelvimetry, DES, thalidomide, bendectin, and many other so-called safe drugs for pregnant women, I think we should all err on the side of caution and learn the lessons of previous generations or be prepared to RE-learn the lessons once again.

The women I know who have been pregnant watch everything they put into their bodies, so I can't imagine those same women opting for a flu shot that's not proven safe!

Not meaning to disparage your friends, but these same women are the ones who often line up for drugs inhaled, intravenous, injected into their spines, and other procedures during labor that have no science-based evidence to prove their efficacy nor their safety nor any long term studies to prove any long term damage. When a doctor recommends rhogam, a flu shot, or a "vitamin pill", common sense and personal responsibility disappear.

[Angela512]

Originally Posted by caned & able

Not meaning to disparage your friends, but these same women are the ones who often line up for drugs inhaled, intravenous, injected into their spines, and other procedures during labor that have no science-based evidence to prove their efficacy nor their safety nor any long term studies to prove any long term damage. When a doctor recommends rhogam, a flu shot, or a "vitamin pill", common sense and personal responsibility disappear.

That's a pretty broad accusation you are making. I watch everything I put into my body while pregnant (and not). I have never gotten a flu shot, I do not take pre-natal vitamins (I prefer to get my vitamins/minerals the natural way), I've refused epidurals and all other drugs BECAUSE of the possible affect it could have on my unborn/almost born babies.

So, while you may know of some women who fit this description, I would suggest you not lump every single person into this one category as it's simply untrue.