Have you had the H1N1 vaccine??

[ma2jr]

I'm confused as to whether I should get vaccinated or not as well. I'm been absorbing all the info, spoke to doctors and nurses... I'm still on the fence.

 

[crashbb]

I'm confused as to whether I should get vaccinated or not as well. I'm been absorbing all the info, spoke to doctors and nurses... I'm still on the fence.

It's hard when different medical practitioners give you different information. I did get the vaccine but:
1) I work in a hospital
2) I have a chronic condition
3) I am in close contact with a high risk person who cannot get the vaccine (infant under the age of 6 months).
4) I have had the "normal" flu turn into double pneumonia (though, I suppose that goes along with point 2).

If I didn't have multiple factors pushing me into the high risk group, I might not have gotten the vaccine. I definitely would not have lined up for hours to get it (since I got it at work, it only took about 20 minutes from start to finish).

 

[ma2jr]

I wish there was more coverage about the risks involved. I doubt they would vaccinate on such a grand scale if it wasn't safe...?? but, they stopped vaccinating in 1976 after 3 months!

 

[fivebyfive]

I wish there was more coverage about the risks involved. I doubt they would vaccinate on such a grand scale if it wasn't safe...??

That's exactly my concern. I mean they don't know the long term effects of the vaccine. Yeah, I've seen the You Tube video of the cheerleader. BEYOND scary!

 

[ferris198]

So far people are dropping off from the flu, not the vaccination.

 

[crashbb]

So far people are dropping off from the flu, not the vaccination.

For now...

As I said, I got the vaccine; I decided that (for me) the risk of possible effects from the vaccine was less than the risk of H1N1. However, I could see why someone would make a different choice.

 

[fivebyfive]

True, but the cheerleader (although not dead) adds a big scare on the vaccine.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Ok to settle this - there is nothing objectionable in the "Was that so hard" link.. It was a rough attempt at humor and actually surprisingly helpful in it's own way.

For example, from October 29th, 2009 to Nov 3rdm 2009 at 11am, there were six reported daeths attributed to H1N1. 2 in BC, 2 in AB and one each in the Yukon and Newfoundland. This report is next updated tomorrow at 11am.

Link to the page detailing new cases in Canada:

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/h1n1/surveillance-eng.php

There are some great information pages up at:

http://www.fightflu.ca - which is just a redirect for the Govt of Canada's Public Health Agency's Flu Pages..

A great PDF file on weighing your options... Vaccine vs. Antiviral Drugs like Tamiflu or doing nothing..

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/h1n1/vacc/pdf/options-eng.pdf

And lots more!

And if you're interested in hearing stories from those who have received the shot, 2 ppl at work fell into a 'high risk subgroup' - of those two ppl - one experienced no symptoms or change in health after receivng the vaccine.

The other person had very mild 'cold like symptoms' for about 2 days..

Hope this helps,

Knox

 

[fivebyfive]

That helps a lot Knox - thanks! I didn't even know about the possible side effect of Guillan-Barré Syndrome with the vaccine. That adds a whole other issue to consider.

and actually surprisingly helpful in it's own way.

Agreed, as it gave me the answer of 101 deaths across Canada from H1N1. Although IMHO a link to that page would of been far better than the tongue and cheek method of getting to it.

 

[ferris198]

The risk of GBS is very rare.

 

[fnkyyellow]

Let's remember that the title of this thread is 'Have you had the H1N1 vaccine?"

 

[fivebyfive]

The risk of GBS is very rare.

Do you know what the odds are? The way I read it, only 101 people of 33 million have died so far here in Canada from H1N1. So if the odds of getting GBS are greater than that, I don't know if I'd risk it. Does that make sense? I think I'm confusing myself! LOL

 

[ferris198]

I don't have a number, but you are at greater risk of dying from the flu then getting GBS.
I too was on the fence about getting the vaccination, and my DH works in the pharmecutical industry.
But when I started hearing about seemly health kids, and others dying from it, I quickly jumped off the fence and in line to get a shot.

 

[crashbb]

Ok to settle this - there is nothing objectionable in the "Was that so hard" link.. It was a rough attempt at humor and actually surprisingly helpful in it's own way.

Apparently the non-Canadian disagreed.

Oh well.

I have no idea why my other posts got deleted (in fact it was quoted and complimented by many others).

I won't be posting on this thread anymore.

 

[fivebyfive]

and my DH works in the pharmecutical industry

Funny you should say this, as at first I was all "absolutely I'm going to get the shot" without giving a second thought.

The very first person to make me re-think things? My pharmacist! He went on and on about how "it's just a flu and they don't know the long term effects of the vaccine..." UGGH! I wish he never said anything.

But when I started hearing about seemly health kids, and others dying from it, I quickly jumped off the fence and in line to get a shot.

See, I haven't heard that. ALL I've heard in the past week or so is about the vaccine - or rather - the shortage of it. In fact according to that link provided by Knox, there has been no deaths in Ontario since October 29th. When the flu is (supposedly) at it's peak, wouldn't a number be present? Or is this not it's peak? I don't know. I do know that the media likes to scare us. In fact, they thrive on it. So it's tough to decipher media from facts.

 

[aanderson5]

You're lucky that you can go get it. Here in Nova Scotia, I can't. Children under five, native Canadians, pregnant women and health care workers are the only ones that can get the shot - everyone else is out of luck. It really bothers me about all the lies the government told us. If this strain of flu was here in April, why did they wait until now to start administering the shots? In the late spring the federal health minister said the government had it all under control and that there was enough vaccine for everyone in Canada (and they should know how many people there are in Canada), all of this was not true. Now that I've gotten that off my chest I'll get off my soapbox. Thank you for your patience, now I feel better.

Our clinics here are still only for high priority too. DS was able to get it because he is 3, DH because he has asthma and me because I am watching my girlfriends 4 month old who cannot get vaccinated.

The shot may have been for nothing anyway. The baby I have been watching's Daddy was just diagnosed with H1N1 so we may all have been exposed before the shot took effect anyway. Now we are all waiting to see if anything develops with the rest of us.

 

[LSmith]

Apparently the non-Canadian disagreed.

Oh well.

I have no idea why my other posts got deleted (in fact it was quoted and complimented by many others).

I won't be posting on this thread anymore.

After Canadianguy said that there was nothing wrong with your post it's been deleted? Why can he post his thoughts and links and, I assume, have yours and others deleted?

No point asking why it was deleted because the super power is under no obligation to tell you (as I've found out). It's not a democracy here.

It's really too bad because I thought yours was the most intelligent post on this whole thread. Furthermore, the link was brilliant. IMHO

 

[SaraMc]

We got ours on tuesday, both DH and my arm hurt. DS's was ok. Two days later and my arm is back to normal.

 

[Kurby]

Cassie got hers yesterday and today it's brused (she moved - actually she screamed and tried pulling away so it wasn't the nurses fault) and sore but at least she got it.

i dont think i will though

 

[ferris198]

Today they are reporting 3 deaths in the London Ontario area.
None were in the high risk groups, so could not get vaccinated.
1 was a 2 month old baby, the others were seniors with underlying issues.
My own skeptism wasn't due to the vaccination itself, as I am fairly healthy and rarely get ill, but when they started reporting healthy people getting extremely ill, I changed my mind.
I had always planned for my DS9 to get it though as there are a number of students in the schhol who have been ill.
Don't know if it is H1N1 in all of them, but I didn't want to take chances.