A strong immune response is a GOOD thing, right?

[tesla]

So my body responded to getting the flu shot by knocking me over with fever, aches, and chills for the better part of a day. (Unsurprisingly, these sound just like symptoms of the flu itself.)

I can't remember the last time I had the flu. I didn't really intend to get a flu shot this year, but I happened to be at the office for a tetanus booster anyway, and it was fully covered by my health insurance, and yadda-yadda. But after this little episode I'm thinking that, on balance, I might be better off avoiding the shot in future. At the very least, I must remember to schedule it at a time when I'm okay with being out of commission the next day.

I hate being sick. I love feeling like myself.

Comments

[ktig.livejournal.com]

It amazes me how strongly flu shots are pimped on people these days!? Grocery stores, banks, vampire-driven buses masked as blood donation centers, hell even OBGYNs offer them.

There was a flu shot patiently awaiting my arrival at the doctor's office last week. I hadn't even asked for one! The nurse tried to lay on the guilt by telling me I'd get everyone else sick.

My final response: Eh, I think my immune system could use a little shake-down. She frowned and hurried out of the room, injection in hand. I showed her! Rawr.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

Gee, thanks; #1 item on the schedule this morning is to go get a flu shot, and it's my first time so I have no idea how I'll react to it.

It's

[lsanderson.livejournal.com]

It's unusual, I think, to react. I've been getting them for years. Was it just a tetanus booster or wuz it a dpt?

[mizzlaurajean.livejournal.com]

It's unusual to react.

I did the first and second time I got it when this was a new thing many years ago. But haven't in recent history.

The last time I was certifably ill was New Years Eve 2000.

I think since then I've had a few colds. I may start to feel unwell a few times a years but I usually manage to dodge actually getting sick.

There is nothing I hate more then being sick. It's so horrible.

I always get the flu vaccine for various reasons. Asthma, elderly grandparents, working with small germ factories, trying to get pregnant, etc.

I actually atribute how little I get sick to working with small children for so many years and paying good attention to when I feel yucky.
The first year I worked with toddlers, oh man I think I had a cold all winter long.

Anyway I hope you feel better pronto!

[davidschroth.livejournal.com]

I've never had that kind of reaction to a flu shot, although I have had that kind of reaction to tetanus shots.

I hope you're fully recovered, and stay free of the flu for the foreseeable future.

Just out of curiousity...

[opheliac-9.livejournal.com]

you got the inactivated vaccine shot in the arm, yes?
It's certainly possible to get this reaction (obviously)--just make sure it's not an allergic reaction (http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-flu.pdf).

Hope you're feeling better very soon!