Swine Flu

     With all this hype about the pandemic of Swine Flu, I was just wondering how many of you suffering with UC intend to get the flu shot.   I haven't gotten the regular flu shot for the past three years and was able to avoid getting sick.  Before that, whenever I got the flu shot, I wound up getting as sick as a dog!

Yes I get my annual flu shot. I've never got sick after having it. I'm on Imuran so I don't want to minimise the chances of getting a serious viral infection.

     I'm with you DrA.  I worked for a doctor back in 77 when the Swine Flu was "supposedly" going to hit with a vengence.  I was pregnant with my youngest daughter at the time.  My OB/GYN doctor wanted me to get the shot.  I had some misgivings about it.  The doctor I worked for didn't want to go against my OB/GYN doctor but he said..."Chris, not enough research has been done on that shot and in my professional opinion (which I highly regarded) I wouldn't get it."  That was good enough for me.  I never got the shot, the virus never struck and two of our patients who did receive the shot had horrible results.  One developed the Epstein/Barr syndrome and eventually wound up in a wheel chair.  The other patient apparently had some kind of bug when he got the shot, became violently ill and passed away.

    

Sorry for butting, in, I know I don't belong, but just saw swine flu topic and thought I'd have a gander.

Here in the UK, it's been reported that they basically have a base vaccine ready for any panademic, this base vaccine has been tested lots and lots to mak sure it's as safe as the regular flu shot. When something like swine flu comes along, then they just take the base vaccine and add the virus too it. So what is coming out, should be a safe enough vaccine if it is being made in this way. As the only new ingrediant added to the vaccine will be dead or inactive/weakened H1N1 virus.

Just thought I'd add in what I knew, hope you don't mind too much:)

Luckily, we only have 2 vaccines being fast-tracked to pick from, which will be made available when they get the license for them sometime in October. The vaccines are already in the UK and ready to use. Ours are coming from companies "Baxter Healthcare" and "GlaxoSmithKline". Both pretty recognisable names in the UK for med making and toothpaste making lol.
I haven't yet since a list of what's going in the vaccine, and too be honest, am not too bothered about it. As shoddy as the UK healthcare is sometimes, we do have one of the best immunisation programmes. As much as our polititians suck also, they don't want the NHS using up even more money having to treat people through dodgy vaccines (we run on a very free and very overun health service), so I'm confident they're looking into it properly.

I'm gonna be one of the first in line for the vaccine.......So I'll let you know if I drop dead lol, and I'll let you know which one I get, if I find out. Don't think we're gonna get much choice in which we get.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090814/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_swine_flu_vaccine

"In Europe, Glaxo is testing vaccines with an adjuvant, a chemical compound used to stretch a vaccine's active ingredient and boost the body's immune response.

In Canada and the United States, Glaxo is testing vaccines both with and without adjuvants. Neither country has ever licensed any flu medications that contain the compound.

The safety of adjuvant-boosted flu vaccines on pregnant women and children — two of the groups thought to be most at risk from swine flu — has yet to be determined conclusively."


Absolutely no idea what different adjuvents they are tinkering with. I have heard everything from higher doses mercury to squalene which gave all the problems with anthrax vaccine. If they are done with the formulas there should be inserts available somewhere.

I ALWAYS get the flu shot, never have any effects and don't get the flu even when everyone else does. Last time I didn't (many years ago) and got the flu, it was very hard on my health.

I will definitely get the h1n1 shots, as soon as I can! We (chronic disease) aren't very high on the priority list and there will be a shortage. Kids and young people, kid caregivers, healthcare workers first. Elderly are last on this one, since they seem to have immunities and aren't getting this flu.

If you have a chance to go to a presentation by your health department you'll learn some interesting stuff.

Like, it's expected to come in waves of about 4 weeks, estimates are 10-25% will get it and they will tell you to just stay home -- for 7 days or as long as you are sick, whichever is longer -- don't even go to your doctor (just call). It can be spread on hard surfaces, good grief! Schools will try hard not to close, because kids tend to congregate anyway if schools close. Our plans to prepare in the U.S. are based on what they have already gone through in Australia.

I'm a little nervous, not knowing if Remicade will affect my susceptibility if I'm not able to get shots before I'm exposed. I asked about it last Spring when it first hit, was told not to worry...but my husband is a schoolteacher and I live in a college town...I think we will see lots of it (45 cases at the university already)...

Update! The number of cases at the local university is now more than 300