vaccine? should we or not

[worrier1]

my wife is on methotrexate and has a suppressed immune sysytem. She has been offered the swine flu vaccine, which she is going for. My Kids (6 and 4) and myself have also been offered it. I am fine with having it, but am concerned about the kids. one side says it would be good to have them vaccinated but the other side says is it safe? If they caught the flu and were ill and they hadnt had the vaccine then i would feel really bad about it.

Any one have any feelings on this? Any reccomendations?

[Franz]

I don't know what to think about the swine flu vaccine. All I will say is that I am suspicious.

I don't want to worry anybody, but this is an important issue, and I urge people to do research into swine flu and the vaccine on the Web.

Check out this video for a non-sensational sceptic take on the swine flu vaccine:

http://www.nvic.org/NVIC-Vaccine-News/June-2009/Swine-Flu-Vaccine--Will-We-Have-A-Choice--by-Barba.aspx

Also check out Barbara Loe Fisher's blog:

http://vaccineawakening.blogspot.com/

For what it's worth, I do not intend to have the swine flu vaccine. I understand that testing has been minimal and I think something about the whole swine flu furore stinks. At best I think the pharmaceutical companies are onto a money-making racket, at worst I think there is something altogether more sinister going on.

As I said, I don't want to worry people unduly, and you are free to think me a kook, but I think this a VERY important issue and I advise people strongly to do their own research and form their own opinions before taking the vaccine.

[Wolfie]

Hi guys,

At first, when the whole swine flu issue appeared, I too looked onto the internet to do my 'own research' about the whole thing.

What came up were tons of conspiracy theories, which I, at the time, thought 'omg, this could be true, omg, it's the companies making money for themselves'. And I believed it, for a long time. I swore to never have the vaccination, the swine flu is not as deadly, blah blah blah.

My view has now changed. I continued to look into it, and personally I think the odds stand out pretty clearly, I think it's important that people do have the vaccination in order to help protect themselves and their kids, etc. Young people are more at risk to be more ill from swine flu and personally I wouldn't want to infect anyone younger than myself and for them to suffer more. The vaccination programs are well under way now, in several countries, and most people are absolutely fine after it, nothing has happened to them, the vaccination hasn't caused anything abnormal - you can read more about this through the group SAGE and their findings, etc. I recommend looking at 'Fergus on Flu' which is a blog which can be found on the BBC News website.

And plus, the media ALWAYS exasberates the issue more than you could ever imagine, they like to feed on stories which can cause fear, etc - look at what there is on every night in the news - there are always bad stories, the media grasps on a story and exaggerate it until it's tired out. It's what the media does, so it's only normal for them to go on and on about it.

I don't really recommend for people to go and do their own research - it's almost as bad as typing in a symptom in google and google coming up with 'you're gunna die'. People need to look at official sources, try New Scientist for example, they have tons of articles about swine flu which are informative and fact, also the 'Fergus on Flu' blogs are informative and up to date aswell.

The main thing is, that the people who are most susceptible to becoming ill from swine flu, should be protected and if that means getting the vaccination so you don't pass it onto someone else, then I think that's an important thing to think about, but at the end of the day, IT IS AN INDIVIDUALS DECISION, and no one elses. I think everyone should do what THEY, THEMSELVES, think is best. :)

Take care, I hope everything goes well worrier1, please let us know how things go,

Chrissy xxxx

[springblossom]

Check out www.mercola.com (http://www.mercola.com) and do a search for 'swine flu'

[Welsh.Baz]

This whole 'should I/Shouldn't I' thing makes me laugh it really does.

Look at the facts, WHO and the EU people WOULDN'T ok the vaccine if there was such a risk of things going wrong as it would look bad on them, and serious questions would be asked.

This whole thing about it maybe given the guillain-barr syndromme, if you speak to people in the correct sector, they'll tell you, it's more likely you catch this from having the flu, than you would from having the flu jab, that says alot doesn't it?

Also, all these people who are saying 'oh i'm not sure if I should let my kids have it' ermm well wouldn't you rather have your child have a sore arm or a little bit of a flu like symptoms for a day or two than risk them having a full on attack of this flu, which could potentially prove deadly for ones so young? What would they really think then if the worst happened?

Many, many, many, people have already been vaccinated, and shock horrror, no reports of anything bad, granted some people will have an adverse reaction, as people do with ANY vaccination, be it one made in 6 months to one taking 3 years.

As to worrier1, if you and your wife are having it, I would fully suggest your kids have it too, especially with your wife having the suppressed immune system, which as household contacts, i'm sure you get the seasonal flu jab aswell.

In closing, don't listen to the media hype/crap about the vaccine, the people in the know are the ones to listen to, also try reading the guy on the bbc website, think it's Fergus on Flu, it puts everything into perspective.

[Franz]

As I said, I didn't want to worry anyone unduly, which is of course a bit difficult on this forum; hence I wasn't sure whether to open my mouth. Anyhow, now I've given my opinion and I shall say no more.

[Panic33]

I've had the swine and season flu jabs today. I've had the seasonal one every year bar 1 and that year I got flu - 2 1/2 weeks in bed with bronchitis too - took me months to fully get over and gain my body weight back.

[HighwayMiles]

My young daughter and I both got shots and my husband got the mist. It was the right decision for us. My daughter and I had ZERO side effects. I almost feel like they injected me with water or something, because I felt no different. Sometimes with the seasonal shot I get woozy or sore that night, but with this one? Nothing. Not even redness or swelling. My husband got a little dizzy 36 hours after the nasal mist, but I'm not sure that was related. He went to sleep and that was the end of it.

My uncle was hospitalized with H1N1. He's a senior citizen, but got really, really ill. My friend's child (8) is in the ICU right now. Two weeks after getting the flu she got much worse and now has liquid in her heart and a murmur. The flu peaked in my state a couple weeks ago. So many of my friends got it... and it was ugly. It wasn't "mild." It wasn't deadly, but it was awful for them. The ones who were anti-vax before falling ill, became pro-vax after.

I am so relieved that we've been vaccinated. I want my daughter to be able to go to playgrounds and have fun with her friends without having to worry about this particular bug. I want to know we can travel during the holidays without fear of having our vacation ruined by fever. And the peace of mind that comes with knowing that I, as the parent, will be able to take care of everything, that I won't be bed-ridden with H1N1 and unable to care for my daughter... it was absolutely worth it to me. I was so happy about getting vaccinated, I cried when I got back in my car.

I believe in clean living. Exercise, healthy food, green tea and yogurt, plenty of sunshine, good old fashioned handwashing... but when it comes to H1N1, I wanted a little help from science.

[Chrismascray]

Should we shouldnt we, well I really truly do not know, but I do know a drug called thermidalyde, and I am sure that is spelt wrong but if you say it slowly you will know what I mean, was also tested, and perhaps more so than the flu jab,(how come they have a vaccination so quickly for a virus when the cold has been with us for years and they cannot do anything?,) and look what happened there .

[Panic33]

I think the cold is one of 1000s of viruses [all sub grouped as a cold], and due to it being a minor illness it isn't worh investing in vacs for them.

[Maj]

Yes, like you I'd only worry if I didn't let my family have it and they were ill with swine flu. Myself and my son have just had the two flu jabs and we've been fine apart from a sore arm for a day or two. We feel that we don't have to worry too much about swine flu now.
Myra