Swine Flu Vaccine | Imamother

amother

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 11:42 am

What is your opinion about the swine flu vaccine? for kids and adults? I plan on speaking to my pediatrician but I just wanted to get some opinions and hear what other people have heard about it. Anyone?

amother

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 2:49 pm

My Dr. is all for it. Especially since my son has a heart condition. Although, I'm still waiting for the regular flu shots which the office ran out of.

PinkFridge

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 3:02 pm

I've been wondering myself. My son has a chronic condition too. He had the regular flu shot already, don't know how long his system should rest between the shots. Plus, reassuring as the specialist was about this, I wouldn't mind waiting a few weeks after the first mass round of shots to be sure there are no immediate serious reactions.

PIP

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 3:42 pm

Many more ppl have died from the regular flu than swine flu. I'd get the reg flu shot before swine, unless someone were to have an underlying condition, that's a whole different story.

Rodent

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 4:33 pm

They won't give it to under 10s here yet, waiting for more trials. I'll ask my GP next time I go in but they are recommending it for people with infants so I may get it. I'd like to know how long it will last. We're going into summer so if it's only going to be a 6 month thing like the regular flu shot then I don't see the point. I'd definitely get it if I was pregnant, there are some pretty horrible complications then. Or other underlying conditions.

PinkFridge

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 9:11 pm

People mention the underlying conditions bit. My worry is, what kind of reactions might there be from the vaccine? Buried in the CBS news on the radio this morning was a soundbite from a dr. who worried about vaccines that are rushed to the public this way. OTOH our specialist said that in back in the 70s when he was in med school he was part of the experimental group for the original vaccine and said that Guillaume Barr isn't a concern this time around. But what else might be?

NotInNJMommy

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 9:16 pm

I just spoke to a dr. tonight and he's said he's been having adult patients complaining of chest pains after receiving the H1N1 shot.

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, Oct 06 2009, 9:27 pm

PrettyInPink wrote:

Many more ppl have died from the regular flu than swine flu. I'd get the reg flu shot before swine, unless someone were to have an underlying condition, that's a whole different story.

FWIW, I've heard that those who get the flu shots without the H1N1 vaccine are more susceptible to swine flu, and as such, if one is choosing to get the flu vaccine, the H1N1 should be taken first...

cookiecutter

Thu, Oct 15 2009, 10:18 am

PinkFridge wrote:

I thought that it's a regular flu shot, just for swine flu instead of regular. But I wonder if they're telling the truth now, or they just want everyone to take it and we'll find out that it was a mistake again.

Anyway, Matzav.com summed up the issues, but Dr. Schulman's speech won't help me Sad

, I live OOT.

gryp

Thu, Oct 15 2009, 10:26 am

Looks like kids under 10 will be needing 2 doses of the vaccine for maximum immunity. One isn't enough.

Quote:

FWIW, I've heard that those who get the flu shots without the H1N1 vaccine are more susceptible to swine flu, and as such, if one is choosing to get the flu vaccine, the H1N1 should be taken first...

I read that too, research out of Canada.

micki

Thu, Oct 15 2009, 10:31 am

got this in an email

Every year just as the weather starts to turn cold, the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) begins an ad campaign to start motivating us to get
the flu vaccine. They give statistics like the number of deaths from the flu,
the number of missed work days that cost employers hundreds of thousands of
dollars. This year because of the outbreak of "swine flu" around the globe, the
campaign will be much more vigilant.

Some people are absolutely clear they want the vaccine, others are clear that
they don't. It is up to you and your doctor. However, you should have some facts
about the vaccine - this way you can make an educated decision.

Remember: Antibiotics are ineffective against viruses so flu shots are
manufactured with inactivated or killed virus.
Vaccines use inactivated virus plus lots of different stabilizers. The
following is a list of the other ingredients of a flu shot:
1. Ethylene glycol - antifreeze
2. Phenol -a disinfectant and a dye
3. Formaldehyde - a known cancer causing agent
4. Aluminum - associated with Alzheimers
5. Thimerisol - mercury
6. Neomycin and Streptomycin - antibiotic which some people are allergic to.*

Just like all vaccines there are side effects to flu shots and you should know
what they are.
Minor symptoms
Swelling, redness, soreness at the site of injection. Fever and aches and
pains.
More serious symptoms
Allergic reactions. Since this vaccine is grown in eggs, it is more dangerous
to those who have had reactions to other vaccines. Allergic symptoms include
breathing problems, wheezing, hives, weakness, rapid heart beat and dizziness
Most serious side effect
Guillain-Barre syndrome which can lead to paralysis and even death. According
to the CDC, 6 in 1 million people develope Guillain-Barre.

What can you do?
1. Remember what your mom told you? Cover your mouth when you cough and sneeze,
flush used tissues down the toilet or throw in the trash.
2. Wash hands with soap right after you cough or sneeze.
3. Keep your family away from people coughing and sneezing
4. If you have been in close contact with someone who is sick, try not to rub
your eyes, nose or mouth.
5. Stop eating sugar. Sugar slows your immune system down to a crawl.
6. Get rest. Poor sleep lowers your immunity.
7. There are time tested herbs like Echinachea that help strengthen your innate
immunity. As we age our defenses lower. Echinachea* reverses the aging of our
immune system. These herbs help restore your immunity to what you had at 20
years old.

*NOT ALL ECHINACHEA SUPPLEMENTS ARE CREATED EQUAL. Mediherb makes the best
Echinachea on the planet with the highest amount of alkylamides, the active
ingredient.

I have put together an immune strengthening prevention kit to boost immunity.
See our special above!
End your promotion with a kick -- consider a postscript to reinforce one of the
key product or service benefits.

Sincerely,

Hashem_Yaazor

Thu, Oct 15 2009, 11:05 am

Why do they put antibiotics in the flu shot? To prevent infection at the site of injection? I pashut don't understand.

Ruchel

Thu, Oct 15 2009, 11:12 am

We're probably getting it when the vax centers open.

Meema2Kids

Thu, Oct 15 2009, 11:20 am

I am torn about this. My DD has to use a nebulizer even when she has the common cold. She had pneumonia last year. I really don't want her to get H1N1. We all got the seasonal flu shot, so I'm thinking why not.
My other concern is how much is it going to cost. If we go to our peds and get charged the co-pay for an office visit for each shot, that is $300!! If that is the case, probably we will just get for this one DD. Maybe they don't charge for an office visit though when you just get a vaccine, I need to call and ask.

pinkbubbles

Thu, Oct 15 2009, 11:24 am

I would never get it for a lot of reasons or give it to anyone in my family.

For some reason they are giving it to pregnant women when they are NOT in the priority group (which is basically the elderly, or someone with a previous serious sickness or sickness contracted during the virus). In in addition, there is no research on the safety of the vaccine in pregnacy. Arguments that other vaccines are safe does nothing to convince me.

Here is a doctor speaking against the vaccine. Just one of the things I found online that are against the vaccine.

Hashem_Yaazor

Thu, Oct 15 2009, 11:49 am

Actually, pregnant women are turning out to have much stronger negative effects of the swine flu than regular people, and that's why they are being prioritized. (Still doesn't make me think routine vax is the answer, but it is something to keep in mind and be cautious of, especially if a pregnant woman feels like she has the flu.)

micki

Thu, Oct 15 2009, 2:13 pm

just came baack from the ped. - I asked his opinion, and he said that if a child is healthy and has no other medical issues then there is no need to get the vaccine. only those with a cardio problem or pregnnaat women he would reccomend to.
and he thought the swine flu vaccine is not tested enough to now its side effects. if someone had the above conditios he said just use the regular flu shot.
his opinion.

downsyndrome

Thu, Oct 15 2009, 2:48 pm

I discussed this yesterday with my frum pediatrician. I have a daughter with medical sensitivities. He will NOT allow me to give it to her, in spite of her medical history. He says that he is even discussing it with rabbonim who advise people in medical areas too, and for now, very many are holding off and advising against it.
My daughter got her regular flu shot earlier in the season. I have not called her cardiologist to ask how he feels about the H1N1 vaccine, but my pediatrician is very strong in his opinion.

Ruchel

Thu, Oct 15 2009, 2:50 pm

Why would a rav advise about health, unless he's also a doctor/scientist?

Hashem_Yaazor

Thu, Oct 15 2009, 2:56 pm

I think when a rav discusses with a doctor, he's taking the known medical information and applying it to halachos of sakana, pikuach nefesh, and maintaining one's health, and deciding halachically if it's a chiyuv, good to, or not recommended based on the medical information he's given.
He's not doing it blindly based on feeling.

I know one rav who was asked to pasken on vaccines and he got all the information he could from various doctors and studied that information to decide what halachically was the best case.

Sakana is a scientific finding. For instance, it's not considered sakana halachically to ride in a car without a seatbelt since the chances of getting in a crash or low. That doesn't mean rabbonim are saying not to buckle up! But rather one who doesn't isn't oveir the lav of not putting one's self in a makom sakana.