Flu Shots: Making an Informed Decision

The Christmas of 1996 was a very special Christmas for our family because we exchanged a very special gift that year: the flu. Like a game of Dominoes, it affected each of us one after the other, so that at one point during the holiday each of us was splayed out, feeling near death, on the living room floor.

Each of us went to the emergency room at one point to be treated for dehydration, and each of us had a difficult recovery. There finally came a time during my recovery where I actually felt hungry and the only thing that sounded appetizing to me was a bean and cheese burrito from Taco Bell. Anyone whose brain was not recovering from the flu would be intelligent enough to know that would be a bad idea, but it's the only thing I could see myself eating. So I ate it, and an hour later my stomach decided it liked everything but the red sauce, which promptly came back up all by itself. Before then, I did not realize the stomach could be so choosy about what it sent back up and what it kept down. I thought that was very impressive, and that is what I was pondering as I held myself over the toilet.

After I fully recovered from the flu, I made a mental note that I never wanted to go through that again so I vowed that I would get a flu shot from then on, no matter what. I have stayed true to my word for the past 13 years and have not had the flu in all that time. Yes, you have to sign a document with lots of small print before getting the shot, but I had never read it. I already knew what I needed to know: I don't want the flu again. Besides, if you read the small print it's just like reading the small print the comes with any medications you're taking: lots of things that will scare you. The difference is that your doctor has already weighed the risks against the benefits when she/he gives you the prescription, whereas with the flu shot it's easy to just walk in off the street, never being fully informed.

High Risk Categories

According to Dr. Fiore's summary of CDC information on WebMD, young children (over six months of age), pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions (asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease) and people over 65 should get the seasonal flu vaccine.

He also says that everyone should get the H1N1 vaccine, but that those at higher risk are pregnant women, those 6 months - 24 years old, those 25 - 64 with an underlying chronic medical condition, and health care and emergency medical service providers.

For more, read Dr. Fiore's blog on WebMD: http://blogs.webmd.com/focus-on-flu/2009/10/cdc-update-on-flu-and-h1n1-vaccine.html

Become Informed

Now that you know where you fall within the level of risk, how do you become informed about receiving the vaccinations themselves? Well, it takes some studying and it takes some discussions with your doctor. There's nothing more important than your health, so a little work is worth the effort. To help you out, I have gathered some important references here. These references take both sides of the issue: the "flu shots are safe!" side, and the "flu shots may destroy you!" side. Use these resources to help you and your doctor make the decision that's right for you.

CDC on H1N1: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/general.htm

Everything flu: http://www.flu.gov/ Specifically, debunking the vaccine myths: http://www.flu.gov/myths/index.html

Desiree Jennings' story on Generation Rescue: http://www.generationrescue.org/desiree_jennings.html

60 Minutes - 1970's Footage on Swine Flu vaccine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71BbsjsyfsU

H1N1 vaccine more deadly than Swine Flu itself? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1z7KSEnyxw

Making the Decision

Especially considering your age and any medical conditions that you may have, the decision to receive the vaccination(s) needs to be weighed against which avenue is the bigger risk. That decision should be made with the help of your doctor, not based solely on information you find on the Internet (including this article!). Don't get a flu vaccination simply because you always have in the past, and don't refuse a flu vaccination simply because a story making the rounds on the Internet scared you about the potential risks. Make an informed decision based on the facts of all your risk factors, your medical history, discussion with your doctor, and then factor your decision against which option you're willing to risk: Getting the flu, or potentially having an adverse reaction to the vaccine(s). There are risks either way.

I hope that I've provided the resources necessary in order for you to reach an informed decision, with the help of your doctor.

Other Links of Interest

Learn how to sneeze, from Elmo and Rosita: at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW1yodZJpG8

CDC podcast of Three Actions to Fight Flu: http://www2c.cdc.gov/podcasts/player.asp?f=102172