Flu vaccine and ME/CFS - MEA info leaflet for 2017 - 2018 vaccine

[Tammy]

If by research you mean google, then I wouldn't let that stuff worry you. People doing real medicine have little time to play around on the Internet, people doing scaremongering gossiping and selling snake oil have all day, it's a core part of their job.
The scaremongering crowd works on their pitch with much effort being made to sound scientific and authoritative. They are in the biz of sales and attention seeking.

You make it sound like I just checked out some anti-vaxxer sites. No.......I didn't investigate this way. I investigated from the approach of a lay person wanting to make a vaccine and what that involved from start to end. I did my homework and it was pretty involved.

 

[HowToEscape?]

You make it sound like I just checked out some anti-vaxxer sites. No.......I didn't investigate this way. I investigated from the approach of a lay person wanting to make a vaccine and what that involved from start to end. I did my homework and it was pretty involved.

OK. I’m not in the greatest mood lately so sometimes I write abrasively. Don’t take it personally!

 

[Tammy]

This leaflet is currently free to download from the MEA website:

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/201...about-the-201718-flu-vaccine-04-october-2017/

I mentioned this in the other thread but I think it's important to note. In the leaflet it is mentioned that thimerosal (mercury preservative) is SLOWLY being discontinued because of concerns that it may cause neurological problems. You think? Mercury is a neurotoxin! It should have been discontinued a LONG time ago. No actually Scientists should have realized a neurotoxin shouldn't be injected in the first place. Also there are some compounds put in vaccines to make sure the contents of the vaccine can cross the blood brain barrier. YIKES!

I know that Mercury is still being included in the flu vaccines where I live because I requested an insert that comes in the box that Dr's/pharmacists get not the one that costumers get if requested. 12.5 mcg of Mercury is included in the .25ml dose of vaccine. 25mcg Mercury included for the .5 ml dose.

 

[Jennifer J]

I know that Mercury is still being included in the flu vaccines where I live because I requested an insert that comes in the box that Dr's/pharmacists get not the one that costumers get if requested.

Hopefully there's options, like what I'm posting below, where everyone lives if you want to get the flu vaccine without mercury.

I get my flu shot at a pediatric/kids clinic. They don't use mercury (thimerosal) in their flu vaccines. They (at least here or at this clinic, hopefully everywhere) don't get the ones that contain mercury for the kid's flu vaccines, maybe it's not in any of their other vaccines too.

You can find out which flu vaccine doesn't have mercury each year and see if your doctor's office or pharmacy carry it too. Or ask them if they carry it (and check it out from there). Generally I've found they carry both kinds (with and without) mercury.

I get the name of the maker, etc and check all the ingredients ahead of time.

There's an official site that lists all the vaccines, makers and all the ingredients.

Some places can run out of the mercury-free (thimerosal-free or preservative-free) so it's best to get it earlier in the season.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaxsupply.htm

For the 2017-2018 season, manufacturers will produce influenza vaccines containing thimerosal and some vaccines that do not contain thimerosal.

Approximately 130 million doses of thimerosal-free or preservative-free influenza vaccine will be produced for the 2017-2018 flu season.

 

[Jennifer J]

I just looked a site up: https://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/ucm096228.htm

At the bottom of the page it lists mercury content of each maker's flu vaccines and lists the ones with none.

Also, was glad to read this:

• All vaccines routinely recommended for children 6 years of age and younger in the U.S. are available in formulations that do not contain thimerosal.

• Vaccines that do not contain thimerosal as a preservative are also available for adolescents and adults.

@Tammy, hopefully this will be of help if you decide to get a vaccine. Sorry I haven't read all your posts too fatigued.

Also, I'm wondering if a particular doctor's office doesn't carry it if you can request they get some.

I would think all pharmacies would have it, definitely the kid's clinics do in the U.S. and hopefully elsewhere too.

 

[digital dog]

I do wonder whether it actually does what it claims to do.
I've read that you are just as likely to get the flu whether you've had the vaccine or not.
Because the flu is actually quite rare (possibly getting it once every decade) is it really worth the risk?
I had the flu and it was bloody horrible for a week, debilitating for another and felt rubbish for the third but I would rather take my chances.
Mind you, if someone said there was a vaccine to prevent sickness bugs I'd be at the front of the queue. I absolutely dread those and seem to get one every other year!

 

[digital dog]

Oh and another thing, I felt dreadful with the flu but all my CFS symptoms got better. My husband got it at the same time and was moaning and crying and I actually felt a sense of relief from all my other symptoms. It was aawful but not THAT awful. It was almost a pleasant change!!!

 

[Jennifer J]

I do wonder whether it actually does what it claims to do.
I've read that you are just as likely to get the flu whether you've had the vaccine or not.

Part of my post #37 explains some of this. Too fatigued to highlight it here. Basically the flu shot increases your odds (it's only a certain percentage effective) of not getting 3 strains of flu, there's other strains of flu that could be going around, too. Also, the shot may help lessen the severity of the other ones if you get them.

Oh and another thing, I felt dreadful with the flu but all my CFS symptoms got better.

That's interesting. Glad at least your CFS symptoms got better. Lucky you with that. The flu knocks me down far with my ME/CFS and can go on for months.

 

[HowToEscape?]

I do wonder whether it actually does what it claims to do.
I've read that you are just as likely to get the flu whether you've had the vaccine or not.
Because the flu is actually quite rare (possibly getting it once every decade) is it really worth the risk?
I had the flu and it was bloody horrible for a week, debilitating for another and.....!

Well if the flu shot did absolutely nothing I doubt they’d require nurses and home health aides to get it.
The effectiveness of the shot varies from year-to-year, It’s a lot less than 100% and a lot more than zero. Even if you do catch the flu after a flu shot, it’ll probably be milder if you had the shot.
But then for most people the chance of catching the flu is not so great, most years most people just get a cold but not the flu. But when you do get the flu, you wish you hadn’t.

ps It takes a few weeks for the shot to become effective, so if you do want it, don’t wait till the flu is going around.

Life gets complicated when you’re sick.

 

[Tammy]

@Tammy, hopefully this will be of help if you decide to get a vaccine. Sorry I haven't read all your posts too fatigued.

The information you provided is definitely helpful for people deciding to get the flu vaccine. I wonder how many people are even aware. I personally have chosen not to get the vaccine regardless. I picked up the information at the pharmacists out of pure curiosity. Very nice of you to provide the info though.

 

[Mel9]

That's a thorough report Charles, noting the potential downsides as well as the benefits. Great stuff from the MEA, thank you. My family will be getting it. I won't simply because I'm largely immune to cold and flu since getting ME, but if I wasn't I'd probably have it.

I seem to be 'immune' to colds etc too. Does anyone (Charles Shepherd?) know why that is?

 

[bertiedog]

What happened to this herd immunity they keep talking about.

I heard a statistic the other day. In the late 90s the vaccine industry was worth 1 billion dollars whereas now its worth 30 billion. May be its more about dollars!

What I don't like about having vaccines is the preservatives they use like aluminium and formaldehyde both of which are extremely toxic substances and hardly good for anybody to have injected into their blood let alone if you have an illness like ME/CFS with an under functioning body/brain.

It used to be Thermirasol which was 50% mercury and as somebody who had documented mercury poisoning and used to respond extremely negatively to a vaccine like tetanus which contained that substance you can understand why I hold very negative feelings about the vaccinations that seem to be promoted by traditional doctors.

Possibly a lot depends on your genetics and I definitely have some that slow down the detoxification of various chemicals but for certain I am not alone having this problem. I would guess these detoxification issues are prevalent in this community and Dr Myhill has found this with the various testing results she sees in her patients.

Pam

 

[bertiedog]

They don't use mercury (thimerosal) in their flu vaccines

No its aluminium and formaldehyde now!

Pam

 

[Jennifer J]

No its aluminium and formaldehyde now!

Oh, no! Really?

I'll have to check this out with the kid's vaccines and others. I can't remember what I read a few years ago (and things change too).

 

[bertiedog]

I'll have to check this out with the kid's vaccines and others

I don't know about the children's vaccines but I did check what was in the UK flu vaccine this year. However I wouldn't be that confident the children's vaccines are any less toxic.

Pam

 

[TrixieStix]

I go to a kid's clinic and get the shot without thimerosal (mercury). This can be requested elsewhere too.

@bertiedog
Quote from the CDC's website...

"We want you to know that thimerosal is no longer used in children’s shots, except some types of flu shots. You can ask for a flu shot without thimerosal."

 

[Skycloud]

I don't know about the children's vaccines but I did check what was in the UK flu vaccine this year. However I wouldn't be that confident the children's vaccines are any less toxic.

Pam

Where did you find this information?

 

[HowToEscape?]

Oh, no! Really?

I'll have to check this out with the kid's vaccines and others. I can't remember what I read a few years ago (and things change too).

There is formaldehyde in a ripe apple, and there is aluminum just about everywhere, it is the most common metal in the earth’s crust. Formaldehyde is produced by your own metabolic processes, it too is natural.

 

[bertiedog]

There is formaldehyde in a ripe apple, and there is aluminum just about everywhere, it is the most common metal in the earth’s crust. Formaldehyde is produced by your own metabolic processes, it too is natural.

Yes and its extremely toxic to the body.

Pam

 

[snowathlete]

I seem to be 'immune' to colds etc too. Does anyone (Charles Shepherd?) know why that is?

There are a number of ideas about it, a bunch of threads on here over the years, but it's under-researched I feel.