• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Considering flu shot

antares4141

Senior Member
Messages
576
Location
Truth or consequences, nm
I don't get sick anymore ever since my CFS got way worse at age 45, which was 20 years ago.
I got CFS at age 18 in 1971, after the flu/bronchitis, and never regained my strength.
Patti

Patti, you have so much to respond to and I don't have the time right now so I am going to have to come back later.

Can't imagine what having this condition for 45 years would be like. And I have had it for 20! I can really empathize for you.

One of the reasons I keep hanging on is I don't have as much financial strain as most, and I can control my environment somewhat. If I were not able to do that I don't think I would be around right now.

And I am a voice in the darkness, a candle in the dark as Carl Sagan put it. I want to be around to testify to our plight.

I only wish authorities were capable of doing the same, (empathizing) and raising the research funding into CFS so it properly matches the impact it has on it's victims.

I got some other things I want to reply to just don't have the time right now.
 

geraldt52

Senior Member
Messages
602
...I'm glad I got the polio vaccine when I was little in the 60s...

I understand what you're trying to say, @ perchance dreamer, but I'm not at all confident even about that.

Have you heard of "Post Polio Fatigue Syndrome"? It is remarkably like CFS/ME and "appears" decades after someone had actually had polio, and had long since fully recovered. It is not that well known, but unlike CFS I don't think that it is at all controversial in medical circles.

There are theories of CFS that speculate that CFS is really Post Polio Fatigue Syndrome, from unknowingly having had a non-paralytic version of the polio virus earlier, maybe decades earlier...or maybe from the polio vaccine itself? I don't think we know enough about the long-term consequences to the human immune system of doing what we are doing with vaccines...and no one seems to have any incentive or interest in knowing any more. The CDC is little more than the marketing arm of the vaccine manufacturers.
 
Messages
24
My husband and I have heard so much about the flu jab. My parents took it every year and they got the flu, so eventually they stopped. I read this just recently.....
Its a known fact that Flu vaccines contain strains of the flu virus along with other ingredients. Now think about the impact such a vaccine can have over someone with a suppressed immune system? If you have a disease that is already lowering your body’s ability to fight a virus, taking the flu shot will put your body in danger of getting the full effects of the flu and make you more susceptible to pneumonia and other contagious diseases.

The Flu vaccines contain mercury, a heavy metal known to be hazardous for human health. The amount of mercury contained in a multi-dose flu shot is much higher than the maximum allowable daily exposure limit. Mercury toxicity can cause memory loss, depression, ADD, oral health problems, digestive imbalances, respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases and many more such serious health ailments.
Last year's (2014 to 2015) flu season was said to be one of the worst in years… and the flu vaccine, widely pushed by public health organizations as the best way to prevent influenza, was a major failure.
 

antares4141

Senior Member
Messages
576
Location
Truth or consequences, nm
"After sleeping non-stop the first two years, could then do normal daily activities with great fatigue and laying down in between activities, never sitting up when I didn't have to. (Couldn't hold down a job, though). "
Patti

I'm at about the same level you were 2 years in. I can do light houshold work, get groceries, prepare meals, but crash if I push myself which is what I always do when I feel well enough. And I have sleep disorders. I was able to keep it somewhat in check by eating at the same times and nothing for the last 6 hours I was awake as well as going to bed at the same time every night but that isn't working anymore which is frustrating. Getting 6 hours of undisturbed sleep seems to really help me when I can do it.


I have had like two or three bad colds with a bad cough in the last 20 years. No fever, hence my wondering if that might stimulate my imune system to recognize what is driving my CFS and eliminate it. Guessing from your experience I would just be miserable for a week and derive no benifit.


"We all three got a real bad flu at the exact same time, on the same day, a year ago. Normally, none of us get sick."
Patti

That must have sucked.


"I consider flu vaccines to be hit or miss. For example, during the 2014 - 2015 flu season, the flu vaccine that season was less than 20% effective in protecting against influenza infection. This year, I've read that the flu vaccine is only 10% effective."
Patti




I think a large part of the benifit is those did did not get infected went on not to infect others. I understand your concern and feel much the same way. I am not going to see my dad until april and starting to think maybe by that point much of the risk will be gone.
"I'm thankful for the polio vaccines and other vaccines that have almost a 100% success rate, though."
Patti


Yes, and the small percentage that isn't effective is covered by what is called "herd imunity"

"I suspect CFS is a life-long virus that the immune system can't get rid of, just like the immune system is no match for HIV."
Patti


Or maybe damage by something that came and went like "post polio syndrome" which I never heard of until gerald52 inlightend me.


I took a popular antiviral on a couple different occasions and it didn't seem to help. I think it was valtrex. Still have a lot left and tempted all the time to try it again. There is another one with a similar name starts with a v. Many on this list use, name is escaping me. Tried antibiotics also for lyme but only took the course for about three weeks on two different occasions. It seemed to help both times but the effect didn't last.
 
Last edited:

hangininthere

Senior Member
Messages
101
Location
USA
Yes, I read this recently too. That this year's flu vaccine is now said to be 36% effective instead of the originally predicted 10%.

My sleep is all messed up. I sleep in dribs and drabs, in small increments 24/7.

I gave up trying to be a nighttime sleeper. I just sleep whenever I fall asleep. Which makes it hard for shopping and appointments. Then I just go without sleep, or at least have what I call a few hour 'nap' before I go when I'm lucky to get that much.

Sometimes I sleep non-stop after extra exertion such as shopping and appointments too close together in a week. I can manage once a week, but any more outings than that is too much. Two days ago I slept all day as usual, then slept all night instead of awake all night, then slept all day today. Now I'm awake in middle of night as usual. I would just wake up to use restroom and eat and peruse on computer while I ate, then back to my nap after nap after nap.

I, too, feel a bit better on the rare occasion, about twice a year, when I get a full amount of sleep all at one time.

Yes, I've wondered myself if what I have is damage from the CFS flu/bronchitis I had that started my CFS. I still think it's an active on-going virus though. It feels like it. Like a flu that just won't let up.

I had a bull's-eye rash on the back of my knee three or four years after I first got CFS. I had no additional symptoms, so I wonder about that rash. I just now read on the CDC site that the bull's-eye rash would grow to be 12 inches or larger, and mine was only 2 or 3 inches. I only looked at it once, so don't know if it grew, but don't think it did, surely I would have noticed.

I first got CFS just three months after a big all-day hike in the woods, but never noticed a rash, and no symptoms of illness til three months after. I've never had the symptoms of Lyme. Just symptoms of CFS.

Patti
 
Last edited:
Messages
99
My humble opinion is that the only thing flu shots do is to poison the system. They don't even prevent colds. What prevents colds (and a myriad of other things) is (very) high levels of Vitamin D and cat's claw or a similar herb.
 

sissypop

Senior Member
Messages
194
Location
USA
I got the flu shot day before yesterday. I’ve avoided it for years but have gotten so sick the last two winters that took months to get better and even then don’t think I got back to point before getting sick. Thought I may as well try. So far just a little sore around area of shot.
 

antares4141

Senior Member
Messages
576
Location
Truth or consequences, nm
UPDATE: I got flue and tetanus shots last Tuesday. The tetanus included diphtheria and pertussis. Not sure I needed diphtheria, or pertussis but I wanted the tetanus so I went through with it. First couple of days I had some what I attribute ordinary CFS symptoms, but other than that I felt normal. I'm probably 100% normal now. So it seems like for at least me they were safe. Flue of course isn't as effective as something like tetanus, but if it reduces to some percent my chances of spreading it to others I feel it is worth it.
 

prioris

Senior Member
Messages
622
I use Epicor supplement to prevent colds and flu. I take one tablet a day when I am feeling vulnerable. Natural medicine is more potent..

Vaccines are toxic to your health and cause many chronic diseases and cancer. They simply don't work and increase likelihood of the disease. The implication of vaccines in ME/CFIDS since 1950s has likely caused many decades of cover up of the disease by the authorities in many countries to protect their toxic vaccination programs.

They have had a long time to compare the vaccinated to the non vaccinated e.g. Amish but they never carried out a study because they knew what the findings would be ... non vaccinated would be way more healthy and less diseases

Even ME/CFIDS organizations around world have long been historically part of the cover ups. They tip toed around the vaccination issues and stayed silent. They were no where to be seen or heard when pesticide laden GMO foods and other toxins contaminated the food supply. I lived thru the 1970s to now.
 
Last edited:

antares4141

Senior Member
Messages
576
Location
Truth or consequences, nm
I The implication of vaccines in ME/CFIDS since 1950s has likely caused many decades of cover up of the disease by the authorities in many countries to protect their toxic vaccination programs.

They have had a long time to compare the vaccinated to the non vaccinated e.g. Amish but they never carried out a study because they knew what the findings would be ... non vaccinated would be way more healthy and less diseases
.

I see the unscrupulous way they conveniently use a phoney medical condition to deny CFS. And patronize us with crap like "Ohhh! Their suffering is real and they are in pain" and "Their is help out there for them hint hint", as if they are empathetic towards our situation. When all they want to do is discredit us. And many other illnesses throughout the last century and the first half of this one. And I often wonder how much truth their is to claims like yours.

I often wondered about the Amish and other pocket's of unvaccinated because we know it would be way too unethical to deliberately not administer them, even though we do that to some extent anyways what is it? 15% opt out anyway under religious grounds and home schooling and whatnot? If they had nothing to hide I would think they would want to keep meticulous records of this.

Alright now I am sounding conspiratorial also.

I think I read somwhere they did the equivalent of this, and linked to it with study's. But they are hard for experts to interpret let alone a novice like myself.

I try as much as I can to not make claims I can't backup without evidence. I used to be antivax, but realized I didn't have any evidence to support this claim. So now I try to stay neutral. Admittedly though I am somewhat dubious.

I think part of the reason I did it was just to see for myself. And I step on mesquite thorns all the time and live in cow country. I don't want tetanus! And I don't want to give my Dad the flue.
 

prioris

Senior Member
Messages
622
You don't have any evidence that vaccines are safe either except the powers that be told you they are safe and good for you ...

The same authority figures who said vaccines are good for you also anointed fluoridated water, pesticide laden gmo foods, mercury fillings, pharmaceutical and surgery dominated medical system ... there are no shortage of warning signs that something is terribly wrong

They have had over 70 years to compare the vaccinated with the non vaccinated and they never did ... this alone should be a giant red flag

they always tout the ... vaccines wiped out polio ... but what they neglect to say was that populations in communities who weren't vaccinated were more protected ...

another thing was that "polio" was really a vague diagnosis and that ddt poisoning was suspected in a great many cases ... removing ddt and sanitation standards likely helped eliminate so called "polio"

even the governments own witnesses in vaccine court cases admitted that they caused chronic disease

at the end of the day ... you have to assume responsibility to take care of your own health unless you really just want pain killers
 
Last edited: