Flu vaccine

[keepswimming]

I get the flu shot every year and I've never had a bad reaction.

 

[starlily88]

I don't usually get the flu shot because I haven't had a cold or a flu in 10-15 years or more. My immune system from ME/CFS seems to be chronically activated. I have had flu shots before and just felt very mildly off. Like maybe I was starting to get a cold or a flu but the symptoms were very mild and only lasted 2-3 days.

I don't know if it prevented the flu because my immune was so high already from ME/CFS and I hadn't had the flu in years. The reason I got the flu shots I did was because I thought I was catching every cold and flu there was for years.

What I learned since is that what I thought were colds or flu I was constantly catching were actually ME/CFS flares, which feel exactly like the flu.

Ljimbo423, thanks for your post. Have a question. I can't remember when I got CFS if I had flares, it seemed like years of non-stop sleeping for me. Then it morphed into "attacking" other organs, and me getting other diseases like pancreatitis, gastroparesis, thyroid disease, Interstitial Cystitis, etc. All I did was put fires out, or had to go to ER due to severe dehydration per my Dr.

Now I've had to (after 6 month delay due to COVID) to go back to oral surgeon for implant, and dentist for crown - I get home, within hours I have severe nasal congestion, drip, sore throat, bit of fever, enlarged lymph nodes - I feel like I have a virus - starts out like allergy, gets worse over 1st 24 hours, lasts for many many days.

So is this my "flare"? It seems like I keep getting allergies or flu - just to finish up at the oral surgeon or dentist.
I am real upset - have to return to dentist next Tuesday for post implant.

I dread getting so very sick each time. This never happened to me before - I just got super exhausted with PEM, but never had fever, chills, sinus pain, sore throat - it's awful.
Thanks Starlily88

 

[ljimbo423]

Now I've had to (after 6 month delay due to COVID) to go back to oral surgeon for implant, and dentist for crown - I get home, within hours I have severe nasal congestion, drip, sore throat, bit of fever, enlarged lymph nodes - I feel like I have a virus - starts out like allergy, gets worse over 1st 24 hours, lasts for many many days.

So is this my "flare"? It seems like I keep getting allergies or flu - just to finish up at the oral surgeon or dentist.

This sure sounds like the ME/CFS flares I get and have for years. I thought for years I was catching every cold and flu within a 1,000 miles but they were flares.

I would go grocery sopping or take a short walk to a convenience store just a few minutes away, then get sick with what felt like severe allergies, a cold or a flu. I thought I was picking up viruses at these stores. It took me years to realize it was the physical activity and stress causing ME/CFS flares, not viruses.

I am real upset - have to return to dentist next Tuesday for post implant.

I dread getting so very sick each time.

I still get PEM, which is mild compared to the flares I get. It's still really scary. I often get overwhelmed trying to decide what to do as far as chores go. Trying to figure out what has to be done first and which one or ones I can do without paying for it later.

It's often mentally and emotionally draining!

I wish I had a solution for you but somethings we have to, or need to do and just pay the price later. Maybe it would help if you could find ways of distracting yourself from thinking about going to the dentist?

 

[HRManager]

I am currently in the worst flare of my life due to getting the flu vaccine three days ago. I have been mild-moderate for about 8 years. I cannot walk more than 20 feet without severe muscle burning and needing to sit back down and my heart rate soars to 130. If I sit up too long, I am extremely dizzy.

I will never get it again. I am going to try to get some prednisone to knock my immune system back down.

 

[lenora]

Hi, if I may add my experiences to the fold.: I'm not an expert, etc., you know the drill, but I'll give you the benefit of my take.

Approx. 6 or 7 yrs. ago I had 3 rounds of shingles; one right after the other. Now I've had many things, but nothing beat shingles for sheer misery and illness. I've had them 4 times altogether and what they don't tell you is that it becomes more serious with each outbreak. It took me well over a year and I was as sick as I've ever been. I called all my doctors to see if I could reach a consensus on whether or not I should go ahead and have the 50% infection rate shingles vaccine. I have no to very little immune system left.

I finally decided on my own to go ahead and have the vaccine. I knew I couldn't survive another round of shingles, so what choice did I have? The doctors could never reach an agreement. The giving of the shingles vaccine (90-95% effective rate...that's great), was a non-event. I had to return in a couple of weeks for the second injection. Again, the same thing, no reaction whatsoever. So I then had the flu shot. No reaction.

This year I just had the flu shot about 2 weeks ago.....and it was easy, no reaction at all. So for those of you thinking about it, I thought the benefit of my experience may help. I get the flu shot each year and thus far, I've been fortunate. That's just my opinion...not that of any doctor, merely by own. Good luck to you in your decision. Yours, Lenora.

 

[starlily88]

This sure sounds like the ME/CFS flares I get and have for years. I thought for years I was catching every cold and flu within a 1,000 miles but they were flares.
It's often mentally and emotionally draining!

I wish I had a solution for you but somethings we have to, or need to do and just pay the price later. Maybe it would help if you could find ways of distracting yourself from thinking about going to the dentist?

Thanks for your response. I did 2 tiny chores Thursday - but no stress chores - and I was fine - still got horrible sinus pressure - but I guess I do much too much on the few times I have to go to dentist.
The dentist is far away for me - so I hate the drive - the appt itself is just the software, so not scared.
Thanks Starlily88 PS I called the young lady, to ask if she could shop for me again - she said yes. I realize I just can't do it anymore

 

[starlily88]

I am currently in the worst flare of my life due to getting the flu vaccine three days ago. I have been mild-moderate for about 8 years. I cannot walk more than 20 feet without severe muscle burning and needing to sit back down and my heart rate soars to 130. If I sit up too long, I am extremely dizzy.

I will never get it again. I am going to try to get some prednisone to knock my immune system back down.

Feel so badly for you. Wondering if this is the first time you got the vaccine. I am praying for you that you get better. This is exactly why I don't get it - no one knows our disease/our reactions. Please know I am thinking of you, sending you wishes to feel better, I feel so badly this made you. Starlily88

 

[Booble]

I've never had a flu shot. I've always felt that flu shots were for the very young or very old who might have adverse reaction (death?) from flu. Like some others here I rarely get colds and had flu maybe 3 times in 30+ years. (Though Dec/Jan had awful virus though not really flu like.)

Flu vaccines are generally about 35% effective depending on the year so it just doesn't seem worth it. Now that I'm getting older and closer to the dangerous ages I'll have to think more about it.

 

[2Cor.12:19]

Does everyone on here get flu vaccine? I want to know if anyone had adverse reactions to the shot, and if it did indeed prevent getting the flu.

I have never gotten flu shot, and think due to COVID that getting flu shot is very important this year.
Please let me know your experience with flu shot.

Thank Starlily88

Hi Starlily. I got a flu and pneumonia shot 21 years ago in 1999, which was 13 years after getting ME/CFS. Within minutes of leaving the doctor’s offIce I began to shake uncontrollably. I turned around and went back to the doctor and they had me lay down for 30 minutes. They said I’d had a major panic attack.

2 days later it happened again and it was so bad I went to the ER because I was unable to stand. It happened again several times and twice my husband called an ambulance.

I was referred to a cardiologist who ran a ton of tests and put me on beta blockers and Xanax. I spent a month in bed with horrific panic attacks.
My cardiologist said my autonomic nervous system was a wreck and he’d never seen anything like it before.

I had several doctors tell me it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to get vaccines.
Im still on beta blockers and after all these years am trying to wean off Xanax.

So no, I don’t get flu shots. I would like to get a COVID vaccine when it comes out but am too afraid.

 

[Booble]

Hi Starlily. I got a flu and pneumonia shot in 1999 which was 13 years after getting ME/CFS. Within minutes of leaving the doctor’s offIce I began to shake uncontrollably. I turned around and went back to the doctor and they had me lay down for 30 minutes. They said I’d had a major panic attack.

2 days later it happened again and it was so bad I went to the ER because I was unable to stand. It happened again several times and twice my husband called an ambulance.

I was referred to a cardiologist who ran a ton of tests and put me on beta blockers and Xanax. I spent a month in bed with horrific panic attacks.
My cardiologist said my autonomic nervous system was a wreck and he’d never seen anything like it before.

I had several doctors tell me it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to get vaccines.
Im still on beta blockers and after all these years am trying to wean off Xanax.

So no, I don’t get flu shots. I would like to get a COVID vaccine when it comes out but am too afraid.

I can see that happening. I got a shot once for poison ivy that wouldn't go away. I too got massive adrenaline rush and had to wait it out. I never knew if it was mind or matter or both. Adrenaline is generally not my friend.

 

[starlily88]

Hi Starlily. I got a flu and pneumonia shot 21 years ago in 1999, which was 13 years after getting ME/CFS. Within minutes of leaving the doctor’s offIce I began to shake uncontrollably. I turned around and went back to the doctor and they had me lay down for 30 minutes. They said I’d had a major panic attack.

2 days later it happened again and it was so bad I went to the ER because I was unable to stand. It happened again several times and twice my husband called an ambulance.

I was referred to a cardiologist who ran a ton of tests and put me on beta blockers and Xanax. I spent a month in bed with horrific panic attacks.
My cardiologist said my autonomic nervous system was a wreck and he’d never seen anything like it before.

I had several doctors tell me it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to get vaccines.
Im still on beta blockers and after all these years am trying to wean off Xanax.

So no, I don’t get flu shots. I would like to get a COVID vaccine when it comes out but am too afraid.

I am so very sorry what happened to you, that is just awful, especially being dismissed as "a panic Attack" Many drs are dismissive of our paradoxical reactions to any drugs/vaccines.

My infectious disease guy - who I met ONE time last October after loosing my 21 years with great Internist.
This guy told me "no vaccines have mercury in them, they are all preservative free"

Talked to head Pharmacist today. He is very wrong. She explained how the US figures out what to put into Flu vaccine - depend on Australia (our summer is their winter so they show what flu of the year is to come).
This year - most Aussies/New Zealand were at home due to COVID - so no idea what flu is going to come.

They put 4 different "flus" into vaccine - usually 2 different A's, one B, H1N1.
She said even the single dose vaccine you get at the "pharmacy" has Thermisol in it, mercury.
But she does carry a "Preservative free one" - called Flu Cell Vax - no mercury in it - this used for people
who are allergic to a lot of things.

Thanks Starlily88

 

[HRManager]

Feel so badly for you. Wondering if this is the first time you got the vaccine. I am praying for you that you get better. This is exactly why I don't get it - no one knows our disease/our reactions. Please know I am thinking of you, sending you wishes to feel better, I feel so badly this made you. Starlily88

Thank you star.

I used to get it every year. Have not since developed CFS due to immune uncertainty - it did not affect me when I only had fibromyalgia.

 

[Booble]

I think people don't realize that "panic attacks" can be caused from bodily function devoid of thought!