H1N1 vaccine-anecdotal experience from a college roomie of mine

Supafly · Guru

RE: H1N1 vaccine-anecdotal experience from a college roomie of mine

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Supafly wrote:

CoffeeQueen wrote:

I think it is just like the regular flu shot. There are many strains and sometimes it does not always match up. I get the flu shot yearly at school and only had the flu once and I had the shot that year. I am worried the girls will get sick still. It does not protect us for over a week. We will see how this plays out. It is all scary and I do not know who or what to believe. The media has turned this into a circus and I feel people all have their opinions and that is what is getting reported.
My Dr. vaccinated all his kids and the neighbor kids when the first round of vaccines came out.

I know. It is all such a mess. I have second guessed myself SO much about all of this.

Truly, I am almost relieved to know my girls have the flu, and that it is most likely H1N1. I know it isn't guaranteed protection, but I actually feel like they have better immunity now than they would have with the shot. Maybe I am fooling myself, who knows.

I will be glad when spring comes-it can't come too soon IMO.

That is what we have been saying at the school. It is going to be a long winter. Parents are paniced when they see the classmates in their childs class getting ill. We have about 6 - 8th graders who are not getting better and it has been a week. I wish it were spring. Just wait to the other flu strains kick it. It will be so nice:)

Our Nurse at school had it and she is so happy about that since all these sick kids are around her 24.7

daisy · Guru

Supafly wrote:

CoffeeQueen wrote:

I think it is just like the regular flu shot. There are many strains and sometimes it does not always match up. I get the flu shot yearly at school and only had the flu once and I had the shot that year. I am worried the girls will get sick still. It does not protect us for over a week. We will see how this plays out. It is all scary and I do not know who or what to believe. The media has turned this into a circus and I feel people all have their opinions and that is what is getting reported.
My Dr. vaccinated all his kids and the neighbor kids when the first round of vaccines came out.

I know. It is all such a mess. I have second guessed myself SO much about all of this.

Truly, I am almost relieved to know my girls have the flu, and that it is most likely H1N1. I know it isn't guaranteed protection, but I actually feel like they have better immunity now than they would have with the shot. Maybe I am fooling myself, who knows.

I will be glad when spring comes-it can't come too soon IMO.

as sick as it sounds, i said the same thing to my mom -- that if they got h1n1 before the vax was available, i'd be almost relieved. how warped does that sound! that's how turned around i am with all of this.

Alison · Guru

CoffeeQueen wrote:

Alison wrote:

daisy wrote:

Michele wrote:

My nephew got the shot yesterday and woke up today with a terrible headache so bad he was dry-heaving all day.

I know my kids are not getting this vaccine.

sheesh - you guys seriously?
so scary.
we are going to probably be hearing a lot of anecdotal side effects in the next few weeks as the shot becomes available.
i cant get it at my pedi till next week. i am not rushing to get it. but i will be all ears about stories like this.

This is such an ethical landmine - basically everyone who gets the vaccine is a test subject, because they just don't know how it's going to work.
And then you add in the fact that doctors get a kickback from the pharmaceutical companies for every vaccine administered in their offices...
I am 90% sure that my kids won't be getting the vaccine, and about 99% sure I won't be getting it, but I'm still on the fence about my husband getting it, LOL. He'll basically do whatever I say, knowing that I do a lot more research than he would on the subject!

Not sure how it is run in your state, but here it is most being done through the health department clinics. It is all free. So, not sure in terms of this one and Dr. getting kick backs. Most Dr. offices have not even recieved them.

Well, the pharmaceutical companies are getting paid either way.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

You know what is troublesome is the information out there. So many people take bloggers comments. I was trying to find research before I went in to compare this strain of flu to the one in 1970's. Then it had squalene and now it does not. However, European doses of the H1N1 do have the squalene.

I found this on childrens hospital bostons web site

The vaccines that are being used in this country against H1N1 do not include any squalene, which is a molecule that is present in the human body naturally. So you do not have to worry about this. Most vaccines contain adjuvants, which are pharmacological or immunological agents that enhance the effect of the vaccine while having few if any direct effects when given by themselves. A vaccine adjuvant containing squalene (MF59) is licensed in Europe, but not in the U.S. In fact, however, most scientifically reliable reports do not support the idea that MF59 is dangerous.

There are some who believe that squalene, which was found in small amounts in some lots of anthrax vaccine, was responsible for the Gulf War Syndrome. However, there is considerable disagreement about this, and I don’t believe that a final answer is in. It is not at all clear that including small amounts in a vaccine would be harmful. In any case, the vaccines licensed in this country do not contain it.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Alison wrote:

CoffeeQueen wrote:

Alison wrote:

daisy wrote:

Michele wrote:

My nephew got the shot yesterday and woke up today with a terrible headache so bad he was dry-heaving all day.

I know my kids are not getting this vaccine.

sheesh - you guys seriously?
so scary.
we are going to probably be hearing a lot of anecdotal side effects in the next few weeks as the shot becomes available.
i cant get it at my pedi till next week. i am not rushing to get it. but i will be all ears about stories like this.

This is such an ethical landmine - basically everyone who gets the vaccine is a test subject, because they just don't know how it's going to work.
And then you add in the fact that doctors get a kickback from the pharmaceutical companies for every vaccine administered in their offices...
I am 90% sure that my kids won't be getting the vaccine, and about 99% sure I won't be getting it, but I'm still on the fence about my husband getting it, LOL. He'll basically do whatever I say, knowing that I do a lot more research than he would on the subject!

Not sure how it is run in your state, but here it is most being done through the health department clinics. It is all free. So, not sure in terms of this one and Dr. getting kick backs. Most Dr. offices have not even recieved them.

Well, the pharmaceutical companies are getting paid either way.

well sure - I mean they are not doing it for free. No different then all the drugs we take.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

I am going crazy. I thought I posted something, but do not see it.

I was just going to say the nasal has no thermisol or adjuvants in it.

This is on Childrens hospital Bostons web site and have found in other places also. It does not have the squalene in it as everyone worries about the vaccine that came out in 1970's. I do believe European doses do though.

The vaccines that are being used in this country against H1N1 do not include any squalene, which is a molecule that is present in the human body naturally. So you do not have to worry about this. Most vaccines contain adjuvants, which are pharmacological or immunological agents that enhance the effect of the vaccine while having few if any direct effects when given by themselves. A vaccine adjuvant containing squalene (MF59) is licensed in Europe, but not in the U.S. In fact, however, most scientifically reliable reports do not support the idea that MF59 is dangerous.

There are some who believe that squalene, which was found in small amounts in some lots of anthrax vaccine, was responsible for the Gulf War Syndrome. However, there is considerable disagreement about this, and I don’t believe that a final answer is in. It is not at all clear that including small amounts in a vaccine would be harmful. In any case, the vaccines licensed in this country do not contain it.

Alison · Guru

Supafly wrote:

Well, it is compounded by the fact that you have an infant in the house. At least we don't have that. (and TG I didn't end up PG, I would be a wreck right now about it) But I do think if you catch it early enough, these things can be as successful as Tamiflu and without the dangers. Not that all homeopathic remedies are without danger, of course, but elderberry and even the oscillo have been around a long time. I really think that what has helped me the most this year has been the probiotic. I wasn't taking one last year and by this time, I was already in hell with my sinuses-this year-I have been good so far!! But it isn't a "when you are sick" kind of thing, kwim? I take it everyday, all the time.

I struggled today with the Tamiflu decision. I thought, what if I give it to her and she has side effects and it doesn't help anyway? And then I thought what if I DON'T give it to her and she gets worse again and has to be hospitalized? And I HAD to decide quick because we were near the 48 hour window. But my gut told me not to, and it seems to have been the right choice. I don't know what tomorrow will bring, but her fever is out of the danger zone and she is definitely improving a lot.

And ok, IHNI what a yurt is, but it does NOT sound like my ideal home, lol!!!!

TBH, I'm less worried about Evie getting it than anyone. That may be naive, but I just feel like because she's breastfed and with me 100% of the time, if she gets it, I will have it too, so she'll be getting the antibodies, like a natural vaccine.

And I still think we may have had it in May, which is another reason I feel fairly confident that not getting the vaccine is the right thing for us. Not totally confident, LOL, but fairly.

I'm so glad your mommy instincts were right - I think they usually are! :)

(This is what a yurt is. Seriously, there are some women on that site that talk about things I had never heard of, like eating a Paleolithic diet, and other things you don't hear about often like unassisted childbirth, unassisted PREGNANCY, elimination communication, eating placenta, and they are really, really anti-circumcision over there!)

Jo · Guru

Supafly wrote:

Well, it is compounded by the fact that you have an infant in the house. At least we don't have that. (and TG I didn't end up PG, I would be a wreck right now about it) But I do think if you catch it early enough, these things can be as successful as Tamiflu and without the dangers. Not that all homeopathic remedies are without danger, of course, but elderberry and even the oscillo have been around a long time. I really think that what has helped me the most this year has been the probiotic. I wasn't taking one last year and by this time, I was already in hell with my sinuses-this year-I have been good so far!! But it isn't a "when you are sick" kind of thing, kwim? I take it everyday, all the time.

I struggled today with the Tamiflu decision. I thought, what if I give it to her and she has side effects and it doesn't help anyway? And then I thought what if I DON'T give it to her and she gets worse again and has to be hospitalized? And I HAD to decide quick because we were near the 48 hour window. But my gut told me not to, and it seems to have been the right choice. I don't know what tomorrow will bring, but her fever is out of the danger zone and she is definitely improving a lot.

And ok, IHNI what a yurt is, but it does NOT sound like my ideal home, lol!!!!

:wave :sigh

I hate this.

Corey · Guru

who would've thought that a yurt would have internet access? confuse

Picture-Perfect · Guru

Well Hannah has h1n1 as some of you have seen on my fb. I was very on the fence about the vaccine and still am based on the whole oh you can catch another strain and this and that, but I have to say I didn't really think we were going to catch it, look where that got me! I don't know if it's the sickest Hannah has ever been but it sucks. She is miserable, we started the tamiflu tonight and baby is getting it too in hopes he won't catch it. I don't know if Hannah has ever even had the seasonal flu but if it's anything like this I will for sure be getting her the regular flu shot every year! She looks terrible, she had a couple good hours earlier with some motrin but with bedtime it got bad again. I don't know how she will do overnight. I will say and I am speaking strictly for myself that I was pretty flippant and even said numerous times what seems to be a favorite quote going around that it really isn't any worse then the seasonal flu so what's all the hype about, granted I don't think we have a case of the seasonal flu to compare it to since I really don't think Hannah's ever had that, but it's rough, she's hurting and all I can do is hope the tamiflu helps, let it run it's course, and pray it doesn't turn into something else.

apies · Guru

Corey wrote:

who would've thought that a yurt would have internet access?

omg, corey, you crack me up!!!!!!!

mctex · Guru

CoffeeQueen wrote:

I am going crazy. I thought I posted something, but do not see it.

I was just going to say the nasal has no thermisol or adjuvants in it.

This is on Childrens hospital Bostons web site and have found in other places also. It does not have the squalene in it as everyone worries about the vaccine that came out in 1970's. I do believe European doses do though.
The vaccines that are being used in this country against H1N1 do not include any squalene, which is a molecule that is present in the human body naturally. So you do not have to worry about this. Most vaccines contain adjuvants, which are pharmacological or immunological agents that enhance the effect of the vaccine while having few if any direct effects when given by themselves. A vaccine adjuvant containing squalene (MF59) is licensed in Europe, but not in the U.S. In fact, however, most scientifically reliable reports do not support the idea that MF59 is dangerous.

There are some who believe that squalene, which was found in small amounts in some lots of anthrax vaccine, was responsible for the Gulf War Syndrome. However, there is considerable disagreement about this, and I don’t believe that a final answer is in. It is not at all clear that including small amounts in a vaccine would be harmful. In any case, the vaccines licensed in this country do not contain it.

But I think the nasal has a live virus in it, right?

The reason we can say that people can't get sick from the flu shot (and by sick, I assume that you mean the flu for which they are being vaccinated against) is because the virus is dead.

I may be mistaken, but I think it's live with the nasal.

mctex · Guru

Corey wrote:

who would've thought that a yurt would have internet access?

STFU!!!

LLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLL

CoffeeQueen · Guru

mctex wrote:

CoffeeQueen wrote:

I am going crazy. I thought I posted something, but do not see it.

I was just going to say the nasal has no thermisol or adjuvants in it.

This is on Childrens hospital Bostons web site and have found in other places also. It does not have the squalene in it as everyone worries about the vaccine that came out in 1970's. I do believe European doses do though.
The vaccines that are being used in this country against H1N1 do not include any squalene, which is a molecule that is present in the human body naturally. So you do not have to worry about this. Most vaccines contain adjuvants, which are pharmacological or immunological agents that enhance the effect of the vaccine while having few if any direct effects when given by themselves. A vaccine adjuvant containing squalene (MF59) is licensed in Europe, but not in the U.S. In fact, however, most scientifically reliable reports do not support the idea that MF59 is dangerous.

There are some who believe that squalene, which was found in small amounts in some lots of anthrax vaccine, was responsible for the Gulf War Syndrome. However, there is considerable disagreement about this, and I don’t believe that a final answer is in. It is not at all clear that including small amounts in a vaccine would be harmful. In any case, the vaccines licensed in this country do not contain it.

But I think the nasal has a live virus in it, right?

The reason we can say that people can't get sick from the flu shot (and by sick, I assume that you mean the flu for which they are being vaccinated against) is because the virus is dead.

I may be mistaken, but I think it's live with the nasal.

It is live, but such small amount that they claim it is not enough to actually infect someone. I honestly was so against nasal this week, but have changed my tune.

I really do not know anymore. My head spins with everything. Between this and the health care I am spent, lol.

sappy · Guru

mctex wrote:

CoffeeQueen wrote:

I am going crazy. I thought I posted something, but do not see it.

I was just going to say the nasal has no thermisol or adjuvants in it.

This is on Childrens hospital Bostons web site and have found in other places also. It does not have the squalene in it as everyone worries about the vaccine that came out in 1970's. I do believe European doses do though.
The vaccines that are being used in this country against H1N1 do not include any squalene, which is a molecule that is present in the human body naturally. So you do not have to worry about this. Most vaccines contain adjuvants, which are pharmacological or immunological agents that enhance the effect of the vaccine while having few if any direct effects when given by themselves. A vaccine adjuvant containing squalene (MF59) is licensed in Europe, but not in the U.S. In fact, however, most scientifically reliable reports do not support the idea that MF59 is dangerous.
There are some who believe that squalene, which was found in small amounts in some lots of anthrax vaccine, was responsible for the Gulf War Syndrome. However, there is considerable disagreement about this, and I don’t believe that a final answer is in. It is not at all clear that including small amounts in a vaccine would be harmful. In any case, the vaccines licensed in this country do not contain it.

But I think the nasal has a live virus in it, right?

The reason we can say that people can't get sick from the flu shot (and by sick, I assume that you mean the flu for which they are being vaccinated against) is because the virus is dead.

I may be mistaken, but I think it's live with the nasal.

the nasal vaccines are live virus vaccines (at least seasonal flu & h1n1). our oncologist(s) told us no one who spends time with mikey should get the nasal vaccines because they could infect him with the virus. so it's shots only here.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

sappy wrote:

mctex wrote:

CoffeeQueen wrote:

I am going crazy. I thought I posted something, but do not see it.

I was just going to say the nasal has no thermisol or adjuvants in it.

This is on Childrens hospital Bostons web site and have found in other places also. It does not have the squalene in it as everyone worries about the vaccine that came out in 1970's. I do believe European doses do though.
The vaccines that are being used in this country against H1N1 do not include any squalene, which is a molecule that is present in the human body naturally. So you do not have to worry about this. Most vaccines contain adjuvants, which are pharmacological or immunological agents that enhance the effect of the vaccine while having few if any direct effects when given by themselves. A vaccine adjuvant containing squalene (MF59) is licensed in Europe, but not in the U.S. In fact, however, most scientifically reliable reports do not support the idea that MF59 is dangerous.
There are some who believe that squalene, which was found in small amounts in some lots of anthrax vaccine, was responsible for the Gulf War Syndrome. However, there is considerable disagreement about this, and I don’t believe that a final answer is in. It is not at all clear that including small amounts in a vaccine would be harmful. In any case, the vaccines licensed in this country do not contain it.

But I think the nasal has a live virus in it, right?

The reason we can say that people can't get sick from the flu shot (and by sick, I assume that you mean the flu for which they are being vaccinated against) is because the virus is dead.

I may be mistaken, but I think it's live with the nasal.

the nasal vaccines are live virus vaccines (at least seasonal flu & h1n1). our oncologist(s) told us no one who spends time with mikey should get the nasal vaccines because they could infect him with the virus. so it's shots only here.

yeah, we all got the shots, but we called infectious disease here for school reasons and they would only be contagious for possible two hours. Totally would not do it with someone with his condition.

CheleLyn · Senior Member

mctex wrote:

CoffeeQueen wrote:

I am going crazy. I thought I posted something, but do not see it.

I was just going to say the nasal has no thermisol or adjuvants in it.

This is on Childrens hospital Bostons web site and have found in other places also. It does not have the squalene in it as everyone worries about the vaccine that came out in 1970's. I do believe European doses do though.
The vaccines that are being used in this country against H1N1 do not include any squalene, which is a molecule that is present in the human body naturally. So you do not have to worry about this. Most vaccines contain adjuvants, which are pharmacological or immunological agents that enhance the effect of the vaccine while having few if any direct effects when given by themselves. A vaccine adjuvant containing squalene (MF59) is licensed in Europe, but not in the U.S. In fact, however, most scientifically reliable reports do not support the idea that MF59 is dangerous.
There are some who believe that squalene, which was found in small amounts in some lots of anthrax vaccine, was responsible for the Gulf War Syndrome. However, there is considerable disagreement about this, and I don’t believe that a final answer is in. It is not at all clear that including small amounts in a vaccine would be harmful. In any case, the vaccines licensed in this country do not contain it.

But I think the nasal has a live virus in it, right?

The reason we can say that people can't get sick from the flu shot (and by sick, I assume that you mean the flu for which they are being vaccinated against) is because the virus is dead.

I may be mistaken, but I think it's live with the nasal.

Yes, everything I have been told...either from our Pedi office, from the info packet the schools sent home for their mass vax program, or anything I've read online, says that the nasal vax is a live (although attenuated) virus. It's my understanding that thats why most young kids...like our 05s, and people with certain underlying conditions, cannot get the mist---it will not only shed, but CAN make someone with a compromised immune system (even the person who gets it) sick.

FTR...nobody in my household is getting the vax. I signed the opt out form for the school vax, and told our Pedi I'm not comfortable with it.

-- Edited by CheleLyn on Friday 30th of October 2009 08:33:09 AM

muffy · Guru

Did she report this????

The reason I ask is because there is a news article pretty much denying ANY side effects from the H1N1 vaccine - they are saying that any of the bad things that happen, even Guillain Barre could happen to anyone at anytime so they can't say its the vaccine itself.

DENIAL???

this realllllly pisses me off.

And i am SO thankful i am NOT getting the vaccine since "spontaneous abortions" are a side effect that IS happening yet the govt and drug companies are flat out denying it.

to quote:

>>Of the thousands of people so far who have received the swine flu vaccine worldwide, no side effects more serious than a sore arm, fever, or muscle pain have been reported.<<

what about your friends child's febrile seizure mentioned above????

I am starting to REALLLLY hate the media!

here is the link:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,570849,00.html

kdrew · Guru

Just an update on us.

It's been a little over a week since we got our H1N1 shots and we're fine.

My arm was sore for a couple of hours but the kids said their arms didn't hurt at all.

I got the regular flu shot about a month ago and my arm was sore for 2 days.

:dunno

just thought I'd update.

I think it's very likely that the child who got sick after the vaccine could have already been sick.

I'm under the impression that getting the flu vaccines weaken your immune system for a couple of days.

Possible that her body didn't have the strength to fight off the worst of the flu after the vaccine? Maybe.

You also have to take into consideration how many people have gotten the vaccine at this point with no problems.

Did she report this? I'll have to go back and read.