Read this before getting the swine flu vaccination!

This is scary but worth the read! Educate yourself about vaccinations before you get them!

http://knowthecausenetwork.com/Home/tabid/69/ articleType/ArticleView/articleId/323/Swine-F lu-Vaccines.aspx

Thank you for posting that. I am going to send it to my mother because she wants to get vaccinated. I've been against the swine flu vaccination from the very beginning, and I still stand by it.

You're very welcome!

ezzied, before you make your final decision, be sure to consult the other side. The H1N1 vaccine is made just like any other seasonal flu - in fact, had the strain been isolated sooner, it would have been included in this year's seasonal vaccine. Extensive tests are never done for a strain tweak in vaccines, but the method by which this vaccine has been constructed has been extensively tested, and has come a long way from 1976The flu vaccine is very safe, and offers a very good benefit-to-risk ratio. Yes, some people will die or miscarry after receiving the vaccine, but you know what? People die and miscarry every day. Correlation does not equal causation. There is a lot of literature debunking just about every argument the anti-vaccine camp throws out there.

I note the only source this blog post cites is the insert for the vaccine which, like every other pharmaceutical insert, must list risks and potential side effects. This is good - it lets the consumer make his or her own mind up. However, the fact that a potential side effect exists doesn't mean that the drug or vaccine isn't worth taking.

Consider the advice from a source whose sole interest is in maintaining public health: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/recommendations.ht m

Other links about vaccines in general and the H1N1 vaccine in particular http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/index.htm

http://www.flu.gov/news/blogs/falsemedia.html

http://www.vaccinesafety.edu/

OP - do you take any medication? Do you get x-rays, CT scans or MRIs? All medicine is about balancing risks and benefits - the record on vaccines comes down squarely on the side of protecting both public and individual health.

Original Post by kriklaf:

Yes, some people will die or miscarry after receiving the vaccine, but you know what? People die and miscarry every day.

That alone is enough reason to avoid it. If a pregnant woman miscarries after getting vaccinated, she'll never forgive herself. And true, we'll all die of something, but chances are it'll be later rather than sooner and not from a shot. When death wants me, it'll take me without any assistance. lol

Now I do understand that these are extreme cases. But I still prefer to let things be natural and come and go as they are. My mind was made up at the very first mention of these vaccines.

Very well said ezzied. Truth be said, if we well equip our bodies with good nutrition, a good probiotic and good hygiene we are already doing better than just injecting a bunch of who knows what into our bodies with the "hope" that it works. My family is on probiotics through the flu season and we haven't gotten the flu (thanks be to God) ever since we started on them. which has been almost 4 years now... :) It has worked for us all this time. Without harmful side effects.  Then again when I was pregnant they guilted me into getting a flu shot- they said basically it would kill my baby if I got it and made me feel terrible. I ended up in the hospital that night with trouble breathing. I will NEVER get a flu shot again or give it to my family. And one more thing- the only reason the swine flu is a big scare is because of the wide spread media attention and manipuilation. Panic and fear spread through media is our biggest problem. Schools here and down south are reporting cases, supposedly.. even though most insurance doesn't cover the swine flu test. And it runs around 700-800 bucks to test for it. I really doubt all these people are paying that money to test for it. Considering the fatalities are lower than the regular flu. And it isn't airborn- it is through direct contact...

Original Post by mommyliner:

Very well said ezzied. Truth be said, if we well equip our bodies with good nutrition, a good probiotic and good hygiene we are already doing better than just injecting a bunch of who knows what into our bodies with the "hope" that it works.

Again - do you take medicine?

My family is on probiotics through the flu season and we haven't gotten the flu (thanks be to God) ever since we started on them. which has been almost 4 years now... :) It has worked for us all this time.

I am sincerely glad for you. Having the flu sucks. However, this is anecdotal evidence, and as such, does nothing to support your argument.

Without harmful side effects.  Then again when I was pregnant they guilted me into getting a flu shot- they said basically it would kill my baby if I got it and made me feel terrible. I ended up in the hospital that night with trouble breathing. I will NEVER get a flu shot again or give it to my family.

This is a prime example of what I mean. A pregnant woman going to the hospital is a relatively common occurrence, and could have any number of root causes. Was there anything other than proximity to suggest that the vaccine caused your hospitalization

And one more thing- the only reason the swine flu is a big scare is because of the wide spread media attention and manipuilation. Panic and fear spread through media is our biggest problem.

I completely agree with this statement, but you could just as easily insert "swine flu vaccine" for "swine flu" in your statement, and have an equally-true piece of information.

Considering the fatalities are lower than the regular flu.

Sorry - this isn't exactly true. http://www.physorg.com/news171199374.html

It's more complicated than that - fatalities seem to be lower in some age groups usually at risk (like the elderly) but higher in people who usually suffer very low mortality from seasonal flu (young healthy people). Again, I agree with you that all of this panic over swine flu is a little ridiculous, but that doesn't mean that this flu - or any flu - is risk-free.

And it isn't airborn- it is through direct contact...

I'm not sure what your point is - most of us touch things all day that other people have touched, then touch our eyes, noses and mouths. That's the primary method of spreading influenza.

ezzied - if a pregnant woman were to choose to avoid the vaccine, got the flu and miscarried, how would she be better off? My point is emphatically NOT that the flu vaccine causes miscarriages (there's no evidence to suggest that it does and significant evidence to suggest that getting the flu while pregnant is bad for you and your baby: http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/vaccination/pregna nt_qa.htm) but that sometimes two events, like a vaccination and an miscarriage, happen in close proximity to each other. Some in the anti-vaccine camp would have you believe that one causes the other. That's bad logic.

The irony here is that I don't always get the flu shot - I'm young and healthy, and sometimes I forget. However, I don't avoid it because I think it's dangerous (I don't) and I do plan to get the swine flu vaccine this year once it's available in my area.

If you choose not to get the vaccine, do so with your eyes open. Read information from reputable sources who do clinical trials and have a vested interest in protecting public health, then make your decision.

Again - do you take medicine?

No, I don't take a lot of medicine, kriklaf. I RARELY take medicine.

I am sincerely glad for you. Having the flu sucks. However, this is anecdotal evidence, and as such, does nothing to support your argument.

To me, and my family this does support my argument. I take the probiotics, and it works for me, thus not having the flu while on the probiotics. Point being- they help me.

This is a prime example of what I mean. A pregnant woman going to the hospital is a relatively common occurrence, and could have any number of root causes. Was there anything other than proximity to suggest that the vaccine caused your hospitalization

Are you seriously just here to just argue? I got the flu shot, and that night I had trouble breathing... in fact I went to 2 different hospitals and had breathing treatments. The flu shot has had reactions like that. The logic is the fact that the same day I had the shot, I had the reaction. I felt ill as well, but the breathing was what sent me to the hospital. I am not hurting anyone by putting alternative information out there... Besides what the CDC or other government run organizations tell me is safe. I don't believe that just because anything is FDA regulated means it is safe.. You can see that for yourself with the numerous drug recalls. I choose a more natural approach to health that works for me and I don't personally feel that there is anything wrong with sharing what has worked for me. I just think there needs to be more education on the crap we put into our bodies.

I think that as with any medical decision, it is important to weigh up the pros and cons. If you are generally healthy, no underlying medical conditions etc then the chances of dying from swine flu are low. As far as i know, atleast in my country, everyone who has died, has has some type of underlying medical condition. 

My dad is vaccinated every year for the flu as he has congestive heart failure, a simple cold can easily kill him, the flu is sure to. So its important for him to be vaccinated, the pro's outweigh the con's.

For me, i have asthma, every year i get sick with a cold or flu and it almost always turns into a chest infection and severe asthma, which takes me months to get over. So obviously its important for me to think about those things, in deciding to be vaccinated against flu. 

Its a personal choice, if the benefits of getting vaccinated against seasonal flu, or H1N1 outweigh the risks, personally for you, then go for it. I dont think anyone should judge for someone choosing to or choosing not to be vaccinated.

I have asthma and I'm "required" to get the seasonal flu shot every year. When I was younger I'd have reactions, like a 24-hour fever, but as I aged those reactions went away and now all I'm left with is a sore arm afterwards.

But I'm still just gonna take my chances on this other vaccine. It's too new and unfamiliar to my body for me to trust it. I got too many things coming up to risk trying to fight off some potential side effects.

Original Post by mommyliner:

Are you seriously just here to just argue? I got the flu shot, and that night I had trouble breathing... in fact I went to 2 different hospitals and had breathing treatments. The flu shot has had reactions like that. The logic is the fact that the same day I had the shot, I had the reaction. I felt ill as well, but the breathing was what sent me to the hospital. I am not hurting anyone by putting alternative information out there... Besides what the CDC or other government run organizations tell me is safe. I don't believe that just because anything is FDA regulated means it is safe.

I am not here just to argue. By all means, put alternative information out there, although it would better support your argument if the information you provide has something other than anecdotal support. If you choose not to believe what the CDC's research shows, that's your decision. I don't tend to try to change someone's mind when he or she has it made up - I don't find that productive. But for people who are on the fence about something as important about vaccinations, I will combat misinformation when I see it, and provide information that's well-researched. And as far as the safety of the H1N1 virus is concerned, I have yet to see anything substantive about its risks that are any more serious than the concerns that exist about the regular seasonal flu vaccine.

I should also say that I'm not judging anyone who does or doesn't get the shot. I'm simply saying that there are better sources of information about the benefits and risks of a medical treatment than someone's blog post, and providing links to some of that information.

Guys, getting the vaccine or not is a personal decision. There are pros and cons to both sides. Some people are more sensitive to the vaccines than others, so they might be wary of getting the vaccine. It's their personal decision!!!!

Original Post by ezzied:

I have asthma and I'm "required" to get the seasonal flu shot every year. When I was younger I'd have reactions, like a 24-hour fever, but as I aged those reactions went away and now all I'm left with is a sore arm afterwards.

But I'm still just gonna take my chances on this other vaccine. It's too new and unfamiliar to my body for me to trust it. I got too many things coming up to risk trying to fight off some potential side effects.

That's your decision, but I'll say again that the H1N1 vaccine is made exactly the same way as the seasonal vaccine. The only difference is the deactivated virus that gets included, just like the mix of viruses that get decided on every year for inclusion in the seasonal mix. I'll also say that if someone "required" you to get the seasonal shot, that same someone would probably recommend that you get the swine flu shot (the CDC does).

Incidentally, mommyliner, this is the kind of harm misinformation can do. If someone who really ought to get the vaccine (someone for whom the risk of getting the flu clearly outweighs the risk of getting the vaccine, and ezzied, I'm not saying that this is you) gets scared away by reading an alarmist post that isn't backed up by evidence, that person's health can be compromised.

Count me among those who finds the vaccine paranoia unnecessary.

Most of the risks mentioned in the article are either completely hypothetical or typical of seasonal flu vaccines.  No one is going to argue that vaccines have no risks, but the very point of their use is that the risks are outweighed by the benefit. 

Besides, if people stop vaccinating due to unwarranted concerns it defeats the efficacy of vaccination without providing an alternative means of preventing disease.  Eradicating infectious disease is a collective enterprise, even if people like to frame vaccination as merely a "personal decision".

Did I mention I am asthmatic as well?

It is everyone's personal decision. I just put the information out there. The man's blog is a very recognized man. I have followed him for years. His name is Doug Kaufmann. He has some actual physician's that support his research and study. He is from www.knowthecause.com. I am asthmatic as well. I take garlic regularly to keep flare-ups under control. I am also currently on an anti-fungal diet help with my condition. I have been ashtmatic since I was about 7.

Here's some information about Doug Kaufmann (the man that wrote the blog post)

http://www.healthywealthyandwiseshow.com/Kauf mannDoug.htm

http://www.knowthecause.com/

http://latitudes.blogs.com/weblog/2009/03/an- eyeopener-meeting-doug-kaufmann-of-know-the-c ause.html

http://www.cancercontrolsociety.com/bio2000/k aufmann.html

I have never had a flu shot, and *knock on wood* I have never had the flu in my entire life.  I am entitled to a free shot every year through work and I never get it because it just doesn't seem like something I need, seeing as how I'm not in any of the high-risk groups, and I'm in great health.  My mom, also in great health and not in any high-risk group, got it last year and was sick for weeks, as were many of my coworkers!

I think I'd rather have my body create antibodies in response to the full-strength virus, rather than a deactivated version.  I'd also rather just get the flu and get it over with (I have plenty of sick time), rather than have nagging symptoms drag on for months but not be sick enough to actually take off. 

I also do not trust the CDC or FDA to look after my best interests.

I've just powered through the dreaded Swine Flu for just under 2weeks. Didn't take the vaccine because it shortens the symptoms by only a day and I was already going through the worst of it. I'm also not a fan of medicine or jabs. I even skipped the Mumps jab which was terrible, but at least my body fought it on its own. 

I cant even count on two hands how many people I know in Scotland who have had it and I don't know anyone (personally) who has suffered complications. To be honest, I know some people who regretted getting the vaccine because it brought on the symptoms straight after they took it. 

I'm pretty annoyed... I pride myself on never getting flu :(

Original Post by jcl76:

Guys, getting the vaccine or not is a personal decision.

 Yes, everyone can make their own decision about getting the vacine, but spreading unsubstantiated scare-tactics like vaccines will kill your unborn baby' is irresponsible and intellectually dishonest and can lead people to make unhealthy decisions.

This is why I am staying away from any flu shot.

The facts:
No vaccine is 100% safe for everyone. People with allergies to eggs, for example, can't take flu vaccines because eggs are involved in the manufacturing process.