Need help from those that have had the H1 Vaccine

CantWait wrote: What if any side effects did you have? Would you reccommend getting it?

We're suppose to be going up to the Embassy this weekend and getting ours (so happy to spend my weekend doing this ) and I'm undecided if I actually want to get it.

ETA: I've read a whole bunch of articles and Q&A on it so I have all the educational knowledge I need. I just need real life experiences.

mom21kid2dogs replied: Olivia and I both got the nasal spray. It's the attenuated virus so it's the most likely to give you any side effects. You can actually get very mild flu symptoms from that. Neither of us had any symptoms at all. I way preferred that to a shot. I'm still a big baby. If it's any help, I work for the Health Dept and have helped staff several H1N1 clinics. We have had no reports of side effects (other than redness, minor swelling at injection site and muscle pain at injetion site as with any shot) out of several thousand shots we've administered since November.

I always get seasonal flu shots and H1N1 would have been included in that this year but it wasn't fully tested at the time they started manufacturing seasonal flu so this year it is seperate. If it's still a threat next year they will just include it in the seasonal flu shot. I had no qualms getting it, obviously. Unfortunately, I got mine after I'd already gotten the flu

PrairieMom replied: the only effects I had were the back lash of bad comments from the non-vaccers.

Actually tho, if you are still on the fence, and I mentioned this on FB too, I would seriously look at what is going on in your community. It is getting really late in the flu season. The thing takes a few weeks to become effective, so for us, knowing that we are 1/2 way through, and that the worst of the H1N1 has been here and gone, I feel really comfortable not bothering to vac. my kids. If it hadn't hit us yet, or we were in the thick of it I would re-consider.
Also, if they have already had it, its kind of pointless to vac. against it, since they already have antibodies for it.

I was super scared to get mine, esp. being prego and all that, and Even weeks after I got it, I still worry if it was the right thing to do.

moped replied: I will let you know soon, I just got mine a few hours ago

danahas4monkeys replied: All 4 of my kids got it (actually 2 of the 4 just got the second dose yesterday) and we had zero problems, symptoms from it. Except a very cagey 7yr old and her wildcat antics during the shot lol!

mom21kid2dogs replied:
Actually both vaccines (intramuscular & nasal) are effective immediately. Same for the seasonal flu vax.

Also, one of the things they are telling us in staff meetings is that although it is waning right now, because it is new, there is no way to tell if it's just a temporary lul or if it's truly over. Overall, though, it is very mild flu comparatively. Some of the after effects (pnemonia, bronchitis, ear infections, sinus infections, etc) are much more long lasting and annoying than the actual flu itself. Unfortunately, I get to speak from experience on that issue!

PrairieMom replied: http://www.doh.wa.gov/h1n1/h1n1_vaccine.htm

"How long does it take for the vaccine to protect people from H1N1?

Early studies show that like seasonal flu vaccine, the H1N1 vaccine creates a strong immune response in most healthy adults 8 to 10 days after a single dose. "


Not to start yet another tiresome vaccine debate, its just what I have always been told by my hospital and infectious disease Dr's .

Kentuckychick replied: I didn't get the vaccine, but several of my coworkers did. One was sick the whole weekend afterward -- achey, and feverish, and the other two really didn't have any symptoms. Otherwise we really haven't even had many of the kids at work get the vaccine. We had two infants (a 6-month old and an 8-month old) get it and they were both actually sick for about a week afterwards with fevers and restlessness and congestion/coughs. The pediatrician of the one said it was from the shot... the other said more likely the baby got sick while in the office.

I did see where they recalled 800,000+ of the children's H1N1 vaccines today (SHOCK SHOCK!) because they weren't effective enough... that seems fishy to me. But I did see that. I wonder how many more they'll find out aren't actually effective?

PrairieMom replied:
yeah. i wonder how they recall all those doses that have already been given? they have been giving them as fast as they get them.

You mentioning your co worker made me think about my friend who got the nasal spray the same day I got my shot, she was sick as a DOG! she missed an entire week of work with "flu like symptoms" which of course they couldn't test for.
Although there is no way to know if she just happened to get the flu from a patient or something at about the same time she got the vacc. Our hospital was swimming in it at the time, and being in respiratory care, we are literally on the front lines of it.

luvmykids replied: None of us got it, but most people I know did and nobody reported any side effects.

grapfruit replied:
My DD's Ped said that it takes about a week or so to become effective, and most people that get the flu in the meantime either get it in that time before it kicks in. Or they already had it...

coasterqueen replied:
same here.

MommyToAshley replied:
Same here. Except I do know one girl that got it and got the H1N1 flu anyways.

boyohboyohboy replied: I didnt get it. I have a neice who did, She is 24 and perfectly healthy, a mom of three kids....she had side effects. If you are interested in hearing about those please PM me. I dont want to spread fear or a debate.