Flu Shot

[circular]

I am on the fence whether to get a flu shot. CDC just issued a pandemic flu warning for this season. I had decided not to get the shots anymore because of the mercury; on the other hand, I cannot afford flu this year because of my schedule and being near my mother a lot who is on immunosuppressants. I think I need to get it for that reason. Does anyone have any perspective on the amount of mercury in these compared with, say, a can of high mercury tuna?

[Julie G]

Circ, I don't know amounts...but it is cumulative and we're certainly more vulnerable. Why not see if you can arrange to get a pediatric vaccination? From my understanding (could have changed) they are mercury-free. My son's pediatrician used to give me a shot at the same time my son got his.

Just found this:

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccin ... /UCM096228

[circular]

Thanks Julie gee, great tip and link!

[Gina99]

I have never gotten a flu shot. In 1983 I was hospitalized with what they thought was influenza but never diagnosed. I was given penicillin and had a supposedly allergic reaction to it and thus ended up in the hospital. I too was worried about preservatives, etc. since I have a lot of chemical, food sensitivities in general, so at this point am not trying to add to the mix. But great idea on the child's vaccine, I did not know that. Juliegee you are wealth of information...

[SpunkyPup]

any amount of mercury is toxic and E4 clearance is slow.
better to get an B-12 shot if one is older.
there are mushroom extracts that will boost your immune system and LifeExtension foundation has some new supplements.
read Mercola on flu shots the science is weak and the danger not warranted.

[circular]

Thanks for all this feedback. Spunky, does B12 help protect against flu? I assume that's why you mention it. Good idea to just take other pathways to flu protection

[tesslo]

I was wondering about the mercury in the shots, last year I had one and was ok but this year I felt horrible after my shot and apparently I was not alone because at my husbands work that was the main consensus. They got it wrong this year anyway so I still use regular precautions anyway.

[KatieS]

Almost a decade ago, California required mercury-free flu shots for children and pregnant women, such that many clinics offer only the mercury-free shots. If this is not readily available for you, just mark off a thimerosal allergy, evidenced in OTC contact lens drops, to qualify for the mercury-free alternative. Another virtue of the mercury-free shot, is that it comes drawn up in a single-dose syringe, preventing medication errors in a busy clinic. I believe the trace of preservative is unlikely to cause harm, but now that we know about out sensitivity, why add to the toxic burden?
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/ ... thimerosal

[Sandraz]

Hi,
Given about 700 flu shots so far this season, but I didn't get one. Where I work, we only give the unit dose shots and different manufacturers put different additives in them. The brand Afluria unit dose was completely Mercury free last time I checked but I do not know what the other additives are... When I checked the brand Fluvirin had some mercury in it even though it is unit dose.
I personally have decided against the flu shot for myself because I don't have any risk factors that I know of, that makes getting the flu, for me, deadly. Those risk factors would be things like asthma, emphysema, immune system problems (like being on an immunosuppresent, but then I don't know how well ones immune response will be to a flu shot if on that!) I come in contact with sick people daily, although I do not hands on examine them, like a doctor visit, I am a foot away while they are coughing and sneezing etc and haven't caught the flu in 18 years. So I have decided against getting the shot, especially since I don't know what the other additives do to an APOE4 brain.

Also the CDC has just come out with info that the most common flu out there now is the H3N3 (if I remember correctly) and this years vaccine has the same formulation as the previous 2 years. They are reporting that the H3N3 has mutated and so this years flu shot is NOT protecting people from this years current flu virus (H3N3) that is starting to appear already. I have asked several people who have the flu, getting Tamiflu Rxs, if they were immunized and several got the shot AND got the flu. There are two other strains in the trivalent flu vaccine, so one would be protected hopefully from those strains, but currently those 2 other strains are not causing the flu so far this flu season.

Hope this helps in making decision!

[Julie G]

I fully agree with Kit and Sandra on this one. When we have evidence that E4 carriers have difficulty clearing mercury (in thimerosal) why risk it? Not to mention that the newly released Cochrane Report concludes that flu shots are of little to no benefit:
http://www.ahrp.org/cms/content/view/876/84/

On the other hand, Tesslo, don't be overly concerned. The amount of mercury in a flu vaccine IS minute. Maybe next year, you can consider passing on the opportunity