your thoughts on this

[dsawan]

I take vitamins esp vit c so never really get flu

[judylucas]

I do not get the flu shot and have been fortunate to have not gotten the flu

[monnee]

It's a 50/50 chance you'll get the flu if you get the shot.

[dreamyxo]

I've only had the flu once in my life.  I do not get flu shots. I don't know what the heck they'd be injecting in my body.  Don't trust it.

[aflyingmonkey]

I've gotten the flu shot twice in my life & both times I have gotten sick from it.  So now I hold off getting it; probably will start getting them when I get to the older age it is recommended.

I have a friend whose arm hurts her after the shot similar to rghvac69 symptoms. 

My elderly father gets them yearly, and he has had no reaction from them. 

[ancmetro]

      Some patients have serious side effects from flu shots, including having the flu itself. Each patient is different. It is up to you: Flu shot or not. It is a very personal decision.

[mardukblood2009]

That is why I don't get flu shots. Every time I get one, I always get the flu. I have never ever had it when I didn't get one.

[MichelleHW101]

I hate getting a flu shot.  My arm is always sore, especially when you get a nurse who does not really know how to inject you so, you feel the needle all the way through until she actually yanks it out.  My doctor forces me to get it (though she isn't the one paying for it).  The main philosophy is the flu shot doesn't prevent one from getting the flu it lessens the strength of the flu when you get it.  I guess that means you suffer a shorter amount of time when you get it.  In my case I suffer with really bad allergies which affect me in the same way as a cold (i.e. runny nose, cough, drainage) without the sore throat and my doctor fears without a flu shot my allergy attack will turn into pneumonia.  So I guess the purpose of a flu shot is not to prevent it from happening, but to weaken it when it does happen.     

[gaylasue]

My husband takes the flu shot every year and comes down with the flu.  I never take the shot and I can't tell you when the last time I had the flu.

[Tresbn00]

I am not a believer in flu shots. I believe that injecting yourself with a strain of the virus so that you build up immunity often times causes you to be sick for a day. If/when I get the flu it generally lasts for three days. So you are increasing your chance of getting a one day flu for the chance of not getting the flu versus not getting sick for a day and possibly not getting the flu at all. My wife has gotten the flus shot every year for the last twelve and still managed to get the flu for four of those years plus was out two days from reactions to the flu shot in two other years. I have not gotten the flu shot at all during the same period and have only gotten the flu three times.  I think it is a gimmick put on by the insurance companies and medical industry. I like my odds better and will abstain from getting the flu shot.

[bleyd]

I took the flu shot once but I actually got the flu after that.  So I no longer take the flu shot. No flu since 

[snuggleycutejc]

This happens when you have a weakened immune system, on the verge of illness; but, remember this, the flushot is stressful/fighting/reacting to the flu that you were about to catch because of (verge of illness, you got a reaction) that one flu could have been devastating to you.   

[Nancy5]

I always get the flu shot.  I never had any reactions and didn't get the flu.

[autumnsparklemom]

I did not get the flu shot last year and ended up getting the flu. I got the shot this year and keeping my fingers crossed that I do not get it...

[pmagalei]

I do not believe in flu shots. Usually wash hands really clean before I eat anything. I also stay away from restaurants and pot lucks at church functions. Trust what I eat and who's preparing the food.