Help with Flu Vaccine Reaction

I will not take the swine flu shot or mist. I will take Aloe red for the Prevention of H1N1 No shot
Go to www.isXperia.com/jj

From what I understand, she is having a "normal" reaction from the vaccine which is MUCH MORE MILD than the actual flu! It should go away in 2 - 3 days whereas the flu hangs around for 7 - 10 days, or longer. If she doesn't get better in 3 days, I would call my pediatrician! :)

My 15 month old got her flu shot and we're going this month to get the H1N1.

If you still want to get her the flu vaccine next year, but want to avoid the "symptoms", go with the shot not the FluMist. The shot does not contain a live, albeit attenuated, virus. The one year my son and I had the FluMist instead of the shot, I essentially had the flu for 2 or 3 days. (He was fine, oddly enough.) I asked around after that experience and every adult I spoke with who had gotten the mist had also gotten sick from it. Didn't seem to be the case with the kids, but YMMV. We stick with the shot now.

Good morning, M.. I am sorry your cherished little one is sick. I have also debated about the safety and efficacy of vaccinations and have always gone with them based on clinical research that shows the significant positive outcomes far outweighing the negative outcomes; however, it still wrenches at your heart when you have a child to become sick within a short window of time from a vaccination or the flu mist being administered. There have been times when my children have had redness, swelling and fever following their vaccines. I give them Tylenol (acetiminophen) 30 minutes before injections and make sure I reschedule if they already have a scratchy throat or sniffles. Most of the time I have found that they have their vaccines with no residual problems, but I have always felt like even when you go for a well visit, you encounter more germs in the doctor's office than you do in most places and can pick something up while you are there to get your vaccines. With this in mind, know that your child could have gotten one of the nasty bugs that are going around right now that have similar symptoms to the flu. I wish you well, and I hope that your child will soon feel much better. Administer lots of fluids, something to control the fever as needed, and cuddle often. Take care!

Both my children got the flu shot years ago and were horribly sick for two weeks! I have not let them get it since. I really do not think it is worth it because know matter what people say, I really believe that the shot or mist causes the flu. I know too many people that have got it and have gotten sick. My children and I never get the shot and we have been fine. Hope you daughter gets to feeling better soon!

You hit the nail on the head -- FluMist is a live vaccine so it's quite common to get "mini-flu" symptoms while your body develops the antibodies to fight the Flu.

Your other option is to get an injection of a dead virus. The dead or inactive virus cannot get your child sick. But it only comes as a shot. Also, it takes the body two weeks to be fully immune so an exposure before the body builds up an immunity could mean catching it.

As shots go, Flu shots don't really hurt. Just the needle prick but not the actual shot, usually. I wouldn't skip the vaccine -- I'd just get the shot early on in the season.

I have breastfed all 3 of my little ones and have chosen not to get the flu shot. Their ages are 4, 3, and 1 yr old. My children never had the flu. We practice hand washing which is one of the best defenses against germs. There are different views out there about vaccines and I believe you need to make the choice that is best for your family. Blessings to you and your family!!!!

M., I've never had the flu vaccine, nor my husband, nor my 4 children. I've had the flu about 3 times in my lifetime. Once as a teenager and twice as an adult. Two of my sister's kids had swine flu recently. The media (and I'm sure the government) give it a lot of hype. If you take care of yourself when you have any kind of sickness, instead of hoping it will go away soon, it won't develop into anything serious. We just have to act upon it at the first sign.

Now having said that, you really don't know how long that will last with your daughter. The typical flu in other families will probably last a week or so..not here in this household. When I've gotten the flu two times as an adult, I took an herbal formula called "Super Garlic Immune Formula" and the fever, chills, body aches, etc., were gone by the end of the day. How's that for fast. Yes, it's super garlic nasty, but when you are desperate, you take it. I was up and at it the next day and mom was fine! Wonderful, wonderful stuff...wouldn't be caught without it.

I would be giving her some vitamin C....liquid can be found at your local health food store. Awesome stuff! I guess you can tell I do herbs, etc. I would always have that on hand. I'd at least give her 2000mg daily. I give my two youngest 2000mg and they are 1 and 3.

Some of us sit back and wait for the illness to go away or listen to the doc say that there is nothing they can do or we just let it run it's course or let the docs handle it with whatever they give you. Well, there IS something you can do. There is always always always something you can do and it will help get rid of the ailment.

Kids have a cold and runny nose? Gone within 2 days or less over here. No more runny noses to wipe. Anyway, I know I'm rambling, but just wanted to say that we've never had the flu shot and never will and we get along just fine without it.

The actual seasonal flu, is much much worse. The swine flu is really nothing at all. Two of my kids had the swine flu and one had a fever for 4 days and the other was back in school after missing two days. The seasonal flu lasts a lot longer. My husband had it and was out of work for an entire week ( the only time he missed in 9 years!) Me and my kids all get the flu vaccine every year, but we get the shot, which is not a live virus. Maybe you want to switch to the flu shot instead of the nasal spray. I had heard of people coming down with flu like symptoms after receiving the nasal spray, but it shouldn't last long. Also, I am not sure what the time period is before it is effective. I think it takes two weeks for the shots to kick in, so it could be possible that she had already been exposed to it prior to being vaccinated...

Hi M.- I hope by now your daughter is feeling better- my daughter went on Monday got the flumist- woke up last night at 3am with a 102 fever, fever came down to about 100, 11:30 this morning it was back up to 103. I spoke to the DR's nurse and we have an appt tomorrow at 9am, as she said a fever being that high should not be an side effect for the flumist. I know this isn't really advice or anything like that, just letting you know there is someone else out there with the same situation. Did you take your little back to the DR?

Hi M.,

This came in on my google alert this morning. I personally don't believe in vaccinations (and I've had a lot traveling abroad and reaped a lot of consequences) but I respect that fact that others don't agree with me. This google alert is VERY mainstream so watch and see what you think.

http://www.examiner.com/x-7311-Cultural-Trends-Examiner~y...

Hope it helps....

M.

my guess:
if she's feeling horrid just 1 day after the flumist, my bet is that she already had it coming.. the timing is coincidental to her getting the vaccination.

for all bugs, there is an 'incubation' period betw when the body is introduced to a virus and when the body has time to build a defense against that virus (and THIS is when you feel so bad, when the body is actually fighting the virus) - usually several days to a week.. i'd say that the next day is too early.

hope she's feeling better!

Hey! I have a 3 yr old too. I am not against all vacc either. Obviously some are very much needed, the smallpox?, uk! no way. but i think that next year it would be a good idea not to give her this one. I didn't give the girls one this year, its toooo risky. there are SO many ppl dying because of this type of strain. I think you should take her back to the dr. if you haven't already. Make sure she is watched full time. Good luck! Don't forget the popsicles!!

HI M.,
So sorry your daughter is sick! I hope she is better soon.
Before I get to your question, you may consider Vitamin D3 next time as the influenza virus cannot live in a system properly outfitted with Vitamin D3. There are tons of studies you can search online for - but for many reasons, our population is incredibly dificient - thus the rise in influenza types.
Rather than giving you my opinion on the vaccine, I would recommend you to check out nvic.org for information on the efficacy and safety of the vaccine. On the front page there is a link, but it gets pretty technical. The more you scan through, the more likely you are to comprehend the info.
Just a comment - I think you may be hard pressed to find many opposed to vaccines in general verses those who do not see the safety testing or efficacy proven (sometimes paying a hard price for it). I would probably be labeled as opposed to vaccines, but with one child fully vaccinated and damaged because of my lack of knowledge, that seems ironic.
Specifically, I don't know if the flu from the shot is worse than the regular. I know many cases of other vaccines where the contracted disease was actually more dangerous, but I don't know if that is the case with this one or not.
If you choose to do it again, there are many ways to help the body before and after the vaccine. Dr. Sears Vaccine book and Stephainie Cave's book "What your doctor may not tell you about Vaccines" both give recommendations of how to use Vitamin C, cod liver oil, etc to get the immune system ready and healed. None of those will address the damage from the mercury or aluminum, but that is part of the risk.
Best of luck to you in your decisions, J.

I just took my twin girls on Friday to get their flu "shot". They asked me if I wanted the flu mist or the shot. With my sister and mom both being in the medical field -although not working with children they strongly advised me against this. Mainly because they are introducing the "live" virus into the nose. Plus one of my children was hospitalized as a baby with Pnemonia and they say that if your child has any respiratory issues that they recommend the flu "shot" instead of the mist.
You are not "wrong" for what you did and for the most part it will be okay I think just continue to push her fluids and motrin or tylenol depending on her age.
My kids never had a single symptom but they have had flu shots since they were about 12 months of age too due to their Pneumonia issues as babies. So perhaps their bodies have just adjusted-however I have "heard" so many parents complain about this with the Flumist. Whereas the shot is alot more painful for the child but the end result in my opinion is better. Was this her first time getting the flu vacinne? You could ask your Doc but I would imagine next year it won't be as bad-especially if it was her first time getting it-but even if my girls could have the flumist no way in heck would I give it to them because of the fact it's the live virus introduced into the nasal passages....I don't care what the docs say about it-I just don't think that is the "safest" way. Some places have a spray that numbs the area before they admisinter the shot-mine are old enough to "recognize" a shot so it doesn't "calm" them any better but it's over and done with before they know it. Like I said they had them on Friday and their fall festival was on Saturday and they were perfectly fine ALL weekend. No fever no nothing. I expected them to but then they never did.

Hello. The first time my son had the flu vaccine he did get a little sick. Or show some signs of flu. This year he did not have any issues with it and he does get the nasel spray. I know I asked the doctor and the nurse and they both said it was pretty normal for the first time getting a vaccine. But if my child had a temp of 103 I would call the doc. For me that a little high and out of my comfort zone! I hope your little one feels better soon!

Okay I will identify myself as someone who has chosen not to immunize but I will only speak to this immunization. As long as my children are not in a weak state I would much rather they get the actual bug and get immunity that way. Doctors say you have a good immune system when it is exercised. That is part of the reasoning behind not disinfecting everything in your child's environment. If never exposed to things your child can't fight anything off. If we immunize for everything then our immune system does not get that exercise and gets weaker. I know that the flu is not fun and we all hate to see our kids sick but God did give our bodies immune systems and if not always short circuited it will work well. I hope you take this in the spirit I send it. I agree to disagree with anyone making a different choice than I and feel we all have the responsability to research these things and make the best choices we can for our families.

Blessings,
K.

The actual flu is much worse, the actual flu usually will last up to a week. There are some people , like myself that every year I've had the vaccine I've gotten the mini flu. My kids get the vaccine every year and have never gotten the flu. Now there is a flu like virus going around that lasts for a couple of days, she could have that. Both of my kids got their flu vaccines earlier a month or so ago, when my youngest got his last set of shots and they got some kind of 48hr viral thing , my youngest just got over. 102-103+ fever, head ache, runny nose, cough, sore throat, tired, chills etc. but it only lasted like I said 48hrs and then they were fine. We just kept up the fluids , pedilite , etc, chicken soup and made them rest. MOTRIN for fever though , handles it much better than tylenol.

This year might be just a coincidence. I'd try again next year getting it earlier than this so it's not mid flu/ ick season so she's not in danger of picking up something else at the Dr office.

edited to add:
most of your mandatory vaccines do not have mercury in them and those that do , you can get a mercury free version.