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H1N1- Do it or not?

Getting the H1N1 vaccination has been the talk of the nation as well as the #1 subject in the Ismail household. We have been debating over and over about what to do. Many years ago when Dwayne worked in a big corporation (and the economy was stable) the company paid for all employees to get a traditional flu shot. Dwayne got his and ended up with the flu a couple weeks later. I think this had made me feel negatively about the flu shot as far as the fact that there is no guarantee you will not get sick. It's simply a preventative measure. Now with this newer strain of flu in the air we all have to make decisions on how we will handle things for our families. We did so much research and watched at least a dozen documentaries and still it seems like a tough choice as to what we should do.

Our kids' schools are offering the vaccine free of charge to the student body on a first come first served basis. We have declined. As a family we have decided to take some alternative precautions. We are all thankfully in optimal health so we are taking vitamin D and C supplements as well as incorporating some healthy food choices full of these vitamins as well. That accompanied by good hand washing and getting ample rest and exercise will hopefully keep us healthy. If we do get ill we will immediately report to the doctor and not try to wait it out. This was such a hard decision for us and I really hope it was the right one. It's one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't scenarios.

What about you? Did you get either the flu shot or H1N1 shot? Have you had the swine flu or any of your family members? I wonder if our President got one.
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10 comments

  1. I haven't decided. I just don't want to keep pumping myself or children full of medication. Too much of something can't be good? You never know. Once they see their doctor at an upcoming appointment .. we will see. It's like that shot for girls to prevent HPV. I wasn't sure and at first said no. After, a long conversation I decided to let my daughter get it.

    I just don't want to over medicate. Every year it seems as if there is something else they want to inject us with.

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  2. We have not got any shots at all except the ones he needed for school. Other than that I really dont think we will be.

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  3. We haven't had any shots although I might try to get the regular flu shot for my son. I mostly stay in the house so hopefully I won't be exposed.

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  4. My daughter had a flu shot last month and has a follow up for her second dose. Since it’s her first year, the pediatrician recommended it, but made it clear it's my choice.

    She's also on the list to get the H1N1 vaccine. This means that the high-risk kids get it first and so on.

    I've been told that anyone with underlying health issues should consider the flu shot.

    My sister has severe asthma, caught the swine flu, and was hospitalized.

    She's off her breathing treatments, but not 100% yet.

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  5. We normally get the regular flu shot. This year my husband waited too long, and everyone ran out before he got his. My son and I got ours. We are undecided on H1N1. When the time comes, we will probably take the advice of our pediatrician. Of course, by now our son has almost certainly been exposed to it already...But there's a long winter ahead.

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  6. We haven't gotten ours. My babies got their flu shots, so they have to wait 30 days to get the H1N1 shot... and they will get it. I've heard first hand from a few different professionals (not just doctors) that it is perfectly safe. So I think... Why Not? My husband works for Autoliv, the biggest corporation dealing in the car industry right now. Everyone at his work is passing it around. A week or two ago we had a scare and had to get both him and Presley tested. We know to many people that have gotten it, and its going around way to fast for me to say no.
    But why is it and the flu shot such a hard decision? Every year I debate the flu shot for Jaimen

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  7. I am definitely getting both. I found this on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and thought it might be helpful for those who are still having trouble deciding what to do;

    "Who will be recommended to receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine?

    CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended that certain groups of the population receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine when it first becomes available. These target groups include

    -pregnant women,
    -people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age,
    -healthcare and emergency medical services personnel,
    -persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old,
    -and people ages of 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems."

    This site might also be helpful to you. It's a search engine that helps you find out where to get vaccinated in your neighborhood.

    www.medtipster.com

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  8. Darrin and DJ got the nose mist. I declined to get it. The next day I had the worst migraine ever. I'm seriously thinking I got myself sick just thinking about what if I made a mistake by not getting it. This is all too much pressure for me.

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  9. I'm planning to get the shot as soon as I can. My husband seems undecided but he's with my son all day and I want him to get it too. Our son is 7 weeks old and too young to get the shot himself.

    I don't typically get the seasonal flu shot and probably won't get that one. This H1N1 thing though is scary. Otherwise healthy people can die of it and that scares me. I would never forgive myself if I bought something like that home to my defenseless son.

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  10. We are going to get the shots. I've got 3 with asthma and of course those were the 2 who caught H1N1....and are now on nebulizers, Tamiflu, cough medicine, you name it. The Ped's office still says get the shots (they are now healthy...oh I am so scared to even type those words) because the virus can mutate and the shot will help protect them for the next round. Plus, we are hoping to adopt again and if we wind up with a baby...I need to have this household of kids HEALTHY! :)

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