Don't Forget Your Flu Shot

For all you planning to cruise over the next 6 months or so, don't forget to get your flu shot soon. In fact, the CDC is recommending that you get it before the end of October.

Some parts of the world are already experiencing outbreaks and a cruise ship can be a fairly enclosed environment if someone brings it aboard . Better be safe than sorry! :halo:

My doc just told me to wait about another 10 days so it will last until the end of flu season as well.

M

Good reminder - we will heed it!

Good recommendation for most folks. However, as an individual who had an allergic reaction (in December 2002) to the annual (in the US Army in Europe) flu shot, in very few cases it may be problematic. What did the allergic rxn consist of; loss of 50% of motor skills (ataxia) and major dysarthria. Fortunately, the US military (was serving a Joint Command in Stuttgart GermanY) provided needed care. After two years of appropriate care (speech,occupational, and physical therapy) returned to near 90-95% normal.

Anyway, long story short...health can change in a blink...which is why we enjoy cruising now!

Bottom line; would tell our many nieces and nephews to get the flu shot despite my unfortunate experience.

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Yes good advice.

We got our flu vaccination 12 days ago. It takes fourteen days to be effective. CDC does recommend getting vaccinated but the end of October as kntdds noted. We chose to get ours now as we are going on a cruise next week and will be away for close to 30 days.

Wes very sorry about your experience. We met a retired physician on a Seabourn cruise in 2005. He was in a wheelchair and he explained he was one of the one in a few million who had a severe reaction to the vaccination which impacted his ability to walk. In spite of this as you have noted, he too recommended getting the vaccination as he felt the benefits clearly outweighed the risks. I agree with you 100%. Health can change in a blink which is why Anne Marie and I believe in focusing on the positive and not spending time on the few things that don't go well.

On a related note for those of you who are not aware.

A new shingle vaccine is available. Whereas the former one was about 50% effective and when not effective often (not always) had the benefit of making the shingles experience not as bad as if one didn't get vaccinated the new one is al to more effective.

The new one is called Shingrix. Rather than getting vaccinated once you receive it twice. After the first vaccination the second one is followed up anywhere from 61 days to 180 days after the first one. It is recommended for those who had the chickenpox or are unsure if they did, had shingles or had the original shingles vaccine. It is 97% effective in preventing shingles for adults between the ages of 50 to 69 years old, and 91% effective for those 70 years and older.

Like all vaccinations one should consult with their physician as there are some instances when this or many vaccination is not recommended.

There is indeed a higher risk of side effects and it effects one of six people to the extent that they might have to limit some activities for one to three days. In my case I had swelling and redness of the area of the arm from one of the injections and a small welt or two the second time around but after a few days each time it was cleared up.

I only mention this because some people are not aware that it is available. We got our first one early this year shortly after it came out last year.

As to cruising I have been on voyages over the years when three people we knew got shingles. Two people had it in their stomach area with intense pain and another person had it in his scalp and that made sleeping very challenging.

On land I knew someone who was an avid runner and had it in their leg and could not run for a couple of years.

Like most illnesses there can be a wide range of side effects and the same is true for vaccinations.

For our last flu vaccination the advice we were given was right after we received the injection was for the next few minutes to put our arm out, lift it up, pull it back and keep repeating that to get the vaccination to spread out and for us that really helped as we had no pain in the arm But that is not to say it will work for everyone.

Keith

We just got the Shingrix vaccine. DH had a much worse reaction than I did. He was down for two or three days. His symptoms were like a mild flu. I just had a sore arm for about 24 hours. Apparently, it is common for men to have a more negative reaction to vaccinations. 90% more effective than the previous one. It's also dispensed at a younger age, too. If you've ever seen anyone suffering from shingles, you will want it. It's available in the US at most pharmacy walk-in clinics.

orvil, your post reminded me that in spite of the reactions we each got (mine were worse) I remember saying to myself that if it was the real thing without the vaccine that it would be lots worse and would last a lot longer and some of the side effects like with our friend who was a runner could last a very long time.

Keith

Abut a week or so ago i had the first of the 2 shots with the Shingrix vaccine. I had a sore arm for a couple of days and mild flu like symptoms for about 24 hours. Will go back and get the 2nd shot at the beginning of November before our cruise in late November.

I had a very mild attack of shingles when i was in my early 40's and that was painful enough. Fortunately my Mom recognized what it was so we rushed to emergency and caught it in time so it didn't get worse. I was visiting for Christmas thank goodness cuz if i had been home i have no idea how bad it might have got. Can't imagine what a full blown case of it would be like.

I had a full blown case of Shingles at a time that there was nothing to do for it. My doctor gave me a compounded salve that kept the scarring down but it was pretty terrible; I felt like I could break my right arm between my fingers with little effort. I started another bout with it not too long ago, but was getting my hair cut and the stylist recognized a beginning blister at my hairline. I immediately went to a walk-in clinic and got the antiviral tablet. That saved me a lot of pain, because the blisters still tried to erupt and I felt them in my throat and beside my eye. I'll get this new shot for sure.