FLIPPIN SCARED ABOUT FLU SHOT

[rubysoho120]

Okay so my mom totally freaks me out about getting my flu shot, she
says the reason people get sick from it is because there is mercury in
it. I'm totally scared it will make me sick, What do I do??? My mom
says if your allergic to the mercury it will make you sick. Im so
scared. I really want one, and have never gotten one before. What
should I do??? Please tell me your experiences, pain, sickness,
anything. Im totally freaked, but I know its good for me. Can it make
you sick? and what kind of sick? flu? v*? stomach aches???? HELP

[calibmom24]

I got my first flu shot yesterday. It was super easy. I feel fine. My arm hurts a littlejust feels like a sore muscle. My children have had them every year for the last four years and have never had a problem. I suggest you get it. It is better than having the full blown flu. I got it last year and it was awful. Good luck. ~Brandi~

[katsamsmom3]

i never had a probelm with one. #1 mercury can make you sick...they are not going to put that in a shot,,,THAT in itself can be leathal. #2 this year it is a DEAD virus they inject you with. I had no problems with mine...niehter did the 100 people here at my work.

[chicajojobe]

I gotta tell you I think your mom was mistaken about the effect of the mercury in flu shots. They ask about allergies to eggs and chicken since flu shots are created in eggs, so if an allergy to mercury had that big an effect they'd ask about it too.

I've gotten a flu shot for the past three years. Never felt sick at all. As a matter of fact this year the shot didn't even hurt....I guess they used a really small needle.

[rubysoho120]

Thanks. That is what I told her, but they siad the shots here in Cali
have mercury i them..i dont get it Im scared, but I know I should do
it

[xxsophiaxx]

you should definitely get it. They don't have mercury in them!! However, if you have an allergy to eggs, don't get it.


The flu shot has no side effects except for sore arm. no n*, v*, or any of that. Not even a fever.

[christianne]

Hi there!!

I think flu shots are pretty much exactly the same from state to state and I've never heard about them having something like mercury in it. As far as I know it's a live virus grown in chicken eggs and then killed with a chemical, which is why they ask if you have any type of allergy to eggs.
I have it done every year (still waiting for mine!) and my son has as well. We've always been perfectly fine afterwards and no side effects besides the sore arm. On the upside my son has never had the flu! Bad colds, sv*, strep--you name it. But never the actual flu.

[chicajojobe]

Yeah, circumstances have caused me to get an unusually high number of vaccines in the last two years.

Last year because I was entering a university I got one for tetanus, one for meningitis, one for pneumococcal infections, and then later that season a flu shot.

This year I've had two doses of the HPV vaccine (one more in March), and a flu shot.

That's six different kinds of vaccine, and the worst side effect I've ever had is a sore arm.

I know you're scared. I was scared before my meningitis amd tetanus shots, but I had no choice but to get them. Just go get it over with. You'll be glad you did because getting the flu is much worse, and after you get through it you'll know that it's nothing to worry about in the future.


Edited by: chicajojobe

[1scareddj]

I just got mine yesterday and I have a sore arm and that's it...I have had them before and NOTHING has ever happened. I don't think the mercury thing is true. The egg allergy is the only concern I think they have with them. So if you are allergic to eggs, don't get one! GOOD LUCK!

[SimplyMe]

No one I know has ever gotten sick from a flu shot. The worse was my mom was a little achy after the first few times, the doctor told her itwas just her body reacting to the protiens in the shot. It won't make you sick (stomach or otherwise) as for mercury I'm pretty sure they don't put it in there, if it makes you feel better ask the doctor or nurse who administers it then you don't even have to wonder. I really don't think they'd do that since they give it to pregnant women and children and preg women aren't allowed too much of certain fish because of mercury levels. Good luck!

[rubysoho120]

Thanks. Im making my boyfriend come with me, so it will be more bareable to see him get it and then me

[xxsophiaxx]

OMG the flu shot is NOTHING compared to the HPV vaccine [img]smileys/smilies_06.gif[/img]. lol and plus, from what I heard, HPV has ACTUAL SIDE EFFECTS!! which is probably one of my worst nightmares. But I got my first dose of the HPV vaccine, Gardisol, at the same time as the flu shot (one shot in each arm, flu shot on right arm) and the HPV vaccine made the flu shot feel like nothing. I hate HPV vaccine... it's so painful. Luckily I never got any other side effects though, and hopefully I don't get any in the future from my 2 other doses *knocks wood*


Pneumococcal (sp probably) vaccines aren't entirely necessary, if you ask me. I remember the winter season following my horrible, traumatic experience with pneumonia, they told me that they highly encouraged that I get it, but i never got it, and I never ended up w/ it again *knocks wood* . and it had it FULL BLOWN

[one who squeaks]

They do contain a mercury preservative, but not enough to hurt you. I wouldn't worry about it. :]

[xxsophiaxx]

OMG really? I NEVER knew anything about that! [img]smileys/smilies_03.gif[/img]why would they preserve it in mercury though?

[rcarmichael]

You should definately do it. I've had the shot every year for the past 4 years. The worst I had was a little bit of a sore arm...but this year it wasn't sore it all. It's definately worth having a sore arm over the flu!!!

[xxsophiaxx]

it doesn't even make your arm that sore... [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]haha I used to cry whenever I got it. but man after getting that HPV shot...

[SimplyMe]

LMAO! You're b/f is gonna be the guinea pig! I love it lol. Thanks for the giggle.

[rubysoho120]

He is always my guinea pig...especially with dodgy food, or new piercings, lol

[sage]

Don't worry, Ruby, you can't possibly get sick from a flu shot...because they don't use a live vaccine. The virus is "killed" before it's made into the shot. You might get a sore arm, or, if you're like me a few years back...you feel "funny" afterward due to - what else - ANXIETY.


Now I get them and tickety-boo I'm off to do something else, never giving it another thought.