AnneMarieC

I'm advocating choice without judgement.

Whether I take it or not is irrelevant to the original point of the thread. Implying I can't advocate something I don't personally use is silly. I would advocate insulin but I'm not diabetic, or advocate trying hot curries/red raspberry leaf tea/bouncing on a birthing ball/syntocin to hopefully bring on labour but I'm not pregnant, using aspirin or caffeine for a headache but I don't have one.

I'm not about to start a great debate about vaccines or otherwise, I was merely presenting another option that millions of people choose - there is always personal choice, and only the OP knows what feels right - we have no right to mock/judge/criticise or otherwise ridicule what any person chooses to do with their own health.

MillieF

Having read all of this, I am going to get a 'flu shot next week, and take some vitamin D. Last winter I got particularly fed up, a combination of having just moved, being unemployed and lonely and winter being harsher than I had expected. This year, I'm going to be much better prepared and keeping myself fit and healthy will help. How about you Ruby Rose...are you going for a shot?

RubyRose

Yes, Millie. Flu shot it is for me and two days of vitamin D and B 12 has helped enormously. I just feel bad that I have opened a can of worms and now posters are squabbling over the merits of conventional as opposed to alternative methods. Ginger and all of these things help but I don't think they are the answer.

Ruby

RubyRose

Thanks, Oink I knew you were a kind and generous spirited soul, so how about we skip the money and you just pray that you, me and the rest of us stay healthy and fit.

Ruby

Oink

It's just bit of flu, lighten up lady.

acer rose

I have been not taking homeopathic concoctions for the same period. Also no side effects. It must be powerful stuff!

I've had a flu shot every year for about 5 years. I do get a really sore shoulder but that is very much more preferable to me than getting flu again.

AnneMarieC

Hehe - whatever method you choose - may the winter treat you kindly, nothing worse than feeling completely debilitated ... except tooth ache - tooth ache sucks!

bats

I have a right to an opinion and one of them is that people who suggest homeopathy instead of proven science are bat shit crazy.

bats

Don't feel bad Ruby, it's only a debate. Glad to hear the vitamins are working for you.

Cookie

I took Vitamin D daily for most of the year except for the summer months where I was exposed to sunshine. However, now I am the grand old age off 50 my gynaecologist has told me to take Vitamin D and Calcium combined all year round to help against osteoporosis. I am on the downward slope now I guess

RubyRose

Thanks, Cookie. I will add calcium to it, my sister did say I should take calcium. It's not good to get old.

Ruby

MillieF

Quite right, we need the cut and thrust...utter boredom would beckon otherwise...good on you girl and keep the questions comming

Steve_

I usually get the flu shot, but I don't think it does much good tbh.

Had it loads of times, other than a bit of soreness I can't think of any problems it's caused.

One of my relatives had it and still got the flu.

I used to think it was all about keeping the flu vaccine industry going but I have a different relative who worked for Merck and she said to me they made no money out of it really, which is probably why it's so crap.

Ask the nurse if you can read the instructions and see what strains it actually protects against, some years it sounds so obscure I'm sure it does no good.

Novocastrian

An obscure sounding vaccine is less effective? You do write some tosh.

bats

There you go, http://www.who.int/influenza/vaccine.../en/index.html
This WHO recommendations for 2013-2014.

You say a relative got the flu one year, was it really influenza? Was it identifued by a laboratory? If not then you can't say that theu had the flu. There are many ILIs, influenza like infections, that people describe as flu.

It is possible to get flu even if you have had the vaccine, but unlikely as it would have to br a i strain of flu not vaccinated against.

If you decide not to get the shot then get a viral infection then make sure you don't spread it to someome who is immmunocompromised.

I don't understand why anyone wopuldn't get it though. As i mentioned before do you refuse tetanus shots? MMR? Cholera? Polio? Smallpox? Oh hang on vaccines eradicated that klne.