Flu shot left executive paralyzed

The Globe and Mail ^ | 11-18-02 | By ANDRé PICARD

[toddst]

Mr. Claman had a most unfortunate reaction to the flu shot. Was he informed it might happen?

Prior to giving me a flu shot my physician had me sign an information sheet asking about various aspects of my medical history and referring to whether I've ever had Guillain Barré. I asked what this was and the nurse said "oh, if you've ever had it you would know what that is." I thought that was a curious comment. Now I know why.

[Ditter]

The mother of a friend of mine died of some complication after a flu shot. I wonder if it was GBS. I have been so sick with the flu so many times when I *didn't* take the flu shot that the fear of this is not going to stop me.

[FRMAG]

While I was on active duty the Flu shot was an annual thing which I always went into E&E for. For some reason the shot always gave me the flu possibly as a result of immunity acquired when I had influenza as a child and it alomost killed me.

It was a simple cause and effect relationship but I could never convince the medics of the fact. As a result I became quite adept at ducking shot lines when flu shots were involved.

[VeritatisSplendor]

while the risk of contracting influenza and dying if a person is not vaccinated is about one in 1,000

This number cannot posibly be right. There are over 100 million people in the US who will not get flu shots this year, no way are over 100 thousand of them going to die from flu. This is just a lie.

[EggsAckley]

Arrgghh. I'm glad this didn't get posted before last Tuesday, when I got my shot. But then again, I've had the flu so bad that I thought I would die, and was afraid I wouldn't!

[ClearCase_guy]

Good catch. I swear most statistics are just made up on the fly and/or transmitted by people who haven't got a clue.

[EggsAckley]

I, too get a "mini-dose" of the flu the day after the shot. It's like a little "symptom sampler." A little fever, minor joint aches, nausea, jabs of pain here and there, etc. It's like the shot telling me "SEE! if you hadn't gotten the shot, THIS is how you'd feel, only WORSE."

I've asked MDs about this and was told that it's very common. Therefore, I get the shot. Rather NOT have the "major" dose of the above!

[krodriguesdc]

boy - some people think it is just a matter of probabilities and what are the odds of this and the odds of that etc etc...

this is not a gambling game!

[Sloth]

It specifies people over 65... but 1 in 1,000 still sounds too high.

[spodefly]

Let's see, flu or paralysed for 8 months ... flu or paralysed for 8 months ... ok, I'll take the flu.

[twigs]

My teen-age daughter began getting the shots about five years ago because she is an asthmatic and even a cold can become life-threatening for her. She took the shot for two years and each time, got sick and had to miss several days of school, although her symptoms were different each time. Several yars ago, she absolutely refused to take the shot. For the first time in a number of years, she has recovered from a cold without needing steroids. While I do not think this is a cause-and-effect situation, it did point out to me that people do have adverse reactions to this shot. I'm approaching 50 and I don't know that I'll ever have one.

[Justa]

If you want to avoid or cure a flu fast (2 days) take Grapefruit Seed Extract. I take the max. strength tablets 4/day for healthy gums and teeth. Imo it kills bacteria better than antibiotics. It's normally advertised as a cold protection/remedy but it'll work on just about any bacteria related illness. A few years ago I used it to deal with three tarantula bites.

[AmusedBystander]

37 cases over 15 years while hundreds of millions have received the shot probably saving many thousands of lives, glad I got mine for the tenth year in a row. Read up on the flu epidemics in the early 1900's. You may just want a flu shot after all.

[steve-b]

It specifies people over 65... but 1 in 1,000 still sounds too high.

Not really -- remember, "people over 65" includes a significant number of really old and/or sickly people, who are at risk of dying from illnesses that would only put a healthy person out of commission for a few days.

[steve-b]

A few years ago I used it to deal with three tarantula bites.

I just have to ask -- what were you doing that you got bitten by three tarantulas (or was it the same tarantula three times)?

[Ditter]

The reason your flu shot made you sick was because back then they used a live virus, now they use a dead or killed virus. Except for a little sore spot on your arm there is nothing like the reactions in the past.

Because of the reactions my husband had when he was in the service I refused to get a flu shot for many years. Only when my kids were in school & brought the flu home & I got horribly sick for a week or 2 & it happened year after year, did I finally decided to get a flu shot. Now, no reaction, & no more flu.

[xeno]

From the CDC website: How many people have died, so far, during this flu season? The average number of deaths each year from influenza in the U.S. is approximately 20,000.

[fone]

FWIW: Last summer I was having a casual conversation with a doctor (subject was West Nile) he was miffed at the media for focusing on a handful of deaths and he stated about "10,000" die from influenza in the US each year. That sounds about right to me.

[Ditter]

That is good to know but influenza is a viral not a bacterial infection. The thing that people die from *is* the bacterial infection that often comes after the flu has made you so sick you kind of hope you might die.