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Dolls N DreamsHi, anyone get the regular Inactivated Influenza Vaccine for 2009? I got mine on sunday at Walgreens, it was the first time I have ever had a flu shot. I'm 46 now and living in cold Colorado and had a pretty bad cold last year so I thought I would get one. My question is.............they gave it to me in my left arm , I noticed late last night, my arm is really sore and so is my left hip and lower back, just really achy like I over did a workout.......why would my hip and back hurt??????
And then this morning on top of all that, I felt just a slight nauesa feeling when I first woke up. Does this sound normal and does it only last a few days.....I hope! 
Tammy,
Because of health problems, I get my flu shot every year. Usually, just your arm is a bit sore. Perhaps you are have a reaction to the immunization or maybe you already were exposed to some bug and are coming down with something. It does take about a week for the shot to be effective. I personally have never experienced anything but tenderness at the injection site. Get some rest and hopefully, you will feel better soon.
Hugs,
Alison
Back Road BearsCall your doctor! :hug:
Canna Bear PaintWell, for one thing, you definitely can't get the flu from a flu shot, as there is nothing "live" in it. However, it is possible that you are sensitive to something else in the shot, such as thimerosol or eggs. It's also possible you were already coming down with something when you got your shot, which would be pure coincidence. But yes, call your doctor if you're worried.
EJ's CraftsI am with the rest, call the doctor. You may be allergic to the shot. My daughter has had this problem since she was a baby and has to ask about any type of shot she gets. Knock on wood, but neither I or my hubby has had the flu or a cold in over 15 years.
Carlyle Bear Co.Tammy,
:hug:
I'm for calling the dr too! :dance: I hope you feel better soon!
Dolls N DreamsHi, thanks all, well I called and like always they say the shot can't make you sick, and you would only have a reaction if you are allergic to eggs...........but I googled .................((got the flu shot and my hip and back ache))...........funny there are tons of people saying the same thing about last years shot. So I guess it is pretty normal......I do feel better now than I did this morning for sure. I know it was the shot, because it was only my left hip and left part of my back that hurt and I got the shot in my left arm.
I'm still glad I got the shot though what I went through this morning is better than having the flu later I guess.
FenBeary FolkThe first year we had the shot, our arms went solid and my hubby had "flu" like symptoms for days but it does ease with each year....................just had mine on Monday.......................PS never have the jab in the arm that you write with !!! :crackup: :crackup: :crackup: it aches
Belper, DerbyshireI had a flu jab a couple of weeks ago, my arm was sore and had a large red area around the injection site. Following day all my joints ached and I felt about 90 (actually just turned 50). All effects wore off after a couple of days.
cheers,
G
Chaska, MinnesotaHi Tammy: I get a flu shot every year. When I was in my 20's I got the true influenza!! I could see why so many people can die from it such as the elderly. I was never so sick in my life. I vowed to always get the flu shot.
Yes your arm will hurt. That can happen. I have heard that some may get some flu-like symptoms from the shot but I would call your doctors office to check it out just in case. If you have insurance, you have a nurse line to call too. So that is another option. It could very well be you got a virus before you got the shot...
I say with certainty that it is better to feel a little yucky with a the shot to avoid the big Influenza......
Just so people know, the flu shot is against the Big Gun flu strains going around. It is not for the little strains. So it is possible to get a virus so don't think the flu shots don't work. It is working against the bigger, killer strains....
PennsylvaniaOthers have said it: If you are allergic to eggs or one of the "other" ingredients of the vaccine you might have a reaction. You might also have a reaction if your body reacts to the vaccine.
But, except for the allergic-type reactions, consider it a GOOD thing if your body reacts to the vaccine. That's your immune system ramping itself up to protect you from disease. Everybody will have a slightly different experience with this but, 90% of the time it's nothing to worry about.
Personally, I don't take medications I don't need. I don't even take Aspirin unless I think it's necessary.
If I get a headache, I'll go get a drink of water and lay down for 20 minutes. If it doesn't go away after that, THEN I'll get some aspirin.
The same thing goes for flu shots.
The "regular" flu isn't that dangerous. If I catch it, I'll suffer the consequences.
If I think there are a lot of people around me who might have the flu, I'll consider getting a shot.
If I think there is a danger from some other strain of flu like H1-N1 "Swine Flu-2009" I'll definitely get the shot.
But, unless and until there is a reasonable danger from the flu, I'm not going to take medication I don't need.
I think that people taking too many medications that they don't really need is becoming a problem for our society.
DENBY BEARS:clap: I'm with you US Bears!
Tami, I'm glad you are feeling better. Several people at work were also complaining about soreness in the arm where the shot was given and also in their back.
I can't take the flu shot as I am allergic to some of the ingredients. I went and got a flu shot when they first started giving them and had such a bad reaction I was advised to never take one again.
US Bears, I also agree with you. I also won't take medication unless it is definitely necessary. I think one of the main problems we are having as a society is that our bodies are no longer used to dealing with germs. Most of us wash our hands and even take a shower with anti-bacterial soap and this is contributing to our limited resistance to germs.
Hugs,
Plum Cottage BearsI got the regular flu shot this year and experienced soreness in arm, back and hip. The reaction went away in a day or so. I had not had that reaction before from a regular flu shot. Now I am wondering whether or not I should get a swine flu shot. I am not in one of the first targeted groups to receive the shot.
PennsylvaniaUS Bears, I also agree with you. I also won't take medication unless it is definitely necessary. I think one of the main problems we are having as a society is that our bodies are no longer used to dealing with germs. Most of us wash our hands and even take a shower with anti-bacterial soap and this is contributing to our limited resistance to germs.
You are so right! We are becoming a society of pill-poppers!
At every little sign of trouble, we have to take some kind of medication to make us "better." That scares me more than the swine flu!
People really need to THINK about the pills and preparations they put into their bodies.
Before you go to grab that bottle of cold pills or aspirin, think about the situation.
If you have a cold, maybe it would be better to drink a glass of fresh juice, eat a bowl of chicken soup or just plain go to bed early. Would lying down and taking a nap be a better idea to help your headache than popping a pill?
I think you are right about the hand washing too.
Many doctors say that washing with anti-bacterial soaps deprives our immune systems the chance to fight off disease naturally, thus our defenses become weaker.
There are many who believe that the reason so many children are coming down with asthma and allergies is because they aren't exposed to enough antigens early enough for their systems to develop immunity.
Whatever happened to letting your kids go outside and getting dirty?
Do any of you remember "Chicken Pox Parties?"
When I was a kid (back in the 70's) if one of us caught chicken pox, all the other moms would have their kids all play together for a few days so we would ALL catch chicken pox. The idea being that, once a kid catches chicken pox, they are immune for life. So, why not get all the kids together and get it overwith?
Nowadays, we spend so much time trying to keep our kids from getting even the tiniest sniffle. It's doing a big disservice to our immune systems and our health, in general.
So, yes... If you are at risk, get the flu shot.
If you are a teacher, doctor, public servant, a health care worker, get the shot.
If you are elderly, very young, sick or otherwise immune compromised, get the shot.
If there are many people around you who seem to be getting sick, get the shot.
If you are in a position where others around you would be in danger if they got sick, get the shot.
But, honestly, I don't think the majority of people need to get the flu shot.
As others above have said, getting the flu shot does not guarantee that you won't catch the flu. It only decreases your chances.
I really wish more people would turn away from all these medications and preparations unless they really need them and turn toward using a little more common sense.
Dolls N DreamsHi all, thanks for the info.........I feel 100% today, so it only lasted about 24 hours. Kinda strange!
It was the first time in my life to ever get a flu shot so I did not really know what to expect.
PennsylvaniaA vaccine is basically just an inactivated form of the virus that causes your immune system to go into high gear to fight off the "invaders." In the case of the annual flu vaccine, it is a cocktail of viruses. Health officials from around the world get together and try to determine the best combination of potential viruses that people might get sick from each year.
If you were to get just ONE of those inactivated viruses, you might not have a reaction at all. But, if you get two, three or more inactivated viruses in one dose, your immune system sends out the entire cavalry.
In many cases, it's not JUST the virus that makes you sick. It is also your immune system fighting off the virus that gives you fever and a lot of those other symptoms we associate with getting sick. So, when your immune system calls "All Hands on Deck!" to fight off the antigens in the vaccine, you're bound to have some symptoms.
Those symptoms are not always the same for everybody. No two people will have the exact same effect from the same flu shot.
Don't worry. This whole thing about having effects from a flu shot is basically a "fire drill" for your immune system.
The first time you run into these viruses (or inactive viruses) your body "remembers" them. Next time you run into them, your body knows how to fight them off before they get the upper hand.
Yeah, it's a pain in the butt to feel icky for a day or so. But it's better than feeling REALLY icky for an entire week because you got the flu. Right?
Dolls N DreamsOh yes, I'm glad I got the shot, hope everyone stays well this winter! :hug:
FenBeary FolkI am glad that you are happy about your shot. I am with Michelle on this, our GP gives the shot out to everyone that can have it, no priority groups...............................He had a young (17 year old) patient die of influenza and I understand it is a world away from a general cold/bug
On the topic of jabs in general, I am a great believer in prevention. Our Daughter at 3 weeks old caught whooping cough (due to parents not having their kids vaccinated) She was extremely ill and was in hospital for a month, I do believe that this then triggered her epilepsy, which will have to live with for the rest of her life.
At the end of the day it is each to his own and I, in no way, advocate pill popping but the results of not having preventative jabs can be catastrophic 
