In Vancouver the H1N1 flu is everywhere. My wife is a teacher and she says her school has 40% absenteeism. My doctor says he swabbed 400 people last week, and 360 of them had H1N1. They are refusing to test for it anymore.
My wife's family is visiting from Montreal and they freaked when I told them I had it because it is not that prevalent back east.

So it is coming your way.

What has it been like - well just like any other flu. Fever, headache, stiff and sore, runny nose, sore throat, and then when you think you have it cleared, it decides to spend an eternity in your lungs and sinus.

So get the flu shot when you can, lord knows the shot can't be as bad as some of the other things we put in our bodies.

I want to get vaccinated... but with what you have described, I wouldn't be surprised if that is what I had 2 weeks ago. I caught my son's cold which he got from daycare. I have had worse flu-wise... but damn, my lungs are still full of crap and makes me cough to the point that I get dizzy with a huge headache, and my sinuses are half congested.

Mind you, these are symptoms of leftovers from a good flu, so did I get the flu or H1N1, who knows... all I know is that I ain't dead.

I believe I had it in the spring and I too had fluid filled lungs (and a fever), but otherwise it wasn't too bad. It seems to affect different people to different degrees. Some people might have it and not know (and become carriers) while others can be sent to the hospital, or worse. Because of that, it's important to get vaccinated. I will as soon as possible, even though I may have had it, I want to make sure.

the shot does not guarantee that you will avoid getting sick listed some of the ingredients in or shot we have. I for one will avoid the poison and take chances with my own immune system.


PRODUCT INFORMATION LEAFLET AREPANRIX™ H1N1
http://www.gsk.ca/english/docs-pdf/Arepanrix_PIL_CAPA01v01.pdf

Pg.22 -23

Nonmedicinal Ingredients:

*Thimerosal,a mercury derivative is added as preservative. Each dose contains 2.5 micrograms of mercury.
*Other ingredients include: squalene, vitamin E, polysorbate 80 and trace amounts of egg proteins, formaldehyde, sodium deoxycholate and sucrose.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Serious Warnings and Precautions
Advise your doctor or nurse immediately if you experience these reactions shortly after receiving your injection:
• body rash
• tightness in the throat
• shortness of breath

SIDE EFFECTS

As with all medicines, AREPANRIX™ H1N1can cause side effects. The very common and common side effects are usually mild and should only last a day or two.

Very common (may occur with more than 1 in 10 doses):

• Pain at the injection site
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Redness or swelling at the injection site
• Shivering
• Sweating
• Aching muscles, joint pain

Common (may occur with up to 1 in 10 doses):

• Reactions at the injection site such as bruising, itching and warmth
• Fever
• Swollen lympth nodes
• Feeling sick, diarrhea

Uncommon (may occur with up to 1 in 100 doses):

• Dizziness
• Generally feeling unwell
• Unusual weakness
• Vomiting, stomach pain, uncomfortable feeling in the stomach or belching after eating
• Inability to sleep
• Tingling or numbness of the hands or feet
• Shortness of breath
• Pain in the chest
• Itching, rash
• Pain in the back or neck, stiffness in the muscles, muscle spasms, pain in extremity such as leg or hand

Rare (may occur with up to 1 in 1000 doses):

• Allergic reactions leading to a dangerous decrease of blood pressure, which, if untreated, may lead to shock. Doctors are aware of this possibility and have emergency treatment available for use in such cases
• Fits
• Severe stabbing or throbbing pain along one or more nerves
• Low blood platelet count which can result in bleeding or bruising

Very Rare (may occur with up to 1 in 10,000 doses):

• Vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels which can cause skin rashes, joint pain and kidney problems)
• Neurological disorders such as encephalomyelitis (inflammation of the central nervous system), neuritis (inflammation of nerves) and a type of paralysis known a Guillain-Barré Syndrome

I knew someone would come out with that. It's important to keep in mind that the risks of a vaccine PALE in comparison to the risks of the flu itself.

According to Canada's Chief Medical Officer:

Quoted Text

If every single Canadian is inoculated, then 30 Canadians could have the potential for a severe side-effect, compared to 10 million people sick, 100,000 people in hospital and 10,000 people dead.

The fear mongering about the vaccine will result in many preventable deaths this season. It needs to stop.

Vaccines have saved more lives than any other medical intervention ever. It has wiped out smallpox, and would have wiped out polio and measles if not for the anti-vaccination scare mongering.

This 14 year old girl "trusted her immune system".

Wired magazine debunking H1N1 vaccine myths here

I had it too a few months ago, week off work and lots of xbox was the cure.

It DID suck tho

i know of 2 people good friends who had the swine flu this summer and they lived to tell the tale. don't you find it odd that they tried to do the same thing in 1976 with massive add campaigns and a large percentage of the people who got the shot ended up with neurological problems. sorry i don't believe one size fits all in when it comes to meds.

Flu killed thounsand of  peoples each years... never got any shot in my body for that... first thing you will know in three years, it will be mouse flu and you will need something else.  Let the fear control you and goverment will spend billions in medecine and not even used them (chicken flu...).

I'm not against vaccine, just against the one the made in a few months of researshs and testing.
Just check how many years it takes to make safe vacine for the smallpox?

Anyway, Do you want you think it's best.. each sides has arguments... I will tell you if I changed my mind after I got it

There is some debate regarding the mercury additive in inoculations. However nothing has ever been proven. Pregnant women, children around age 2 and anyone born after 1950 are highest at risk. A mild to average flu to most turns into a wildly high viral particle count, total shut down of one's ability to breathe, etc for a small percentage.

Who wants to take THAT risk? I believe it is NOT a money making conspiracy for pharma companies. There are far too many physicians involved and there is no way.

Quoted from jonny_eh

This 14 year old girl "trusted her immune system".

Sorry, but I have to say it's in very poor taste to bring up a young girl's death to support your point. Given the vaccine has only just been released in Ontario, she really wasn't given a chance to make a choice.

Duane

Quoted from TwilightZone

Sorry, but I have to say it's in very poor taste to bring up a young girl's death to support your point. Given the vaccine has only just been released in Ontario, she really wasn't given a chance to make a choice.

Duane

agreed

Quoted from wbradley

There is some debate regarding the mercury additive in inoculations. However nothing has ever been proven. Pregnant women, children around age 2 and anyone born after 1950 are highest at risk. A mild to average flu to most turns into a wildly high viral particle count, total shut down of one's ability to breathe, etc for a small percentage.

Who wants to take THAT risk? I believe it is NOT a money making conspiracy for pharma companies. There are far too many physicians involved and there is no way.

There is a theoretical link between vaccines containing mercury and autism. Many reported cases of autistic symptoms developing after a vaccine is administered in young children.

Just a thought...