"Flu Season 2003"

I've already been hit by the flu this year. It's pretty horrendous this year, worse than others I've had.

The Mayo Clinic is saying we're looking at the worst flu season in 30 years.
We hear that nearly every year, and it never seems particularly bad.

Then Robert Webster, in Friday's Science, says:
Link (and please do read the opening paragraph of this article. It's some wonderful fear-mongering.)

So what to think here?
With the "worst flu season in 30 years" and "more than 30 years since the last flu pandemic" both being spouted over the course of a week, are we looking at hype or something to truly be concerned about?

-B.

I dont know if its the FLU, but my daughter and father have been pretty sick in the last week.

I have come down with a terribly sore throat and cough since last night. I don't recall ever having the FLU before so I don't really know what the signs are. If it is the FLU or just a common cold, I really dont know?

My whole family of five had it all seperatly and it lasted a long time. It took me seven days to shake it when it usually only takes Two to Three. I don't ever remember feeling that crappy. Vitamin C 1000mg seemed to help me feel better. I took those the last three days, one in the morning and one at dinner.
Baked

last year was the worst..my kids all got it, but the worst was me getting it, i hadent had a fever in probably over 10 years..it really nocked me on my butt, 103 temp for 3 days ..whiny kids ..wanted to die!!! gratefully this year just the common cold........so far!

I will go out on a limb here but I think that we can all thank the flu shot for these epidemics. My mother got the flu shot and we were in contact with her 3 days later... Within the week, all of us had contracted the flu.
It happened here at the office as well, one of the employees got the shot... ended up sick and passed it to everyone who hadn't already contracted the flu.

I really think that this shot is causing o lot of the flu problems. 3 out of every 5 people I know who took the shot have ended up really sick and have also passed it on to others. Maybe it is time we stop the flu shot???

_____________________________________________
Be Cool
K_OS

B.

I have it right now Started coming down with it Saturday. Springer started getting it yesterday.

I feel like warmed over death. uggh

Epidemiologists have known that it was going to be a bad season based on the early pattern of outbreak. They were warning people to get their flu shots, particularly if you come into contact with high-risk people (heart patients, elderly, immunocompromised, preemie babies, health care workers, etc.)

My spouse and I have both had the shot this year. We've had them for the past 7 or 8 years and haven't gotten the flu in spite of others around us coming down ill.

I am skeptical of the flu shot. I have always wondered if the shots are making super flus that unless you have the flu shot, it is worse. I stay away from flu shots. I only take aspirin type drugs and allergy medicine, on a regular basis. And NyQuil if I come down with something more heavy duty.

over the weekend, I think that I heard on the news that some kids in Colorado died from the flu ?

I had one bout with it last month, 2 days and it was gone... I love Nyquill and Tylenol

I tend to agree with you on this...even if the "immunized" person doesn't come down with the symptoms, they can still be a carrier


I choose to take my chances...they offer them free here at my work, and we seem to be down more users every year soon after the "flu shot" days...

I think that the government released it to test a protoype for a much more powerful weapon.

[color=Red]This whole thing about the flu shot is getting out of hand. People have been lining up for hours on end just to get it, and even the States has run out of it, and is now running to France for some. But ignoring all of this, dont you think that maybe this is some way for the government to control us? There is a chip that has been created that is so small, that it has to be injected by a needle, and for this chip to work, it has to be placed in a certain spot in the left arm. Now I havent taken the shot for almost 8 years, and this is the first time since then that I have gotten the flu. Every year before then that I took the shot, I had gotten sick. So maybe we shouldnt be taking the flu shot. Its quite an easy way for the government to control us.[/color]

www.canada.com...

Sunday, December 21, 2003

TORONTO (CP) - Health Canada attempted to dial down widespread concern over the current flu season Sunday, issuing a statement noting that the disease's impact so far is nothing unusual.

"While the 2004 influenza season arrived earlier than in previous years, and appears to be more severe than the last three seasons, current national and international data indicate that its impact in Canada is still within the expected range," said the statement, posted on the department's website.

Much of the concern over this year's flu season arises from the fact that young children have been particularly hard-hit. Experts say that's no surprise - after three consecutive mild influenza seasons, many kids haven't built up any immunity to the virus.

I beat the flu in 2 days thanks to a little medicine known as Beechams FluPlus caplets, take 2 of em every 4 hours and they work.

I haven't taken any today and i'm aching all over. Time for meds!

I was watching the news over the weekend. They a segment about the the flu this year. In a nutshell some doctor said not to woory too much...yet. So far about 42 children have died from the flu. Last year 93 died from it. Also the flu season started early this year,so it may end earlier than last year.
So it might not be all that bad. Still it no fun getting sick.

All a flu shot is, is weak and dead forms of the virus, so your body can practice fighting it. However, the only time I ever had one, I had flu symptoms for a month...(but not the full-blown flu). Personally, I'd rather have the 3-4 days of misery, than a month of it...so no thanks.

I've been lucky so far. But, I've got a stuffy nose, and sneezing today (*knocks on wood*) so hopefully, it won't go much further than that. I'm going to start my chicken soup/popsicle/vitamin C triple pronged attack on it today, to hopefully keep it from getting worse...

I got sick back in October with flu like symptoms, it was the worst I felt in ages. Im not worried about the flu because I am pretty sure I just had it and my immune system should know what to do if I get it again.

I think it also has to do with how bad you perceive the flu to be.

If everyone around you ie. doctors, government, keeps saying how bad the flu is, and that if you don't get a flu shot, you can actually get it, since you're constantly thinking about it. They can almost create a placebo effect.. (if anyone has ever bought weed that turned out to be oregano, yet your friend still saw pink elephants, then you know what I mean).

I have always gotten the flu shot before, and always ended up with the symptoms, runny nose, coughing, chills, sometimes fever. This year, I decided that I won't take them anymore. I take 1000mg Vitamin C daily, eat some garlic, and THINK healthy. Many close friends of mine got the flu, but I didn't and I won't.

Just remember, nobody knows your body better than you do.

[Edited on 22-12-2003 by quintar]

I took the flu shot for the first time about two months ago,being a three time kidney transplant recipiant my doctors thought it's be a good idea since my immune system is not what you'd call "normal". So far I have no complaints,haven't been sick or anything,they told me upfront that it wouldn't prevent me from getting it but it would lessen my chances of of being put on a ventilator,like the other patients who didn't get the shot.But if it's government "testing" I'm in trouble anyway,lol, so oh well....