Anyone know the difference between flu shot and mist?

Lori

Google “FluMist” and it explains the difference between the two. Apparently,
the FluMist has three live viruses and the shot has several killed viruses. It
says anyone 5 – 49 years old can take it. The FluMist is a weaker version of
the shot.

Yes, I would feel hesitant as well…that’s a hard decision…

Good luck.

Miami Girl

Good info from Miami Girl. I agree with her, I’d be a little hesitant too. Very hesitant.

Lori

I thought more about your question, whether to give it to your child…my
neuro told me two things…(1) never give blood because I use the IVIG and
(2) do not take the flu or pneumonia vaccinations. Being told that as an adult
as oppose to a child taking it without CIDP makes me wonder…if you have
a child with an immune defiency and the other does not, autoimmune diseases
do run in families, would that possibly cycle out some type of problem of
sorts, to the child who takes the flu vaccine?

Maybe you could see an immunologist?

Miami Girl

Would it be better for him to get the flu and keep him from the other child, or
possibly get an autoimmune disease? That’s tough…I’d vote for the flu, IMHO

I got my GBS from a flu shot last yr. I tell everyone I can about the flu shot. I was told by a Dr she would rather have me in MICU fighting the flu than GBS. Also this yrs flu shot is for last yrs flu. I would have no problem making a decision. as for your Dr ask him would he take the shot if he or a member of his family was in Dells shoes. My prayers are with you’ll. (Steve)

[B]From what I understand the flu mist is made with the live virus and the flu shot isn’t, but I myself wouldn’t take either either because my husband had the flu shot and developed GBS as a result.[/B]

I would not take either. I have a really bad headache when I cough and called the Dr office to call me in something for it. The nurse said I will talk to the Dr and get back with you. Well, about 15 minutes passed and the nurse called back and said the Dr was gonna call a mist flu thing for me and hung up. I called right back and said I could not take the flu shot cause of GBS. She said it was a pill I had to take for 5 days and not the mist. I said is the flu going around now ? She said everything is going around now. Be carful GBS’ers and wash your hands alot. I will let you know tonight or tomorrow to tell you for sure what he has called in for me to take. I am scared to death to get the flu. I told the nurse I could not go thru that again, and don’t know if I wanted to again if I did get it. Stay safe folks.
God bless,
Drummer

I havent googled it, but I am with Brandy as someone explained it to me a while back. I was told the mist is far worse because of the live viruses. I know this sounds like Im ‘chosing’, which I’m not, but if you had to look at which would be the lesser of the two evils, I believe *edited* the shot would be.

I think for someone not having had GBS, one needs to consider the shot (not mist!) carefully and weigh the pro’s and con’s according to that specific person. Personally, and I know we arent speaking about me personally, 😉 but i have relatively healthy children and dont wish to expose them to the flu shot – too many variables as steve said ….

Here is something I copied from vaccinetruth.org.

[quote]FIRST NASAL VACCINE APPROVED FOR USE: On June 17, 2003, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of FluMist, an influenza vaccine that is the first nasally administered vaccine to be marketed in the United States. [B]It is also the first live virus influenza vaccine approved in the U.S.[/B]

FluMist is approved to prevent influenza illness due to influenza A and B viruses in healthy children and adolescents, ages 5-17 years, and healthy adults, ages 18-49. In clinical trials, FluMist was evaluated in 20,228 individuals, including over 10,000 healthy children 5-17 years old. The efficacy of the vaccine in preventing influenza was approximately 87 percent among children included in the trial. In healthy adults ages 18-49 years, FluMist was effective in reducing severe illnesses with fever, and upper respiratory problems which may be caused by influenza infection.

[B]As with any live virus vaccines, FluMist should not be given for any reason to people with immune suppression, including those with immune deficiency diseases, such as AIDS or cancer, and people who are being treated with drugs that cause immunosuppression. The safety of FluMist in people with asthma or other reactive airway diseases has not been established; FluMist should not be given to people with a history of these problems. In a large safety study, children under five years of age were found to have increased rate of asthma and wheezing within 42 days of vaccination compared to placebo recipients, and thus FluMist is not recommended for young children. For people age 50 years and over[/B], the safe and effective use of FluMist has also not been established.

[B]The vaccine should also not be administered to those with therapies including aspirin, a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome, chronic diseases, allergies to eggs or those who are pregnant[/B]. The most common adverse events associated with the vaccine were nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, and cough. FluMist is produced by MedImmune Vaccines and will be distributed by Wyeth. Both companies will market the product. For more information visit [url]www.fda.gov[/url] or [URL=”http://www.cdc.gov/nip”%5D%5BCOLOR=#008080%5Dwww.cdc.gov/nip%5B/COLOR%5D%5B/URL%5D
[/quote]

I’m a little surprised your doctor reccomended it

Hey Lori –

I think you need to find a new dr for your son. In my opinion, there is undisputed evidence of immune related illnesses due to vaccines. Emily’s CIDP affected her eye after getting the flu shot, before that it was just her legs & feet (we didn’t know anything was really going on when she got the shot -we thought it was growing pains). 3-4 weeks after receiving the shot her eye went bad. Coincidence? I think not.

As other’s have said the FluMist is a live vaccine as opposed to the shot which is dead viruses. I have read that the FluMist should not be given to people with asthma but the flu shot is supposedly ok.

I will not ever receive another flu not – nor with my husband. Obviously Emily is done with vaccines but if I were to ever have another child, we would selectively vaccinate him or her.

Personally, I don’t feel that the flu shot or mist is all that important to get. It doesn’t offer 100% effectiveness against getting the flu. When they make the shot or the mist they don’t know if they are even preventing the right strains of flu for that year. Your older son is a healthy child – with no immune deficiency, so there is no reason to give him the vaccine. He’s healthy enough to fight off the flu should he get it.

PS, Emily’s nurse refuses to get a flu shot or FluMist herself. She said that she’s treated many people with autoimmune diseases which have been caused directly from the vaccine.

Just my 2 cents.
Kelly

Hey there!

I just posted a response to the “Tamiflu” thread. I put a few alternative “suggestions” in there that would definately relate to you.

I have 3 kids and dread what they might bring home. I will get some suggestions from my dr. (immunologist/naturopath) on how they can avoid and handle colds and flus. I go back in – in 3 weeks.

I would not recommend the Olive Leaf extract though. A naturopath or immunologist could help your family. I doubt your child would go for the raw garlic either!

Good luck!

Becca