What is in a flu shot?
829868
the Influenza Vaccine - the "flu shot' is made up of killed inactivated Influenza virus. It is grown in chicken egg culture and the antibiotic Neomycin is added to it to prevent bacterial growth and a small amount of thimersol (inorganic non-tox mercury) is added as a preservative. \n\nSo if you are allergic to eggs, have an allergy to neomycin or have had the disease Guillan-Barre (a rare neurological disease that has been linked to Influenza and Meningitis vaccinations), you should not receive it.\n\nOtherwise, I would definitely recommend it. \n\nhope this is helpful.
951734
if you recieved a flu shot go to the hospital now!\nif you didn't then you have the flue and you can see your doctor when you can make the apointment!\nor it can be stress~ Stress can kill you!\ndon't be worried about stuff that has happended in your life look forward to what you want to happen ! or stay how you are and feel like crap! \nyour choice! not mine! \nHope you feel better! \n:)
226870
Influenza, or ‘flu’, is a highly contagious acute viral infection that affects people of all ages. It typically starts suddenly with fever, chills, headache, aching muscles, general prostration and a cough or other respiratory symptoms. Most people recover without complications in 1-2 weeks\n\nMany of the symptoms of flu are similar to those of the common cold (see Common cold), and many people incorrectly refer to a heavy cold as ‘flu’. Viruses cause them both, but flu affects the lungs much more that a cold does. Also flu doesn’t usually give you the same congested ‘heavy headed’ feeling that a cold does.\n\nThe majority of fit, healthy people can treat the symptoms of flu at home using remedies commonly available from pharmacies.  Antibiotics are not prescribed for flu as they have no effect on viruses. They may rarely be necessary to control complications, especially serious chest infections or pneumonia.\n\nIt is usually advised that otherwise healthy people should stay at home and in bed for as long as the acute symptoms persist, this is usually for two or three days after the symptoms peak. It is important to drink plenty of fluids and to treat the symptoms as necessary. See the encyclopaedia entries on colds, sore throats and coughs for symptom relief. \n\nThere is more information on the NHS direct website about Flu and the Common cold, just perform a search
216691
There is no cure for influenza, because the virus is constantly changing between people and the virus itself.  Like when you get the flu shot, its protective of the flu strain from the year before, so you're really about 80%protective from the new strain. The best way to help prevent this is flu vaccine, wash your hands, and Vitamin C needed to build up that immune system.
577066
Vaccines do not contain whole cells.  Viral vaccines generally contain fragments of the protein coat of the virus.  Bacterial vaccines contain fragments of membrane-bound proteins from the bacteria.\n\nYour immune system then binds these fragments and makes antibodies against them (in your lymph nodes).  B-cells are the ones that make the antibodies against the particles, if that is what you are asking.\n\nT-cells then gather those antibodies and store them for quick replication if a secondary infection occurs, thus helping you fight the disease.
600828
Flu vaccination shots administered in the United States are manufactured in Britain.\n\nThe flu shot, or influenza vaccine, is a mixture of dead flu viruses that prepares the immune system to fight the actual virus if it enters the body. It's like giving a search-and-rescue dog a shoe to sniff so that the dog remembers the scent and can find the owner of the shoe. The immune system remembers the viruses in the flu shot, and is ready to attack if one shows up in your body. The viruses are destroyed quickly, before you come down with any symptoms.\n\nGetting the shot does not guarantee that you won't get the flu, but it does mean that you have a much smaller chance of getting sick from it.\n\nFDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) met in Bethesda, Maryland, on February 17, 2006, to select the influenza virus strains for the composition of the influenza vaccine for use in the 2006–2007 U.S. influenza season. During this meeting, the advisory panel reviewed and evaluated the surveillance data related to epidemiology and antigenic characteristics, serological responses to 2005/2006 vaccines, and the availability of candidate strains and reagents. \n\nThe panel recommended that vaccines to be used in the 2006-2007 season in the U.S. contain the following: \n\na. an A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1)-like virus; \nb. an A/Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2)-like virus (A/Wisconsin/67/2005 and A/Hiroshima/52/2005strains); \nc. a B/Malaysia/2506/2004-like virus (B/Malaysia/2506/2004 and B/Ohio/1/2005 strains) \n\nThe influenza vaccine composition to be used in the 2006-2007 season in the U.S. is identical to that recommended by the World Health Organization on February 15, 2006.
77469
As a nurse I have always been against them.  The flu shot vaccine is based on what virus was prevelant the previous year.  There are so many different viruses out there, that it is hard to predict which one is going to be the prevelant one the following year.
780293
I agree with  you.  I had one flu shot in my life and ended up with Pnumonia.  Doctors and others claim that this is impossible to do, however each person reacts differently to these shots and there is no "normal" reaction in my opinion.
248738
Cortisone shots, Prednisone, etc.
835464
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/\nThis website has everything on it and is very accurate.
831072
depends on the person who gets the shot. my arm gets sore for about a week after i get the shot (tylenol relieves pain though), but my sister gets absolutely no soreness. also, you cannot get sick from the flu shot. you may have a reaction to it, but you cannot get the flu from a flu shot.
647638
For the first part, scientists' vaccines are based on strains that we've already seen.  Each yearly flu shot is based on last year's common bug, with a couple of changes to compensate for the mutations they suspect the virus has undergone.  Since these are just guesses, the scientists may or may not have a vaccine that functions well or at all.\n\nIf we can't find a specific vaccine, the best way for communities to prepare is by doing all those things your mother said: wash your hands, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, and make sure you're not hanging around with people that are sick.  Many hospitals already have protocols in place for patients that would need isolation rooms, there is stockpiling of various viral medications that will at least hinder the spread of the disease if not stop it altogether, and general public awareness has been heightened.
842487
Flu is the worst! When I had flu-aching all over with high fever-I was actually hoping I coul die and get it over with!\nI get a flu shot every  year now! I am not going thru that again!!
366357
When you get a vaccination, you are usually being given a dead virus, or a weakened virus that won't harm you.  You body then develops antibodies to this virus.  These antibodies circulate in your blood system, usually for the rest of your life or for a given period of time and give you immunity towards the live virus if you encounter it.
766166
There is really no "best" method for delivering medicines.  Some medicines are proteins and would be digested by the gut if ingested.  These would be better delivered intraveinously.  An example of this would be insulin for diabetics.   Vaccines have a variety of delivery methods.  Polio is delivered on a sugar cube to the gut while flu vaccine is given intramusclearly in a shot.  So it really depends on what you're trying to do.
747216
no, the flu shot is derived from eggs.  You don't know yet if your baby is allergic to it (I believe docs say wait for eggs until 1 year).  I don't vaccinate, if I go out in public, I wear my son in a sling so people don't touch him, we all know how complete strangers for some reason think it's a good idea to get their hands all over babies.
810462
I do not get them.  I believe they are a waste.\n\nFirst off, the people I know who get the shot end up with really bad colds.\n\nAlso, every year there is a "new strand" of the flu virus that the shot doesn't cover.\n\nSo...you're gonna get sick anyway.\n\nSorry for sounding so pessimistic.  I'm usually not, but I am on this subject.