9/28/11

I got my first flu shot ever in 2009 after my allergist convinced me that I should because I'm asthmatic so if I got the flu it could turn into pneumonia and I could be hospitalized. After that flu shot I had to call into work and I was sick for 3 days! Last year I declined against my doctors recommendations. He said that if I got pregnant that I would need to get one. This year I had pressure from not only my allergist, but also my ob/gyn. The doctors said that I'm in a high risk category being pregnant on top of my asthma I really need to get one. Not only will it protect me from getting the flu it will also pass antibodies on to the baby thorugh the placenta protecting her for the first 6 months of her life. Considering she'll be born during flu season (flu season: October through May) I decided to do it for her.

Three hours after I received the shot yesterday I started coughing and got a sore throat. My sore throat got so bad that I couldn't sleep. It hurt my throat to breath through my nose! So I had to get up and spray chloraseptic down my throat. I probably wasn't supposed to, but water wasn't cutting it and I needed to get some sleep. When I woke up this morning I still had the sore throat and I could hardly speak, my body aches all over, I have a headache, my eyes are all red and sore, I didn't take my temperature so I don't know if I had a fever or not. Now they say you can't get the flu from the inactive vaccine, but I'll tell you what these side effects feel an aweful lot like the flu to me.

Here are the side effects of the flu vaccine according to the CDC website:

• soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given 

• hoarseness; sore, red or itchy eyes; cough 

• fever    

• aches    

• headache    

• itching   

• fatigue

 Here are the symptoms of the flu according to the CDC website:

• fever/chills 

• sore throat 

• muscle aches 

• fatigue 

• cough 

• headache 

• runny or stuffy nose

The side effects should only last a day or two so hopefully I feel better tomorrow. I know they will insist I get it again next year to protect my daughter and I probably will, but if I have a similar reaction to the one I had this time or last time I will not get it again.

How do you feel about the flu shot?