Flu and Staph Infection?

big rockpile · #1 10/07/08, 10:27 AM

I have only had a Flu Shot once,keep being told I should get them every year because of my health.

I was watching the News they said something about Flu now running into Staph Infection.Does anyone know anything about this?

big rockpile

RedTartan · #2 10/07/08, 11:50 AM

All I can say is that everyone should educate themselves about MRSA. It's staph, but it doesn't respond to antibiotics. It can be fatal.

Google is your friend,

RedTartan

Zipporah · #3 10/07/08, 02:52 PM

I read somthing about that with children.I always get the children one.I'm getting one.Last time I got the flu it landed me in the hospital,I'm getting too old for this flu thing.

Becca65 · #4 10/07/08, 03:03 PM

Same here, I need to get one every year.. I was close to going to the hospital.. I was very very sick.. I never miss a flu shot anymore.
I wonder if the MRSA some how gets into your lungs when you have the flu? I will have to google it.
OK heres some info. Sounds scary.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdFlu...4727218&page=1

mara61 · #5 10/07/08, 04:17 PM

After having MRSA last summer and early fall (2 bouts on my leg

) which included a 5 day hospital stay, I was strongly advised by the infectious disease doctor to get a flu shot from now on. My immune system is now not what it used to be and since I had to be on such strong drugs, my body does not react the same way it used to, to meds.

Mara

Ashtina98 · #6 10/07/08, 05:50 PM

Dd's and I are fighting strep right now but while were at the dr. I went ahead and made appt.'s for us all to get our flu shots at the end of the month (actually dd's get the mist, they avoid shots at all cost!). My immune system is still trying to rebuild itself after going through chemo so we take no chances, I still don't know where the strep came from!

BeagleMommy · #7 10/07/08, 06:13 PM

I hate to disappoint everyone, but flu shots (or any vaccine) only work when one's immune system is working well. If one has a compromised immune system, the body is unable to mount a response to the attack (the vaccine).
No response means no immunity.

A good reference is Dr. Stephanie Cave's, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations
It's about children's vaccines, but the info is applicable.
The link between flu shots and Alzheimer's is worth noting, too.
http://www.newswithviews.com/Ciola/greg.htm

Lynn Bodoni · #8 10/08/08, 01:37 AM

I don't have a good immune system, but a flu shot DOES do me good. I will develop the antibodies from the shot, instead of waiting to develop them when I actually have the flu. I'm in a high risk category, so I get a shot every year. In fact, I got one last week. I also get a pneumonia shot every 5 years, on the advice of my doctor. Since I used to get several bad cases of pneumonia every winter, and now I get NO bacterial pneumonia, I am very pleased. I don't enjoy getting shots, or building up my immune system, but I don't enjoy getting sick, either.

Having the flu or pneumonia or any other serious sickness means that your body is stressed out, and cannot fight infections as easily. Then, while your body is trying to fight whatever you've got, an "opportunistic" infection can occur. This is just what it sounds like, something that normally would give you very little trouble can settle into your body and develop a bad case of whatever it is. As a diabetic, my immune system is not as strong as it could be, but I can still develop antibodies, I'll just do it slower.

MRSA WILL respond to some antibiotics. The problem is, it won't respond to most of them. I've had it, it sucks. My doctor had to try several antibiotics to find one that would work on my particular strain. I was in the hospital for over a week. Then I got sent home, and had to have IV antibiotics from a home health nurse every day for a couple of weeks. I hope I never have that again.