Sometimes Life Ain't Fair

[RG3 Fan]

Grand kids here for the day only and I'm sick with a cold and 100 degree fever. Will not risk giving it to them. Nice laughter in the room next door. Torture.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Flu shot. Get one. Works great. Lasts up to a year.

 

[Nobody]

Flu shot. Get one. Works great. Lasts up to a year.

Works great against the flu. Colds are a different story.

 

[Jugband McGillicuddy]

Ah, man. Sorry to hear that, 3. That definitely sucks. I hope they'll be back to see you again soon. Feel better!!

 

[Nobody]

Then again, you could always wander out coughing and say flat out, "hey kids, we all need to make sacrifices. If I can handle this, so can you."

Seriously though, I hope you get better soon. Sorry to hear you're missing out, I know it's gotta be terrible for you, I feel for you.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Works great against the flu. Colds are a different story.

Flu shots most definitely help against colds. Pretty much zaps them.

 

[Nobody]

Flu shots most definitely help against colds. Pretty much zaps them.

Sorry BB, you've been misinformed. Not only will it not help get rid of a cold (not sure if that's what you were saying) but most places won't even give it to you if you have a cold, and they absolutely will not give you a flu shot if you're running a fever. On top of that, according to the CDC it is completely ineffective in cold prevention, because it is a vaccine against 3 strains of influenza, which are in no way associated with Rhinovirus.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm

 

[RG3 Fan]

Hey, I had my annual flu shot. It was merely a cold and the fever left now tha the kids are gone. Bummer, but my Baylor Bears won and the two year old was apparently yelling, "sic 'em Polar Bears!" Instead of Baylor Bears. RG3 and his fiancé were on the sideline for the game. Hope to see the Grandkids again in a couple of weeks.

 

[RG3 Fan]

I want to find someone that will print me a shirt that reads, "Sic'em Skins" has a nice ring to it.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Extreme - just stop it with the memes and lecturing. This comes from my team of doctors - I've been a medical patient for more than a decade now and I'll trust them before I trust what you have read on the internet.

And don't give me the lecture about not getting a flu shot when someone has a cold. My only advice is to get a flu shot and it will help to keep the flu away and it will keep any colds gone or very, very short in duration.

Fan, good to hear that the cold is gone - hmmmm, that was quick.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

I actually have noticed the past two years I've gotten a flu shot that my colds were much shorter in duration and nowhere near as severe as they have been in the past. I don't know if that is just coincidence, or if the flu shot had an effect, but I'll take it either way!

 

[Nobody]

Extreme - just stop it with the memes and lecturing. This comes from my team of doctors - I've been a medical patient for more than a decade now and I'll trust them before I trust what you have read on the internet.

It's not lecturing. And I am confident your doctors don't know more than the CDC.

And don't give me the lecture about not getting a flu shot when someone has a cold. My only advice is to get a flu shot and it will help to keep the flu away and it will keep any colds gone or very, very short in duration.

As my wife and daughter, who both got their flu shots a month ago are currently both in bed with the worst colds they've ever had.

Convincing yourself it works doesn't change the reality of it. It's all mental, the results don't back it. Influenza and Rhinovirus are completely different viruses. Claiming a flu vaccine will prevent or treat a cold is as much of a stretch as saying you won't get the flu because you got a polio vaccine.

When you look up the biggest myths about flu shots, one of the things listed on a lot of lists is a flu shot for cold prevention.

 

[Nobody]

I actually have noticed the past two years I've gotten a flu shot that my colds were much shorter in duration and nowhere near as severe as they have been in the past. I don't know if that is just coincidence, or if the flu shot had an effect, but I'll take it either way!

It could just be weaker strains honestly, because I was having a similar discussion last winter with some friends about how we all either don't get sick anymore, or it's quick and weak when we do. Out of 5 of us though, I am the only one in the group who gets a flu shot regularly, so it's completely unrelated.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Ex, I will gladly take the advice of my doctors over CDC any minute of any hour of any day of any week of any month of the year. CDC is a government agency and as such, they are idemnified to the bureaucracy, not the medical profession.

My medical group is pretty much at the top in the world in its various fields - and it is not even close. Anyway, this is something that we have literally experimented with over the last three years. When you consider that I have a weakened immune system (everyone here knows what I've been through over the last decade-plus), measures are taken by these doctors to help with long term needs. This is just one of many areas where they have worked with me and many others. All of the area sports teams in Philly use this healthcare system - no exceptions. Yeah, I'll trust them over CDC. Heck, I'll trust just about any local doctor over CDC. You need to learn about CDC and how "respected" they are in the medical profession. To be sure, some good things come from CDC and there are some things that are questionable.

So yes, I'm going by what they say and the many studies that have been done here over the last three years - and that includes around 1,200 of us locally.

Also, aren't you the one who is typically asking about medical questions around here? You've asked a number of questions about ailments and injuries. Did you notice that I never answered? The reason is simple - I didn't know the answer and far be it from me to offer medical advice on a subject where I simply don't know. So when something came up and I had some insight, the advice was offered with a sound reason. I respect that you may not think it works that way, but don't tell me I'm wrong when it is something that I've been involved with for three years.

Too, don't go the route of insulting the intelligence and knowledge of my doctors. I haven't done the same to the medical professionals that you utilize.

 

[Nobody]

I'm not trying to be a dick about it, I'm just pointing out that there isn't a single bit of medical or scientific evidence that backs what you're claiming. Mainly because it's a medical impossibility, since the two are are completely different viruses. It's like trying to cure a migraine by applying anti-fungal cream to your toes.

The virus that causes most viral pneumonia is the Rhinovirus, which causes most colds as well. Yet they offer a vaccine for viral pneumonia. If what you say was true, would they not just give the flu shot? Do you get both vaccines? If so, why? I mean, you claim the flu shot works on both.

As far as insulting your doctors, I did no such thing. I think you either may have misunderstood something they said (not saying you did), or you are in a unique situation where they take the "every little bit helps" approach, just like my father is in. Maybe they recommend it for you because they want you to have all the help you can get, which is understandable. But not getting the flu vaccine will absolutely not make the average person any less likely to catch a cold than getting the vaccine will prevent one. It isn't a cold vaccine, there is no such thing. And if what you are saying was accurate, it would be incessantly hyped all winter long as a reason for people to get the flu vaccine.

And I wish you would say more in medical threads, even if it's just a guess, because doctors always miss things, and all the input you can get helps. I have an issue going on currently with no explanation that's driving me bonkers, and I'd love if something as random as a message board post would lead me and my doctors down the right path.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Well, my docs did work on this stuff for three years. That's where it is with me. Some of the stuff they do is experimental and you have an entire team that is always thinking outside the box. We tried three different approaches each year - last year when I had the actual flu for seven weeks, it was nothing I would care to repeat. But we did get a lot of answers.

Working with medical staff nearly every day of the work-week does afford me some insights, but only in areas that affect me.

Well, that's all. And speaking of medical stuff - back to Philly tomorrow - holiday break is over. Ugh.

 

[Nobody]

Well, my docs did work on this stuff for three years. That's where it is with me. Some of the stuff they do is experimental and you have an entire team that is always thinking outside the box. We tried three different approaches each year - last year when I had the actual flu for seven weeks, it was nothing I would care to repeat. But we did get a lot of answers.

Flu for seven weeks? My hat's off to you. You are officially the toughest guy here. The longest I ever had it was 12 days, and it got so bad I ended up in the hospital hallucinating that I was dead

Working with medical staff nearly every day of the work-week does afford me some insights, but only in areas that affect me.

That's more or less what I was talking about. There's a lot that might work for you that might not make a difference with other people, but then again a lot of things are like that I suppose. My dad is constantly having to do things as far as medicine and tests and such that would be a non-factor for most people, but he has to do it to ensure his health.

Well, that's all. And speaking of medical stuff - back to Philly tomorrow - holiday break is over. Ugh.

Ugh indeed, I feel for you man. Hope all is well.