ajcire Posted January 12, 2013 Report Share Posted January 12, 2013 I am sure this question has been asked but I didn't do a search through. I am curious if most of you with children with pandas do or do not get them the flu shot. I am so torn on this.. really second guessing myself. I have 3 kids and have only gotten it for my child who has asthma because I really feel with him I need to. I am so torn on what to do about my other 2 especially my one ds who has pandas. If for some children the flu can cause an exacerbation of symptoms than which is riskier, the vaccine or the flu? I know it's a personal decision and I thought I was at piece with my decision not to but now I am second guessing it. I had told myself that if something ever goes wrong with this decision I will at least know it was what I thought was best at the time... but now I'm not so sure... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted January 13, 2013 Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 We didn't get the flu shot last year or this year. This year, my youngest (nonPANDAS) caught the flu - just today actually and is on tamiflu. The urgent center dr said not to listen to the crazy news media with all their fear-mongering. Plenty of rest and fluid and he'll be aok was his comment to me. The rest of us just dosed up on oscillococcinum and elderberry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missmom Posted January 13, 2013 Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 We don't do any vaccines with pandas son. He caught the flu got on Tamiflu and it did not cause any pandas symptoms. I know this may sound odd but I think after it was all over his overall pandas symptoms improved. I don't know because sometimes we as pandas parent tend to over analyze things, but maybe allowing his immune system to actually fight off the flu on its own actually helped him. I know how it is to constantly second guess what you do, but just do what feels like the best decision at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajcire Posted January 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 Thank you for that. It helps to hear others who chose not to get the shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopeny Posted January 13, 2013 Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 Against advice not to vaccinate my DD got the shot. We did not see any effect from it. It's a personal decision for every parent, fortunately for me it turned out to be an ok decision but I know the majority opinion is not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpotter Posted January 13, 2013 Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 Just heard yesterday that the shot is only turning out to be 55% effective (I don't know how they even calcluate that one,) and as I suspected, it's because of the strain of the flu going around. The problem with the flu vaccine, is that they never have any clue year to year which strain is going to go around, and they make these shots up under pure speculation. They also do not have sufficient testing, and they put a lot of other things in. My DS20, who I now know had PANS for years before we figured it out, had his first really huge flare after the flu vaccine at 15. Became suicidal and massively ragey. It was the straw that broke the camel's back. Personally, I see no reason to get a flu vaccine when they have no clue what they are even developing, anyway. BTW...DH had the vaccine, and still go the flu, anyway this past week (slept in another room to hopefully keep me from getting it.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mar Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 Never have gotten the shot for myself nor have my kids ever gotten it. My option is they get so many shots that messes everything up and this is my one thing I always was against even before I became a lot more knowledgable. Me and the kids have had the flu Back when they were 5 and 2 but we survived and I hope it made them stronger bc we havent had it since. Yes I am freaking out and hoping we do not get sick. But I have been not feeling well for the fast 4 days but think its more of a cold. No body aches or fever. My dad got a flu shot which is the first for him in a decade and he got the flu. From what I have heard if seems that a lot of people who got the shot are getting the flu. Who knows. But I am one who stays away. I guess we have been fortunate with the flu but strep will come and kick our butts usually in feb. I think I am more scarred of strep then the flu. But yes I try not to watch the news bc I think they make everyone panic. I cross my fingers and hope we could get by. But j will never take or give a flu shot to children. My option of course. Mar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missmom Posted January 15, 2013 Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 Never have gotten the shot for myself nor have my kids ever gotten it. My option is they get so many shots that messes everything up and this is my one thing I always was against even before I became a lot more knowledgable. Me and the kids have had the flu Back when they were 5 and 2 but we survived and I hope it made them stronger bc we havent had it since. Yes I am freaking out and hoping we do not get sick. But I have been not feeling well for the fast 4 days but think its more of a cold. No body aches or fever. My dad got a flu shot which is the first for him in a decade and he got the flu. From what I have heard if seems that a lot of people who got the shot are getting the flu. Who knows. But I am one who stays away. I guess we have been fortunate with the flu but strep will come and kick our butts usually in feb. I think I am more scarred of strep then the flu. But yes I try not to watch the news bc I think they make everyone panic. I cross my fingers and hope we could get by. But j will never take or give a flu shot to children. My option of course. Mar I am also way more scared of strep than flu. We get the flu almost every year. The only thing that makes me feel better though is knowing that I have plenty of antibiotics ready for the very first signs of strep. My son is also now an established patient with a doctor willing to help. I HATE.... Strep, but at least better armed to fight it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicklemama Posted January 15, 2013 Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 Will not ever do flu shot or mist ever again. Flumist sent my son into first PANS episode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_Anna Posted January 15, 2013 Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 We did a flu shot on October 26 and DS was diagnosed November 20. I think (though I'm not 100% sure) that the flu shot sent us into the flare that we are still trying to dig out of. Don't introduce new anti bodies, if this is how things started for us, it's not worth the protection : ( T.Anna DS 14.5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 We haven't gotten the flu shot last year or this year. My youngest non-PANDAS just came down with flu Sat. and started Tamiflu - fine and back in school Tuesday. The rest of us started Tamiflu Monday to be safe. Doing pretty well so far... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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