Flu Shot Argh!

[lesliepear]

I've always gotten a flu shot due to my asthma.

My allergist didn't get any. They only could write a note for a clinic for costco members.

My primary care doctor didn't have any either.

I called my endo at Sloan Kettering (who treated me for thyroid cancer and I'm due to see Monday). Sloan is inventorying their flu supply and they may have an answer on Monday.

Alan of course is 2 on Friday and his checkup is the 23rd, so he'll be over the 23 month cutoff.

I am so p*ssed!

Comments

[moobabe.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm having similar frustrations. My GP isn't getting ANY flu shots, and I don't know if Hannah's pediatrician is going to, either.

I'm going this afternoon to an Eckerd to see if I can get one. With chronic renal failure, I fall into the "high risk" category. I'll probably get some nasty looks from people who think that I shouldn't be getting one--if I even get one--but I don't care. Even though I look healthy, I'm not. I'm bringing the clinic notes from the most recent Hopkins visit that I have, and they document the kidney issues, in case "proof" is needed.

I'm planning on getting there two hours early. Ugh.

[lesliepear.livejournal.com]

My allergist had no problem writing a note for the costco clinic. Perhaps you can get one of your doctors to write one.

(I'd probably get looks too if I'd showed up at a clinic).

[moobabe.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, the ONLY clinics available between now and mid-November (at least, the only listed ones) are today, tomorrow, and Friday. I'm going to try today and see if I can get in. If not, maybe I'll see if I can get a doc to write something for appointments tomorrow.

[msmichelle.livejournal.com]

I was pissed last year when N didn't get her second dose due to shortage last year. But, this year I am just not planning on it for any of us. As you say, 23 months and above is not high risk, even with daycare.

[ericainohio.livejournal.com]

Well, look at it this way - think of all the mercury you're NOT putting in Alan's system. Scares the hell out of me that they're even recommending the shot for infants under 2.

[silent-ic-river.livejournal.com]

What a pain. Well, happy birthday to the little man. Good luck getting that shot.

Isn't it strange?

[exileinparadise.livejournal.com]

Every year, there is "never enough"... and it always seems a big surprise that "flu season" is coming or has arrived.

Personally, I think this whole flu shot shortage is manufactured or bogus. At least one good reason is get those insurance payments WAY UP to the doctors and drug companies.

Plus it should really boost the campaign frenzy while everyone is freaking out over this shortage... now both political-bots can make medical based promises and the voters (sheep) can be good and ready to follow willingly due to the fear?

Re: Isn't it strange?

[stitchinthyme.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine, a cancer researcher at the National Institutes of Health, says that flu shots a) are not necessarily a guarantee that you won't get the flu anyway because they tend to guess which strains will be prevalent that year (they're usually reasonably accurate, but there's always a few strains that they didn't predict); and b) could be bad if there were ever a flu epidemic because your immune system could be so focused on making antibodies to the strains in the vaccine that it can't adequately respond to the mutated virus...so you'd be more at risk of actually *dying* if that happened. Her explanation was much better and more thorough than this but that's the bare bones of it.

I decided, based on that, that since I'm young and healthy, I don't really need the flu shot. And with this year's shortages, I figure I should leave my share to people who do have health problems and need it more than I do. I did get the flu once, about 9 years ago, and it was complete and utter misery, but I survived with no ill effects.

(Note: I'm NOT trying to say that people with health problems shouldn't get the flu shot, so please don't take it that way! I'm only telling you what someone I know who actually has looked at the scientific data says, so you can make up your own mind as to whether you actually need the shot.)

Oh yeah, about the shortage: apparently one of the two plants that manufactures the vaccine was shut down due to concerns about bacteria found in the facility. It doesn't sound manufactured or bogus to me.

Re: Isn't it strange?

[lesliepear.livejournal.com]

It wasn't the US government that shut down the plant, it was the UK (whom I assume would use the vaccine also - so much for conspiracy theorists).

Re: Isn't it strange?

[stitchinthyme.livejournal.com]

It wasn't the US government that shut down the plant, it was the UK (whom I assume would use the vaccine also - so much for conspiracy theorists).

Yup, they're all in on it. :-)

Re: Isn't it strange?

[exileinparadise.livejournal.com]

Thinking and prudence are always good advice.

Just remember, in America, we're brainwashed er, indoctrinated er, taught that medication will fix everything. So, doctors over-prescribe, people demand what they want (vs. what they might actually need) from doctors based on TV ads for medications, and worse.

Americans and medication is in a bad place right now.
It's not quite THX-1138, but its not far off either.

And every year, since flu shots were invented, there are shortages?

Why?

After all these years I would have guessed that people would have found a way to stockpile some extra, or have a plan to ramp up production in time, or have more than two (as you say) stinking factories?

Once is an accident. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is a conspiracy.

If there is a shortage, then shame on the medical industry for raping everyone's insurance for years and STILL allowing something like this to happen. And shame on us for letting them.

If there isn't a shortage, then shame on those who have manufactured one just to push the stock prices around. And shame on us for letting them.

Re: Isn't it strange?

[stitchinthyme.livejournal.com]

And every year, since flu shots were invented, there are shortages?

You kind of answered your own question:

So, doctors over-prescribe, people demand what they want (vs. what they might actually need) from doctors based on TV ads for medications, and worse.

People are made to think they NEED the flu shot, so there's tons of demand and not enough supply to meet that demand. Seems obvious to me. I agree that it sucks in a big way.

After all these years I would have guessed that people would have found a way to stockpile some extra, or have a plan to ramp up production in time, or have more than two (as you say) stinking factories?

I can't speak to why there aren't more factories or exactly what is involved in making the vaccine or how long it takes; I have no clue. But as to stockpiling, the flu vaccine is different every year; since they don't know from one year to the next what it'll be, I think they have a relatively short time period in which to make it once the scientists determine what strains need to go in.

Quote from a CNN article:

"Flu vaccine is made using chicken eggs and takes months to brew, meaning manufacturers cannot suddenly produce more. "

Anyway, I bet there wouldn't BE a shortage if people who really don't need the vaccine (the young and healthy) didn't insist on getting it.