Will a flu shot make me sick?

Asked by Malakai (574

) October 14th, 2008

I’ve never had one before, but it’s being offered for free at my job.

I almost never get sick. I haven’t had the flu in about 10 years.

I hate needles.

But it’s FREE, right?

So will it make me sick? (I’m a healthy male in my late 20’s)

If my options are definitely getting a little sick versus maybe getting sick and maybe not… I’ll probably just take my chances.

I understand the science involved in vaccination, I’m just asking if you personally felt ill after getting one.

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5 Answers

Discussed a bit: http://www.fluther.com/disc/22988/flu-shot-help-or-hype/

Note therein that shilolo works professionally with infectious diseases (or something requiring a hazmat suit) and he explains quite a bit.

robmandu (21331

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It depends on how close you are to getting sick. Usually when you get a flu shot and then you get sick it’s because your immune system is trying to cope with the newly introduced dead flu virus that it’s making antibodies for, so it can defend itself. Other stuff may sneak attack in the meantime. This is basically what my PCP told me and he’s usually spot on.

maccmann (659

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NO. It will not make you sick. FYI (to slightly correct maccmann), the flu shot is not a dead virus, but simply a piece of the virus coat (called hemagglutanin). Flumist on the other hand is a live attenuated virus.

Get the shot. Its free, and will (likely) protect you, your coworkers, your children, your parents and grandparents from serious complications of the flu.

shilolo (18075

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