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i just got my flu shot two days ago. like you said, it was recommended. the flu shot is NOT a live virus and shouldn't cause any sickness. IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED THAT PREGNANT WOMEN GET THE FLU MIST NASAL SPRAY because that is a live virus and you shouldn't expose your baby to that. anyhow, it could have just been a fluke thing that you got sick after you got the shot. just ask your doctor before you decide to do it or not.

I did get my flu shot a couple weeks ago. I mainly got it because I had not had the flu for about 10 years, until last winter. I must have thrown up 30 times; not to mention other gross things and I was quite dehydrated. My doctor wanted me to get it because of that. I must say what hurt the most was my arm for a couple of days. I think what happens is your body "reads" the dead strain and recognizes this. You'd think I'd remember this as I did take cellular genetics in college-but I don't. Good Luck.

Lol, DB as far as understanding the dead virus you'd think I'd be able to figure it out too, as I have a degree in Cellular Biology. I guess where I'm confused is how exactly a "dead virus" works. Since viruses normally insert their DNA into you're cell and thereby use you're own cell to incorporate their DNA into your system and produce more "virus." Just not sure how a dead one works to do the whole immune response if it's not actually working as a virus. I'm sure I've studied it and such but I simply don't recall how that works particularly. That said even though the flu shot doesn't contain a live virus it can still cause adverse reactions and I guess to me I'd say pneumonia is an adverse reaction, that's where I'm debating getting it or not.

my doctor talked me into getting one. I tried to make up every excuse in the book but she just talked me into it. she told me to come outside after i got dressed and "see what's going on". I was like, what the heck does that mean. Then when i came out she already had a nurse waiting with a shot in hand to prick me. there was no way out. but my big concern was if there was a chance of getting the flu virus from the shot and she told me NO.. so, no big deal.

9 years ago, I got the flu vaccine for the first time. For 2 days after the shot, I had unbelievable body aches. I know it was not a live virus, but it left me with a bad feeling, so I did not get the shot again until 2 years ago. I was working in the ICU of a hospital and decided it was a good idea with the amount of patients we were seeing with influenza. Even though most of the patients we were seeing had influenza B, 4 weeks exactly after getting the vaccine, I came down with influenza A (the strain the vaccine covered). This is the only time I have ever had the flu. I do not intend to get the vaccine.

I get a flu shot every year and got one early on this year. I work as a teacher so it really has kept me from getting ill in the past. Last year I did get the flu for two days but most people were ill for a week. I got it in March which by then the flu shot had worn off a little anyway. Besides that two day incident...i don't usually get the flu. pneumonia is not associated with the flu.

I also had no reaction at all after the flu shot not even a sore arm this time. I usually have a sore arm afterwards. It was the least painful shot that I have ever gotten.

I am not getting the vaccine.

Got it this year at my last OB appointment. Haven't had one in a while, but figured that I wanted to decrease my chances of getting sick while pregnant.

Thanks everyone. As I said, I'm just hesitant b/c of the pneumonia issue last time. Since the influenza virus is a cause of pneumonia. Interestingly enough, I was talking to my mom about if I should get it or not, and she pointed out that a few yrs ago when my dad got the vaccine for his job is also the only time he has come down with pneumonia so…I don’t know what I should do. I was actually told when I was in for the pneumonia that the virus from the injection had probably gone into my repertory system and was the cause, so...I probably wouldn't even be considering the vaccine except DH and I are flying for Thanksgiving which will mean a lot of potential exposure. Still though I think I may take the chance of catching something…honestly while the flu really sucks and it would not really be a good thing to catch pregnant, catching pneumonia seems like an even riskier thing pregnant. Guess I’ll talk to my doc about it at my next appointment and see what she has to say. Thanks for everyone’s input.

im not interested in getting it. Not putting anything into my body that it dont need to.

I am completely against flu shots in general. There is NO WAY I'm getting one now that I'm pregnant...I don't care what they say. Both times I've gotten a flu shot I've gotten seriously ILL from them. This was done two years in a row. After that I refused to have them at all and I haven't gotten the flu in 5-6 years. Your call I suppose, but it's not happening for me. :)

They don't even offer it to us preggie women in the UK...I get called in every year for one cos I have high bps but I tell them to keep it....but the minute I get pregnant I get a letter saying 'sorry you can't have it until after the baby is born'...

iemc19, that’s interesting that they wont give you one if you’re pregnant over there. Here in the US a lot of OB's almost don't give you a choice about it. They're like "you have to have one," obviously they can't force you to, but a lot do their best to say "you must."
I wonder why the medical communities are so different between the US here and over there? Both have good medical care and yet they seem to completely disagree on something’s (especially regarding pregnancy issues). Do you what their reason for refusing to give you one over there if you're pregnant is?

I've wondered about that as well. Can I ask when you got pnuemonia? Because I have heard that ONLY in the past 2-3 or so years have they put "dead" viruses in the shot. In fact, when I was pregnant with my son, now 3, I'm pretty sure it was recommended that I NOT get the shot, and now it's recommended that I do. I think it's because the shot is different than it was a few years ago. By the way, I did get one last Friday and I'm feeling fine.

cindernar, I wondered about that too. It was actually about 8 yrs. ago so I wondered the same thing. I looked online a little bit though and didn't find anything that said when they started using the "dead" strain instead of a live one. I have a little brother who is just short of 7 and my mother said her doc recommended and gave her a flu shot the yr she was pregnant with him.