Seasonal Flu Shot vs the nasal spray?

**KMonte85** · 12-02-2009 02:01 PM

So I just got my flu vaccine today at work. They offered us either the shot or the nasal mist. I chose the mist because I hate how a shot can make your arm sore for days and I have a lot of heavy lifting to do in the next few days.

Then I read that the nasal spray contains the LIVE FLU VIRUS and has more potential to make me sick! Of course they didn't tell me that when I went in during my appt... I just read up on the 15 page booklet they gave us after the fact... great. I've had the shot before and other than being sore at the injection site and maybe a little tired for a day, there were no complications... now i'm worried the spray is going to mess my world up!

Any one else have the seasonal flu vaccine in spray form? Did you get sick? More sick than the shot can sometimes make people? Do I need to stay away from people for a while before I find out if I will contract the virus? Can I spread it to others??? This thing is LIVE man, and its in my NOSE!

**LanaBear** · 12-02-2009 03:55 PM

I had it last year and was fine. Never got sick or nothing. My kids had it too, same thing, neither got sick.

**ItsASecret** · 12-02-2009 04:04 PM

Technically any flu shot anyone gets is a live culture. The reason it is needed to be live is so your body can identify those cells and create antibodies against them. Antibodies are like your bodies checklist, if something is on that checklist (like the particular flu strain they inject you with) then your body has a quicker method of defending against it incase that strain decides to invade your body at a later date. Anything that is not identified on your bodies checklist is considered foreign and the defenses will be sent out but the infection or whatever may be too strong to fight off....hence you getting sick with a cold, fever, stomach ache ect.

The chances of you getting ill due to this shot are not very high, sure you may feel a bit yucky but it will not be enough to stay home from school or work type thing. And you should not need to worry about staying away from people. Many other people also get the shot so everything is alright.

**KMonte85** · 12-03-2009 07:03 AM

Well I woke up this morning, alive and well with nothing more than the sniffles (which I think is more from being in a smoke-filled bowling alley for 4 hours than getting the vaccinne).

Probably just nervous for no reason. I've had the flu a couple years ago and holy carp that was nasty. I was down and out for a week! So I was just nervous that I would run the risk of getting THAT sick again from the vaccine.... luckily, I think i might just live! lol