I got a flu shot

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“It's hard to win an argument with a smart person. It's damn near impossible to win an argument with a stupid person." -- Bill Murray

01 October 2019, 02:59 AM

piqué

Was going to get one, but my doctor discouraged me. Apparently taking Vitamin D is more effective and has a lower risk of side effects.

01 October 2019, 03:12 AM

QuirtEvans

quote:
Originally posted by piqué:
Was going to get one, but my doctor discouraged me. Apparently taking Vitamin D is more effective and has a lower risk of side effects.

Interesting. Here's a BBC article on the subject of Vitamin D and respiratory infection. It's not flu-specific.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-38988982

There is a commonality between the seasons when flu is the most prevalent and the times when people are outside, and therefore making their own Vitamin D, the least.

(I'll wait for Dr. markb to provide us the perspective from science-based medicine.)

01 October 2019, 03:41 AM

Steve Miller

My doc has been hammering me to take more vitamin D. B-12 too. I dunno.

D is easy enough. Supplementing B-12 makes me break out in a rash. Seems kind of crazy.

An appointment to talk about this this costs several $hundy and is 4 months out. I’ve decided to ignore the advice until my next required physical.

Does being on Medicare make this system make more sense?

01 October 2019, 08:16 AM

Jack Frost

quote:
Originally posted by Steve Miller:

Does being on Medicare make this system make more sense?

Getting on Medicare might have been the most complicated process I have ever encountered.

jf

01 October 2019, 08:41 AM

QuirtEvans

quote:
Originally posted by Steve Miller:
My doc has been hammering me to take more vitamin D. B-12 too. I dunno.

D is easy enough. Supplementing B-12 makes me break out in a rash. Seems kind of crazy.

An appointment to talk about this this costs several $hundy and is 4 months out. I’ve decided to ignore the advice until my next required physical.

Does being on Medicare make this system make more sense?

I take D daily. As a result, my latest blood work says my D bank is not low.

I know that higher doses of niacin, which can help reduce cholesterol, can cause flushing. So I can’t take higher doses of niacin.

Maybe the reaction to B-12 is similar.

01 October 2019, 09:30 AM

Lisa

There are a few different versions of B12 - I may be misremembering but they are something like cyanocobalamin, methylcobalamin, adeno-cobalamin. All basically different isotopes of the same molecule. The common one in cheaper supplements is cyanocobalamin but many people need one of the other versions because they can't covert that one. If you still want to try supplementing, you could try to find a supplement that has one of the other versions - IIRC, methyl is the closest version to what your body converts everything into so that may be the one to look for. I know Costco used to carry a b12 that had the methyl version. And if it gives you a rash, Costco will take it back and refund your money.

01 October 2019, 10:43 AM

CHAS

quote:
Originally posted by Lisa:
There are a few different versions of B12 - I may be misremembering but they are something like cyanocobalamin, methylcobalamin, adeno-cobalamin. All basically different isotopes of the same molecule. The common one in cheaper supplements is cyanocobalamin but many people need one of the other versions because they can't covert that one. If you still want to try supplementing, you could try to find a supplement that has one of the other versions - IIRC, methyl is the closest version to what your body converts everything into so that may be the one to look for. I know Costco used to carry a b12 that had the methyl version. And if it gives you a rash, Costco will take it back and refund your money.

An impressive post. Thanks

01 October 2019, 01:11 PM

CHAS

Seems early.
Are they still using vaccines left from last year?

01 October 2019, 01:20 PM

CHAS

From the CDC
“People older than 65 might want to wait a little bit longer and talk to their doctor about that, but if you’re a younger person you can totally get your flu shot now,”

Maybe I have waited long enough. Will get the shot. Us geezers get a bigger dose.