My wife works in an elementary school so is constantly exposed to some plague or another. I never used to get sick but with her at the school and me now in my 50s, I started coming down with the flu more often. Last year, I got the flu two days before Christmas and was really sick until almost New Years. It really ruined Christmas.

This year, I decided to get a flu shot to try to avoid that again. It cost me nothing, took only a few minutes at the pharmacy and didn't hurt. Maybe it's just coincidence but I haven't even had a cold this year, let alone the flu. As far as I can tell, there's no downside. I know it doesn't cover all strains but it can't hurt to cover at least the main strain.

I also started the shingles vaccine a couple of weeks before that. Now that one knocked me on my ass. I was under the weather all weekend. I'm supposed to get the second part of it here in a couple of weeks and am not looking forward to it. However, several of my family members have had a shingles and I definitely don't want that.

I had shingles in college. It sucks. Smart to get the vaccine.

Damn. Sorry to hear that. Really sucks

Before November, I never had a flu shot. In my lifetime I have neither had the flu or a cold. I was mandated by my Dr. to get a flu shot before I could begin a new drug. I am hoping I don't come down with the flu now.

Definitely not.

People who develop flu symptoms from the shot do so in the first 24 hours or so after receiving it.

If you had the shot a while ago, you’re not going to develop flu symptoms from it. You might still catch another strain of the flu, but again, the vaccine should lessen the effect of any flu you might catch later.

Good advice from a nurse friend: hydrate like crazy and load up on Vitamin C (take emergen-C or something like it for a few days) leading up to your flu shot. Get plenty of rest, too.

The better shape your body is in overall when you get the shot, the better it will react.