Hello Dragonfly. I can't advise you whether or not to get a flu shot, but I can give you some facts. First what we call the stomach flu , really isn't what the flu shot is for. Flu shot actually stands for influenza shot. That shot only protects you from certain influenza viruses and does not protect you from having the stomach flu and/or a cold. To quote from wikipedia.
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"Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by the influenza virus. Symptoms can be mild to severe. The most common symptoms include: a high fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pains, headache, coughing, and feeling tired. These symptoms typically begin two days after exposure to the virus and most last less than a week. The cough; however, may last for more than two weeks. In children there may be nausea and vomiting but these are not common in adults.
Nausea and vomiting occur more commonly in the unrelated infection gastroenteritis, which is sometimes inaccurately referred to as "stomach flu" or "24-hour flu". Complications of influenza may include viral pneumonia, secondary bacterial pneumonia, sinus infections, and worsening of previous health problems such as asthma or heart failure."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza Also in the same article "It can be difficult to distinguish between the common cold and influenza in the early stages of these infections, but a flu can be identified by a high fever with a sudden onset and extreme fatigue. Influenza is a mixture of symptoms of common cold and pneumonia, body ache, headache, and fatigue. Diarrhea is not normally a symptom of influenza in adults"
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For more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza The vaccines that the drug companies put out address influenza and not stomach flu as we know it. The most common complications from influenza that leads to hospitalization and even death is pneumonia and/or dehydration and/or a high fever.
One reason why doctors advise that older people or people who have breathing problems, diabetes etc to get the shot is due to the pneumonia factor. But there are many other factors as well.
So I'm sorry that I can't say whether to get a shot or not. However you should really watch the symptoms that you have especially if have a high temperature and/or you are putting out more fluids than you are taking in and/or your cough worsens or persists or any of your symptoms worsens or lasts. Whether you have influenza or stomach flu and a cold, at our age you have to be careful as something simple can overtake us in a hurry.
I try and get a shot every yr as it seems to do me no harm. I've had a bad bout of influenza and I have no wish to repeat the experience. I hope that you feel better soon. Take Care. paul m