Have your sons ever eaten fish to know if they are allergic? Food allergies are not hereditary in nature. If you choose to vaccinate them then seek a thimerosal free “monovalent” single dose vaccine which will reduce some of the risk associated with vaccines. We know that 1 in a million (and that is a conservative number) will get an irreversible neurological disorder as the direct result of a vaccine. The decision to vaccinate should be made only after considering the pros and cons. If you have read the discussions above then you probably know more than most people.

For you and your husband, the fact that you have a strong reaction to fish demonstrates an unbalanced immune response and you would benefit from resolving this. Testing for IgG and IgE food allergens as well as a test for heavy metals may point you in the right direction. Resolving these issues can restore your immune system to a more balanced function. It sounds like you need the help of an integrative care physician who can help you with these issues. Most traditional physicians are not educated in the field of heavy metal testing and detoxification. Even allergists that are trained in food allergies don’t always agree with each other on how to handle these issues. I have seen remarkable changes in peoples lives when they simply remove gluten and milk products from their diet as these are two very common offenders. This is a giant topic but I recommend starting somewhere such as the book, “Gluten Free for Dummies”. A very basic guide to addressing wheat in the diet and why it is such a problem. See my article on this website regarding gluten “Gassy, Bloated and Squirt . . . oh my.” Yes, it is a classy title.

I wish you well,
Dr. Gary Huber

thx again

I do not know the extent of your research but as I began to compile a list of citations from various reports I realized that the complexity of this issue is such that depending on your desired outcome your choices or interpretation could be very different. Yes the flu vaccine will protect some people from getting the flu but just exactly what that percentage is remains highly debatable. Debating the literature is beyond the focus of this website. I can refer you to Dr. Sherri Tenpenny’s book “Saying No to Vaccines, A resource Guide for All Ages,” page 184 for her reference on Cochrane’s work. I consider Dr. Tenpenny’s work very important as she has brought some rational thought to this issue and is considered an expert in the field. I think the larger issue which is what I have been looking at is “how much risk for immune complications and toxin load” do I have to accept in order to gain “some protection” from the flu virus? Is the risk worth the gain?

Click this link for just a few citations:

The other issue you raised with regard to the use of vitamin C is much more straightforward. You highlighted ONE article that attempted to address ONE issue with regard to vitamin C but that hardly begins to answer the question of vitamin C ‘s role in your immune function. There are literally thousands of articles demonstrating vitamin C’s tremendous impact on immune function. I would recommend a visit to Google Scholar for starters. A quick search there may open a few new doors for you.

I wish you well through this difficult flu season and thanks for your interest in this topic.
Sincerely,
Dr. Gary Huber

Perhaps this is what your doctor is addressing with his recommendation for the flu vaccine. If they were indeed confirmed H1N1 cases then I can’t find any supporting data to suggest an H1N1 vaccine is warranted.

Good luck,
Dr. Gary Huber

On to your question: you pose a very unique perspective. I have repeatedly told people that it is the immunologically compromised that really cause me concern. Your son likely has an adequate immune response but with the respiratory issue it does draw concern. If he should catch the flu then his inability to clear respiratory secretions increases the possibility of a bacterial infection along with the viral respiratory infection. Let’s weigh the pros and cons in your son’s case.

The H1N1 vaccine is being made by 4 different manufacturers. Both attenuated (live but wounded) virus and inactivated (dead) virus vaccines are available. Typically the inactivated vaccines are recommended for people “at risk” such as those with immune compromise, respiratory problems, the very young, and pregnant females. I don’t know why I needed to add the word females to that last sentence. I guess pregnant males could also apply and we need to be all inclusive in these politically correct times. I believe there are to be “monovalent” vaccines available and these are “single dose” vaccines that should be free of heavy metals such as mercury (thimerosal) and aluminum. There was one manufacturer mentioned on the CDC site named CSL Limited out of Australia that was making an inactivated, monovalent vaccine which would be the safest option. The CDC reports that the H1N1 vaccines are being made without “adjuvants” which I am happy to hear as these adjuvants can be very problematic and cause a lot of the side effect seen with vaccines. Despite this relatively clean vaccine the CDC still warns of Guillain-Barre possibility with this vaccine.

The standard Infuenza A vaccine however is still being made with heavy metals in most cases and also may contain adjuvants. The CDC reports that the majority of influenza A vaccines contain thimerosal and go on to report that it is safe to give this to pregnant females (and pregnant males) as well as children. This is where the CDC and I part company. Thimerosal is not healthy for anyone in my opinion but given your son’s position this may be an acceptable risk to weigh against the possible benefit. The possibility of a neurological side effect is present but very small.

His immune system needs to be supported even if he gets a vaccine and this means addressing his bowel function and supporting him with probiotics, vitamin D, vitamin C, and perhaps andrographis. If he has a good diet and healthy immune system then his odds of avoiding the flu all together is much better. So bottom line, if you chose to vaccinate then make sure you are getting a monovalent, inactivated vaccine, preferably without adjuvants such as squalene.

One final thought: the H1N1 vaccine is more likely to be effective as the virus is known but the standard influenza A vaccine still is a guess and we de don’t know how well the manufacturers guessed this year. Historically it has been a crap shoot. If you were to pick just one vaccine then I would favor the H1N1. It may be hard to locate.

I wish you well,
Dr. Gary Huber