Allotments 4 All
General => The Shed => Topic started by: Borlotti on November 08, 2008, 19:47:23
-
Got a letter from doctor about the flu jab. If I don't want it have to respond and then he is not responsible if I get it. (I am over 65, just). Apparently if you have the jab you can feel ill for a few days. Anyone else got any views on this as I am afraid I binned the letter but perhaps I am just being stupid.
-
well hubby is under the impression that the last time i had the flu jab i was really ill afterwards to the point of being admitted to hospital although it could be a coincidence. i am offered the flu jab cos i have asthma.
i asked my gp what he suggested he said he could not advise me cos if i did have it and didnt get the flu it may not be due to the jab equally if i did have the jab and then still got flu it would be cos the jab was against a different strain :-\
i have made the decision to see what i am like this winter without it so im sorry cant advise you either way, do you have any immune deficiency problems or asthma etc?
-
I'm not 65 but I'm asthmatic so I get called in too. I was persuaded by my GP 3 years ago to have the jab along with a pneumonia jab and I was ill for 3 weeks. I won't have the jabs again. I've just had flu for the first time in many years but it didn't affect my chest. I know if it goes into my chest to get to the surgery or walk-in centre for antibiotics and to get nebulised. I'll take my chances.
-
I'm asthmatic and have flu jabs every year. Ihave had them for years with no ill affects. Had flu years ago and i never want it again. Your choice
-
Don't be daft - just go for it. The first time I had one I suffered from what I thought might be flu for a couple of days. Rubbish! Flu lasts months & you can die of it! (More people died of flu in the the six months after WW1 than did in the 4 and a bit years of WW1!)
-
I am with Trevor and Springs on this, I have the jab every year as I am asthmatic and I would hate not to. I have had real flu twice and that is enough, it is awful. Borlotti I would go for it. I had mine 3 weeks ago and no after effects and never have had.
T.
-
never again will we have a flu jab !!!! Both my wife and I, acting for what we thought of as the best were terribly ill for weeks - my wife was in hospital with pneumonia and was on the verge of death.
We'll rely on our natural reserves in future.
-
I have the flu jab every year because I am diabetic.I have had the pneumonia jab ,you only need that once.
I am sure it can not give you the flu as they inject you with dead virus.
There are many strains and each year I think they pick the most common one.Not sure but think that is the case.
I have had two bouts of flu,the worse in the seventies,I have never felt so ill in my life.The second one in the nineties,very ill again.
I think it is worth having.
-
Nothingham trams offer it to all there staff, I've had it for the last 4 years with no ill affects, mind you i still get man flu ::) ;D
-
Like Tulipa, I'm asthmatic - (I have also been on life support for a prolongued period due to septicaemia and multiple organ failure!) - and have had the jab each winter for years and have never had any kind of adverse reaction.
'Flu could kill me.
My dad, 94 in a couple of weeks, is also very grateful for the protection offered by the jab, has had it for many years and has never had any ill effects.
If we weren't fortunate enough to have it offered through the NHS at no cost to us we would both be saving up to have it done privately.
-
I've had flu twice in my life, dreadful both times. The first was just bad luck, the second was immediately after my first flu jab. My friend who is severely asthmatic is slowly recovering following a horrendous experience after getting the pneumonia & flu jabs together. Never again for either of us. But then, neither of us had any idea we'd have such a reaction to it.
To answer you more directly Borlotti, obviously you won't know until you try it - and you may be bouncing with health afterwards! - I think my advice is simply to be aware of the possibility of feeling ill.
-
Nothingham trams offer it to all there staff, I've had it for the last 4 years with no ill affects, mind you i still get man flu ::) ;D
Man flu................................. ::)
-
I agree with Tulipa and Grandma flu could kill me too. Id rather feel a bit ill after the jab, thats only happened once though in 5 years ;)
-
Not going to have it myself, as on the two occasions I did I had another strain of the flu virus and was horribly ill.Just bad luck, I know, so I do try to eat lots of fruit and veg and keep as healthy as poss.
Amazins advice I think is probably the best way to go, you really wont know until you try.
-
my GP told me(when I had a reaction to the jab) that some people feel ill after there flu jab if they have a mild intolerance to eggs as it is cultured on eggs.
Me and my two sons have had to have a special one not cultured an eggs as one of my sons has a allergy to eggs and me and my other son had a bad reaction to it last year. He has to have different ones for all of his immunisations but they cannot do the MMR that way so I am currently deciding to risk the one cultured on eggs :-\
I am glad I have mine and especially the pneumonia one which dose not stop you getting pneumonia just lessens the affects as it gets your body ready to fight it and as I have recently had pneumonia and was really ill God forbid what would have happened if I had not had it
-
I'd just add that, even without suffering any major ill effects, some people do feel a bit wobbly or light headed straight after the jab, so allow yourself a bit of time for a sit down afterwards before heading off, just in case.
-
The majority of people who have the flu jabs have no ill effects whatsoever. At our Surgery folk who have had the jab are asked to sit in the Waiting Room for a 10 minutes or so in case they feel dizzy.
-
The majority of people who have the flu jabs have no ill effects whatsoever.
And the majority of people who have the 'flu jab don't get 'flu!
-
I had the fly jab for the first time this year, along with the pneumonia jab, with no after effects whatsoever. (I used to enjoy saying I'm too young to have the jab!!) So will probably have it again. My husband, who has all sorts of allergic reactions, due to an overactive immune systems, refuses point blank to have it.
-
The majority of people who have the flu jabs have no ill effects whatsoever.
And the majority of people who have the 'flu jab don't get 'flu!
Did i say i still get man flu. ::)
-
You'd best sit down matey, here a big dose of 'There, there, there' and a man size............... :D
Feeling better?????........................ ;)
Good, the fence needs fixing!!!!
-
My OH wants me to have the flu jab, as I am retired and have nothing better to do all day and it is free. He has had an appointment for cholesterol test for months but is much too busy to go to the hospital as he may have to wait in a queue and might have to give me custody of the remote TV control. I think he should have the flu jab although he may have to pay as he is the one that goes to bed for three days with a cold and can moan for England. I do try and avoid the doctor as most of the people in the waiting room are ill. I am still undecided about the flu jab.
-
If your OH is so busy, how does he know what you do all day? Tell him you will if he will - that might keep him quiet!
Seriously though, you've heard about the possible pros and cons but in the end, what does your instinct tell you? I'd go with that, it's as good a judge as anything (or anyone) else.
-
froglegs -- please what is ' man flu ' you just gotta tell me !! ::)
floss x
-
froglegs -- please what is ' man flu ' you just gotta tell me !! ::)
floss x
Oh dear Flossy, how much time have you got? My OH gets it.........................its awful, really awful. But nothing that a shotgun wouldn't put right ;D ;D ;D ;D
Though I know all the fellas would soooo disagree ::)
-
Man flu
OH has to rush to the shops to buy tissues, lemsip, paracetamol. He has to go to bed with remote control for TV for at least 3 days. When asked if he wishes to see the doctor, he says he is too ill to be disturbed. He appears downstairs at 6pm when dinner is ready and is able to eat two or three platefuls of food before having to retire to bed, try to remove the remote control and he finds the strength to fight for it. He decides he may try to go to work in the morning but then develops a bad cough and decides that he doesn't want to spread his germs, apart from to OH. We then have at least an hour of symptons and general moaning about life in general. Give him extra dose of paracetamol or whatever and go down the pub to get away from him.
-
You can laugh but thankfull it's only us men who get it, just imagine how frustrating it is for us to be as weak as a kitten unable to fend for our selves,just imagine the misery of knowing it can strike a any time.....ya just don't know how lucky you lot are.
-
I had flu for at least 3 years running and was very ill with it. Although I am under 65, my GP agreed that I could have the jab. I went ahead and this is now my third year of protection and have been free of flu since getting the jabs. Evidently the immunity builds up with each years injection so it is important not to miss one. I had mine last week, the day before my pacemaker was fitted and I have no sign of the flu. The sooner it is done the better in my opinion so the protection is there when an epidemic starts.
Just to throw a spanner in the works, when I was having my op last week under local anaesthetic, the consultant, his assistants and I were discussing the jab. According to one person present, their friend was advised to have the flu jab as he handled poultry and there is a possibility that the virus could mutate. I felt pleased to have had mine but now have to persuade my OH to have one as well.
-
You can laugh but thankfull it's only us men who get it, just imagine how frustrating it is for us to be as weak as a kitten unable to fend for our selves,just imagine the misery of knowing it can strike a any time.....ya just don't know how lucky you lot are.
Yeah my OH says exactly the same ;D ;D ;D
Have you fixed the fence yet? :-*
-
I would happily pay to have it but fortunately my surgery has a 'worried well' list and when they've done everybody else they give the left overs to the rest who want one. The rest of my family husband and son's get one for asthma. As a child I had flu every year followed by bronchitis and so missed a lot of school in the winter. As an adult I've had lots of bouts of flu and I have had a flu jab for the last 4 years and had no flu.
My Great grandmother died in the 1918 flu epidemic a few months before my Mother was born. She'd lost her youngest son in the Battle of the Somme a couple of years before maybe that didn't help her fight the flu'.
-
I have already posted in here but seeing Kea's mention of the 1918 flu epidemic, the younger sister of my great grandfather died from it then too, aged 4, it is the saddest death in my family tree, poor little mite.
T.
-
That is so terrible, but if the flu is going to be so bad what about the children. I travelled on the tube to work until last year and now I am at home alone, just because I am 65 why do I need the flu jab. If it is that dangerous I would rather my grandchildren had the protection. I quite understand the very old, people with health problems, but it is nice of them to ask me, but 'am I bothered'. Will probably live to regret my decision when I am ill in bed. I think it would be nice to have more information about which strain of flu is around and the side affects of the jab (if any).
-
Side affects .....I had mine on Tuesday, my arm is swollen up around it and very sore and on Wednesday we had a beautiful day and i was planning to plant my garlic etc but I was too ill. I had a temperature and a migraine, I don't think the migraine was a direct result of the flu jab but the pain woke me up everytime I turned onto the affected arm so the tiredness probably caused it.
I've never had a side affect before, also never felt the injection before but the nurse i got was the really grumpy one who doesn't have the right people skills for a nurse and she chucked it at me like I was a dart board. She did the same to my son last week when he got his teenage booster shots but he didn't get such a sore arm.
Borlotti, I understand what you're saying but just think how your grandchildren would feel if you got a really serious flu and they lost you.
Interestingly in the 1918 flu pandemic it was the fit young or middle-aged that got hit the worst and were often the ones that died.
I found the story of Kirsty's great uncle very sad, he had survived years of terrible war and was going home for Christmas but then died of the flu...how cruel is that!
-
Tone and I have it every year. I had the pneumonia too last year cos of me COPD (from smokin) Felt a bit rough after that one but have never felt bad after just the flu jab. Remember having the Asian Flu when I was in my teens ( and yes I can remember that far back) I never want to feel that bad again
-
I see and speak to a lot of people in our village, mostly over 60 and who have all had the flu jab. Not one complained of side effects. Only one had a tender arm the next day. I have never had flu' (touch wood) although the way this year has gone with me healthwise who knows what next I could take before 2008 ends. I would certainly take the flu jab this year....... if I had been offered one but ;) not quite ::)
-
Carol
Pleased to see you haven't left us.
I am sorry to hear that you have had bad health this year. With this in mind you may be able to get the jab from your doctor's surgery despite being under 65, so you could give them a ring to ask them.
I hope you are feeling better soon.
-
I think I must be immune. I had Asian flu - yes, I was around then too - and then had "normal" flu in 1974 and again in 1999. I remember having a flu jab at some time or the other, but certainly not in the last 30 years.
Think I'll take my chances and not have the jab, I'm pretty robust, don't suffer from asthma or anything like that. It is better to let people who really need it and those who are elderly and frail.
-
I get offered the jab too, because of asthma, but have decided against it. It can make you briefly ill - although the virus is dead, your body can still react to it, there are substantial parts of the virus there. It's a kind of mini-flu. I felt pretty horrible for a few days last time I had it and decided against the gamble in the long run.
Because it *is* a gamble; every year, the pharmacists have to make a guess as to which of many potential strains could be the one to cause a pandemic this winter. They can only vaccinate against one strain - so if it's another one that hits, it won't help you. It won't help against bird flu, either - that one is a H5 N1 virus which you definitely won't be getting a vaccine for. Those aren't normally a human flu-type, and so the vaccine would have to be very specifically tailored. (They're working on it!)
The 1918 virus is thought to have evolved in the trenches of the war, and may for that reason have been especially adept at infecting young, fit people rather than the old, young, and weak that usually fall prey - because of the environment it adapted to. Most flu will follow the more traditional pattern, but I still reckon that the flu jab is more of a psychological prop than anything, and can't be bothered with it myself. And yes, I *have* had real flu, in the early 90s. I just don't like to trouble my immune system with a vaccine that is most probably irrelevant...
-
Actually (while on my flu hobby horse, haha!) the one thing that would really help to keep it in check would be if people would blimmin' stay at home when they're sick! It was one thing that I really hated about working in an office, that we were pressured so much not to take any time off sick. Great idea - bring it in for everyone to share! >:(
Staying at home (if everyone does it) obliges the disease to evolve into milder forms, as it depends most on those that are infected but mobile, in order to be transmitted. If we drag ourselves on in spite of it, we just allow the virus to be more aggressive and virulent.
There are other disease strategies, before you point out that people with cholera or typhoid tend to stay at home - but those diseases are spread by a different method - not by proximity and contact, but by getting into the water supply (by all horrid means possible.) Sorry if I'm boring (or disgusting!) anyone - have stumbled onto one of my soap-boxes, oops! :D
-
... but having said all that - I have no argument with anyone who decides to have the vaccine. Particularly if your experience of it is good, and it has kept you well. If the gamble pays off then of course it's well worth doing! I may decide differently myself, in future years.
-
I was persuaded by my GP 3 years ago to have the jab along with a pneumonia jab and I was ill for 3 weeks.
It's possible that you had already caught a bug, that it wasn't the jab wot did it. There are loads of viruses at this time of year, chances are you'll catch one. I've got a bad cold at the moment, have had it for over a fortnight along with Winter Vomiting Virus at the same time (no fever, so it isn't flu).
If I'd had the flu jab, I'd prob be blaming my illness on the jab too.
-
It's possible that you had already caught a bug,
No. It's not.
-
No. It's not.
Not even when you sat in the waiting room? It can be the worst place for picking up bugs.
T.
-
Not even when you sat in the waiting room? It can be the worst place for picking up bugs.
T.
Nope!
-
Might go next week, but will probably get my blood pressure taken and told off because I haven't been for 5 years and haven't been taking my pills. (I know, it is the silent killer etc. etc. but with walking, cycling, tennis and allotment was hoping to get it down without medication). I might be able to sneak in and do it myself, do check it at home but not sure the machine is very accurate as it varies so much. Been putting off the dentist and optician so if I feel brave may get the whole lot done together next week, or maybe the week after!!!! Sitting in the waiting room with all those ill people is enough to make ones blood pressure go up.
-
I'm not 65 but I'm asthmatic so I get called in too. I was persuaded by my GP 3 years ago to have the jab along with a pneumonia jab and I was ill for 3 weeks. I won't have the jabs again. I've just had flu for the first time in many years but it didn't affect my chest. I know if it goes into my chest to get to the surgery or walk-in centre for antibiotics and to get nebulised. I'll take my chances.
The immunity builds up over many years of having the flu jab so it is important to get it done every year.
From all accounts you are taking a bigger risk by not having it done.
There is no way that you can positively say that you did not pick up the bug prior to your injection 3 years ago. Even if the nurse came to your home to give you the jab she could well have passed it on to you. If you went to the surgery .....well, I'll say no more except perhaps that prior to having flu jabs I was very ill every year with flu and always after I had visited the surgery usually in connection with my arthritis.
-
?
-
Certain `at risk` groups are offered a flu jab-nobody forces anyone to have it.
I have one as I am diabetic-no adverse reactions-I had flu once(or something similar)-flu to a cold is as an iceberg to an ice cube.
Of course some will react a bit-but thousands do not.
-
The immunity builds up over many years of having the flu jab so it is important to get it done every year.
How does that work, then, if there are several different strains around and you only get vaccinated against one or two?
From all accounts you are taking a bigger risk by not having it done
Whose accounts? Not my GP's.
-
The immunity builds up over many years of having the flu jab so it is important to get it done every year.
Does it? There's a different flu strain every year so how does that work?
From all accounts you are taking a bigger risk by not having it done.
My experience says not.
There is no way that you can positively say that you did not pick up the bug prior to your injection 3 years ago. Even if the nurse came to your home to give you the jab she could well have passed it on to you. If you went to the surgery .....well, I'll say no more except perhaps that prior to having flu jabs I was very ill every year with flu and always after I had visited the surgery usually in connection with my arthritis.
I can. I said I was ill for 3 weeks afterwards. I didn't say what I was ill with. You are assuming it was flu. It wasn't, but it was as a direct result of having the vaccinations.
-
The immunity builds up over many years of having the flu jab so it is important to get it done every year.
Does it? There's a different flu strain every year so how does that work?
That is what the nurse told me when I had my first jab but there is nothing I could find on the web to substantiate this.
From all accounts you are taking a bigger risk by not having it done.
My experience says not.
There is a lot of evidence on the web to show that this is true. The Government are now considering giving the flu jab to pregnant women and children as they do in the USA
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/article3128651.ece
There is no way that you can positively say that you did not pick up the bug prior to your injection 3 years ago. Even if the nurse came to your home to give you the jab she could well have passed it on to you. If you went to the surgery .....well, I'll say no more except perhaps that prior to having flu jabs I was very ill every year with flu and always after I had visited the surgery usually in connection with my arthritis.
I can. I said I was ill for 3 weeks afterwards. I didn't say what I was ill with. You are assuming it was flu. It wasn't, but it was as a direct result of having the vaccinations.
That was unfortunate, but the fact that you had a bad reaction should not put everyone else off having theirs.
-
That was unfortunate, but the fact that you had a bad reaction should not put everyone else off having theirs
Indeed. The OP was seeking people's experiences who have had the jab. I gave mine. I didn't TELL anyone they should or shouldn't have the jab.