Flu jabs..
- Thread starter MrA
- Start date
I do because it’s offered free to me as I work in a hospital. As a ‘thank you’ we get a voucher for the on-site Costa Coffee (it’s definitely not a bribe), but in any case I’ve never had more than a sore arm from the jab (and not even that last year) but I have been very ill before from the flu.
Touches wood I don't often get poorly in that sense so I've never looked to get it but know people who do. Most like Bodshi just say their arm hurts abit after but there are a couple who say they get "the flu" after (both men 
)
If I was working in care homes still or with children/hospitals etc I'd get it as I do think it a good cover in those type of environments for yourself and others.
)If I was working in care homes still or with children/hospitals etc I'd get it as I do think it a good cover in those type of environments for yourself and others.
Are you in a group recommended for a flu jab?
If not and vaccine is short, may be the answer is no. But the fact is that our GPs used to offer left over vaccine to people outside the o.a.p. group and OH and I always took advantage of that before we actually reached the specified age. But not till we were 55 or so.
I believe in innoculation. I have had shingles twice, requiring anti viral drugs, and it really annoys me that I was born in the year which means the NHS leaves me out till the last possible moment. I am 79 and still havent had a jab. And cant get one till next next September.
If not and vaccine is short, may be the answer is no. But the fact is that our GPs used to offer left over vaccine to people outside the o.a.p. group and OH and I always took advantage of that before we actually reached the specified age. But not till we were 55 or so.
I believe in innoculation. I have had shingles twice, requiring anti viral drugs, and it really annoys me that I was born in the year which means the NHS leaves me out till the last possible moment. I am 79 and still havent had a jab. And cant get one till next next September.
The reason I ask is because I'm not in one of the groups suggested for the jab, but my employer is now offering for all employees to get the jab for free (and by this they are suggesting we get it done) I work in retail but I don't have a great deal of contact with customers because my job is computer/ office based so I'm mainly behind the scenes.
My boss is keen for me personally to have the jab however I have never had the flu! I do seem to get everything else going and they always seem to develop into quite bad colds with a chest infection and usually a fever. But my argument is that getting the jab won't make any difference to the amount I get ill! I don't miss alot of work probably a few days over the year where I don't feel physically able to get there.
There doesn't really seem to be a downside to getting the jab done but I just don't really see the need for it? But I don't want to end up in a situation where I am off sick and they can blame it on me not having the jab.
My boss is keen for me personally to have the jab however I have never had the flu! I do seem to get everything else going and they always seem to develop into quite bad colds with a chest infection and usually a fever. But my argument is that getting the jab won't make any difference to the amount I get ill! I don't miss alot of work probably a few days over the year where I don't feel physically able to get there.
There doesn't really seem to be a downside to getting the jab done but I just don't really see the need for it? But I don't want to end up in a situation where I am off sick and they can blame it on me not having the jab.
I have never had it but I don't fit into any qualifying group and wouldn't pay out of pocket as I rarely get sick. My mum on the other hand qualifies due to diabetes, she had it 2 years ago but still got sick, so last year she didn't bother and bitterly regretted it because she reaslised just how much it had helped the previous year by minimizing the effects when she was sick (in this unvaccinated year she got the most horrible flu that laid her up for weeks and it dragged on for weeks beyond that too), she is going back to having it this year.
The more I read about it the more I feel I should give it a go, I was a bit scared about side effects but they seem to be limited and also was thinking along the lines of the more people that get it done the more it mutates but I don't know how accurate that is.A fever with bad cold and chesty sounds very flu like.....
I dug out last year's email from our Infection Prevention Nurse, and copied out this bit:
I am one of those people who is never ill - I never (touch wood) get a proper cold, I haven't had a tummy bug since I was at primary school, but the year I got flu (it was an epidemic in the winter of 2000/2001 I think but I still remember it vividly) it really floored me.
Still undecided? what you should know …….
There are a large number of myths and legends that surround the flu vaccine therefore please find attached a helpful fact sheet that may answer some of your questions and help you in your decision making process.
The biggest Myth to date surrounds the vaccine either giving you flu or making you ill afterwards
Remember
Sadly influenza or flu , claims around 8,000 lives per year in the UK with 1 of 11 deaths being pregnant women, flu is now classed as a complication in pregnancy over the winter months, whilst potentially after the vaccine you may get a little bit discomfort in your arm or a slight headache , these things are transient and go away, death or disability attributed to flu sadly isn’t reversible.
There are a large number of myths and legends that surround the flu vaccine therefore please find attached a helpful fact sheet that may answer some of your questions and help you in your decision making process.
The biggest Myth to date surrounds the vaccine either giving you flu or making you ill afterwards
- The vaccine can NOT give you Flu! The vaccine is inactivated and takes around 10-14 days to provide immunity, should you become ill after the vaccine , it is likely you were already incubating a virus before you were vaccinated.
- You may not have experienced any of the symptoms of Flu however you still are able to carry the virus without symptoms and pass it on to other people. Working in a healthcare environment you have greater contact with people who are more at risk of catching influenza and becoming very unwell.
Remember
Sadly influenza or flu , claims around 8,000 lives per year in the UK with 1 of 11 deaths being pregnant women, flu is now classed as a complication in pregnancy over the winter months, whilst potentially after the vaccine you may get a little bit discomfort in your arm or a slight headache , these things are transient and go away, death or disability attributed to flu sadly isn’t reversible.
I am one of those people who is never ill - I never (touch wood) get a proper cold, I haven't had a tummy bug since I was at primary school, but the year I got flu (it was an epidemic in the winter of 2000/2001 I think but I still remember it vividly) it really floored me.
I never really get ill but there have been two things that floored me. One was mumps where my face become doubled in size and I couldn’t do anything, and the other was flu. Flu was horrendous. I spent 2 weeks in bed completely unable to get up or do anything at all. This developed into a chest infection and then sinusitis which was so painful. It took about 3 months to recover from properly and even then my immune system was so low I kept getting colds.
I would get the flu jab every year but I have a horrendous fear of needles which stops me. I wouldn’t use the excuse that you never get ill to stop you getting the jab, if you pick up the virus you will really suffer. People don’t generally understand just how dreadful flu is until they get it.
I would get the flu jab every year but I have a horrendous fear of needles which stops me. I wouldn’t use the excuse that you never get ill to stop you getting the jab, if you pick up the virus you will really suffer. People don’t generally understand just how dreadful flu is until they get it.
Agreed @Mary Poppins. The last symptom I had was tinnitus and I still get it now from time to time, I think that was the flu’s lifelong gift to me.
Did anyone see the documentary about the flu that killed so many people during the war? Scary stuff. Apparently the reason it killed so many healthy people was because it triggered an autoimmune response so the body’s immune system started attacking itself, it’s called a cytokine storm I think, so it was the people with the best immune systems that were worst affected. I find stuff like that fascinating
Did anyone see the documentary about the flu that killed so many people during the war? Scary stuff. Apparently the reason it killed so many healthy people was because it triggered an autoimmune response so the body’s immune system started attacking itself, it’s called a cytokine storm I think, so it was the people with the best immune systems that were worst affected. I find stuff like that fascinating
The flu mutates every year anyway and they develop a new vaccine each year to keep up with it, it isn't like bacteria that never change and having anti-biotic's too often can increase the bacteria's resistance to them. I watched an awesome documentary about it not so long ago, I'll look up what it was called when I get home and let you know as it might help you decide if you know more about that side of it.
ETA I remembered it was "Invisible Killers: Influenza"
Yes I pay a private fee and our gp orders me one in. Having has flu fifteen years ago and knowing how truly dreadful it is I like to do everything I can to protect myself. An awful lot of people claim to have had flu when they really have not - and some of those people (not all) are reluctant to have a jab. If you've ever had it you would never pass the opportunity for one up!
Mr T gets one free on nhs scotland due to his asthma and other illness.
If you are being offered it then take it. A lot of people who have had flu can develop other horrible side effects. The year I got it Mr T also caught it (he did not have his jab that year) and went on to develop an awful chest infection resulting in coughing up blood (very nasty) and missing a week ofd work. Flu also can leave you feeling extremely depressed among other things. I remember only too well feeling very sad afterwards and would cry daily at the slightest thing for weeks after. Please have the jab!!!!
Agreed @Mary Poppins. The last symptom I had was tinnitus and I still get it now from time to time, I think that was the flu’s lifelong gift to me.
Did anyone see the documentary about the flu that killed so many people during the war? Scary stuff. Apparently the reason it killed so many healthy people was because it triggered an autoimmune response so the body’s immune system started attacking itself, it’s called a cytokine storm I think, so it was the people with the best immune systems that were worst affected. I find stuff like that fascinating
Was that the Spanish flu? I read an article on that recently. Sounded awful.
So true, people have no idea how dreadful you can feel. And when I caught it one year I was as fit as a fiddle previously!!! I did not even consider that I could get so ill. I lost a stone in weight and looked like death on legs afterwards. I remember three whole days passing in a blur. Thankfully we had no horses then, because I don't know what would have happened.
I’m supposed to have it but I don’t always, simply because our GPs run flu jab clinics that are usually on a Saturday while I’m at work, the times I’ve had it I’ve not had a bad experience though, well unless you count last year but I’d been a bit poorly for a good chunk of the winter.
If I were you I’d get it done if you have the chance ‘better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it’
If I were you I’d get it done if you have the chance ‘better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it’
I’m supposed to have it but I don’t always, simply because our GPs run flu jab clinics that are usually on a Saturday while I’m at work, the times I’ve had it I’ve not had a bad experience though, well unless you count last year but I’d been a bit poorly for a good chunk of the winter.
If I were you I’d get it done if you have the chance ‘better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it’
That's a bit rubbish them only doing them on a Saturday. We are lucky and have a choice of three days. Mr T is getting his on Friday all being well. And I've ordered a private one, can't come soon enough for me. I have bad vibes towards the end of October which is when I came down with flu one year - Halloween going into Bonfire night. All spent in bed in a dizzy mess. Yuk!
If you get offered the jab, I think you should have it. My vet's husband died of flu. Perfectly healthy, mid-30's man and he left a wife and two young sons. Awful shock it was.
The real flu is a terrible illness. It's not just a really bad feverish cold and cough , in fact you are unlikely to even HAVE a runny nose with the real flu. Doctors will tell you that if you genuinely felt SO ill that you thought you'd die, then you've probably had the real flu. Dom had it about 15 years ago and he's a big strong healthy man who shrugs off ailments. He was in bed for about 10 days, much to his irritation.
The real flu is a terrible illness. It's not just a really bad feverish cold and cough , in fact you are unlikely to even HAVE a runny nose with the real flu. Doctors will tell you that if you genuinely felt SO ill that you thought you'd die, then you've probably had the real flu. Dom had it about 15 years ago and he's a big strong healthy man who shrugs off ailments. He was in bed for about 10 days, much to his irritation.
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Yes that is true, I did feel like I was going to die, dramatic as it may sound. I remember sobbing quietly on the second day because I needed the toilet and couldn't face crawling to the bathroom. I don't think I had cold symptoms as such either. But I did start with a sudden sore throat and nausea.
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