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Health

flu jab

(137 Posts)
sue1169 Sat 22-Oct-16 16:39:54

I just cant decide wether or not to have a flu jab-not had one before.....

icanhandthemback Sat 22-Oct-16 16:41:40

I have one and although I did have a reaction to the first one, I wouldn't be without. Whilst my husband seems to be inflicted with bad colds, 'flu, etc., I find I sail through them with barely a sniffle.

Jane10 Sat 22-Oct-16 16:43:46

Had it. Am absolutely fine. Get it done. Its a lot better than getting flu.

Ana Sat 22-Oct-16 16:45:13

I've never had one and don't intend to.

tanith Sat 22-Oct-16 16:48:30

Never had it and also don't intend to.

Luckygirl Sat 22-Oct-16 17:08:35

Had this every year for decades - had this years about 4 weeks ago and, as always no reaction at all.

Flu is a killer - and worse the older we get.

AlieOxon Sat 22-Oct-16 17:18:27

Must do something about getting it soon!

Jane10 Sat 22-Oct-16 17:29:50

Why don't people want it? I had flu in 2008 and have never felt worse. I made sure I got the jab every year since then.
Sisters partner got swine flu and ended up on an ECMO machine. She was told to prepare herself for the worst. You can be sure they're first in the queue for a flu jab every year!

Badenkate Sat 22-Oct-16 17:42:56

I had one this year for the first time for several years after a bad reaction. I'm meeting a lot of different people at the moment who are coming into the community centre so I guess it makes sense. I wasn't intending to but when I went to the doctor for a repeat prescription, he'd got my sleeve rolled up (metaphorically) before I realised what was happening! I did tell him I would come banging on his door if I had another bad reaction, but to be honest I forgot about it until a couple of days later! No reaction at all.

I do intend to get a shingles jab though in a couple of years time, as I saw how bad my mother was with shingles and I certainly don't want to go through that!

Charleygirl Sat 22-Oct-16 17:47:01

I went to my pharmacist and had a flu jab done there, no appointment, no fuss and no reaction.

KatyK Sat 22-Oct-16 17:49:29

I'm 67 and I've never had one. I am wondering if I should. I've never had the flu and haven't had a cold for over 30 years. I have heard people say that the flu jab gives them a cold or makes them feel ill in some other way. I don't know what to do really.

NanTheWiser Sat 22-Oct-16 17:51:43

I had a bad reaction to last year's, felt rotten for a couple of weeks, so was a little bit wary about having it this year. But I decided that it's better to put up with a couple of weeks' discomfort, than get the 'flu, so I had my jab two weeks ago, and have been fine this time!

Charleygirl Sat 22-Oct-16 17:52:18

KatyK with all due respect you are not getting any younger and it would be sod's law for you to be poleaxed this year. I would have it in your position.

BlueBelle Sat 22-Oct-16 17:53:46

i was very anti thinking if you're healthy (ish) why pump chemicals into your body and then there was the argument of it only working with certain strains so for years i was stubborn then two or three years ago i had some friends hospitalised and very ill with flu and also two acquaintances die very very quickly with pneumonia so guessed it was worth trying I've had it the last three years also the pneumonia and shingles jab ...no effects from any of them but the best winters healthwise since

Wobblybits Sat 22-Oct-16 18:22:13

For the elderly or anyone in less that perfect health, flu and it's complications can be a killer. You may get mild cold like symptoms for a day or two, MrsP did, but it is well worth the slight inconvenience. I have had it for many years as I have long term kidney problems and have never had any side effects.

Ginny42 Sat 22-Oct-16 18:26:21

I will not be having a flu jab as long as they contain mercury, even in the tiny amount pharmaceutical companies claim is necessary as a preservative. I wonder do their employees have them?

nanaK54 Sat 22-Oct-16 18:45:38

I had mine this morning, I am not eligible for a freebie, so pay for the privilege.
My DH is not in good health so part of my thinking is that I want to protect him, especially as I am exposed to lots of germs in my line of work

nanaK54 Sat 22-Oct-16 18:46:07

I had mine this morning, I am not eligible for a freebie, so pay for the privilege.
My DH is not in good health so part of my thinking is that I want to protect him, especially as I am exposed to lots of germs in my line of work

glammanana Sat 22-Oct-16 19:12:37

I had my flu and pneumonia jabs on the same day 3 weeks ago and the reaction from them was frightening to say the least, I had a raging temp and felt so ill for a good 10 days my Dr came to see me and was considering sending me to hospital if no improvement in the next 24hrs but luckily I started to improve,it obviously didn't agree with me having both together thank goodness you only have pneumonia jab once as I always have had flu jab with no reaction at all.

Lillie Sat 22-Oct-16 19:28:01

I don't qualify for a free jab, but am not complaining. What I don't understand is the different prices charged at different chemists for the same thing. At our local pharmacy it is £12.50 but I think some of the supermarkets are doing it for under £10.

glammanana Sat 22-Oct-16 19:36:26

The Supermarkets can afford to buy in greater bulk that your average local pharmacy I would imagine so they can keep their costs down to a minimum.

glammanana Sat 22-Oct-16 19:37:27

^ should read than your average pharmacy ^

fiorentina51 Sat 22-Oct-16 20:29:08

I had my first flu jab today. I'm entitled to a free one on age grounds and as a carer for an elderly relative. I did think hard about it as I'm in good health at the moment and don't like injecting something into my body I might not need.
What helped me to decide was casting my mind back to the last time I had flu, more than 30 years ago. I felt so awful and it took me weeks to get back to normal. If it made me feel that bad then, how bad might I feel now?
Also, I understand that if more of us have the vaccine, it helps to prevent the wide scale spread of the virus throughout the population.

BBbevan Sat 22-Oct-16 20:32:09

* glammanana* I was quite poorly with both jabs together. But nothing like you. Hope you are alright now.

Coolgran65 Sat 22-Oct-16 20:46:38

I had flu vaccine today and have had it for about ten years without a problem. Same for dh. I have never ever had the flu...touch wood !!