Winter Flu Jabs - for or against?

I've had to rearrange my flu jab from next Saturday as am 'down with the flu'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

www.nhsemployers.org/flumatters

I think a GP or any front line health worker who doesn’t have a jab ( and it’s official advice that they do) is being very irresponsible. By definition they will often be seeing more older/younger and more vulnerable patients Given how many patients a GP sees in a day, think how many patients could be infected in the few days before they realised they had it.

Like Craftycat, I paid for mine before I was 65 and got it free. (I had real flu' once - it's awful and I felt like I would die.) I understand that the jab is £5 at Asda this year. (Other supermarkets also offer it but it seems Asda are the cheapest.) I can't understand why you wouldn't have the jab. Sandelf has summed it up beautifully, I think.

Always took advantage of office freebie but will continue at own cost...just to be safe or at least reduce worst of symptoms apparantly and spread as carrier. Wish Uni's also did for vulnerable students!

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

We usually have our flu jabs in early October. When I was at the doctor's last week I asked for the prescriptions and when he gave them to me said not to have them yet as the weather is too hot to have them here in Portugal at the moment. Here we have the injections at the Pharmacist and the cost of the prescription plus 50 cents to the Pharmacist for giving the injection comes to less than €4. So Boots are making a very nice profit charging £13.

I used to have the flu jab every year, but then decided not to have it. I was always ill after getting it. For about 6 months I would get a sore throat runny nose and a very bad cough, which would go away and then start again after a couple of weeks. I had Asian flu in 1957, and fortunately have not had it since then.

Had mine last week - no effects whatsoever. Been having my jabs for many years as i'm asthmatic. Had the pneumonia jab a couple of years ago too - my arm hurt more then ..... flu jab in one arm and pneumonia jab in the other.
And I'll take them up on the shingles jab as and when it's available.
I'd rather have discomfort for a day or so (if it happens) than have flu.

Have the flu jab every year, no side effects, it is certainly better than having after effects of the flu.Last year I had a vaccination for Pneumonia it lasts ten years, Pneumonia can be an after effect of the flu.My advice, take the plunge!

Had mine when I had my annual diabetes check. Protects against 5 or 6 strains including the one in Australia. Takes about 2 weeks to provide full protection and lasts 6 months. Never had a reaction, not even a sore arm. Had the pneumonia jab a couple of years ago!

Really? Then you know more than the head of the NHS??

We always have it, in fact got an appointment for our jabs today.

We are going for ours on Friday. The surgery rang us several times last year to go in and have the injection even though I didn't think we were eligible but they insisted we were. I've had it several years as a carer for my parents but did get flu 2 years ago which laid me out for a week. Our family are coming from NZ in December to stay and the children and dil have all had the bug and been really ill so I think it's pretty important we have it done this year. Never had a reaction other that a sore arm.

Just had mine - no sore arm no effects at all although. They have definitely improved it from the days we felt like we had flu 3 days after the jab.
My OH had pneumonia a couple of years ago and it was touch and go so he is paranoid about getting flu or catching it from me if I get it.

SusieB50 - do you really think if the flu jab did not work for older people the NHS would be spending a fortune giving us all free jabs? The aim is to reduce the number of people who get admitted to hospital with the side effects every winter.
At best a dose of influenza will make you feel ill for days and not very well for weeks afterwards. Of course the flu jab does not prevent all winter viruses, but it does reduce our chances of catching the types of flu that are circulating this year. What happened in Australia last year is an excellent predictor of what will happen here this winter. I have already heard of one case today in a fit young dad - raging high temperature... that sounds like flu,
I've been paying for flu jabs for the last 20 years. Free now. Even if you are NHS exempt you can have it done in a pharmacy, which is what I'll do to save a task for the GP surgery.
Vitamin D might reduce your risk a little on a statistical basis but it is not a good thing to rely on. Government recommends that we all take a supplement, after 65, as we are likely to be deficient. But every year people who take vitamin D get flu. Otherwise they'd be giving us Vitamin D instead of vaccine wouldn't they.
Setting self-interest aside - I really don't want to pass flu onto anyone else. Particularly a friend who has a very rare medical condition that means vaccines can't work for him.

Have just had mine. The nurse informed me that this year's is made up, including Australian Flu (this year's nasty) and swine or bird(can't remember which) as well as others.

I was appalled, when I worked for the NHS at how few of my colleagues had the flu jab [not the doctors, by the way] and this was at the height of the swine flu epidemic.

Interesting thread as both my husband and myself are due to have the vaccination later this afternoon.

My husband always has it, but this is my first time. I had heard about people in Australia having bad bouts of flu, and decided to have the jab this year.

Had mine about 3 hours ago. Went to enquire at the local pharmacy and had it there and then. £10.00.
I'still standing, will let you all know if any effects later.

I usually have an an aching arm for a few days after flu vaccine which I consider a good sign as my immune system is working well, but this year no pain. Oh dear! Perhaps my immune system is on the decline (along with the rest of me!)

What's worse, an achey arm or full blown flu.
For heavens sake everyone, stop being so wimpy and get the jab.
It doesn't hurt and there are no ill effects.
And it might just give you some protection.

I've had the flu vaccine every year for over 20 years (due to occupation) and have never had any side effects at all. This year, the pharmacist gave me a warning about possible reactions: 'You might think you've got flu, but it isn't'. As I am in good health, I dismissed this, but like Bellanonna (page 1!) developed flu-like symptoms within a couple of days: Headache, chesty cough, temperature, feelings of exhaustion etc. I've just been out for the first time in 10 days; like lots of GNs, I'm sure, I've been glad of my 'permanently stocked for a siege' mentality, and glad to know that most people haven't had a reaction. Read that just under 1% have. Keep well, ladies.

I've had the flu vaccine every year for over 20 years (due to occupation) and have never had any side effects at all. This year, the pharmacist gave me a warning about possible reactions: 'You might think you've got flu, but it isn't'. As I am in good health, I dismissed this, but like Bellanonna (page 1!) developed flu-like symptoms within a couple of days: Headache, chesty cough, temperature, feelings of exhaustion etc. I've just been out for the first time in 10 days; like lots of GNs, I'm sure, I've been glad of my 'permanently stocked for a siege' mentality, and glad to know that most people haven't had a reaction. Read that just under 1% have. Keep well, ladies.

Duh! Could someone delete one of the above, Please?

Although I'm under 65 I get the flu vaccine free every year due to a weakened immune system because of immune supressants. My husband, over 65 also gets it done as he doesn't want to infect me. I've only had proper flu once or twice in my life and it's a very nasty illness. We had ours done last week. Anything to help prevent infection and illness must be a good thing. Never had an adverse reaction either.