Flu and Covid jabs in the same arm….

Just got back from having my Covid and Flu vax at the local pharmacy, both in same arm. I’d rather have one sore arm than both, so waiting to see whether I get a reaction on that arm! I’ve had side effects in the past from the Covid jab, just feeling a bit rubbish the day after, but nothing more serious.

I have cancer now for the second time. Also am a needle phobic as I had a needle break in my leg and have quite a big chunk out of it etc. (dont worry now a days , this was from many years ago when they reused needles and sterilized them) So I am prepared to have vaccinations but on my terms , not theirs. I have lived abroad and had lots of vaccinations but always have one at a time, never expecting my body to cope with two different things at once. It works well for me ( fingers crossed) and have had all covid jabs so far. So I would opt for having the covid jab first as the most important. Then I would allow myself probably a week if I was ok then would book any other necessary jabs. If you did this you neednt worry about using two arms, can see how you feel and perhaps get in touch with your cancer nurse or ring someone like macmillan nurses who would be able to give you advise and reassurance on their up to date knowledge of people in your circumstances. I was a volunteer hospital car driver, and I think if you check you may have a community car system locally or there may be a church group or some other local group who provide transport help . Your surgery might be able to tell of a scheme. If not again your cancer contact may know of a scheme. Failing that perhaps you know of a friend or neighbour or a local community group , such as the rotary group, who you might be able to arrange a lift with. In a womens group I belong to, I have offered to take anyone who needs to go to hospital especially for an early appointment, where they just pay for the fuel., as the hospital is a good 20 miles away, I am happy to wait for them and then they also are not worrying if the clinic runs late or whatever. A young woman in the group who has a child with severe asthma recently had to call an ambulance in the night and they were rushed to the hospital. The child had to stay in but there was no facility to get the mother home, no buses and so she had to have a taxi and it cost her £40 and a lot of stress, so I have given her my phone number and told her that in those sort of circumstances she can ring me at any time and I will help in any way I can. As a pensioner on very limited money I do have to have the fuel paid for but am happy to give my time, and she has already told me that it is giving her peace of mind, as I have also said any time she needs to get her son seen quickly but perhaps it is not yet so bad it warrants an ambulance I can take them. That way he is seen quicker , which can mean that things do not get worse and less stress for every one. I hope that this is of some help to you. I had ovarian cancer about 20 years ago and the arrogant doctor I saw told me I would probably have 2 years to live . I send him a christmas card every year which just says "still alive" and my name. Now I have bladder cancer, which is a bit of a blow , but I am a yorkshire woman and have quite a new pair of trousers and plan to get my wear out of them so look back at the first cancer and see that I have kept on going so far. Every good luck to you and remember, medical staff may be absolute experts on their subject but they are not the expert on YOU. No one understands exactly how someone ticks other than that person themselves. If you take charge of how or when you have some treatment it still gives you locus of control. That calms your mind and makes you feel strong and gives you an overall view of the situation, which I believe helps us to make the right decisions for ourselves. This removes stress , which is bad for you mentally and physically and you are then able to face whatever comes in the best way possible. Good luck and hope you put a message on letting us know what you decided in the end

Just a final update.
I rang the surgery this morning to explain my non appearance and have been advised to just turn up and say I have come for my flu jab.
Also told perhaps it was as well I didn’t go because as they were doing Covid as well there were long delays resulting in long waits.
Also told they will not do both in one arm and I will have to wait a number of days before I can have the Covid in the same arm.
Different practices different rules.
Thankyou all for your replies and experiences.

I had a jab in each arm - stood between a doctor and a nurse, they pulled my top off my shoulders, counted out 1 -2 -3 and jabbed. Can't say I enjoyed it and both arms are stiff today.

I’ve always had in the same arm at the same time.

I had both yesterday practice nurse did 'flu' right arm, never felt a thing, trainee doctor did Covid under supervision left arm, I can hardly move my left arm today it is so painfull. I know it saves time 2 for 1 visit but I feel for anyone living alone having to cope with 2 painfull arms

That’s nonsense. Many people have in the same atm

Last winter I had my flu vaccine, Covid vaccine and a B12 injection all within 2mins and about 1cm of each other, with absolutely no issues whatsoever

Had both in one arm at 8.30 this morning, am fine, but didn’t have any reactions at all last time, am just pondering whether to have my large G&T as usual at 5pm, have decided to have it now😳

Had both in same arm on Wednesday and have had no problems at all. The pharmacist said that they had to be 2cm apart.

I had breast cancer and lymph node removal in my left arm. I never have any kind of injection there since 2017.

Due to a very bad reaction to my first Covid shot (swelling of lymph nodes in my right arm, into neck and jaw, painful!) my Dr always gives me Covid shots and boosters in my thigh. I’ve never had Covid. Flu shots go in right arm only.
USA Gundy

My friend had them both in same arm today She is about to travel and wanted one arm ache free.Dr said " no problem '

And just one to say, all the rumours about ‘overloading’ your immune system are non scientific nonsense . Our immune systems are bombarded with hundreds of pathogens every day and can perfectly well cope.

Hi. I just had both in the same arm. Dr said it might be a bit sore, but I prefer 1 sore arm to 2! No problem.

I had both in the same arm last year and again a few days ago with absolutely no ill effects

This current Covid variant is very nasty indeed. A couple I know were ill for 3 weeks, and although tested negative after 12 days, they still felt very rough. I saw them yesterday and the wife looks dreadful - she's lost a lot of weight which she didn't need to lose, and she looks grey in the face and completely drained.

They had both had all the vaccines.

It certainly can't be brushed off as "just like a cold".

furzeacre579

Sparklefizz - i think you've hit it on the head there when you say two vacs in one day too much for the body to take. That in my mind is exactly what is wrong with the MMR jab for kids. Too much for their system to take and their body blows in to overload . bring back the jabs separately i say then parents will allow them to be received.

Yes, I agree with you. I paid for my granddaughter to have her childhood jabs separately to avoid that overload. That option wasn't available on the NHS.

Remember Gulf War Syndrome when soldiers being deployed to the Gulf were pumped full of heavy duty vaccines to counteract chemical warfare etc?

Not this particular mix but my Mum and sister were in your situation after cancer and both occasionally had 2 injections in one arm.

I have no contraindications and would have had both together but wasn’t planning to have the Covid one then changed my mind as my youngsters have both had the recent version and have been horribly Ill. Had the Covid yesterday and have been extremely unwell since! Every blinking time. Still hopefully will make any infection a little better. My daughter is still very unwell a week into this version of Covid, it’s frightening to see young, fit and healthy people in such a bad way.

I am in the same position having had a mastectomy. This year I had both in the same arm. It was fine.
Last year I had the flu jab in my leg and Covid in the arm. I was told that the Covid jab cannot be put into the leg but the flu jab is fine there.

Dh did, no problem.
I had mine a week apart, same arm, because a friend once had a very painful arm for ages because of 2 jabs together. It was pre Covid, though, so either flu and pneumonia or flu and shingles, I can’t remember.
At any rate she could barely move her arm for a couple of weeks.

Well the decision was delayed as I didn’t feel well yesterday and I knew one question would be “ are you feeling well”so I didn’t go.
I will rearrange on Monday.
Actually I couldn’t cancel as the phones weren’t being answered but it was a group appointment so I wouldn’t be missed.

Sparklefizz - i think you've hit it on the head there when you say two vacs in one day too much for the body to take. That in my mind is exactly what is wrong with the MMR jab for kids. Too much for their system to take and their body blows in to overload . bring back the jabs separately i say then parents will allow them to be received.

I can only have jabs in one arm, so I stick to one at a time. Mind you that arm is also the one I use for my walking stick and I have a rotator cuff injury, so it's permanently sore anyway. I just don't want to take the chance of making it ache more. So far I've had covid and shingles, flu jab in 3 weeks and then booking the pneumococcal one.

I won’t be having any more Covid jabs, but I’ve had the flu jab this morning. No problem at all.