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Should I go and get a tetanus booster?

4 replies

navyeyelasH · 04/06/2009 14:05

I just stood on a nail - it went through my shoe and into the ball of my foot. Not very deep and only bled for a little while, has stopped now and is just a bit red. Can walk on it normally etc.

Just rang NHS direct and they suggested going to get a tetanus booster, which I probably will do; just going to check with GP if mine are up to date but they are closed for lunch right now.

How often are you supposed to have a tetanus booster? Also would you go get a tetanus for such a minor cut - I feel like I would be wasting the nurses time TBH. The nail wasn't rusty.

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listenglisten · 04/06/2009 14:08

I ripped the skin on the top of my toes at the weekend in the garden and had to go to A&E where I was given a tetanus booster as my last one was 11 years ago.

I also saw the nurse at local surgery a couple of days later by which time my arm was quite swollen and hard around the site of the injection. She said that this reaction meant that I had enough tetanus stored in my skin cells and this is why I'd had a reaction. Said this one would last me for life now.

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navyeyelasH · 04/06/2009 14:51

hmm thanks listenglisten - it sounds ike your injury was quite bad where as mine is nothing!

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sarah293 · 04/06/2009 14:57

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navyeyelasH · 04/06/2009 15:42

yup clear bright red blood, but the nail was from the garden and reading some google searches it seems that soil is a bit of a worry. Also managed to get through to my GP and have not had a booster for 12 years. Might just go and get one, it's only around the corner really at the walk in centre - I can maybe hop all the way there!

Thanks Riven