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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want the flu jab

72 replies

ellielong · 10/10/2018 20:26

My reasons are it made my dad really poorly and also I have never had flu.

I’m just worried about getting ill from it.

OP posts:
parrotonmyshoulder · 10/10/2018 20:30

Flu is horrible. Definitely ‘really poorly’.

MakeAHouseAHome · 10/10/2018 20:30

So don't have it then....

NannyR · 10/10/2018 20:32

I have had it every year and never had any side effects other than a sore arm. Even if you do have some side effects, they won't be anywhere near as bad as full blown flu.

Proper flu is awful and even healthy adults can get seriously ill and even die from it - the vaccine is a no-brainer for me, why wouldn't you?

Original poster
ellielong · 10/10/2018 20:40

Erm well I’ve said why!

OP posts:
Topseyt · 10/10/2018 20:41

It isn't a live vaccine. I have had a flu jab for the last three or four years now and have never had a reaction to them. It won't give you the flu.

Flu is awful. It can also be dangerous if you have some medical conditions or are in any way immuno compromised. Better to get the vaccine to reduce the possibility of getting it.

SauvignonBlanche · 10/10/2018 20:42

How do you know it was the flu vaccine that made your DF ‘really poorly’?

Bessieham · 10/10/2018 20:42

The chances of becoming seriously ill from a vaccine are 1 in a million, if not less. It’s deactivated, you can’t contract the flu from it.

You don’t even know that it was the vaccine that made your father poorly - he might have caught something before he had the vaccine.

You are far more likely to get ‘really poorly’ from actually catching the flu.

But if pseudo science is your thing, fine.

HoleyCoMoley · 10/10/2018 20:43

Are you in a high risk group that they recommend has the flu jab. Just because your dad had side effects doesn't mean you will. It's not a live virus is it so how can it give you flu.

NannyR · 10/10/2018 20:44

Don't have it then, if you've made up your mind.
What was the point of your OP?

FeedMeTikka · 10/10/2018 20:45

I’ve had the flu jab the last few years with the only side effect being a sore arm. I’m late booking myself in for it this year and am on day 7 of having the actual flu. I’ve lost nearly half a stone in weight, can only manage up to a couple of hours out of bed and feel absolutely horrendous.

InspectorIkmen · 10/10/2018 20:45

Who is actually forcing you to have it OP? 🤨

Topseyt · 10/10/2018 20:45

Your Dad may just have been already brewing an illness, which coincided with the flu vaccine by chance. There is usually a few days or even a week or two as an incubation period.

chemenger · 10/10/2018 20:48

For 28 years I could have said I’d never had flu. Then I got it. Have never felt so awful in my life. Then another 15 years without, then got it again. Now I have the vaccination every year, never even had a sore arm from it. You can’t get flu from the vaccination, but people do coincidentally come down with colds at the same time, or if they are really unlucky contract flu before the vaccination kicks in or get another strain of flu. I am very happy to pay for the privilege of reducing the probability of getting flu again.

oldbirdy · 10/10/2018 20:49

I am really conflicted about this. Last year the whole family had flu jab - I sourced them privately for my kids. A week later one son developed severe ITP and had to be hospitalised. His platelets were zero and he was at serious risk of internal bleeding. We'll never know for sure if the vacc caused if, but there is good research evidence that it causes a dip in platelets and some evidence of "cause" . The consultant says he's fine to have it again. I'm scared to though, and also scared not to.

Topseyt · 10/10/2018 20:49

Or possibly your Dad might have had an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients of the vaccine. The practice nurse who does mine does fill in a questionnaire about allergies and other medical conditions every time.

Still, some people might have allergies that haven't surfaced before.

FunSponges · 10/10/2018 20:49

I've never had a lot of things, doesn't mean I'll never get them. What an idiotic argument.

specialsubject · 10/10/2018 20:50

Flu jab does not give you flu.
It takes 2-3 weeks to.become effective.
It is not a guarantee of not getting flu (science doesn't work like that) but it greatly reduced the odds.

nocoolnamesleft · 10/10/2018 20:52

I'd never had flu until the year I did. Left me with lung scarring.

wherearetheguineapigs · 10/10/2018 20:54

I am in high risk group but have refused it for last two years since having a bad experience with my last one. However, I do not know for certain that it was the flu jab that caused it. Probably not.

Funny enough, I was discussing this with my care workers earlier today- they think I should have it.

hannnnnnnxo · 10/10/2018 20:55

To be fair, I am also considering getting it (privately) but I have never had the flu. I wouldn’t want to bother with a sore arm for no reason as I probably wouldn’t get the flu anyway, and I seem to react badly to arm injections (bruising, numbness, stiff/strained arm for a few weeks, trouble sleeping etc thanks to low vit d)

nocoolnamesleft · 10/10/2018 20:55

I've realised my post could be read either way. To clarify:

I'd never had flu until the year I did have flu. Left me with lung scarring.

Thelastredwinegum · 10/10/2018 20:56

I'd rather feel a bit off for a few days than have actual real flu.

Although with it not being a live vaccine, it was probably a coincidence he felt ill afterwards. Unfortunately flu jab season is also cold season.

Armchairanarchist · 10/10/2018 20:56

I had mine today. Two years ago I watched my 20yo six foot tall, previously healthy son almost die from Flu. By the time we realised how serious it was it had completely wiped his WBC count and his heart was failing. He spent a week in CCU and months to recover. It's absolutely your choice but flu doesn't just kill those with a suppressed immune system.

Oopsusernamealreadytaken · 10/10/2018 20:58

None of us have it. I’m asthmatic and 3 times (not consecutive years) I was hospitalised within a week of having it with with severe asthma attacks and flu like symptoms. I’m well aware that it doesn’t cause flu, I’m well aware that real flu is hideous. This was my experience and why I won’t have it or let my family have it.

LurpakIsTheOnlyButter · 10/10/2018 20:59

Have the jab. It is not a live vaccine and cannot give you flu.

It covers you for the two (or 3 depending on which vaccine you receive) main strains of fly this year.

You may feel off colour for a day or so while your body produces the immune response.

I had mine 2 days ago and I have a bit of a sore red arm but otherwise fine.

If you are a high risk group you protect yourself and if you work with high risk people you protect others through herd immunity.

If you are already coming down with something when you have the jab then it is coincidence that's all.

I am a vaccinator.