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Original poster

Flu jab - yes or no?

146 replies

BetterCallSaul99 · 17/09/2020 20:45

My parents are in their 70's. Never had it. They are great for their age, fit and healthy.
Me and my husband are pretty much the same. But wondering if it would be for the best. I hear so many stories about people who have been ill after that immunisation I genuinely don't know what to do myself or advise my parents. Me and my husband did have flu a couple of years ago and it was the worst illness we have ever experienced. Would not want to experience it again however isn't it certain strains so having the jab is no guarantee anyway? Thoughts please.

OP posts:
ClickandForget · 17/09/2020 22:32

One of my friend who’s a doctor refuses to vaccinate his children

That's unusual. I've worked with tens of dozens of doctors (I'm not a doctor, don't even have a first aid certificate) and not a single one holds that opinion.

ilovesooty · 17/09/2020 22:33

Yes, every year. I had flu once and never want to have it again.

HoldMyLobster · 17/09/2020 22:54

I get the flu shot every year, along with about 150 million other Americans.

I don't get any side effects except sometimes a sore arm.

My stepsister died of flu at 50. Previously very healthy but didn't think she needed the flu shot.

averythinline · 17/09/2020 23:19

DB has had since he could t1 diabetic..years now ...dont know if cumulative but he definitely seems to get less colds/flu/virus than most ..
DN gets as asthmatic...touch wood never had ..

I've had for last 4 yrs as get from work.....and am often prone to respiratory things always since a kid...I would pay for it now if didn't get free...
I know its not necessarily all the strains etc...but if you can I would

LemonTT · 17/09/2020 23:25

@Marmunia1975

Definitely not. Our daughter got the flu vaccination in her nursery year and ended up in hospital one week later with.....yep you’ve guessed it! The flu! The doctor on A&E looked at me and I looked at him and we both knew.
Nonsense
Gancanny · 17/09/2020 23:30

Our daughter got the flu vaccination in her nursery year and ended up in hospital one week later with.....yep you’ve guessed it! The flu!

Incubation period for flu is 1-4 days with the majority showing symptoms two days after exposure. The flu vaccine does not give you flu, even if it did (which it doesn't) there was no way that flu a week later came from the vaccine as that's outside of the incubation period.

The vaccine takes around 10-14 days to reach full effectiveness, if you are exposed to flu within that time period then you might catch it because you're not fully protected at that point. She caught it from elsewhere.

Osirus · 17/09/2020 23:32

I’m having mine privately tomorrow. If you can, why not? If you are ever going to have a flu vaccine, this is the year to do it!

nhsnamechange · 17/09/2020 23:38

If you feel poorly after it it's pure coincidence and you were already harbouring a cold that would have made you feel ill with or without having the vaccine.

I had Influenza A a few years ago and I was that poorly I was hospitalised for what felt like weeks (it wasn't that long, just felt like it) I was a healthy early twenty something with no other health conditions and it absolutely floored me. I have never been so poorly in my life.

I will never not get the flu vaccine again, a sore arm for 2 days a year is better than ever feeling that ill again. People seem to think flu is just like a bad cold - it's totally not at all! It nearly bloody killed me!

Porcupineinwaiting · 17/09/2020 23:43

Absolutely not! Flu's amazing and I hear catching it and COVID at the same time is extra special.

LeSquigh · 17/09/2020 23:46

You may as well get it, it’s cheap (or free). The arguments I have had with people who claim they got flu or a cold as side effects from having it! I don’t even bother trying to educate people about how this isn’t possible now, I can’t be bothered to waste my breath.

CrowBones · 17/09/2020 23:57

@Porcupineinwaiting

Absolutely not! Flu's amazing and I hear catching it and COVID at the same time is extra special.
😂
BritInAus · 17/09/2020 23:57

Where I live it’s fairly standard for most people to get one in autumn. I always do - and so does DD. A slightly sore arm for a few days is far preferable to flu.

Sparklesocks · 18/09/2020 00:00

I’ve had the jab for the last two years (my work has a nurse come in to do them as a company benefit). Haven’t got sick after and haven’t had flu either year. I plan to do it every year if I can, I had flu a few years ago and it absolutely wiped me out for weeks, never been that ill before or since. Would happily have a jab every year to avoid it.

earthyfire · 18/09/2020 00:02

The first time my DD had the flu nasal spray at school she was so unwell afterwards for weeks. Had never been ill like it before or after. Have declined it every year since.

caringcarer · 18/09/2020 00:25

I got really bad flu in year 2000. I have never felt so I'll. I have had flu jab every year since and not had flu since. I never want it again
I was ill for over 4 weeks and lost almost 1 1/2 stone.i would take the jab.

trixiebelden77 · 18/09/2020 01:39

Always fascinates me how many people have heard stories of people being unwell post vaccination but nobody has ever heard about the healthy young people I’ve looked after who’ve died on ECMO from flu.

There was a good article in the paper recently about child who got flu - unvaccinated - who was on ecmo, in icu for weeks, in hospital for moths but amazingly survived. She’ll need to have a few fingers amputated of course.

I get the vaccination every year.

Torvean32 · 18/09/2020 02:13

@Marmunia1975

In case you think it was a fluke, I got the vaccine when I was pregnant and ended up a week later with...yep...the flu! I had hyperemesis for nine months and wasn’t out of bed so I wasn’t in contact with anyone apart from DH. Likewise my mum got the fly jab years ago and ended up with ..... yes... the flu.
Excuse my shouting but

YOU CANNOT CATCH THE FLU FROM THE VACCINE.

I've had flu badly. I now pay ever year to try and avoid getting it again.

With the strain on the NHS I hope more ppl get the flu vaccination this year whether funded or free.

Cecelori · 18/09/2020 02:14

I get it every year, I missed it once a couple of years back and was in hospital with pneumonia so I think better safe than sorry.

Casschops · 18/09/2020 02:22

After a particularly bad bout of flu about ten years ago (never had it before or since). Any effect from an injection is welcome compared to that. It lasted nearly four weeks, I lost a stone in weight (every cloud) and couldn't stay awake for more than 20 minutes or walk far probably for about three minths after. Jab me now!

Marmunia1975 · 18/09/2020 02:48

SimonJT

He’s not spreading the information- it’s his own personal stance. You’d be surprised how many in the medical field shun vaccines.

Marmunia1975 · 18/09/2020 02:50

YOU CANNOT CATCH THE FLU FROM THE VACCINE.

YES YOU CAN. WE WERE TDLD THALIDOMIDE WAS SAFE.

SimplySteveRedux · 18/09/2020 03:06

My 70s parents have never had a flu jab or the pneumococcal vaccine, they think they're invulnerable.

DP has an underlying condition and we've been vaccinated each year, along with the kids, and would never deviate.

eaglejulesk · 18/09/2020 03:19

@Marmunia1975 - you seem spectacularly ignorant. However, you have made your point - please give it a rest now. There is no need to respond to everyone who disagrees with you.

Moonshinemisses · 18/09/2020 05:20

Yes absolutely. I get mine through my work. My family have had the flu once and that was enough. It was awful we were all so weak. I couldn't stand long enough to make food, I think we lived off ice lollies for about a week.

MrBucket · 18/09/2020 05:31

“If you feel poorly after it it's pure coincidence and you were already harbouring a cold that would have made you feel ill with or without having the vaccine.”

www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-vaccine-side-effects/

The very first sentence reads “ After the flu vaccination, you may get a mild high temperature and slight muscle aches for a day or so.” So it is entirely possible for people to feel a bit unwell after the jab. I had exactly this last year, I was pregnant and the rise in temperature made me feel shivery and exhausted and unwell, but I was able to have paracetamol and an early night and was fine by the morning - obviously nothing in comparison to flu (or even the longer lasting effects of a cold) and it doesn’t put me off having it. But it is a known side effect of the flu jab which for some people might make life tricky given the rules about isolating with a temperature so it’s worth knowing about, whilst also being aware that anything more than that is probably not caused by the flu jab

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