Flu Jab?

[MilkTrayLimeBarrel]

Went to my local Pharmacy yesterday and the assistant pushed me to make an appointment for a flu jab. I have been considering having one this year as the predicted strain is really nasty, but am still put off by the bad publicity (and I hate injections!). What would people advise? Have you had one this year and how did you feel afterwards?

I never used to get the flu jag as thought I am healthy and young(ish) 30s to able to fight off flu.

The last summer I came down with the flu and that led to pneumonia! Ended up in hospital for a week and took good 2-3 months to recover.

Needless to say I got the flu jag last winter and will be getting it this year too.

Was the last of our surgery staff to get it this year as I'd been out of work with an injury. Got it first thing on a manically busy Monday morning and when I went home that evening forgot to even mention it to my DH, as I had NO effects at all. I never do.... no pain at site, no muscle ache, no feeling off for a couple of days. Should I feel left out?!

Had mine a couple of weeks ago with no side effects other than slight tenderness around the injection site for a day or two. I have it every year. I've had proper flu three times in my life and I never want it again. DH is having his on Monday. I paid £11 for mine.

I had it about a week ago. I normally have a reaction, and last year felt achy and had a really sore arm for days.

This year there was no reaction at all.

The surgery phone me the times I have not been in to get it (diabetic) or they grab you during routine appointment and jab you.

I've had flu once and never felt so ill so I'm happy I get the chance to protect myself.

I have one every year, no issues.

What publicity? I've never heard anything negative about it from reliable sources?

The only negatives I've ever heard were from people who are totally ignorant of the fact that it's not an active vaccine and who say "it gave my granny the flu"

I have never had one until this year. The nurse spent ages going over side effects saying my arm would ache for 2 days and I would have cold like symptoms. Literally nothing happened. I was totally fine!

I had mine in September - chronic health condition - and it didn't hurt. Arm was sore for a couple of days but no other effects.

I was really poorly about 10 days after having mine - felt as if I'd been hit by a bus, felt listless and weepy, and came out with a horrendous cold that took a good 2 weeks to shift.

I have no idea if it was from the jab or not, though. Probably caught it when I was waiting from my appointment, seeing as the waiting room was full of people coughing and spluttering into their hands then touching every possible surface

I refuse to have one, I used to have one every year but whenever I had one I ended up getting awful bad colds that winter that ended up with chest infections that needed at least a couple of courses of antibiotics. Since I stopped having one have never had the bad colds.

I had mine about 6 weeks ago. I'm disabled but don't qualify for a free one so I had it done at Boots. I had no problems after. DH had his done this week and he's been fine too.

DS2 is a nurse in A&E, and an asthmatic, but hasn't managed to get one yet because his hospital and GP keep running out.

I had it for the first time this year

Partly because I work in a hospital and got it for free and partly because I have a baby now and know I wouldn't be physically able to look after him if I got the flu (I caught it when I was 21 and it put me on my arse for a fortnight so I dread to think how ill I'd be at 35)

Pregnant so had mine in one arm and a hooping cough one in the other arm this Wednesday.

Both arms looked fine but felt really tender and painful around the top until this morning. Flu arm is now completely fine. Hooping cough arm is still tender.

I had the flu for the first time this February. I'll be getting the injection every year now. I called an ambulance, I actually thought I was dying.

Had it last week, no pain at the time but sore arm for a few days. Best money I spend all year given I had proper flu a few years ago with 2 small kids and was unwell for 3 months after with every infection going.

I had mine a few weeks ago (work in NHS and asthmatic). It really stung for me when it went in! Aching arm for a couple of days.

Decision-wise, for me, it’s a no-brainier. I’ve had flu, I was ill for a long time afterwards. I will avoid it if at all possible. I’d probably have it even if I didn’t meet the free criteria for the sake of a tenner.

@housemdwaswrong that's not actually true, the majority of people infected with the flu are asymptomatic or show only mild symptoms, that's part of the reason spreads so easily.

www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2014/03/uk-flu-study-many-are-infected-few-are-sick

Is that right?? I'll have a look at the link now, but you have symptoms if you have a cold, how can you not if you have the flu? Hang on, I'll look now.

I had mine a few weeks ago. I had a slightly sore arm for a day or two, but that was all. The actual vaccination barely hurts at all, the needle is so fine you hardly feel it.

Poor DH has had a nasty fluey virus for the last ten days, has felt quite unwell at times, and he has a horrible cough. He hasn't had the flu jab. As for me, I haven't had so much as a sniffle.

I've only ever had proper flu once, I was around 10 or so & I remember being very ill. I never want to get it again so I get the jab every year.

@Utini
Thanks for the link. I don't understand it though.

British researchers who tested people for influenza antibodies before and after each flu season for 5 years found that an average of 18% of them appeared to have contracted a flu infection each season, but only 23% of that group got sick, according to a report in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.

Okay, that much I understand, shunning they addres the same flu strain and not a weak socsi from a previous strain. The next bit though I don't understand:

The scientists also found that further tests confirmed flu in only 25% of those whose serologic tests indicated infection,

So presumably the serologic were antibody blood tests? But of those with antibodies only 25% were confirmed to have had the flu? Why did they have antibodies then? What were the further tests?

Interesting though, thank you, I always assumed that if you had the flu you properly had it. Apologies for misinformation, though I still maintain if you have the flu (and are symptomatic I'll now add as acaveat) you are not walking around and about, but clearly I don't know enough the infection/antibody thing. I'll try and find a dummies guide somewhere.

@housemdwaswrong I've just had another read of it. You're right - the serological tests are the blood tests for antibodies, done at the beginning and end of each flu season.

Sounds like the further tests they refer to are the PCR tests that are described lower down. These are nasal swabs taken on the second day of any reported illness. So I suppose it makes sense that only a small proportion have the flu confirmed by PCR, as most of them won't have had the swab due to having no symptoms.

That's my understanding of it, anyway!

I'm asthmatic and getting my first one weds with dh who had a heart attack and DO who has had cancer.
Previously I thought it didn't cover all strains so didn't bother.However last winter we all had a flu like illness twice.Last week I had a fever of 102 nasty cough very sore throat infection chest infection.and headaches due to the strong antibiotics.😰
I couldn't work.I'm also at the menopause so feeling low and more likely to have worse asthma attacks.
Those of u who have had the flu please tell me how you know?My doc.said mine wasn't but I had to get a lift to the surgery I felt so exhausted.

Had mine last week, no side effects at all

I don't think I've ever had flu.
I probably have mild intermittant asthma (not diagnosed).

I'm getting flu jab free at work (convenient & free). Or I wouldn't bother.
Loathe jabs. My dad stopped having annual bad bouts of sinusitis after he started getting annual flu jabs, which has encouraged me. If I can avoid any winter coughing fits that would be great.