Will pharmacists give an adult a 'flu SPRAY?

[GlomOfNit]

Just that, really. I have a needle phobia and my anxiety is fairly heightened at the moment. I heard this morning's news story exhorting as many as possible of us to get vaccinated against 'flu this winter because apparently the frequency of cases is up on last year.

My question - the guy was saying that you can take a child who wasn't covered in the schools programme (eg because they were too old) to get a 'flu spray vaccination at a pharmacy. Do pharmacies offer the nasal spray, rather than jab, to adults too?

(please, no snide comments about how pathetic I am, how getting the 'flu is far worse than a jab, etc. SO tedious, heard it all before.)

I doubt it, as the vaccine is licensed for children. You might have more luck with a private GP, but the doses are probably all wrong.

Ah, good point. Must have left my brain somewhere.

you could ask the pharmacy if you can buy some numbing gel for the injection site beforehand that would at least lessen the pain a bit.

I don't know the answer to your question OP but just wanted to comment as I had a really severe needle phobia for over 10 years and it felt like a prison in my own head at times so I know how you feel. Have you ever looked at treatment? Totally understand why if not, the very nature of the phobia means you don't want it treated because that ultimately means needles!

I used EMLA cream for my first blood test and genuinely didn't feel a thing (I didn't believe it had been done), although for years that wasn't an option as it was always about sheer terror of the needle rather than the pain.

I hope you find some resolution to your phobia, it's so misunderstood and unfortunately not really taken seriously.

I’m being 100% honest here - when I had my flu jab I didn’t even feel the needle go in. I almost didn’t believe the pharmacist

The needle they use is so thin - it doesn’t hurt in the slightest.

You just need to look away while the pharmacist does it, and you’ll be fine.

Sorry that should say, I almost didn’t believe the pharmacist when she said she’d done it.

There is a massive shortage of the nasal spray this year. There are kids here still waiting to have it. My hunch is that they wouldn't be allowed to use any stock on adults.

I’m afraid no pharmacist will give you the children’s flu nasal spray. It’s not licensed for use in adults, so the pharmacist’s medical insurance won’t cover them if anything goes wrong.

OP, I swear by First Defence nasal spray. If you use it every day during winter, at the first sign of any snuffle and when anyone near you on the tube sneezes or coughs, then it traps the virus and stops it spreading. It is like magic. I don't know why anyone doesn't use it. The only time I get a bad cold these days is if I'm busy and run out of it and forget to buy more, or at the start of the cld season when I don't have any in and forget how useful it is. If I use it, it works.

(Therefore, no pharmacist is going to risk their career to give you the nasal spray)

No the nurse said to me you can only have the nasal spray up until you are 16 after that it is the needle one. I was asking on behalf of my daughter who is now needle phobic

I had my flu jab at a pharmacy this year instead of the GP. I would totally recommend doing this. They took such care I didn't feel anything while at the GP it is always a big rush.

I can’t even get someone to give my kids the nasal spray, gp won’t do it as they aren’t insured apparently, so I doubt the pharmacist will do it

Yep, the business about it not being licensed sounds entirely sane - clearly didn't think it through.

I don't think EMLA would work -as you say, it's the idea rather than the feeling. I've fainted before now. I did have one while pregnant years back and the lovely nurse got me lying down! maybe I can ask for her, rather than the horrible one who does the children's jabs... I had presumed a pharmacist would be more likely to botch it as not a 'professional' HCP but maybe not? I should actually be able to get it at GP surgery as I'm a carer (DS has ASD) though it's not ever been offered.

Re. treatment for my phobia - yes, one day. Blood tests not really a problem for me now, oddly.

My experience, and know it's only one person, is the pharmacist took far more care than any nurse I've ever seen- and as a HCP I've seen a lot of nurses.

I thought that not doing injections all day they took it more seriously.