Flu Jab

[Steamfan]

For the first time ever I've been offered one. I'm reluctant to have it in all honesty, and I know at least 3 people who have been really unwell after having it (my DH being one) The NHS info doesn't fill me with confidence either - any thoughts?

I get it every year. Most of the time I get nothing worse than a sore arm. Maybe one year in five I feel a bit feverish, but I just take some paracetamol and it passes within 24 hours, not a big deal. It's not that I'm made sick as such, just the response of my immune system - same as the way babies sometimes get a fever and are a bit irritable after their routine jabs.

I'll definitely be getting it this year as I want to reduce the number of times we end up on the covid symptoms isolate, test, wait for result roundabout.

I've had it every year for a long time, the only side effect is a slightly sore arm. I did catch the 'flu one year, but was over it in two or three days - unlike a woman I worked with who didn't have the injection, she was wiped out for over a week.

I don't think that denying the side effects is particularly helpful

They are listed in the information leaflet (which you should get at the appointment, if not offered, ask) and are readily available online.

Yes, you can get mild flu-like symptoms. And when you think about it, that's entirely logical - the dead shell of the vaccine is 'training' your body to recognise and kill. In doing so, you body uses its defences and that gives rise to symptoms. It doesn't make you ill as it cannot replicate in the body, but you can feel unwell.

I have it every year. The only time I had side effects was when it was two injections (swine flu vaccine was the additional injection I think). My arm was extremely painful and I was awake from 3am the next day shaking and freezing.

Apart from that, nothing but a slightly sore arm. I had flu a few years ago (confirmed by GP, it was a strain that the vaccination didn’t catch) and I never want to go through that again. I have never been so ill and it took over 4 weeks to fully recover.

I have one but not on NHS, I go to Tesco and it cost £9. Usually when I get a cold, it’s followed by cough and bad chest, so anything that helps keep my symptoms lower, I am grateful for. My husband had heart surgery this year, so is having flu and pneumonia jab next week.

I always reckon the reason people get symptoms of flu is because they catch in the surgery waiting for the jab - as several pp say it takes a couple of weeks for immunity to kick in!

I have got the flu jab for the last three years. No side effects. But I still end up getting flu later on in the season. Seriously considering not having it this year, especially as we will have to queue up outside the dr surgery - standing in the car park in October on a Saturday morning.

I had the flu jab last year for the first time.
I felt dizzy about an hour afterwards but pretty sure it was because I was anxious about it ( I wavered over whether to have it or not).
I'll be having it this year.