Calling Asthmatics - will you be having the vaccine?

[pofacedandproud]

Just interested really. Those asthmatics who require medication to stay on top of their asthma, will you be getting the SF vaccine? Anyone had SF? Trying to work out what to do.

Ds2's asthma is medically controlled atm but we've been advised by his paed to give it to him - he's triggered by respiratory viruses.

i am trying to work out what to do too.

i have no idea.

i know if i get flu i will be very very seriously ill and could die

right then that settles it

i'll have the jab

Interestingly the BMJ are saying people with asthma, not pregnant women, are the most at risk from SF complications. 25% of those admitted to hospital have asthma. 5% are pregnant women.
here

I'm worried.

I'm thinking, as someone whose family reacts very badly to vaccines, that I might have to get the jab.

bump

I'll ask DH what he is planning to do - he gets a seasonal flu jab so assume he will get the swine flu one.

Yes I will get it.

We're ttcing at the mo, and I'm asthmatic.

Am thinking, might be better to get it now before getting pregnant. At least if I do that I wouldn't have to agonise over getting it once pregnant.

I haven't needed meds for years, until April this year when I got a severe chest infection, and asthma has been bad ever since. I would have put the chest infection down to SF, but SF had only just been brought into scotland at that point, so can't have been. Unless it has been circulating for longer than thought. I wish.

havent had either jab yet as am poorly with a heavy cold and have missed the flu clinic. lol

I will be getting it.

I had my seasonal flu jab last week and they were telling asthmatics, diabetes and those with heart disease to call back for details on the SF jab clinics.

My asthma is relatively mild but flares up badly with flu/upper respitary infections so I want to avoid it.

Also I'm under pressure at work and had to have two days off when DD was ill last week so I want to avoid either me being off sick or passing it on to DD or DH.

dd and dh will be having it with their asthma. The theoretical risk from the jab is far, far smaller than the very real risk of any flu - but particularly this one (that in some people causes severe viral pneumonia).

I had the seasonal jab on Saturday as I'm asthmatic... and pregnant. tbh the risks to me of having flu are far more real than any side effects of the vaccine.

I was told I'd be notified when the swine flu jab was available - whilst I may not be pg when it comes out, I'll still be asthmatic and will have it.

really bad kitten? Oh bum, really don't want to have it, father ended up in intensive care on ventilator after seasonal flu jab last year [not proven as cause but funny co-incidence] but it does seem as if the risks of SF to asthmatics is quite significant. Badkitten, do you have any idea whether SF could have been circulating in the UK earlier than reported? They seem to think that is the case in Australia.

Sorry Pofaced

Viral pneumonia: who link here which mentions very briefly about the viral pneumonia.

Also WHO weekly update is interesting

You know, I've been wondering whether it circulated earlier. lots of us did seem to nasty flu like infection in the early spring. I was in bed for about 10 days which is unheard of. Was diagnosed with flu (though I'd had a flu jab) I ended up with croup from it and a viral wheeze. Not seen anything officially to suggest it though.

I'm pretty sure DD and DH will also have it. DD in particular is set off by respiratory viruses, and this flu does hit the lungs hard, apparently.

hey pofaced.
DD jas asthma but will not be getting vaccine. Of course .

I think if this had been an issue a couple of years ago I would have been more inclined ( however scared aboutthe vaccine) but she seems to have much better ability to cope with attacks and quicker recovery time. So I am hoping that her immune system is getting stronger and her asthma is a childhhod thing ratherthan a permanent thing IYSWIM

Have just read this comment on your link Pofacedandproud:

"Since it has been noticed that there is an excess of asthmatics in patients admitted to hospital with swine flu,it is imperative to investigate whether this excess is predominantly in patients of bronchial asthma on inhaled steroids.Since the portal of entry of influenza virus is the respiratory tract and since inhaled steroids can suppress the normal defence mechanisms of the respiratory tract against infections,there is a theoretical possibilty that this could lead to severe swine flu infection.This is especially so, because, the proportion of patients with chronic obstructive airway disaease(who, incidentally, are less likely than asthmatics to be on inhaled steroids)were less than asthmatics to be hospitalised with swine flu.This is a novel situation, since inhaled steroids were either not in use or were less often used during the previous pandemics of influenza."

So maybe is not the asthma after all but that the inhalers are reducing the immune response.

hi pag Glad your dd is coping better with attacks. Is she on inhaler medication continuously? My asthma certainly improved as I got older. I was not on any inhalers at all since childhood until very recently. Annoying, and baffling.

That is very interesting Biobytes, and I have been wondering about that very issue. Ofcourse now my asthma has returned the doc wants to put me back on inhaled steroids, but I am holding off for that reason, even though I thought I might be being irrational. But it seems as if more research is needed into that area. I don't think anyone on inhaled steroids should stop though, as it may make ones asthma much worse, and nothing proven so far.

Badkitten, as they have had theories about SF circulating earlier than thought in Australia, i've been surprised to find nothing about it here, especially as whatever I had in April caused severe chest problems for the first time [and triggered my asthma again]

dh will be getting it. Not so sure about the dds (mild asthma) but probably.

Am very interested by Bio's info, it does sort of make sense..

It is interesting Pofaced - would be good news if we've had it already!

Just phoned the gp surgery to ask about appts. (poor busy souls - I did suggest they put the info on their website)

They don't know when they are getting the vaccine.

They don't know about flu clinics.

They don't know how they are going to run the appts yet. Whether they will send us a letter calling dd in for an appt or whether we have to phone for one.

Apparently I should call at the end of next week and there will also be lots of adverts in the local papers and telly.

I feel very 'raised eyebrows' after the brief conversation I had. I do feel very very sorry for the front line staff at the gp surgery. They are going to be run off their feet.

I am planning to have it. I had my seasonal flu jab three weeks ago. GP thinks I should. My asthma is mostly mild and well controlled but my coughs are horrible.

Interested by Bio's comment. Might actually try and get round to reading the links before I see my GP tomorrow!

it would be great badkitten. I wish.

Doesn't sound very encouraging about the way surgeries are dealing with it, does it? Especially as it is just the start of flu season

Its not encouraging. Even if they don't have the information they could do a couple of things to help themselves and their patients:

1)Have a plan already prepared for when they do get the jabs in. (its not as if they haven't had the summer to get plans and contingency plans prepared)

2)Communicate that plan by their website and perhaps an extra phone line with a recorded message.

hey ho. Just in time planning - the way of todays world.