Well that's just bloody great

[CountessDracula]

I booked in twice to have my flu jab and both times they had run out of vaccine due to twats panicking about bird flu allegedly. And now I think I have flu

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Well, I was particularly interested in DS to have it as he has asthma but, as he is also allergic to egg, he needs to be vacinated in a "controlled environment" so DS got an apointment for the week after he next one and has catch the flu this week, arrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhhhh!

Yes I am asthmatic and take immunosuppressants so am bound to get it if I don't have a jab.

hope you are feeling better soon Countess

thanks winnie!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

sorry, babe.

Oh god CD Hope it's not the flu and that you start to feel better very soon. Is it worth calling them up tomorrow to see if what you can increase your asthma medication to safely?

I had my flu jab yesterday (fortunately) but over half term I had a really nasty virus thing (don't think it was flu) and have had to be prescribed extra stuff to keep my asthma in check. Wish I'd gone pre-emptively really, because it took a long while to kick in...

oh bugger cd. i cancelled my 'flu jab, & then when i was at the dr last week for something completely different he just pounced on me. best to have it i suppose... hope you feel better soon.

Have started Becotide and ventolin so should be ok on the asthma front I hope.

I am just pissed off, due to all this RIDICULOUS hysteria hyped up by the fucking media I can't get my flu jab. I have NEVER had this problem before.

Oh no, CD. Can you get one of the antivirals like Tamiflu? (you will have to act quick because they aren't effective unless taken in the very early stages).

dh went for his yesterday (he gets called in because he has diabetes) and today I feel like I'm getting something too...feeling very feverish. What a pain.

If it's not flu you have, and if you can't get the jab from the GP, try Superdrug - our local one is advertising it for £15.

If it turns out that you haven't got flu, then take yourself off to the medicentre at Waterloo and get it done privately - they cost around £20.

My friend who is a GP says that they are really short of vaccine and so are applying the criteria for getting them very tightly.

It may be too late, Friday I started to feel crap, yesterday I was aching all over and today have temp of 102. Will call the Doc but aren't they saving tamiflu for the non existant bird flu?

Yes soapbox they asked me about 100 questions before saying I was in the at risk category and I needed one. I booked in and it had all gone

They might be saving Tamiflu because it's supposed to be the ost effective against bird flu, but there is at least 1 other antiviral licensed for use against flu. Can't remember its name but it is a Glaxo one.

Even if you have the flu, it's still worth getting the jab once you're better to protect yourself against the other two strains (or three if you're really unlucky and picked up a rare strain!)

FWIW though, I think that although the publicity means that more people have taken up the offer of flu jab, it's not because they're not entitled to it. I know this year is my first jab (not because of the bird flu thing, but because last year we all got flu and it was horrible - and my asthma got REALLY bad, so I sort of realised what all the fuss was about) - I'm sure the publicity will have prompted more asthmatics (for example) to take up the offer.

Bad organisation on the surgery's part though not to have got enough in to cover it.

am calling doc

Cue blood pressure through roof as NHS Direct do their triage and are the pits

It's relenza but it says it has to be given within 48 hrs of onset of symptoms

Poor you - only ever had proper flu once and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy!

I hope you can get some anti-virals asap! Afterall bird flu hasn't hit us yet!!!

Due to the limited number of patients with severe asthma or with other chronic respiratory disease, patients with unstable chronic illnesses or immunocompromised patients (see Section 5.1) who have been treated, it has not been possible to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of Relenza in these groups. Efficacy of zanamivir in elderly patients 65 years has not been established (see section 5.1).

great

oh blast it!

I do remember Glaxo having being refused the licence in certain patient groups. There may be other antivirals that would suit though. Worth calling the docs anyway.

I'd have thought if you were in a high risk group they'd release some Tamiflu for you, tbh. Worth asking if you can get through tonight.

Either way, have you got someone who can help look after the kids so you get full rest until you're better?

ha ha a nurse will call me in 2.5 hours!

Great service

May call a private dr to come out

yes dd is in nursery (I work 4 days a week)

Maybe it is just man flu and I am being hysterical

Man flu perfectly allowable in women, dincha know? Make sure you do rest up, not dither around pretending to do chores - k?

CD, really sorry to hear you're not well - bastard hysteria!

What might make you smile briefly is that I read that as "pirate doctor" not "private doctor". I had a brief image of a man with a stethoscope and a parrot.

Hope it's not flu, I really do x x x