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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

I'M SORRY

214 replies

xkatyx · 19/12/2010 15:34

this thread has proberly been done to death, i really do appologise.

I'm freaking out about the flu/swine flu jab.

I know it is only my choice but i feel alone with it and would like to just talk to anyone who is struggeling with the same choice.

OP posts:
harassedinhertinselpants · 21/12/2010 09:47

I started a thread on this yesterday on Chat yesterday which I thought you might find interesting. It's here.

I've booked in for mine now, but it's not until 5th Jan. I'm 7 wks now.

NotAnotherNewNappy · 21/12/2010 09:57

Thanks everyone for posting. I was dithering about it but have booked an appointment after spotting this thread.

PanicMode · 21/12/2010 10:07

Haven't read whole thread but I had it at 26 wks pg with DC4 last year - no problems at all with him or me - only side effect was a VERY sore arm for about a week.

It's such a personal decision to take, but for my part, I'm glad I did go ahead - to my mind the benefits far outweighed the risks.

SaorAlba · 21/12/2010 10:32

Has anyone on here had swine flu while pregnant?

Lots of people saying 'had the jab and baby is fine', I'd like to know if there are people who 'had swine flu and baby is fine'.

I have read this whole thread and still really don't want to get the jab. DP and I have agreed that if anyone in my family, or at his work gets swine flu then I'll go get the jab.

In the meantime, I feel that the benefits do not outweigh the risks for the following reasons:

  1. I may not be exposed to flu this year, especially as I live in a small village, I do not commute on public transport and I do not see a great number of folk at work
  2. Vaccine only prevents against 3 types of flu and they might not be the ones in circulation
  3. The vaccine is NOT the same as that used in other years as it is changed every year, so there cannot be a great deal of evidence as to whether or not it causes problems
  4. Related to 3, nobody can offer me proof that the vaccine will not cause problems for my baby
  5. Even if I do contract flu, there is no guarantee that this will harm my baby
  6. I have had funny reactions to vaccines in the past. Nothing requiring hospitalisation, but pretty unpleasant nonetheless and I would not like to have one of these reactions when pregnant as it's bad enough when not pregnant
  7. I do not have other children who need looking after

I may change my mind, but this is how I feel just now.

nancerama · 21/12/2010 10:40

I probably live in a bubble when it comes to medical issues. I rarely visit the doctor and don't often suffer from any illness, so I had no idea I was in a high risk group until I read the papers at the weekend. I've managed to get booked in for a jab on Christmas eve, but had to do battle with a stroppy GP receptionist who tried to insist that I can't be high risk as if I was I would have been invited to the flu clinic. She didn't seem to believe me when I told her I was 20 weeks pregnant. Whilst I'm disappointed that my GP hasn't taken the risk seriously, I believe it's up to me to do what's right for my baby. If you've not had the jab yet, make a fuss and get one.

KaraStarbuckThrace · 21/12/2010 10:52

SaorAble - it is very much an individual decision. I still haven't completely made up my mind.
The key thing for me is that I want to ensure I am making an informed decision.

camdancer · 21/12/2010 10:59

I've had flu while pregnant - possibly swine flu but who knows. Today is the first day I've been ok for over 2 weeks and am now 18 weeks pg. I'm on antibiotics, paracetamol and ibuprofen. It has been hell on earth. Tbh, if I didn't already have children it wouldn't have been so bad because I could have just gone to bed and hidden until better but with 2 under 4 that just isn't possible. As it is, my DH has had to take time off work because he has the flu also but also to help look after the DC's. It has been a farce really of one of us sleeping and the other one trying to keep the children happy.

I have an antenatal appointment today and hopefully will find out if the baby is still alive. Honestly I don't know because I haven't felt any movement at all yet - it is still early. Obviously I wont know about any birth defects caused by the medication I've had to take for a while yet, even if the baby is alive.

So obviously it is your choice if you have the jab or not. If you have children already that is an extra consideration. But there is good evidence that swine flu is more dangerous for pregnant women than normal flu - and normal flu isn't nice either. I would say get the jab and am kicking myself that I didn't get it earlier on, but you have to decide for yourself.

festive · 21/12/2010 11:00

I am 17 weeks pg and also undecided. I travel on tube and train and work in busy office so am leaning towards having it tho at first was dead against it.
What I do know -

  • GPs should not be offerring swine flu vaccine - this year's vaccine is the seasonal flu vaccine which contains swine flu this year for the first time, but also protects against other main types of flu
  • it has only been available since about Oct so people saying they had it last year etc are referring to either last years's seasonal flu vaccine or individual swine flu vaccine - not this year's one which is new
  • Although one of the vaccine brands contains a trace of thiomersel (the mercury substance) the other brands do not so you can ask your GP for one of the other brands
  • if they don't have it i think superdrug and boots also do the vaccine for about a tenner
think i will prob end up having it as flu season runs through to march and don't think i can face another 3 months of worry that i will catch something awful!
applecharlotte · 21/12/2010 11:09

I'm still in bed with flu (second week) and am 33 weeks pregnant. Again the doc said, could be swine or another strain = they don't bother testing now as by the time they get the results the person is usually better.

The only reason I'm ok and haven't been hospitalised is because i HAD the flu jab at 26 weeks and its meant I've a milder version of swine flu/flu. The jab has kept my fever down and therefore I've not developed complications that are common in pregnant women who get flu.

Even though I've felt crap I can't imagine how much worse it could have been without the jab. Luckily i've felt my boy move lots since being ill so think he is fine.

camdancer - I'll be thinking of you today. I hope everything is ok and that you recover soon.

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 21/12/2010 11:10

I am 34 weeks pregnant and I had the seasonal flu jab+swine flu combo several weeks ago and it has given me such peace of mind because if I do go down with anything and something happens to my unborn baby then at least I will have the peace of mind that I did everything I could to protect her.

I had a sore arm for a few days afterwards and about a week later I felt as though I was coming down with something but nothing became of it so I took it that was my body reacting to the vaccine.

I am also breastfeeding my toddler and I take great comfort from the fact that he is getting my antibodies to the viruses and should he come down with the flu then because I have had the vaccine his dose shouldn't be as bad.

I would have it.

brillopads · 21/12/2010 11:40

Erk just had a lady in work come over to say to me about getting the jab! Rather than sorting out a new GP I'm just going to pop along to the old one- they're having a jab clinic on 30th Dec so I'm booked in at 3.15pm

bubbleymummy · 21/12/2010 12:02

applecharlotte - there's no knowing that you wouldn't have had a mild case without the jab anyway. If the vaccine had worked, you shouldn't have caught swine flu, or the other two strains it is supposed to protect against. If you caught flu, either it was a different strain or the vaccine didn't work - which does happen.

For those saying they are getting the vaccine after having it last year - why? It's teh same strain in this vaccine as last year(with 2 extra ones) so unless you're trying to protect against those you should still be protected from last year - unless of course the vaccine didn't work but then there's no way of knowing if it will work this time either....

By all means, if you feel reassured by having it then go ahead but be aware that it doesn't come with a guarantee that it will work and there's no guarantees on safety either - no vaccine is 100% safe.

Weemee · 21/12/2010 13:04

Had the jab last year whilst pregnant with dd1. Only side effect was a mild headache and a very sore arm (at the injection site). Would rather that than swine flu. Very glad that I had it. Baby is fine!

BabyGiraffes · 21/12/2010 13:07

applecharlotte just to reassure you, I was in the same situation last year. Had the swine flu jab when I was 28wks pregnant, then my toddler caught confirmed swine flu and I got a milder version but still felt pretty awful (thankfully without the four days of 40+ fever my toddler had!). My GP told me that she thought I had not developed full immunity but had enough to not get it as bad...
dd2 was born in Feb and is totally fine - I don't think she was affected in the least by the vaccination.
Hope you feel better soon!

messylittlemonkey · 21/12/2010 13:09

I had it last year when I was about 5 months pg.

I had no side effects and DD2 was fine. My reasoning was that it would be far worse for me and my unborn child if I did get the flu plus I was working with small children and one or two of their families had it so I was in contact with it.

applecharlotte · 21/12/2010 13:16

babyG - thanks for the reassurance. Have been lying in bed worrying about how my little one may be affected by having a virus. Glad you and your toddler are ok :)

bubbleym - yep see what you mean. My doc did say the same.. it could be a different virus all together. I'm still pleased I had the jab though incase that is what has offered me protection.

pamelat · 21/12/2010 13:33

I had it last year at 4 months pregnant and DS and me fine Smile

harassedinhertinselpants · 21/12/2010 13:36

Did you all see the Web Chat?? With David Salisbury. Was very interesting. It's here

Rosie55 · 21/12/2010 14:54

I had the seasonal flu and swine flu vaccines last year when not pregnant (mild asthma) so asked the GP about it this year. I hadn't received an invitation, either as an asthmatic or a pregnant woman: am currently 35 weeks.

The doctor looked the vaccine up in a directory and said that pregnant women should be given the version without a certain substance (I think the word she mentioned must have been thiomersel, but am not certain), but that our surgery hadn't received the alternative and couldn't order it. She phoned up the head of the practice while I was there and he confirmed that they were advising pregnant women NOT to have the vaccine until they had delivered.

Anyone else in the same boat?

JetLi · 21/12/2010 15:22

bubbleymummy - I was invited for SF vaccine outside of pregnancy as I'm asthmatic. Then I have a regular flu jab every autumn anyway - again because I'm asthmatic so therefore in an "at risk" group. The autumn 2010 regular flu jab includes the vaccine against swine flu so that's how it happens twice.

camdancer - the flu I had with DD left me in a similar position - I hope your baby is OK - I too was terrified until I had my scan, fearing the very worst as I had been so very, very ill. Thinking of you.

What was explained to me is that pregnancy by its very nature suppresses your immune system - it has to so that the baby can survive as its a foreign body essentially - the Consultant in hospital even described my pregnancy as a parasitic infection!! Wink It makes you that much more likely to catch every bug going around.

clarebear1 · 21/12/2010 15:44

xkatyx im watching this thread deciding myself whether to have the jab too, i am 26 weeks atm.

Reading stories like ones on here make me want it then i have family members that have had it and say they wish they hadnt and they are against it.

So watching with interest...

JetLi · 21/12/2010 16:02

Hi clarebear1 - if it's any help, these were my reasons to say yes (in the end) to the vaccine:

  1. Work in an office where the culture seems to be that you come into work even when you're at deaths bloody door... If only I could record the coughing and sneezing going on right now!
  2. Work mostly with men (lets say at the risk of over generalising, I am dubious as to how much thorough handwashing goes on)
  3. DD is at nursery - this seesm to be a little haven of bugs, germs and viruses. Goes with the territory I guess.
  4. I'm asthmatic
  5. Had seasonal flu in pregnancy last time & was very poorly & hospitalised.

I felt like that put me at reasonable risk TBH. Plus the flu I had whilst pregnant in 2009 was most certainly caught from someone at work. Don't know if that helps or not. I can see SaorAlbal's points about the risks of coming into contact with SF being somewhat less for her.

camdancer · 21/12/2010 16:41

Quick update - baby still has a heartbeat. Now I just need to get off the ibuprofen asap. But the consultant said I should get the flu jab after Christmas when I feel better just in case. I will definitely be getting it.

StrangewaysHereICome · 21/12/2010 16:41

Sorry I have not read whole thread, but can I just add that the jab takes two weeks to be fully effective. So if you wait until someone near you has flu and then get the vaccination it might not protect you.

I had my jab at 28 weeks, my dc got flu the following week. I was unwell but not as badly as they were. I took my youngest to the GP as she has been hit the hardest and he said he has seen more cases of flu this year than he did last year in the pandemic. I am very please I have had the vaccination.

StrangewaysHereICome · 21/12/2010 16:42

x-posts good news Camdancer