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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:
christmasheave · 21/12/2010 16:46

Had the Jab last year and baby and I had no side effects.

There was a story in the paper today about Fallon Devaney who is 5 months pg and in a coma due to swine flu. It was stories similar to that last year that made me decide to have the jab.

Immunisations are such a personal decision that I can't tell someone else to have it, but I always do as it seems a lower risk.

nutcrackerneepsntinseltatties · 21/12/2010 17:00

I wasn't going to have it but this thread has given me the fear so I am booked in for tomorrow. My only worry is that the Dr will have the version which has some mercury in it, it was mentioned on the chat thread. Not sure what I will do if this is the case.

Armi · 21/12/2010 17:23

Just got back from having it done. I'd rather chance 'something' going wrong (although what, I'm not sure, as there don't appear to be any proven lasting side effects for the baby)than risk catching swine flu and it doing for one or both of us.

Nightstar · 21/12/2010 17:35

What about having it at only 5 weeks? One friend told me her midwife said not to risk it until 12 weeks and another told me her doctor gave it to her straight away when she found out! Can anyone clarify?

orangepoo · 21/12/2010 17:37

Why don't they give the jab to people who are TTC so that the possible effect on the baby is not something that has to be considered because the baby isn't there yet?

Armi · 21/12/2010 17:49

The nurse today said she had no problem giving it to me as I'm 12 weeks along, which did make me wonder if there would had been an issue if I'd gone for it earlier.

SummertimePinksOrBlues · 21/12/2010 18:01

I'm 17 weeks & have just had the jab today and no issues (may be too early to tell about the sore arm.) Though they did mention if you had the swine flu jab last year then the sore arm shouldn't be a problem this year...

shergar · 21/12/2010 18:35

I'm a medic with a PhD in relevant discipline and urge you to have it. All it contains is proteins that look a bit like the flu surface marker proteins (i.e. no virus particles at all, and no possible way to get infected!) which are harmless, but will prime your immune system against potential infection. PLEASE get it done, there's no way it can harm you or the baby, but it could prevent serious harm.

shergar · 21/12/2010 18:38

Doesn't matter when you have it, btw, it's harmless and beneficial whenever!

lynn7300 · 21/12/2010 19:31

ive got swine flu now....day 8 and dont feel any better....im only 5 weeks gone....does anyone know if you have it once do you still have to have the jab again.....i would tell everyone to get it because i have never felt so ill in my life.....

nicolamumof3 · 21/12/2010 20:18

I am 10+3 and going for jab tomorrow.

working9while5 · 21/12/2010 20:53

I freaked out about this hugely last year (I am also moderate to severely asthmatic). I became vaguely hormonally obsessive about it... writing letters to my MP about the lack of a vaccine etc (despite not being sure I wanted one!).

I finally had the vaccine at 30 something weeks. No ill effects to report at all.

SkaterGrrrrl · 21/12/2010 21:13

I had it in Jan when I was about 12 weeks pregnant. DD1 & I are both fighting fit. Why wouldn't one take advantage of any free vaccination?

Tangle · 21/12/2010 21:37

I was pregnant last winter. I didn't have the vaccine. I caught SF when 36 weeks and wound up in hospital on a drip and IV ABs. DD2 died in utero before I got there. There weren't any problems caused by a high temperature as I didn't have one (at all) - but I did have a blood pressure of 60/30 and very poor oxygenation levels (50%).

Something I've learnt since is that any change in movement (either a decrease or an increase) should be checked. DD was incredibly active the morning she died - much more so than usual - but I chalked it up to a protest to me throwing up so much and didn't think anymore about it.

Trying to decide what to do was incredibly hard and I sympathise with any of you going through it now. All I would say is make sure you're basing your decision on information specific to this years trivalent flu vaccine and NOT info hanging around from last year.

(I did see something suggesting that repeat vaccination was advised as immunity was only expected to last about 1 year - not because it might not have worked. Although that's also a possibility).

Good luck making your decisions, and healthy pregnancies to you all :)

nutcrackerneepsntinseltatties · 21/12/2010 22:06

Tangle I am so sorry for your loss. That must have been awful for you.

parched · 21/12/2010 22:25

I had the jab whilst pregnant last year. I had no side effects and am really pleased I had it.

worm77daisy · 22/12/2010 05:28

Not read the whole of this thread so sorry if it has been mentioned. I had my flu jab yesterday and made the nurse let me read the small print. Pregnant women should NOT have the jab until after the first trimester.

Adair · 22/12/2010 08:35

Thanks all, and Tangle so sorry for your loss. Am booked in for Friday morning - can't believe I didn't know about it even!

pamelat · 22/12/2010 09:42

tangle so sorry for your loss Sad

OhLoueyTownofBethlehem · 22/12/2010 10:33

worm I had it at 5wks pg (GP gave it to me). There is discrepant advice from the NHS vs the information sheet that comes with the vaccines.

The information sheet is very cautious and states "The limited data from vaccinations in pregnant women do not indicate that adverse fetal and maternal outcomes were attributable to the vaccine. The use of this vaccine may be considered from the second trimester of pregnancy. For pregnant women with medical conditions that increase their risk of complications from influenza, administration of the vaccine is recommended, irrespective of their stage of pregnancy."

The NHS says to have it at any point during pregnancy see here. The problem with waiting until 12 weeks at this time of year is that you are likely to be exposed to flu during that time. The reason they suggest not vaccinating before 12 weeks is not because of any risk to you/your baby but merely because the risk of miscarriage is higher then and people might naturally link the two together. After 12 weeks the risk drops as you know. I don't think there is any drug which is "recommended" for use in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy simply because they don't test drugs on women in this stage of pregnancy.

I have been knocked sideways with a flu-like bug for which I can take nothing other than paracetamol, so am very thankful I am vaccinated against flu which would be 10x worse.

tangle I've read your story a few times and it is horrifying. Thank you for continuing to post on these threads as I imagine it must be really hard for you to do that.

tlise · 22/12/2010 11:03

300 people are in intensive care now with flu...how many are pregnant I don't know, but I would be more worried had I not had it. It doesn't prevent completely if you get a different strain but you are vaccinated against the 3 most viral.

theevildead2 · 22/12/2010 11:06

I haven't had it. I felt that I was unlikely to get swine flu and therfore unlikely to suffer the side affects. But I was 100% putting myself at risk of any possible side affects by getting the jab.

You will feel guilty whatever you do! Just do what you think will make you feel the least guilty!

CardyMow · 22/12/2010 11:53

I had the flu jab today. My arm hurts. I'm 36+3 today. The reason I was so worried is because I had swine flu 18 months ago, and it affected me really badly for 8 MONTHS afterwards, after I recovered from the initial swine flu, over the course of the following 8 months, I had 5 chest infections, and then in February this year, I nearly died of pneumonia as a complicatio of swine flu.

Despite all that, because the swine flu virus may hae mutated, I am still at risk of getting it again, and I'm not willing to take that risk, bearing in mind how ill it made me for so long afterwards.

NotAnotherNewNappy · 22/12/2010 12:34

I had it yesterday then marched DH (asthmatic) and DD (2.3yrs) to the surgery to be vaccinated this morning.

Tangle My heart aches for you, so sorry to hear your of your very sad loss but thank you for sharing your story with us.

lynn7300 Wish you better, it must be awful.

orangepoo DD wasn't eligable for the free jab (under 5s are not being catagorised as high risk this year) but, after a bit of probing, my GP gave me the option of paying £15 to have her done. Well worth it IMO. This would be a good option if you are TTC?

nutcrackerneepsntinseltatties On the webchat yesterday, the doctor said there was no mercury in any of the vaccines and that there is no link between mercury and autism.

I am slightly concerned as I was coming down with a cold before I had the jab and it's now worse (not side affect, think it was just coming on anyway). Feels way too mild to be swine flu, but of course I am completely paranoid about it now.

nutcrackerneepsntinseltatties · 22/12/2010 13:18

Did he not say one had a trace in it - fluvirin I think.

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