flu jab

[mrsbugsywugsy]

I'm 25 weeks pregnant and was due to get my flu jab tomorrow morning.

However I have just received a message from the Dr's surgery saying that they have cancelled the session due to 'supply problems'. The next session is 3rd November. (They run special sessions for the jab, rather than giving people appointments).

Does anyone know when flu season starts, and whether there is a risk of getting flu before then? If so is there any other way of getting the jab sooner? How bad is it, if I actually get the flu?

There's always a risk of getting flu, it's just a lot lower in the summer than the winter. If you want the jab you can usually pay for it at Boots or supermarket pharmacies. It costs about a tenner.

Oh, and as you're pregnant it means that if you do get the flu you are more at risk from complications like pneumonia and of stillbirth. The flu jab also covers swine flu.

It starts around now. I've had flu since being pregnant and it was bloody miserable because I couldn't really take any remedies, but no lasting effects. You'll probably be fine until then to be honest (keep your hands very clean, avoid ill people etc), but if you're concerned, you could ask them to refer you to another local surgery? Alternatively you can pay to have it done at most Boots, Asda, Sainsburys etc. Obv it's not entirely fair as you're pregnant- you shouldn't really pay for it. But rather than stressing about having it...

I just gave the surgery a call and they said my only option was to go to Boots and pay for it.

The annoying thing is that I am asthmatic and therefore entitled to it anyway, but I normally ignore their letters inviting me to have it. Now for the first time ever I really do want it because it could put the baby at risk , and can't have it!

I didnt even know until my 28w bloods i had to have it!

I have booked it in a few weeks, i was really ill when she said have i had the flu jab?

I had my glands swelled up and my nose is still blocked up!

well, I went into Boots to ask about it and they said they aren't allowed to give it to pregnant women! So it's a bit of a catch 22 situation.

xmaseve I don't think you have to have it at a particular point in pregnancy, it's just that this is the time of year when flu starts to go around.

as far as i am aware - someone who manufactures the jab has discovered a problem in the trials!! thats why they have stopped its supply at the moment!

From what I've read it was a manufacturing problem with a particular batch from a particular pharmaceutical company, so it only affects places that had ordered their supplies from them.

ooo that'll be why my date was changed too then...

you may have complications if you get flu during pregnancy, but like most things it's fairly unlikely (depends where you are in your preg/anything else you might suffer from). It's more because the jab is so cheap there's no point not vaccinating all pregnant women come the start of the flu season (they only start giving out the jabs around end of sept/beg oct each year, and stop around Feb time - which just about covers the flu season).

I had flu last time I was pregnant, and really it wasn't much fun for me, but I didn't have any complications (had it at the start of the flu season before getting my jab, at 34 weeks). Just don't worry too much and keep good distance from anyone who looks like they might be ill (lol) and keep your hands clean etc. you should be fine.