Info given at time of flu jab

[Bagrat]

I know this is off topic but maybe a symptom of different info giving in any healthcare situation. Just wondered what you older guys were asked and told about the new specially for elderly jab.

OH and I were asked " fit and well today, well comparitively! On antibiotics or steroids, allergic to eggs". Choose arm, got jab then " no heavy lifting today it went into a muscle ( new info) don't worry about local reaction redness ( old info). Take it easy this afternoon, ok to go out tonight.

Gone are the days when you had to sit in surgery for 10 mins afterwards to make sure you didn't keel over. But all staff had trendy tee shirts advertising flu jabs couldn't read it as in and out so fast!

[BobD Volunteer]

Hells bells that was thorough! If you haven't got your arm exposed when you get the the cubicle door you miss your turn. lol 😁 If you actually stop walking at any point you get a log jam at our surgery. They even open the back door and have a one way system so people don't bump into each other. Do the whole population in two Saturdays down yere. One year the traffic jams of people trying to get to and from surgery closed severla local roads and brought the local paper photographer out.

[10gingercats in reply to BobD]

Much the same here Bob.There are several one hourly sessions you can choose to book into and i swear each group has about seventy people booked into it. It is 'hello, arm ready?' and that is it .

[Hidden in reply to 10gingercats]

My appointment was 10.34! When I laughed was told everyone was given a minute!! Needless to say when I got there surgery was full to overflowing.

D

[Bagrat in reply to Hidden]

Chatting to senior nurse last year. She said 3 mins too long, 2 too short, and the plan was to allocate 2/3 alternately. Sadly she forgot to tell reception so her name mud on first Saturday!!

[Tyson4ever in reply to BobD]

😅

[Buffafly]

I had to specify right arm as we are told to use left, asked if I took warfarin, said Apixaban, OK, all done, take leaflet, goodbye. The leaflet warned me of all sorts of horrible reactions but all I had was a slightly sore arm and felt a bit tired for a couple of days. Don't know if the lack of reaction is good or bad?

[cassie46]

My appointment was 2 p.m went in at 2.20, nobody went in before me she just started late. I donn't think there was anyone else having a flu jab, waiting room was practically empty. Asked is I was Well, gave jab, said arm might be sore for a few days and told to sit in the waiting room for 10 mins before going home in case I had a reaction. Was not offered a plaster had to ask for one, she asked why, I said I am on anticoagulant so it might bleed a bit. I went straight out to the car, did sit for 5 mins, then drove home.

Cassie

[songbird74]

I'm worried I didn't really get a jab - I didn't feel the needle go in she was so quick and afterwards I couldn't see any sign of where it might have been - no redness or hard area at all and absolutely no reaction. I'm on Rivaoxaban but wasn't asked re anticoagulants and no bleeding at all - could there be some kind of placebo trial going on do you think?

[Bagrat in reply to songbird74]

No I don't think so mine has been fine too.

[dizzielizzie1]

My husband and I ( both over 65) went to Tesco for our flu jabs. No appointment necessary. Filled in the forms and I said I was on Apixaban and Losartan. After a five minute wait a very pleasant young pharmacist took us into the little 'consulting room' and looked at our forms. He asked if we were feeling well--we were- and if we were allergic to eggs, which we weren't. He said he would use a finer needle on me as I was on an anti-coagulant. Didn't feel a thing. Afterwards he asked us to stay in the building for 10 minutes, which was fine as we were doing shopping anyway. Hubby said,' don't worry about us we'll be fine,' to which the pharmacist replied, ' oh , but I have a duty to make sure you are Ok afterwards.' He also informed us that he would inform our GP surgery within 24 hours that we had received the flu jab, which he did, but we still got reminders from the surgery to have it done---'-mistake' said the surgery!!. Contrast that with our surgery where the car park was full for the two hours of the flu clinic with people coming and going all the time and a queue of people waiting for a very impersonal 'jab.' Another local surgery ran out of the over 65 vaccine during a roll up session and there was pandemonium with patients being cross at being sent away and told to come back on another day. It will be Tesco pharmacy for me from now on for my flu jab--convenient, polite, caring service and done at my convenience not at my surgery's convenience. Oh and patients were NOT asked to wait for 10 minutes afterwards at my surgery, but then again the waiting room couldn't have accommodated them all.

[Bagrat in reply to dizzielizzie1]

Sounds like an excellent service.

[Hidden]

I've never had the flu jab since it was offered to me and not had flu either! Before there were flu jabs, I had had flu twice and on both occasions I just spent a few days in bed and then felt fine- nothing serious at all- just a good rest. It is good for the drug companies!

[Bagrat in reply to Hidden]

Indeed but last time I had a riproaring virus of the ghastly kind my AF kicked off big time and I ended up with an armful of drugs so lesser evil I think. Also a bit like vaccs by having the jab you protect other vulnerable people as you could carry the virus . This might be a cough and a splutter for you but lead to pneumonia for another