Update on flu/covid jab issue

[Mandevilla]

I posted a while back because I was concerned that my surgery was insisting I had asthma and covid vaccinations at the same time and I was worried about getting double the amount of side effects (vaccinations usually cause a short-term flareup of asthma symptoms). And I didn't think I qualified for the covid jab anyway, but the surgery were saying I either had to have both or neither!

I had my asthma review this morning and raised my concerns with the asthma nurse. She said that the programme which sends invites to the vaccination clinic isn't very accurate, and it tends to invite anyone who has the word 'steroid' in their list of medications, so of course, it sends the invites to everyone on inhaled steroids as well as oral! She said that this would be picked up when I go for my vaccine appointment, because the nurses will be looking at my actual patient record to see what jabs I get, not just going by what the computer programme tells them!

She also said that the reason the reception staff were refusing to book separate appointments was because the majority of patients didn't want both vaccinations at once, even if they have never shown any reaction to either individually, so the practice manager has imposed a blanket ban on separate appointments to save time and money. But she said that the nurses would never insist on someone who has reacted badly to one jab having both at once, so if I ever do need to have both in future, I just need to explain to the practice nurse how vaccines affect my asthma and she will just do the one and make a separate appointment for the second.

I thought it would be helpful to provide an update in case anyone else has the same issue. Bottom line - don't worry about what the GP or receptionists say, just explain to the nurses and you should be ok!

NB: I couldn't post this update on my last post because it had to be closed due to people posting anti-vaccine stuff. I hope no one is going to do that here - you're welcome to your opinions, but those of us who have decided to have vaccines should be able to discuss the best way of limiting side effects without having people trying to convince us not to have them at all!

[fraid]

Glad you've got that sorted. I actually want vaxs, didn't get covid last year coz I'm housebound so bottom of queue. Yet they em and sent letter saying get em both, surgery sez nurses will be in touch, never do, I have to keep trying to remind them. Major cockup in some places esp. if you're housebound. 🤷‍♀️

[Homely2 Administrator]

Really glad you got this sorted.

[Bevvy]

Glad you were able to get sorted. I had both jabs this week - don’t have any ill effects apart from a sore arm (think from flu jab) so get both.

I actually feel quite sorry for gp surgeries over jabs. When I used to have flu jab at surgery it was always absolute chaos! Made even worse if people couldn’t queue outside due to weather. I can see to have that x2 would be awful for the staff involved.

I was sad to read your NB and did go back and look at previous post. You are 100% right and am tired of anti vaxers trying to take over posts with their views. You never asked for that opinion and we all have a right to decide what vaccines and indeed what treatments we receive for ourselves.

[L8Again]

There is a bigger issue at play here. My wife and I are off for our flu jabs this morning at our local surgery. Previously, they were offering both flu and Covid jabs at the same time and doing it very efficiently. This year our surgery is not offering any Covid jabs to its patients and it has been totally silent on the issue. Why?

A decision was taken by the NHS earlier this year to reduce the payment made to GP surgeries when they provide both jabs. I suspect this and the ongoing dispute with Government about GP surgery funding has resulted in patients in my town having to travel up to 15 to 20 miles to get a Covid jab. We only have one GP surgery covering two small towns (22000 patients).

PS: Despite the PM’s claim today that his Government has solved all the pay disputes in the NHS, he is being somewhat economical with the truth. I suspect that a clever SPAD has come up with the line that GPs are not actually NHS employees: they are contractors to the NHS so this makes the PM’s claim true. I feel a Victor Meldrew moment coming on.

[Thomas45]

When I went I was asked if I wanted both injections. I did, so had flu in left arm and covid in right.. Resulted in a little soreness in flu jab arm, but not in covid jab arm. No other side effects. I am asthmatic taking DuoResp Spiromax 320/9 inhaler 2 puffs x 2 a day, as well as having permanent though asymptomatic AF.

[beech in reply to Thomas45]

That’s good news!

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to Thomas45]

It's so odd how individual it can be - perhaps also due to the person giving it. I had the flu jab on Monday and my arm was a little sore for the evening. The COVID one (yesterday) is still making my entire arm painful to move. It needs to go before I have to play the cello again!

[Mandevilla in reply to Lysistrata]

I think the person who gives it definitely plays a role - my very first covid jab, I was at a vaccination centre and the army were doing it. The woman who did mine jabbed me so hard she nearly knocked me off my chair, and I felt an immediate pain shooting down my arm and spent the next 48 hours feeling like I wanted to rip my arm off it hurt so much! The second dose was given by a nurse, and I didn't even feel the needle go in.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to Mandevilla]

(Your reply posted twice by the way for some odd reason - I deleted the duplicate to avoid confusion!)

Ouch, that sounds really painful! I've definitely had some people who were rough with a needle -had a hydrocortisone injection that really hurt once from a paramedic in the back of an ambulance, but other times it hasn't hurt at all. Even my self-injection during a crisis was less painful than that paramedic! (He was otherwise great but needles were not one of his skills.)

Same with B12 - that's always a little painful due to the substance being injected, but it's a lot worse with some people than others. Also cannulas and arterial blood gasses (yes, I'm judging performances on those lol, but not out loud as making them nervous is not in my interest!)

[flowerjunky]

Glad to hear you got yours sorted.

I qualify for both (due to multiple health conditions) and always have any recommended vaccines, however I don’t want to have both at the same time for several reasons.

1 - I have only just had covid (1 month ago) and therefore should have enough of my own antibodies for a while.

2 - I do a physical job and can’t have both arms sore and limited movement even for just a day or so.

3 - I’m immunosuppressed (by meds) and don’t feel my body will cope with dealing with both vaccines at the same time.

I spoke to my gp surgery and they said they couldn’t do separate appointments but suggested I get the flu jab at a local pharmacy and then book my covid jab via the nhs app later.

I had my flu jab last Monday at a local pharmacy and will book my covid jab for about 2 months time.

[Mandevilla in reply to flowerjunky]

I hear you about the sore arms - I work as a gardener. But I'm usually so poorly generally for 1-2 days after a jab that my arms are ok before I'm well enough to be back at work anyway! I think our surgery will do separate appointments for those who really need them due to the impossibility of getting the flu jab anywhere else locally - we're in a very rural area and the local pharmacies don't offer them.

[Allbranuser]

Both at same time. All ok.

[LittleMissFaffALot]

I always book my flu jab for a local pharmacy which I did weeks ago - the appointment is for 28th October (first day of half term). I was surprised to get an invite to book a covid jab as I've never been priority before despite being a lifelong asthmatic. Last year I was lucky enough to get my covid jab through work, there's been no mention of it so far this year. I've booked my covid jab for next Thursday, again at a local pharmacy although not the same one that's doing my flu jab.

[Poobah]

My Dr's surgery has never offered a covid vaccination as they just don't have the storage facilities. But the wider group of surgeries aren't offering them either, for the first time. Interestingly, all the Hedena run surgeries in the town are offering covid shots. I had to travel out of town to get my covid shot, this week.

So flu shot at GP surgery and then 3 days later, covid shot at a village community centre. Not sure what folk do if they haven't got transport.

[peege]

I'm very glad you're sorted Mandevilla.Just to add my tuppence worth......I received 2 nhs notifications to book covid & flu vaccinations. First one was offering several pharmacies the nearest 5 miles away so I booked that for 10th October. A few days later offer to have both at my surgery booked soonest appointment for 8th November (that was a first, in the past they've always booked a village hall a few miles away with a big carpark which was always very efficient ). Anyway I decided to do the soonest appt and glad I did. Two slightly sore arms but 26 hours after jabs was very feverish so went to bed to ride it out without paracetamol. All done, just hugely relieved the age limit was dropped to 65 as I couldn't have the spring booster.....caught my first covid from a grandchild in sunny June, wasn't too bad apart from 3 months of post covid fatigue. I dont want it again!

[Snowdrop27]

I just had covid and missed my covid and flu jab as I had covid the week before my jab was due. Rebooked for next Saturday. I have covid in one arm and flu in the other. I usually get a sore arm from flu jab and feel tired the next day. Having covid really upset my asthma two asthma attacks 2 days apart before I tested positive a day later. The post covid fatigue lasted another week after my symptoms disappeared.

I have only had flu once I'm my life as a young adult (before I was disgnoised with asthma as a 34 Yr old. I felt horrible and took to my bed for a week.

In the last 9 yrs my asthma has got much worse. I now on mart regime plus spriva inhaler since having got double pneumonia last November. I waa hospitalised for 10 days on oxygen and double antibiotics to get rid of it.

So really don't want to get flu as a cold can set off my asthma.

I am very grateful for the nhs and my GPs who really look after me.

[bluecar15]

So does this mean they're inviting people who aren't actually eligible and when you get to the appointment they won't let you have a covid jab?

[Mandevilla in reply to bluecar15]

Yes - the letter tells everyone who is eligible for a flu jab that they are also eligible for Covid and will be receiving both at the same time. It's crazy, because I can imagine a lot of people being cross when they find out they only get the flu jab, but I also wonder how many people won't get either because they are nervous about getting both at the same time. Typical mismanagement from our surgery.

[Mandevilla]

Had my flu jab yesterday and ended up seeing the same nurse who did my review last week, so all ok. Side effects not as bad as last year, but still feeling a bit short of breath, so I'm glad I didn't have two at once! I did mention the 'both or neither' attitude from the receptionists again, and pointed out that I very nearly picked 'neither' because of this, and the nurse did say that she would raise that, although I'm not optimistic of seeing any change! But at least I'm sorted for this year.