Who is not getting the Swine Flu Vacc... - Asthma Community ...

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Who is not getting the Swine Flu Vaccine?

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I thought I'd ask everyone who has asthma and is not getting the swine flu vaccine? I been getting my seasonal flu one every year for the passed few years with no problems at all. This year I am not able to get the seasonal one because my area is only giving it to people over 65. I been doing back and forth on the H1N1 shot and I am not so sure I want to get it anymore. I've never had reactions or anything fro vaccines before but this one just makes me wonder a little. I keep hearing bad things about it, and just what is it in it. Anyone know or have received the one with out the adjevents in it? is it effective for asthmatics and anyone? If I were to get it I would rather get that one than the one with the Mercury and other prerservatives they added to it. Also anyone worried about the Swine Flu and having Asthma. I am worried about it more because I am asthmatic and the things I heard that it can cause with out condition.

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Someone said tonight that vaccine only given to folk in their 30s and 40s cos OAPs won't be likely to get swine flu.

I have had the seasonal flu vaccine and will be getting the swine flu vaccine. All the data I have read suggests there is no reason to doubt the safety of the swine flu vaccine but it is clear that asthma is a risk for getting a very nasty dose of swine flu (25% of people hospitalised for swine flu have asthma, according to data in the British Medical Journal). It worries me, though, that you have not been offered seasonal flu vaccine - everyone with asthma whould be on the priority list for it and there is no reason for it to be rationed.

Extract from america Natural new.

flu vaccines still contain thimerosal and that to avoid mercury, they have to ask for mercury-free shots. On November 13, 2007, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ran the headline: ""Most flu shots contain mercury, but few know it.""

Thimerosal consists of 49.6% ethyl mercury. The Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration have not set an exposure limit for ethyl mercury.

""The federal agencies have, however, set exposure limits for another organic and closely related form of mercury, methyl mercury - the type that comes from coal-fired power plants and is found in fish,"" the Journal said. ""They use that standard when estimating the safety of ethyl mercury.""

""A typical 0.5 milliliter flu shot contains 25 micrograms - or 50,000 parts per billion - of mercury,"" the Journal reported.

""The EPA classifies a liquid with 200 parts per billion of mercury as hazardous waste,"" it advised. ""The limit for drinking water is 2 parts per billion.""

Using the standards set for methyl mercury consumption, ""an average 130-pound person getting the flu shot would exceed the daily limit by more than four times,"" the Journal reported.

""A 22-pound baby would get more than 25 times the amount of mercury considered safe,"" it said.

""Mercury is among the most toxic heavy metals and is known to poison the central nervous system, liver, gastrointestinal tract and other systems in the body,"" the Journal reported.

Even after reading this, and I have also seen the 25% figure for H1N1 admissions being asthmatics, and also H1N1 is different in that it settles lower in the lungs, I will probably get the vaccine, just as I have with the seasonal one.

I have never had flu jab as i am allergic to it and i have been advised not to get Swine Flu jab due to my allergies and they are not sure if i will be able to tolerate it and they dont want me to end really ill through having it and having an allergic reaction to it. Think this sensible option for me even if i am in risk group.

In our clinics with all our respiratory children including asthma raging from moderate to very severe we are advicing them to get both. I note however that everyone is getting different information from their GP's but as far as we are concerned if you are an asthmatic you will be on the practice data base as such & should get called for the seasonal flu vac & therefore it goes that you should also get called fro the H1N1 vac.

Safety questions about the H1N1 vaccine are addressed in this webchat with David Salisbury, director of immunisations at the Department of Health, on 30 Oct 09. Topics addressed include H1N1 vaccine and pregnancy; concerns about thiomersal (ethyl mercury - ""There are now numerous studies from many countries done in different ways that all come to the same conclusion: that we cannot identify harm from thiomersal in vaccines. Indeed, the US courts threw out thiomersal as a cause of autism. One of the most compelling pieces of evidence was that when thiomersal was taken out of US childhood vaccines, autism rates continued to rise. Under those circumstances you really can't implicate thiomersal.""), different versions of the H1N1 vaccine; use of adjuvants; vaccine schedule; allergies and the mixed messages coming from some health professionals.

mumsnet.com/onlinechats/dav...

Are GP''s meant to invite you for the seasonal flu jab? I had no idea about it and only found out when someone in my church told me that the DRs were doing jabs - which is what happens every year. When I went for my jab I then found that they had a sign up sheet for swine flu in the receptionist - but only because I asked. Does anyone know if there is some kind of protocol about actually inviting people?

I phoned asthma uk today to ask about the swine flu vaccine,as my GP will not answer any questions on the vaccine.I was told that any one on a proventative inhaler would get the swine flu vaccine.The goverment have sent at a green book with the list of poeple that qualify.So if your not sure give them a ring.

Thank goodness for the nurse at asthma uk,I got more help from her than my GP surgery.

I asked today at the GP and was told I *should* be on the list (I wasn't convinced they were sure - maybe they have contradictory advice?) but that they didn't have it in yet - that it should be available mid-November.

Swine Flu Clinics

Had my monthly asthma review today. I'm on the Swine Flu Vaccine list and by next month, will be my turn. They're concentrating on young children and expectant mums at the moment. To be given in swine flu 'clinics' as there are ten doses in one bottle, so they can't take out just a single dose for one person. Which is why I didn't get mine today.

My partner and son are not getting the swine flu vaccine as it stands (GSK) however when/if they offer the alternative (Baxters)then we will accept.

neither I or my daughter will be having it, i dont tolerate the normal flu jab but my daughter does have it. Today i saw my outreach nurse who liaises between ITU and the wards and she said not many nurses she had spoken to were having it as the general consensus was - its not been tested enough and the long term effects arent known .

This is exactly my feeling too hence y thre will be 2 doses that can go to someone else.

I won't be getting it as I am allergic to the seasonal flu jab and have been advised not to risk having this one either. I'm quite thankful to be spared making the decision actually as I think this is going to be a tough call.

Had the swine flu jab and really glad I did.asthma not controlled and just had a nasty chest infection and really bad with it ,so glad to have had the swine flu jab or hate to think how I would be without it xxx

Fee- their is a non egg based version available if you want it

Glynis-think you might get over your chest infection before the vaccine works, takes about two weeks to become effective.

Thanks Woody but I'm not actually allergic to eggs - they don't know what component I'm allergic to!

I'm not, Been there done that had the swine flu. A lot of the nurses at the hospital I go to aren't because , the seasonal flu is created each year based on what strains the government are most likely to affect the population ... strains of flu mutate, so who is to say the h1n1 in the summer which is what the vaccines will prevent, hasn't mutated into a whole different strain thus offering no protection anyway?

cici73 profile image
cici73

Hi I have had both my seasonal flu and then the swine flu vaccines in the past fortnight, without any ill effects other than a sore arm at the seasonal flus injection site. I'm 35, but within my local area few people over 65 seem to be getting vaccinated for H1n1

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