flu shot

[Annie122]

hi who in here has had the flu shot and how did you feel after it ?

[SoulmanPaul]

I had it last week. No ill effects that Im aware of, that said I was feeling lousy from a heavy cold and chest infection so not sure Id have noticed!

[Mmrr]

I had it last month, apart from a slightly stiff arm the following day I had no problems at all.

[summer32 in reply to Mmrr]

As aboveyfine with sore arm for two days

[Pulfs]

Decided today to have the flu jab after a lot of thinking it over ,phoned Drs and said I could come that afternoon, very quick. Went along and said I'd just finished my biological infusions and was assured no problem,hubby came along too but came out with 2 sore arms as he also qualified for the shingles jab,poor him .

Hopefully all will be ok.

[juneann in reply to Pulfs]

Flu jab unlikely to be effective and to be avoided up to six months after infusion and six weeks before next?

[Pulfs in reply to juneann]

Not the advice I was given told to leave it for 2wks after infusion. I have Retuximab every 6mths.

[AgedCrone in reply to Pulfs]

I've just been all through this pantomime of Flu jabs & RTX infusions. Result was if you have the 65+Fluad vaccine ...they won't give you the infusion.

The regular jab...30 days before infusion & 90 days after.

Guess the answer is just keep asking until you find a hospital that gives you the answer you want to hear...& give them your custom.

I've given up & gone the No Jab Route.

[juneann in reply to Pulfs]

sciencedaily.com/releases/2.... Just one of many articles claiming that a flu shot needs o be given no less than 4 weeks before RTX and no sooner than 6 months afterwards. I have also spoken to consultant, nurse specialist and GP. My surgery is keeping a vaccine aside for me to have it administered in December. There is a long post on this very subject on here from six years ago. The shot is likely to be ineffective if at best it may offer 16% protection if given maybe three months after RTX. Over the next three months your body is being depleted of protective cells with a further three at least to recover.

[Ruth12345]

Ive had 2 now. 1st one I never noticed any isuues. This years was fine except for ichy red area around injection site for few days. Nothing compared to getting flu on top of RD. I really didnt fancy having something else chemical into my system, but the thought of getting flu, I just thought I must have it and so far so good. Hope that helps.

[Beachgirl]

Hi I’ve had 2 now first year was ok this year just a few aches around injection site, I had flu a few years back, was really ill with it, you have that flu jab far better than being seriously ill with flu, especially with our low immune system.

[AnneField]

Hi Annie, I had it at the start of October. I felt slightly "off" the next day but to be fair, that's probably because the waiting room at my GP is a pit of filth!

[Caza]

Hi I had it done a few weeks ago & had no problems at all. First I’ve ever had. Decided after being so ill last winter with what started with the flu & ended with being pneumonia.

[Hattie23]

Six weeks ago was mine. Absolutely no problems at all

[Happygranny1958]

I've had mine and no issues.

[Zip1]

Sore arm for a couple of days that’s all.

[sylvi]

No problems at all.xx

[helixhelix]

Had mine, didn't even notice it.

[popsmith1874]

Had it last month slight sniffles afterwards

[Fra22-57]

No problem.bit of sore arm day later but ok.this one had at my chemist...new one for me

[JEM95]

I had mine a month or so ago. I also had pneumonia jab. No problem with either.

[Mandalou]

Had it Annie and pneumonia last year.

No problems at all.

Mx

[Hidden]

I had mine yesterday. Feel cack today, but that's probably more to do with sitting daily with a dying friend. Last year I'm pretty sure no I'll effects.

[helixhelix in reply to Hidden]

That's good that you are gettting to spend some time with him. I think saying goodbye properly helps afterwards.

[nomoreheels]

Both myself & h have it every year. Had it in October & felt even less than normal, I usually have a bit of an achy arm around the injection site but nothing this year. Please do have it, there's a reason it's free to those at risk so better being covered for the most prevalent strains than the increased risk of getting flu, being really poorly & bringing on a flare or worse hospitalisation if you get a secondary infection. Beds are even more limited in winter (dare say because some at risk people don't have the flu jab) & we all know the state of the NHS.

[AgedCrone in reply to nomoreheels]

I was put on the list by my GP to have the 65+ FLUAD vaccine

I had flu for the first time ever this year after having had the regular vaccine in 2017....and for many years before then.

A prescribing pharmacist doing my annual prescription review suggested I should take advice before having it as I am on RTX.

After a week asking everyone involved in my RTX infusions I got used to the "caught in the headlights stare" from everyone from pharmacist to Rheumy nurse. In the end I spoke to the Biologics nurses who administer the infusion & was told if I had the FLUAD vaccine I couldn't have my Rtx infusion.

The reason appears be a State Secret....reading between the lines it seems as it is the first time this vaccine is being used in the UK my hospital is being cautious.

As it took me two weeks to get the information it was then too late to ask if I could have the regular vaccine....as my infusion was due in 3 weeks.

As Flu vaccines are administered every year I would have hoped somebody might have enquired in the US, & other European counriies ..even ask the manufacturer of FLUAD ....what protocol was followed for people on certain drugs and infusions.......or am I expecting too much?

So if I get flu again.....& need a hospital bed....I just hope I have enough breath to explain I didn't not have the vaccine out of choice...but because nobody who I had expected to be qualified to know if I should have it .....didn't know !

[nomoreheels in reply to AgedCrone]

Oh gosh, I hope you don't... need a hospital bed I mean not have enough breath! What a farce though. If a new vaccine is released wouldn't you think all the yay & nays were released with it? Seems daft, even unacceptable, that patients have to do all the running about & I don't like to think how many on rituximab who hadn't by chance had their annual med review or didn't suspect they may be contraindicated before having the FLUAD vaccine & been advised to seek advice on the protocol from the manufacturer, why would they? So no, I don't think you're asking too much.

I may be being naive here but are you not able to have the quadrilavent vaccine? Even if the protection isn't thought to be as good for the over 65's as the FLUAD some is better than none surely, or does the same apply?

[AgedCrone in reply to nomoreheels]

It's too late...I have my first infusion, of two, on 3/12.

I had made the apt to have " An Infuenza vaccination" as it was described in the letter from my GP on 27/10......which turned out to be Fluad. I was cutting it fine as I couldn't have it less than 30 days before the infusion, I only found out there might be a problem because the Prescribing Pharmacist who does the annual prescription review asked if my rheumatologist knew I was having it.

So that is why I didn't just go ahead with it....naively presuming my GP knew what he was doing. I suppose as an ex nurse I'm a bit more concerned about reactions than most.

I asked the pharmacist at the surgery...blank look. So I went to Boots where the pharmacist was very helpful but said up until that time ...early October the..... ..NHS hadn't issued any guidelines....then went to an independent pharmacist who said the same. Got no reply from Rheumy nurse, got comprehensive reply from manufacturer of FLUAD & RTX was mentioned as maybe having side effects.

On reflection I should have asked the Biologics nurses at the hospital, first, but they are run off their feet & I didn't want to bother them,& TBH I didn't realise there was so little info available even to the professionals.

At that point I was not going to chance having the vaccine if nobody could give me any information about what sort of reaction there might be with RTX.......a sore arm or much worse?

In the end the answer from the Biologic nurse at the hospital, was if I went ahead with the vaccine they could not give me my infusion....

As I feel better now than I have for years I was not willing to miss my infusions. So it's head down & keep away from crowded places until I escape to the Canary Islands in February.

But I will make sure I get a home visit from my GP if i as much as sneeze twice if there is a Flu outbreak in my area!!b(Joke!)

[Tillie20]

Hi I had it a few weeks ago I had s small lump and very itchy but no other symptoms x

[sun_flower]

Yes no problems

[hawker955]

Absolutely fine. Thanks for asking!

[freesthomas]

Hello. I had the flu jab last month. Felt fine after it. My arm felt a bit sore where the injection was done but apart from that, I had no side effects. I hope this helps 😊

[Annie122 in reply to freesthomas]

thanks i got mine yesterday

[Simba1992]

Since there are two different flu vaccines given the under 65s and over 65s you could imagine the reaction to these would be different?

[Smiler53]

As I coming up to my 65th Birthday next month, they gave me the over 65 one. I had a sore arm for 3 days, but a stiff arm for 2 1/2 weeks; other than that no other problems.

[Simba1992 in reply to Smiler53]

Looked at a similar post on the thyroid forum. Those who answered had mostly strong reactions some lasting for a week. No one told which vaccine they had received though, too bad.

[Smiler53 in reply to Simba1992]

Probably because they hadn't specifically asked which one when posting the question I expect - ho hum!

[Simba1992 in reply to Smiler53]

Oh but it was asked.

[Smiler53 in reply to Simba1992]

Oh, that is a shame then!

[ROBERT_CARMICHAEL]

no different!

[Simba1992 in reply to ROBERT_CARMICHAEL]

I imagine you got the over 65, judging from your previous posts? Then again being a medical professional perhaps you could have the four strain one?

[ROBERT_CARMICHAEL in reply to Simba1992]

No I just queued up with a group who had booked for a flu jab at our GP surgery and did not try to get anything different. I am afraid it is very obvious that I am well over the age of 65. I try not to use the fact that I retired 28 years ago as a consultant in medicine, but it is known to people like my GP.

[Simba1992 in reply to ROBERT_CARMICHAEL]

You don't think you were entitled to the four strain one since you needed better protection because of your chronic illness and compromised immunesystem?

[ROBERT_CARMICHAEL in reply to Simba1992]

I try not to use my previous medical experience to gain any preference.

[Simba1992 in reply to ROBERT_CARMICHAEL]

Not a question of special privileges. Everyone who has read the NHS recommendations should know that immune compromised patients should be given the vaccine with better protection in other words the four strain under 65 one.Why people don't seem to care, does supprise me.

[Hessie5]

I try to cope without but no one day I have to succumb !

[Bookworm55]

Yes - last month and no problems at all. Had the under 65s one.

[Simba1992 in reply to Bookworm55]

My theory is that the ones who got the over 65s have had a stronger reaction (?)

[Bookworm55 in reply to Simba1992]

Yes - from what I’ve heard you may be right.