I'm 83 and have had RA since I was 48 . I normally book my 'flu and covid jabs separately. This year I've "bitten the bullet" and booked them at the same time ( different arms ) at the end of October.
I've always felt quite "meh" after the covid jab and last year I felt similarly after the 'flu jab , for the first time .
Now I'm wondering if I should cancel and go back to the original 'flu and covid at separate times . I know the published criteria is that it's SAFE to have both at the same time .
Any advice from personal experience?
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I haven't been invited for a Covid jab yet and my flu vaccine if booked for 4th October.
I don't know if they've changed the eligibility or I'm just further down the list but I'd probably prefer to have them together if I'm going to have it.
People in the clinical risk groups are also entitled this year. My hubby is 59 and diabetic and been invited for both. Anyone in grouos 3 or 4 of the green book qualify.
I’d call the surgery to check. My gp has my biologic on my repeat prescription for info only, so that it highlights eligibility on their system as well as shiw if it interacts with meds they prescribe. Mine was via a notification on nhs app.
I'm going in tomorrow for a blood test so I'll ask. It was a really hard decision to change GPs so I hope it doesn't end up being a lot of hassle for nothing.
I would go with what you feel comfortable doing, and if you decide to go for different times how easy it would be for you to get there. My GP practice are doing both together and say it is safe, but to have a 2 -3 week between these and the RSV vaccine which I have recently had. My local chemists and some supermarkets do the flu vaccine each winter . I have decided to have the covid vaccine at my GP practice then have the flu vaccine a few weeks later at my local pharmacy. Trials have been carried out on the safety of doing them together, and show it is safe, but I could not find how many in the trial were elderly, with several health conditions and on immunosupressants . All vaccines and medications have some risk but the benefits outweigh the risk for most of us.
I had them both together last year, and felt awful for a few days after. I usually have them separately without either causing problems. I think last year’s flu vaccine may have been quite a hard hitting one, but I haven’t heard anything about this year’s.
I usually have mine separately, but have been invited for both on 4th October. I’m on MTX as well as biologic, and the advice was to stop MTX for 2 weeks, and my rheumatologist said to do the same for flu vaccine, so this way I only miss 2 weeks rather than 4. Keeping fingers crossed I don’t regret it, as I don’t produce any cortisol to deal with stress on the body, so can feel quite rough anyway 🤞
Yes - I've felt rough after having each jab separately . I wonder how easily it would be to just have one jab at my appointment for both . Then make a further appointment for the declined jab . Now that I've made the appointment online it doesn't appear that I can change it - I just get the date and time when I click on the link .
Thank you ! I'm on MTX and sulphasalazine . I've not been advised to drop the MTX . I may chat to my nurse before I go for the jab to see if this might help .
There were a few studies, showing a reduction in antibodies for those using MTX, and the guidance was to miss 2 doses if stable, This website explains, and links to the research.
Thanks for those studies . I managed to avoid getting covid until I went with my husband to A&E on Christmas Day evening ( unrelated incidence ) this year . He got it too ! My covid experience was quite mild , didn't feel as ill as after receiving the 'flu and covid jab separately last year . But they kept me in for a night , just in case .
Since posting yesterday I've realised that our pharmacy (round the corner) is already offering them so I've decided to go there. I've always had mine there before but had booked with the surgery this time because they contacted me before I'd even thought about it. I've never had a bad reaction to the flu jab but my last COVID one knocked me back for a few days so I've decided to have that one today (quiet few days ahead anyway) and the flu one either next week or the week after. I can cancel the surgery appointment and release it for someone who hasn't got a pharmacy so close to them.
Update - when I went to the pharmacy they said that they haven't got the vaccines yet, the date was on their app in error! They said that none are being released until 3rd October which I now realise is why the surgery is offering them then 🙄 I'll still probably go to the pharmacy and have them separately though as that's easier than going to the surgery.
Hi personally I wouldn’t have both together but I can see the pros & cons. I’m a lightweight & always have reactions to most things. Isn’t the idea of having them both together a money making thing for GP’s yet again. Save’s them money if they do both together in one visit.
I’m 83 and had both Covid & Flu vaccinations at same time In October 2023. Medical advice at that time was that research had shown it was beneficial to do so and I will be following the same procedure this year. My sister who is 4 years younger had the vaccinations separately with a 2 week interval and was very ill after the Covid vaccination. We are all different but if we have any doubts we should take advice from a medical source we trust implicitly and not rely too much on the experience of others
My son and I have always had them at the same time if offered (we no longer qualify for covid vax, only flu) and have had no problems. We also always have them in the same arm. As my son said, he would rather have one sore arm than two. He prefers to sleep on his right side so has both in his left arm. If he had one in each, how would he sleep! The nurse conceded he had a good point.
I've had both covid and flu together and nothing untoward. I usually get very shivery after the covid, but just wrap up, take a paracetamol as advised and its over by the morning at the latest. Its one less trip to vaccine centre which I like
I always have mine separately as I always have a bad reaction to covid vaccines which usually means at least a day in bed after it. None so bad as my third Pfizer though when I had Myocarditis after it. I’m usually ok after my flu vaccine but just don’t think it’s worth the risk of having them together when it’s possible to have then separately and my GP supports me in this. I’m 85 and have heard nothing about the Covid one yet nor the new one related to respiratory conditions even though I have asthma.
I took both together in the same arm last week and have been fine. The shingles vaccine was terrible for me, but these two weren’t bad. I always get swollen lymph nodes for a couple weeks and feel a little tired for a few days afterwards. I did take Paracetamol the day of and the next day which helped, I think.
You are a warrior and have struggled with this for such a long time, since you were 48. I got diagnosed at 49 and am now 55.I don't have any advice about your question, but you have inspired me, so thank you 🙏
Hi, I personally felt awful by having both jabs on the same day. It flared my RA up for 3 months. I would definitely say have them separately. I am 44 and I have decided not to have either this year
Thanks for replying ! I've chatted with the nurse at my HC who understands my reluctance to have both at the same time , especially as last time I had a pretty uncomfortable time from both vaccinations , separately . I won't be having them at the same time . 😕
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