Flu jabs

[Smokygirl]

Wonderful gurus! It is September in two days. I have been on Pred for five weeks. Do we have flu jabs or can they cause a flare? Xxx

[Smokygirl]

Actually I have just found Piglette’s post on this subject—- I guess the answer is yes to flu jabs!

[SheffieldJane in reply to Smokygirl]

Much better than flu as we have the lowered immune system. It’s live vaccines we must avoid.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Smokygirl]

Most definitely! You certainly don’t want the flu on top of everything else!

[Highlandtiger in reply to Smokygirl]

Newsnight were running a story last night about likely delays in getting adequate flu vaccine supplies because of, well you know what.......

[Smokygirl in reply to Highlandtiger]

Typical! Any excuse ☹️

[Theziggy]

Yes - have the jab - you know it makes sense Rodney!!

[Marijo1951]

I had a text from my GP the other day inviting me to make an appointment for my annual flu jab. I'm about to do so. I wouldn't miss mine having had some terrible bouts of flu in the past, as well as being so susceptible to every virus going at present with my compromised immune system.

[Yellowbluebell]

Just avoid live vaccines.

[cranberryt]

I love the british-isms I learn here. Never heard flu shot called jabs before!

[Hidden in reply to cranberryt]

The colloquialisms are generally sanitised for film or TV programs that make it across the Atlantic. I read once that British actors have to have voice coaches as producers want a mockney type accent or 1930s style queen's English. I am sure there are lots of North American sayings and words that don't make it across the Atlantic.

[Constance13 in reply to cranberryt]

Nor have we (or few of us) have heard of 'shots'!😂 I'd prefer a jab rather than a shot thank you!!😂😂😂

[cranberryt in reply to Constance13]

lol

[Smokygirl in reply to cranberryt]

Ha! 🤪🤪🤪

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to cranberryt]

Jags in Scotland ...

[Smokygirl in reply to PMRpro]

😊😊

[Highlandtiger in reply to PMRpro]

I’d been thinking that too (jags in Scotland) then began to doubt myself and wondered if I’d been making it up! Glad to see I wasn’t!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

The flu jab has never caused a flare for me.

[nickm001 in reply to PMRpro]

nor for me,,, but then I don't take them

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to nickm001]

Have you ever had genuine proper 3-week-in-bed flu? I have - anything that reduces the chances of that again is welcome! Plus, OH missed his flu jab a few years ago, got flu and was in bed for 2 full weeks and developed pneumonia which took 6 months to clear fully. That was when his lung was in much better condition - only takes a bad cold now ...

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Yes I have...felt like my lungs were filled with tar and coughing was so painful. I rang Dr and got meds delivered. If there had been a million pounds waiting in the front garden it would've stayed there I couldn't have got it. It was at least 2 months before I felt more like myself. I had missed my flu jab and I vowed never again. I am usually first in the queue, you can get it in pharmacies these days so no bothering about drop ins at the gp surgery.

[nickm001 in reply to PMRpro]

not as an adult, but as a kid yes... I expressed my reservation about vaccine in the other thread, just few hours ago... and I had pneumonia 20-30 years ago... I know the risk and my assessment is that I rather not take vaccine.

Edit: if there are 150 variations of flu virus and you get 3 or 4, simple math tells me that the chances of getting the correct vaccine is 4 in 150 or 2.6% ! To increase the probability of the guess ( that is what it is) they use last season southern hemisphere virus as "most likely" choice and get probabilities in 20-30% range sometimes higher, but rarely above 50%. They say that even if the strain is not correct, it still protects you. My question is how come that you have to get their guess every year, what happens to alleged immunity from last few years? doesn't that give you the some protection? Some people get flu in spite of getting vaccine. Why? Many questions... I just don't believe in their marketing story...

another thing is that scary numbers of people who died from flu includes all lung related illnesses , like pneumonia. The actual number of deaths due to flu is , from what I read is fraction, few percent of total number made public.

[Purplecrow]

YES to flu jab.

If you have ever had the real influenza...you will recognize how serious that illness can be.

I have had flu jab every year of PMR (6 and counting), with no negative consequence. The positive is that I have not had the flu either!,

Just sayin...💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼

Kind regards, Jerri

PMR diagnosed 2013.

[Hellyowl]

Hi all, I noticed a few threads about flu jabs over the last few weeks so I have linked to this one. I went for my quarterly B12 jab yesterday and asked for my flu jab to save going back again. I had had a text saying flu vaccine was now in stock. I had the jab at 1:30pm. Apart from a sore arm I felt achy and a bit unwell about 7 pm. I had an early night with a book and some paracetamol. I have had a bit if a disturbed night, a bit uncomfortable. But fine this morning. Looked it up and I think that is a pretty regular response. Definitely better than getting flu. Maybe plan your jabs when you are not planning to go out that night.

[Smokygirl in reply to Hellyowl]

Thanks so much for the info HO! Very useful indeed.

When they gave us the new over 70 flu jab last year I asked what was in it and why it was a different one to the one for the younger people & jokingly said “ Oh perhaps it would be helpful to the powers that be to get rid of all us oldies!” Huh!!!!

Yes, I’ll have it 😜😜😜😜

[Hellyowl]

The nurse said it was an over 65 jab but I don't know if she meant they were targeting over 65,s first or if it is slightly different. I did read somewhere that there is a difference because of older peoples immune systems being weaker but I am not sure if that applied to what I had. I am a big fan of the flu jab . before I was eligible for it I used pay at the pharmacy and tell my staff they could claim the price of a flu jab on expenses