Does Anyone Recommend The Flu Jab

[Julia McCoulough]

Well, one thing is for sure, it wasn't flu since you would have been unable to go to work. There was a radio doctor who used to use this measure. If there is a £50 note blowing around your back garden and you go and get it then you haven't got flu.

I never want flu again, I always have the jab.

PS. The flu epidemic after the first world war killed between 20 and 40 million people which is more than died in the war. It's serious stuff and despite rumours to the contrary there is no 48 hour version.

https://virus.stanford.edu/uda/

No I don't want it I'd be scared

 

[Julia McCoulough]

Wholeheartedly yes.

I thought it would give me a cold

 

[DaftThoughts]

I long did you get a cold for

About a week or so. It's mostly just sniffles and feeling nauseated. The flu on the other hand is a hundred times worse...

 

[Julia McCoulough]

Nothing to lose getting it, if it does indeed work and lessens flu symptoms then well worth it, I also had flu once in my twenties and felt as ill as I've ever been leading to a chest infection I thought would kill me. 4 weeks+ of hell

Are you ok now

 

[Julia McCoulough]

About a week or so. It's mostly just sniffles and feeling nauseated. The flu on the other hand is a hundred times worse...

Oh my God I don't want it

 

[DaftThoughts]

I thought it would give me a cold

The cold is an entirely different virus, unrelated to the flu actually. You can't get a cold from the flu shot, it's physically impossible. You can however always get a cold from infected people around you. You only get immunized for the flu, not colds.

Consider this: a cold won't kill you. Unless you're already very ill and not managing your diabetes well, there's virtually no risk in having a cold. The symptoms are usually sniffles and congestion, sneezing, sore throats, nausea, mild fevers if any at all and coughs, and start out slowly and build up over time. It can take a week before your uncomfortable throat has turned into a full on cold. You recover rather quickly from these.

The flu is a much more severely damaging virus that CAN kill you. Even healthy people have a risk of developing complications from it, so we're even more likely to get hit by them. Flu symptoms are similar to colds, but they include aches in muscles and joints, weakness and extreme fatigue. More severely you can have trouble breathing, pressure in the chest and sudden dizziness (which requires immediate medical attention). A flu hits you really hard very suddenly unlike a cold, and it usually takes 2 or more weeks to fully recover from because of prolonged fatigue.

I know shots are icky and needle phobia can make this a massive hurdle. I understand that people may not be able to overcome that. But if you can think for even only a second that you can take that quick prick into your arm, and your doctor has cleared you for it, go for it. We live in an age where a flu no longer means a death sentence precisely because we have vaccines. Only a hundred years ago 50 to 100 million people in the world died from a massive flu pandemic. We don't have to worry about that anymore because of these shots, so I will never stop advocating for people to get them as soon as they can.

 

[Julia McCoulough]

The cold is an entirely different virus, unrelated to the flu actually. You can't get a cold from the flu shot, it's physically impossible. You can however always get a cold from infected people around you. You only get immunized for the flu, not colds.

Consider this: a cold won't kill you. Unless you're already very ill and not managing your diabetes well, there's virtually no risk in having a cold. The symptoms are usually sniffles and congestion, sneezing, sore throats, nausea, mild fevers if any at all and coughs, and start out slowly and build up over time. It can take a week before your uncomfortable throat has turned into a full on cold. You recover rather quickly from these.

The flu is a much more severely damaging virus that CAN kill you. Even healthy people have a risk of developing complications from it, so we're even more likely to get hit by them. Flu symptoms are similar to colds, but they include aches in muscles and joints, weakness and extreme fatigue. More severely you can have trouble breathing, pressure in the chest and sudden dizziness (which requires immediate medical attention). A flu hits you really hard very suddenly unlike a cold, and it usually takes 2 or more weeks to fully recover from because of prolonged fatigue.

I know shots are icky and needle phobia can make this a massive hurdle. I understand that people may not be able to overcome that. But if you can think for even only a second that you can take that quick prick into your arm, and your doctor has cleared you for it, go for it. We live in an age where a flu no longer means a death sentence precisely because we have vaccines. Only a hundred years ago 50 to 100 million people in the world died from a massive flu pandemic. We don't have to worry about that anymore because of these shots, so I will never stop advocating for people to get them as soon as they can.

Thank you for helping me

 

[Chas C]

Oh my God how are you now

Julia - thanks I'm fine now, this was around 1972 and then 1980 ish.

 

[Prem51]

But don't you inject your self twice a day I've never had a needle before now I m ok

I don't inject. I'm Type 2. Fear of having to inject motivated me to get my blood sugars under control.

 

[Cat0409_]

I get my flu shot every year for the last 7 years. Its free for me so why not.
Last year I actually was very sick with the flu!! Towards the end of all my coughing and spluttering and feeling like death warmed up...they finally took a blood test that confirmed influenza A. Shocked !!
There is actually a small cross section of those that get flu shots that will actually get one of the strains being immunized against. Which is why they change flu strains in the flu vaccine regularly

 

[chalup]

When I was diagnosed with whooping cough in my 30's the first thing out of my mouth was "but I've been vaccinated why do I keep getting things I was vaccinated for" The answer was that for 8% of the population vaccinations don't work long term. I have been vaccinated for everything. I have had measles, mumps, rubella, and whooping cough. When my first son was born they did a titer to check my rubella immunity and despite having been vaccinated and also having had rubella, I still had no antibodies and was vaccinated again. I have no doubt that now, 28 years later, I have no immunity left. I do get the flu shot because they think it will help protect me in the short term and I am immune suppressed. I believe that the reason these diseases are still around has a lot to do with that 8%.

 

[Julia McCoulough]

I get my flu shot every year for the last 7 years. Its free for me so why not.
Last year I actually was very sick with the flu!! Towards the end of all my coughing and spluttering and feeling like death warmed up...they finally took a blood test that confirmed influenza A. Shocked !!
There is actually a small cross section of those that get flu shots that will actually get one of the strains being immunized against. Which is why they change flu strains in the flu vaccine regularly

Are you feeling better now

 

[Julia McCoulough]

I absolutely recommend the flue shot, the shingles vaccine, the Prevnar 13 (a pneumonia vaccine) - with the proviso that they are the non mercury (non thymerisol) type.

I've only had one flu jab

 

[PeterGC]

Julia at the surgery I attend the recommendation is to have the flu jab I'm just diagnosed but as I also have COPD it's a must for me but most diabetic people as recommended too

Members are asking wether or not to have the Flu Jab . The surgery I attend recommend that diabetics go ahead and have the jab. Have any body any views on this subject

 

[Julian_Hands]

Absolutely, I lost my sister due to Flu. Don't chance it.
I have mine done every year.

 

[Julia McCoulough]

Then you have been lucky

Yes but I have to have them every year

 

[Julia McCoulough]

Absolutely, I lost my sister due to Flu. Don't chance it.
I have mine done every year.

I'm so sorry