flu jab

mistee71

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Hi peeps, i need help in trying to decide on whether to have the flu jab or not. I hear alot that it makes you ill for a couple of days later. My dad had the flu and pneumonia jabs and for 2 days he was really poorly. I know this might sound far fetched but i haven't even had a cold for nearly 2 years and am very proud of that. I've done some research on diabetes and the immunity and found out that it's only when your sugars are high that your immunity is supressed. I am one of these that wont take anti biotics unless i really have to and even hate taking a pill for a headache. I believe in leaving your body to sort itself out (within reason that is).
 

didie

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I had the flu jag and felt fine with it. I don't tend to get colds either, but having had flu with nasty complications, I'm very happy to have the jag.
 

mistee71

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I've heard that getting flu for diabetics is meant to be nasty. Why would it be any different? I'm not scared of the jab, just how I'm gonna feel after. That scares me :lol:
 

bumbleharvey

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Ive always had the flu jab apart from last year and I have to say I had so many colds & viruses last year so this year made sure I was 1st in the queue!

Didnt have it last year as suffered bad side effects with the swine flu jab the year before. Ive been a diabetic for 26 years and touch wood have never had bad flu but it always take me ages to get over colds/viruses etc and I sure did notice that I had more colds (might be a coinceidence but not gonna chance it) last year.

I definately won,t miss out on the flu jab again
 

ams162

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dylan has had it for the first time this year in previous years we have missed out and there have been none of the vaccine left when we phoned so i made sure i phoned up early this year, dylan was well after the jab just said the next day his arm ached abit but no flu symptoms

i would hate dylan to have full blown flu so i think a couple of days of side effects are better than him being really ill and ending up in hospital for us the pros outwayed the cons

anna marie
 

Hobs

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I've had my flu vaccination this year as I have done in the past as soon as it had been offered. Its a simple choice and I choose not to die by not leaving myself unprotected... :thumbup: :D
 

chocoholicnomore

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I had my flu jab this year for the first time as only recently diagnosed. No ill effects whatsoever. Didn't even have a sore arm. :)
No one has mentioned pneumo jab to me so I don't know if I'm supposed to get that too. I only seen it mentioned in this forum.
 

AMBrennan

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My dad had the flu and pneumonia jabs and for 2 days he was really poorly.
And I can assure you that anecdotal evidence doesn't prove anything.

Also, keep in mind that it will be much harder to control BG if you get the flu even if your immune system is strong enough and you don't get seriously ill or die.

First thing I found on google is this Guardian article:
a poll for the Department of Health found 58% of 1,754 people surveyed incorrectly believe the jab can cause flu
...
"I can categorically state that the flu jab does not give you flu. The vaccine does not include the live virus. It can save your life though. Flu can kill – and it can be particularly dangerous for people in at-risk groups. They are on average 11 times more likely to die from flu than a healthy person is."
The vaccine doesn't cause autism either.
 

lovinglife

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AMBrennan said:
The vaccine doesn't cause autism either.

Never known anyone say it does! - That was the MMR jab that caused all the controversy
 

daisy1

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I'm getting mine next week. The only problem I had before was a very sore arm for a day or two. IMO definitely worth getting it.
 

mistee71

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:idea: I think i need to get it done :shock: . I didn't think things could be that bad. Still learning and who else is better qualified to give advise than you lot. Thanks :thumbup:
 

Fencer

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I don't get any ill effects from it. A wee bit tiredness maybe, which I just push through and carry on as normal. It is not a live vaccine, so should not actually make you ill.

The time of year when people are getting the jab is also the same time of year when a lot of people get ill... it is therefore statistically likely, that after getting the jab some people will get ill (they would have gotten ill anyway). These cases are reported on by these people and then others start talking about the jab making that person ill.

The more that people believe it will make them ill, just makes all of this worse.

Get the flu jab - flu can kill! Even if it was definitely going to make you ill for three days - get the flu jab :)
 

mistee71

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FOOTBALL. MY husband is a sports fanatic and watches everything. Most i can put up with just not football.
I will. I think it probably was a coincidence my dad got ill after his jabs. Just researched side effects and they didn't fit what my dad had. He was actually sick and sickness never showed on any lists. I agree what you said, dangerous rumours.
 

Grazer

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I had the flu jab and the pneumonia (one-off) jab and no side effects from either. Slightly sore arm for 2 days with the pneumonia jab. Apparently the flu jab this year is the same as last year (normally changes each year as flu variant changes) so any side effects this year should be the same as last year.
 

noblehead

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I get the flu jab every year as soon as it becomes available, diabetes and the flu can be a lethal combination and the risks of refusing it are too great, only ever had flu once which was 6 years ago and felt like I was at deaths door.

Nigel
 

lilybet

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I had the flu jab a couple of weeks ago.... absolutely fine afterwards.
I had the pnuemonia jab on Monday and although I was told that I may suffer from a sore arm, I'm pleased to say that this didn't happen.
I had a bad reaction to the flu virus last year and didn't want to take any chances this year, so opted for the jabs when offered.
I normally don't even get a cold, but was diagnosed as type 2 in 2010 and clearly my immune system isn't as tough as it used to be!
So after being ill for three weeks last winter, give me a jab anytime, fingers crossed it will work.
 

loafhead

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I refuse to have my flu-jab these days. As in the past (teenage years) when I used to have it, I always ended up with the symptoms of flu and the side effects of high-blood sugar, ketones, dead arm, fatigue etc. For the past 10 years I have not had it, much to the annoyance of the nurse. I have a good immune system and would rather not be inflicted with symptoms of the flu on the off chance I may catch the flu. I travel on trains, planes and taxi's and have not caught it. I'm sure it will get me one day, but happy for now + would rather not wait in a GP surgery full of people with flu and other bugs whilst waiting to be immunised.

It also annoys me that there is "peer pressure" from GP's to take it (guess its a pay as you jab model for them). My partner was pregnant 12 months ago and the midwife said things like you and your baby will die if you don't have it etc. This was the jab including the untested swine flu vaccine. She refused to have it on the basis the vaccine could cause unknown damage in the future to her and our baby, she didn't get sick and we have a perfect and happy baby. It's your call, but your body is a pretty impressive piece of kit. Remember if you have Type 1 diabetes it is because your immune system is fighting the insulin your body creates, imagine what is capable of for outside illness.
 

AMBrennan

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Sorry, your wrong. Vaccines work - end of debate.

Secondly, suggesting that T1s have a strong immune system is, at best, grossly negligent given that diabetics are ten times more likely to die from the flu than the general population.

Also, apart from you being completely wrong about type 1 (which has to be obfuscating stupidity), one can only produce antibodies for known threats - thus the idea to train the immune system using a safe vaccine rather than life, potentially fatal, viruses. Do you oppose vaccines in general, or just the flu? Do you think that it was wrong to eradicate smallpox because of possible "unknown damage" it could have caused?
 

iainf1

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I had both flu and pneumo jabs last Friday. I didn't even feel the flu jab and had absolutely no reactions to it. The pneumo one, given in the other arm, did sting a little although it couldn't be described as painful. My arm was a bit sore (more of a nagging ache) on Saturday and Sunday but was fine by Monday. It only took about three seconds for the nurse to give each injection and is well worth having.