• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Flu jab???

B

brottonmoores

Well-Known Member
Messages
151
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Can I just ask if many diabetics have a flu jab? As I wasn't diagnosed until December last year it was well into the new year before I was "invited" for a jab, I refused, also I've never had flu in 59yrs and can't remember the last time I had a cold, I'm very tempted this year if asked to refuse I'm sure there are a lot of folk than need one more than I do.
I'm also tempted not to go to visit the surgery ( unless really necessary) during flu season as I'm more or less on top of my BS and my blood pressure
Any thoughts on the subject would be really welcome
Hope everyone's had a restful weekend
Jan
 
Likelihood of getting "proper" flu (not man flu) according to my GP is once every 40 years.

Flu jabs are mentione each year. Many for, just as many against...
 
I've always refused it. I've only had flu once in my life, early 1970s & we all had it over Christmas. Maybe when I get a bit older, but I feel reasonably healthy at the moment so won't waste NHS funds.
 
I am more or less the same age as Brotonmoores the op having had two truly awful episodes of the flu in my life I don't want to repeat the experience and if I fall ill it places extra load on my family so I have been getting flu jabs privately for years. No big deal and even last year when the vaccine was less than normally effective it still greatly reduces the odds of falling ill by a significant degree.
 
I always have a flu jab and mine is booked for next week. I look at it that as I've got diabetes to cope with, I don't need another complication. I don't actually look at it as a waste of NHS funds, rather the opposite. If I caught flu, developed serious problems and had to be in hospital, I'd be using up more funds than the cost of the flu jab. I'm sure a lot will disagree, but we're all different.
 
The cost of the flu jab to the government is about GBP30 I think. Whereas the cost of a diabetic getting the flu can run into the thousands, in a matter of days. So refusing it because of money is not a good reason IMO.

Refusing it because you think you won't get the flu is like not wearing a seatbelt because you think you won't get hit by another car. I'm not involved in car crashes very often but I always wear my seatbelt just in case. If you are sitting on a bus or in any public place and someone within 2 metres of you sneezes, the virus in the droplets doesn't care whether you refused the flu jab or not. And if you think the flu is no big deal, just ask anyone who has had it (the real flu, not a cold that someone thinks is the flu). It can actually kill people, and does every year.
 
GM Flu jab is booked for 9am today ,only ever Flu once,many years ago and my memory of it is quite vivid,I don't want it again,I'll have the jab even if there is no guarantee that you will be protected
 
Had flu once as a teenager, as a T1 I ended up in hospital with DKA seriously ill. Have had the flu jab every year since then and next one this coming weekend.
 
RosieLKH said:
I've always refused it. I've only had flu once in my life, early 1970s & we all had it over Christmas. Maybe when I get a bit older, but I feel reasonably healthy at the moment so won't waste NHS funds.
Click to expand...

The NHS always overstock themselves with flu jabs.... So they waste money in them anyway!
 
I've never had flu, but always get the jab when I'm offered it. It doesn't seem to do me any harm and, if it helps me not to get flu for the first time, that's fine by me
 
I get the flu jab every year when I go to the Diabetologist for a routine appointment. (I don't live in the UK). I have never had any bad effects afterwards apart from a sore arm. I haven't had flu since I was a child.
 
Definatly food for thought
Thanks for the input I might have to reconsider since I can't seal myself in a little sterile bubble until after the flu season
Cheers
Jan
 
donnellysdogs said:
The NHS always overstock themselves with flu jabs.... So they waste money in them anyway!
Click to expand...
They stock up in case there is a pandemic and they need to vaccinate more people to try and save lives. Factored against the risk and impact of a pandemic it's money well spent.
 
I was diagnosed T2 in July last year and was persuaded to have a flue jab by my DN.

I have had the flu twice I think, and it kept me in bed for over a week on each occasion. I don't want it again either, so I accepted the jab for the first time ever.

I was feeling pretty low generally at the time and I don't think the jab helped in that regard, but I shall be having it again this year - I think as a diabetic you are more prone to catching it, and more likely to suffer worse effects.
 
CatLadyNZ said:
They stock up in case there is a pandemic and they need to vaccinate more people to try and save lives. Factored against the risk and impact of a pandemic it's money well spent.
Click to expand...

Not quite so sure on this pandemic thing.. Year after year they say chicken flu etc and year after year our GPs only order 2000 jabs for 10k patients and theres always at least 200 that aren't used... Even with hype happening...
 
donnellysdogs said:
Not quite so sure on this pandemic thing.. Year after year they say chicken flu etc and year after year our GPs only order 2000 jabs for 10k patients and theres always at least 200 that aren't used... Even with hype happening...
Click to expand...
Yeah the uptake numbers are not as high as they could be. All the government can do is try to educate people, and if they don't want to take up the opportunity no one can force them.
 
Hope nobody minds but I think it's a valid point. As I have a severely weakened immune system, all my healthy immediate friends and family have flu jabs every year to protect me. It will probably be Joe Bloggs I meet in the street that finishes me off!!! Sue xx
 
I've only had flu once, in my early teens and I remember too much of it well. I spent a week unable to get out of bed, couldn't hold any food down and was constantly sick, a week just about able to move around and went back to school a further week later. Anyone who hasn't had proper flu really doesn't have a clue. It's very unpleasant. And my family and the doctor at the time thought it was the trigger for my T1.

If you are considering not having he jab, just consider how you'd cope with being unable to eat or effectively manage your bg levels for a week. Then think again.
 
Back
Top