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Flu vac. Yes or no?

Lucy-M

Member
Messages
24
Location
South England
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I have type 1 diabetes. I've had the flu vac a few times, last year I missed it. For some reason I'm quite hesitant to have one this year. It just seems all very dodgy to me, we have gone through years of not having it. It's not a cure is it? If it's not..then what the hell is it?

UUUGGGHHH. Don't worry, I'm not anti-vac person either!
 
Hi,
If you have the Flu jab, it gives you some immunity to the current strains of flue that are the most prevalent currently,
I don't think its a cure, but if you get flu you will have a very mild form.
I think in your case if you have them on a regular basis you are covered for most strains for a while, but this will not last as thr flu straing mutate and change each year.
I have been having them for years and never even get a cold, so I swear by them.
I have to pay for them in South Africa, and think if you get them for free, you are crazy to not have the jab
Good Luck
 
I've never had flu, but I have asthma, pick up infections easily and I've had nasty chest infections before. I'm told flu is worse, so with that in mind, I'm getting my flu jab...this morning in fact
 
No, I don't want it.

I think the odds of me catching real flu
+ the odds of that flu being one of last year's strains (they base the vaccination on what flu was around last year, and the viruses mutate every year)
+ the odds of me getting any complications (we are all very different)
+ my family history of bad reactions to the vaccine
= it would be a bad idea.

I think I would have more faith in homeopathy (and that isn't a joke)

Your mileage will probably vary!
 
A big YES, if you do get flu you will find that it is extremely difficult to control your type 1 diabetes and the risks of DKA are real, better to have the jab and be safe than not to have it at all, but the choice is yours...........
 
I have had flu twice and it is not a fun experience. I hope to never have it again and so I am getting the flu jab.

Having had it twice I would like to mention a very annoying thing. I used to deal with some sick notes at work and you would be amazed how many people say they have the flu and come back to work two days later. Some of them say they have had "48 hour" flu. Unbelievable.
 

Yup.
Real flu is a completely different thing. I've had it twice in 47 years, and it is nothing like the usual colds and viruses that flit around. Each time it took 3 or more weeks before I felt better.

I totally agree with you, Squire.
Every time someone artistically snuffles into a tissue and has a day off work with a cold, then calls it flu, I want to clip them round the ear. They've obviously never actually had flu!
 
As i am getting older, I have had the flu jab for couple of year now. I was going to have it soon, but due to a recent injury I haven't. When you are young , and you feel fit, well and invincible, getting flu would seem impossible. But it's the individuals' choice and thankfully and luckily, I have never had flu.
Best wishes
 
Have had flu 2x and pneumponia once. As l work all over the country can not see my dn for the flu jab the surgery were most put out. I had my first jab last year and was fine Mum and dad used to really suffer after them.

Am also meant to have pneumonia jab get only 1 life cover. When l said l have had a real dose was told that doesnt count?

I also have an idea that l am sure l heard or read if l want it so long as l take my nhs card into a chemist that does jabs l get a free one anyone know? my dr receptionist didn't tell me that as she was too miffed l was so flippant and l asked if l should nip up from oxford to see the nurse then go back down to work again...

I am still undecided overall though. And agree whenever anyone says they have flu l make it clear they have a cold and to .... off.....l have no patience
 
The flu jab is free to all people with diabetes, you can get the jab at any chemist that offers this service, they just take a few details and write to your gp surgery to say you've had it done.
 

I don't wish to put a downer on your day but the 1918 flu pandemic actually killed the young and fit mostly and left the old alone. 50 million turned their toes up because since they were young and fit the flu caused their immune systems to turn on them. It's a funny old world.
 

Yes I have heard of the devastating flu pandemic. I was just talking about today's young, fit and invincible thinking young people, as they would probably think it wouldn't happen to them. I am unsure whether to have it because of only having the use of one arm. I will have a word with my GP when I next see him.
Best wishes RRB
 
I had my flu jab on Wednesday. My arm is still aching now. I hate flu jabs and I can't believe I'm so namby about needles given that I jab at least 5 into myself a day!

All that aside, there are very good reasons why diabetics are given free flu jabs; you know when you hear on the news that so many people have died from flu and they use the term 'suffering from underlying health conditions'? - those underlying health conditions are usually asthma or diabetes.

For Type 1s the risks are very real on two levels:

1. We have a compromised immune system and this increases our likelihood of getting flu.

2. When we are ill, our bodies react by increasing blood sugar and becoming resistant to insulin. In a non diabetic this is a good thing as it helps the body maintain energy while fighting the infection. For Type 1s it's deadly. DKA can develop very rapidly and it is the biggest killer of Type 1s. If any of you have ever had a mild infection and seen what it does to your BG and insulin requirements you wouldn't be taking risks with flu.

Come on people, get those flu jabs done!

Smidge
 
on the other hand.... I know a type 1 who has Royal jelly every other day (Real Royal jelly) and has NEVER had the flu ever so there are other options if you do not want the jab.
I personally have the jab and even thos I have it, I always get flu at least twice a year. Im not sure if I should have one this year.
 
@Omnipod - I say good morning to magpies, but I'm not going to rely on it to stop me getting flu! LOL

Seriously, whatever else you try (and there might be all sorts of things that work to some extent), the flu jab is the most effective at preventing or reducing the severity of flu. You might still get flu, you might still die, somebody who didn't have the jab might not get it - it's just about risk.

Smidge
 
I wonder if there is another part of the body that can be used, instead of the arm's ? ..........
 
@Robinredbreast - I think they can use the leg. I mentioned to the nurse after my jab that I'd be less namby if I injected myself, and she responded that she doesn't see why I shouldn't but I'd probably have to jab my leg as the arm would be difficult to reach. So I think they just use the arm for expediency as it's quickly accessible.

Smidge
 
smidge said:
I had my flu jab on Wednesday. My arm is still aching now. I hate flu jabs and I can't believe I'm so namby about needles given that I jab at least 5 into myself a day!
Click to expand...


Join the club Smidge, I think injecting everyday makes us control freaks and we don't like the thought of others injecting us. I have to look away and hate seeing the needle coming anywhere near me, I've had a few comments from Dr's & Nurses who are surprised that I'm like this given that I inject myself 4 times a day.
 
What, are you too use to google the basics of how vaccines work? I'm pretty sure I learned the basic idea in kindergarten (when exposed to viruses your body produces antibodies which help you fight subsequent infections, and clever people realised that if you use weakened/dead/inert viruses instead of the real thing you lower the risk of people dying before they can develop a full immune response). Some viruses change rapidly, meaning that you need to get a new vaccine for the latest strain every year.

What makes you think that this is "dodgy"? The fact that we don't have a single shot that cures all disease? Guess what, there are plenty of diseases we don't have cures for (e.g. Cancer) and even if we manage to find a cure then they will simply be replaced by new diseases (much like no one used to worry about cancer because they simply didn't live long enough to die of cancer), so jumping to the conclusion that there must be a conspiracy because there's no cure is insane,
 
I am in the YES camp, as seeing what my BG is with a simple cold, and having been hospitalized with DKA after norovirus, yeah, I don't want that again thanks. I have only had an achy arm for a couple of days after the jab, I can live with that.
 
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