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To Flu Jab or Not to Flu Jab?

Lottiej1991

Member
Messages
19
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi all,

Im basically after some advice, I will keep is a short as i can.

I dont know if i should have the flu jab this year, I had it last year and i became very ill, I couldnt eat, all i wanted to do was sleep, I could keep anything i did manage to eat down and i basically felt like i had been hit by a train going 150 miles an hour.

As you can imagine its really put me off having it again this year. It took me ages to get over it. My mum thinks its a must. As i have only been diagnosed with type 1 nearly a year (Was told i was a type 2) I dont know whats best to chance it and hope that it was just a one off or avoid having it all together.

Thank you x
 
If you tend to get flu every year I would say yes, get it. I haven't had flu for many years so tend to decline GPs invitations! I don't like needles overly much!
 
Hi sorry you had a bad reaction with the flu jab I am type 2 on 2x 500mg of Metformin SR daily. Had the flu jab and pneumonia jab a few weeks ago I have been fine, I know we are all different. Chin up
 
Hi @Lottiej1991

The flu jab works against predicted strains of flu viruses likely to cause epidemic over the coming months..
You may have just been unlucky to have contracted a variant of flu not covered by the vaccine last year?
 
asparagusp said:
If you tend to get flu every year I would say yes, get it. I haven't had flu for many years so tend to decline GPs invitations! I don't like needles overly much!
Click to expand...

You may find the experience in a London flat on your own in a delirious achey state, unable to look after yourself properly a little less appealing than one slightly longer needle than your used to?
But hey! It's not my call....
 
@Lottiej1991 As I'm sure you know, flu can be nasty - hence the vaccine offered to,at risk groups.

I haven't had a flu vaccination this year and only had it twice previously because I had a very similar reaction to,you. I felt ill for three weeks. It wasn't a cold or flu itself, and it certainly wasn't in my head. I spoke to the practice nurse who said that some people did react some years.

On the other occasion, I had the flu vaccination and was fine afterwards, so, in my unmedical opinion, I'd say it seems to vary year by year as to whether you react badly or not. I hope that's some comfort.

Only you can decide what's best for,you.
 
There is only one way to find out if last year was a one off. Do it again. At least you will be protected from flu and you really really don't want to get that, take it from me.
 
lindisfel said:
If you haven't had cancer Mist that is appropriately dim comment.
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But I have, for five years straight! From aged 15 to 20 and I also had flu once, and flu was far worse. At least I thought so anyway.

It's not worth the risk in my opinion.
 
The flu vaccine this year (as has had previously) protects against swine flu. I've had swine flu - and it ain't no laughing matter believe me! Flu jab is a necessity against this. The problem is if you haven't had flu previously your body will need to produce antibodies - and this immune reaction can make you feel like crud. Sorry!
 
With a compromised immune system I really need to avoid the flu like the plague.
So I have the jab every year so far have had no drastic ill effects from it. So my advice is have it. You may have had some unfortunate reactions to it but at least you are alive to talk about it. Flu can often be a killer.
 
I get the fluvax every year, a small prick in the arm will not kill you but the flu can / will kill you.

It's a no brainer in my book.
 

If you believe what you had was a bad reaction to a flu jab, just consider what the real thing might do to you as an at-risk diabetic.

I had a reaction to my flu jab a couple of years back and was unwell for several weeks, but on consideration it wasn't actually half so debilitating as the real flu I had as a young and fit non-diabetic teenager, so on consideration I've continued with my annual jabs, the risk of another reaction being the lesser of two evils in my books.

Robbity
 
Willing to bet it killed my Auntie...had the jab - immediately ill - three weeks later, dead!

Still miss you, Auntie Edie XXXXX
 
I've had the flu once it was awful, opening eyes was too much like hard work.
I've had flu jab every year since without problems. Though something wrird happened, I used to get terrible hay fever never had it since having flu jabs.
You should also get pneumonia jab, this is a one off jab.
I did develop hospital acquired pneumonia, i didnt really register until I was getting an MRI scan, laying flat felt like i was drowning. Not nice
 
I had the flu and pneumonia jabs for the first time yesterday and i feel awful this morning. Every bone and muscle hurts enough for me to have to seriously think about whether to have it next year.
 
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