To flu jab or not to flu jab - that is the question

tillytop

Hello Peeps

I'm really just "wondering out loud" here to try to make a decision about my flu jab before tomorrow. But if anyone has any thoughts, they would be very welcome at this point.

Just to say though, to anyone new/ worried about flu jabs, I think my reaction to them is unusual.

I have had the flu jab for years, with no problem at all until two years ago (and I don't think it's coincidental that that was the year they incorporated the swine flu vaccine into the normal seasonal flu jab). But the past two years I have literally seized, head to toe, within 24 hours of the jab. The first time it happened, I just assumed I was unlucky but it happened again last year as well - despite taking extra pred and anti-inflamms as a precaution.

I am due for this year's jab tomorrow and I am really in two minds about whether to have it or not. I obviously don't want to get flu, but then I am not "out and about" and in contact with many people - and my poor longsuffering husband gets "disinfected" as soon as he walks through the door once cold and flu season gets under way! I know that, if I am going to have the jab tomorrow, I need to up the pred significantly today, and keep up with the higher dose for the next few days until the flare passes. I hate the way high dose pred makes me feel - then I will have to deal with the inevitable "kick back" as I cut the pred back again. I can't take take anti-inflamms these days and I have worked so hard to reduce the pred and keep it at as low a dose as possible.

So I am talking myself round and round in ever decreasing circles here! Ho Hum.

Tilly xxx

stickywicket

I too am in the shall I/shan’t I mode, Tilly, but I’ve more or less decided I shall.

For about 20 years I had no flu jab and no flu, apart from a nasty gastric version 12 years ago. When they started to offer me the jab I took it and only just escaped hospitalisation due a cold with severe breathing difficulties. This was blamed on the lef, I was moved onto meth and hydroxy but didn’t take up the option of flu jabs again.

Until, swine flu year. We were going over to the US to see our 2 month old grandson and both parents had paid for the swine flu jab for the little fellow’s sake. I'd no choice. I couldn't possibly risk infecting him so I took the plunge. No problem. So I had it again last year and didn’t notice anything.

I do believe that problems really arise when we’re already harbouring some underlying infection that we’re unaware of and, with those of us on DMARDS and anti-tnfs of any kind, that can so easily happen.

I’m currently on antibios for cellulitis. I think I’ll try to book mine for the minute I cease taking them when I hope to be in what I like to think of as I too am in the shall I/shan’t I mode, Tilly, but I’ve more or less decided I shall.

For about 20 years I had no flu jab and no flu, apart from a nasty gastric version 12 years ago. When they started to offer me the jab I took it and only just escaped hospitalisation due a cold with severe breathing difficulties. This was blamed on the lef, I was moved onto meth and hydroxy but didn’t take up the option of flu jabs again.

Until, swine flu year. We were going over to the US to see our 2 month old grandson and both parents had paid for the swine flu jab for the little fellow’s sake. I took the plunge. No problem. So I had it again last year and didn’t notice anything.

I do believe that problems really arise when we’re already harbouring some underlying infection that we’re unaware of and, with those of us on DMARDS and anti-tnfs of any kind, that can so easily happen.

I’m currently on antibios for cellulitis. I think I’ll try to book mine for the minute I cease taking them when I hope to be at...er.....peak fitness??? Good luck with the decision making, Tilly. I don’t envy you.

julie47

I have booked mine for the 20th and I too am always wary of having it. Not that I have had any problems before except for the area hurting the day after and lasting a week but you hear so many stories.

I will have it, unless on the day I feeel unwell as I don't want the flu and I am in contact with friends who work or teach at schools and OH works with people too.

I hope you can come to a decision and that it is the right one for you.

Take care
Love Juliepf x

stickywicket

Whoops! Sorry about that. I'm not sure what happened but I seem to have managed to duplicate most of my post. :roll: :oops: And it's too late to edit it.

Numptydumpty

Hi Tilly,
I too had a nasty flare the first year of the swine flu vaccine.
Last year however I was fine. I don't know whether I have built up some kind of resistance, or the vaccine has changed again, or if it was just coincidence.
I shall have it again this year, fingers crossed it will be all right.
I hope you are able to come to a decision, and everything works out well for you.
Numpty

bubbadog

Me & my OH haven't had our flu jabs for a few years now after getting really, really nasty flu after having the jabs. Now my OH has a strong immune system while mine is pretty much not there! So for him to get as nasty flu as I had proves it was from the jab.
Also I don't like having it is because I hate having to go into the Dr's Surgery as I always come home with a little extra! (meaning I all ways get a bug or virus as I have at the moment! flu bug!) I keep saying I need to wear the type of mask Dr's do in surgery, the white one that covers nose and mouth so I don't pick up any bugs.
So my answer is 'not to flu jab!'

stickywicket

bubbadog wrote:

Me & my OH haven't had our flu jabs for a few years now after getting really, really nasty flu after having the jabs. Now my OH has a strong immune system while mine is pretty much not there! So for him to get as nasty flu as I had proves it was from the jab.

Or that you had both contracted it before having the jab

It's a bit of a minefield, bubbadog, and I don't think there are any straight, simple answers. More's the pity.

freesia

I WON'T be having a flu jab...

I had a severe reaction to the swine flu vaccination a couple of years back, projectile D&V (not nice)...

The vaccinations do change each year to include the "flu" strains of that year, and I believe they all still include a small amount of swine flu (but not widely advertised) so check with your own surgery for clarification...

I personally think (FOR ME) it's best not to have it - but fully understand all those who do want / and or need one.... it's a personal choice...

lindalegs

I'm on Etanercept and I shall have my flu jab as I don't want to risk getting flu. I've never reacted adversely to the injection whatever RA drug I'm on at the time and I've never had flu (touching lots of wood now :shock: )

Luv,

tillytop

Thanks all for your wise words - as usual.

Food for thought there indeedy. I'm still undecided - one minute I am definitely going for it and the next I've decided not. :roll: My bt appt is for late morning tomorrow and I was going to ask the nurse if she would do it then, so I have got a bit of time to think it through - and plenty more time to keep changing my mind

Thanks again.

Tillyxxx

suzygirl

I hope you decide Tilly, it is a difficult decision. Neither my youngest son (severely asthmatic) or I will be having the jab. Unfortunately both myself and my 2 sons are highly allergic to vaccines.

I am already allergic to most things unfortunately, but I believe we are an exception. Some do think that they get the flu from the vaccine. I know some one who is a carer for the elderly and swears that she catches the flu from them having the vaccine ( :?: )

It is an individual and personal decision. I wish you all the best.

((( hugs )))

dibdab

Hi Tilly,
I'm off to docs tomorrow too for gold injection and I'll be having the flu jab-I'm asthmatic so it's a bit of a no brainer- every cold I catch triggers a chest infection, and all the glorious dmards just complicate matters- so I've had the jab every year for about 10 years and no adverse reactions yet other than a sore arm.
I'll be thinking about you when I get jabbed in the arm (flu), "seat" (gold) and get my bloods done- it's a wonder I don't leak like a sieve!!! :?
If you decide to go with it-good luck!
Deb

salamander

I always have the flu jab. Any side effects are better than getting flu - though I will agree with those that had swine flu combination 3 years ago that the reaction was bad.

refereerick

I have only 'come down' with RA this year so this will be my first flu jab. But i've had flu the last two winters and I felt like I was dying for about 8 or 9 days each time. No brainer for me, if you've had the flu you'll grab at having the injection, a day or two of bad side effects would be preferable to having the flu again.

stickywicket

Just booked our two.

Soretoe2

I have had several pretty bad seize ups over the years with the flu jab and the pneumo one nearly killed me. However before the flu jab I used to get regular bouts of pleurisy and end up in hospital. Since having it I've not had one attack.
Also my great neice had swine flu last year and nearly died, she is 8 years old.
So I reckon it's hold the arm out and get on with it. If it makes me bad this year, well I'll be cross and fed up. Still having it though. The alternative could be much worse.
Just my twopenneth... Joy

RitaW

Had mine today so hoping it doesn't affect me too much like last years. :? Starting my Meth injections thursday too(was supposed to be 2 weeks ago but had water infection and passed a kidney stone last thursday) :roll:
I had the swine flu 3 years ago ( 8 days post op from total hysterectomy) and was so ill.
A question for those who have the jab,does your dr swab your arm before the jab? mine never does.

arfaitis

I think the positives out way the negatives, when it comes to flu vaccine.
I have had chronic Rheumy for 40+ years, I have heart failure, and I have Barratt's esophagus, and I have had flu jabs since about the 1960's, when the company paid for them.
We used to get a bad arm when they first started, but all is OK now.
We had our flu jabs last Saturday and so far all is well, not even a sore arm.
At my age 74 I can't take the risk.

Arfa

scattered

RitaW wrote:

A question for those who have the jab,does your dr swab your arm before the jab? mine never does.

Currently, it is thought that that swabbing the area being injected does not change the risks of infection arising from the skin bacteria. Some medical practitioners do, others don't. When I was being trained for MTX and Enbrel injections I was told that in my home environment I don't need to swab the area at all.

As a side note: it's not actually possible for the flu jab to cause flu. The vaccine contains dead viruses, which is why immunocompromised people can have it. If it contained live viruses then it would be unadvisable for them to take it. The jab can cause side-effects of muscle aches and fever because the body is trying to attack a foreign invader. As has previously been said, most infections (flu etc) that occur straight after the flu jab were probably already in the body, albeit, unsymptomatic (all info paraphrased from NHS Direct website).

Sorry Tilly, I can't help with your dilemma. I think you have to do what feels right for you. Personnally, I think I'd increase the pred, have the jab, and have a slow reduction, rather than risk getting severe flu later on and having to be off meds because of that. I hope you come to a decision: it isn't an easy one.

Take care.

hileena111

Ours are next Thursday
I'm supposed to be having an arthrititis stand in the surgery as well as having the flu jab....The day before {2pm } I'm having these root nerve blocks......not sure if I will be affected by that for the following day...either for the flu or doing the arthritis information stands???? So I'm undecided about it all.

Love
Hileena

tillytop

Thanks everyone for taking the time to post and for your wise words.

Well, having decided absolutely, completely and finally that I wasn't going to have the jab - I went ahead and did it anyway! :roll:

When mulling it over (again) I had a sudden thought (well two actually).

I am on Rituximab which can't be stopped if I get an infection - once I've had the infusions that's it for at least 6 months.

It may be that the hospital wouldn't give me my Ritux if I haven't had the flu jab and by the time that is potentially due (January) there may well not be any flu vaccine left so I would be scuppered.

So I had the jab yesterday and hedged my bets by upping the pred marginally. No signs so far of a major seize thank goodness and, if all is still well tomorrow I will cut the pred back down again over the next few days.

Thanks again peeps - and good luck to all you other undecided people - and to those who have decided to go ahead.

Tilly xxx

suzygirl

Good for you Tilly, sounds a sensible decision. I hope you don't suffer any nasty after effects.

Fitzroy

In Canada here, where it's pretty easy to get flu shots, a couple years ago more people got the flu that had shots than not.