'Flu jab.

dreamdaisy

It's that time of year again, the time when the immuno-suppressed of the UK roll up at their GPs for their free 'flu jab. Mine is booked for October 12th, I have had one every year for far too long to remember and am sure it helps me stay in better health over the winter. DD

Kitty

I used to have one every year too DD. Year before last our GP arranged a practise nurse to give us a jab at home as we are housebound. Last year she didn't and I didn't feel up to the usual argy bargy with the receptionist about home visits. So we didn't have one, and we were fine. So we probably won't bother again this year either. :?

Mike1

Had mine, wouldn't miss it!

BettyMac

I’ll be trotting along on Saturday to get my jab - and I’ll be taking Mr Mac with me this time.
He’s eligible for the jab because he lives with an immunocompromised person.

He didn’t get the jab last time, got flu and passed it on to me which precipitated a cascade of problems.
I ended up with flu, albeit somewhat ameliorated by having had the jab earlier that season.
The flu ended up in a chest infection which exacerbated my asthma - and I had to suspend the DMARDs, which caused a minor flare of the RA.
I had antibiotics for the infection and oral steroids for the inflammation/asthma.
It was not a lot of fun!

Kathleen - I know when you’re feeling low that ‘fighting’ with receptionists is sometimes a battle too far.
There are district nurses attached to doctors’ surgeries and their role is to visit people at home so you’re not asking for anything unusual.
Is there someone who could phone the surgery on your behalf?

dreamdaisy

Well done Mike1 and Kathleen, do I sense some ambivalence there? I feel for you, and understand completely about dealing with receptionists (I wonder if there's an NHS-run finishing school specialising in impalacability, obstreperousness and how to perform a complete power trip which receptionists have to pass to be fully qualified) but people coming to your house are a risk of infection. When a better day arrives grid your lions (as is often said in this household ), grasp the mettle/metal/netal/nettle and go into battle. Give 'em what for girl, you are in the right.

Good luck bettymac, I am pleased your husband is having one: I will remind mine to pop into Asda! DD

stickywicket

Crikey, Betty Mac, if ever there was an argument for flu jabs you are it And all because Mr BM didn't get one.

Before qualifying in his own right, Mr SW was always given one for my sake. We never miss and, having spent a week last January in HDU with pneumonia and a collapsed lung (nothing to do with flu or RA or meth) , and been offered a DNR notice :shock: I have already booked ours for this afternoon.

I always think it's best to get them asap before unwittingly starting with a cold. I once had to cancel three times because of a chest infection.

Kathleen, I'm so sorry you are housebound but I don't think that's any protection. How many people might have sneezed on your grocery delivery for a start? Can you not manage a taxi or a friend's car even? Missing it is a huge gamble.

BettyMac

Grinding ones lions I am so pinching that, DD!

Your HDU experience sounded alarming, Sticky. Let's hope you avoid having to go there again!

We're very lucky with our surgery's lovely receptionists. There did used to be an unpleasant one but she now works in the local supermarket and is much nicer there!

If you'll excuse me going off topic a bit. . . .
I had a very upsetting argy-bargy last week with someone at the company which delivers my meds. She was in computer-says-no mode and refused to listen to me, just repeating the same toneless phrase at me as if I was an annoying child.
After a week of not hearing from them, I phoned again yesterday and got someone else who DID listen and sorted my problem immediately.

I find that one of the very worst things about having this disease is the sense of powerlessness one feels and I think the pointless argy-bargy exacerbated that for me.
I was upset for several days.
My rheumatologist is brilliant at discussing things with me so at least I feel I have some measure of choice in a few aspects of dealing with RA. And that helps.
Of course - eventually one has to get to a point of acceptance because doing otherwise just uses up the energy you need to cope with the disease day-to-day.
I did think I'd got there, especially since - touch wood - my disease is pretty well controlled at the moment, but it was a shock to find myself reacting so badly.

pinkteapot

Had flu once, five or six years ago. Utterly horrific. I have zero tolerance now when someone with a cold at work says they've got flu. They certainly wouldn't have made it to work if they did!

One of the bonuses of going onto MTX this year for me is qualifying for free flu jabs now.

Kitty

Can you not manage a taxi or a friend's car even?

Who would get me from house to car, then from car to flu clinic? I appreciate your concern Sticky, but I've pondered over this problem already.

Mike1

Hi Kathleen, I don't mean to be a pain but have you tried the Patient Car Service? They do not just take people to hospital appointments but to any health treatment centre which includes GPs. Just a thought.

Kitty

I use this service to get to my hospital appointments and back, and very grateful I am too Mike1. But I asked if they could take me to the GP, but they said NO. :shock:

Mike1

kathleenT wrote:

I use this service to get to my hospital appointments and back, and very grateful I am too Mike1. But I asked if they could take me to the GP, but they said NO. :shock:

I am surprised at that as down in Cornwall we can get such help, the other source of help for you could be getting hold of your local Patient Advice and Liaison Service, normally located at a hospital, and let them know that your health could be affected by being unable to get the flu jab, they may be able to help sort out the transport issue. I would have thought that a District Nurse could pop round and give you the jab.

Kitty

Thank you Mike1. You'd think that as my GP is part of a large health centre with its own physiotherapist dept and X-ray dept (both of which I've used the patient transport service for) there wouldn't be a problem, but there obviously is!

Jackie47

Wouldn’t miss my flu jab for the world. Had it last week with no after problems.

dreamdaisy

That's good news, I am pleased for you and it makes a change when something goes as it should, yes? I've never had any bother in over 20 years and hope the same will apply this year. DD

Kitty

I'm feeling quite excited. I just had a phone call from a nurse in our district - ABOUT SOMEONE COMING TO GIVE US A FLU JAB. I was amazed it's Sunday for goodness sake. But I am thrilled. Getting me a jab shouldn't be a problem as I am on the district work load, but my husband isn't. But I really hope they will give him one too. Happy days.

dreamdaisy

Oh Kathleen! That is wonderful news, I am so pleased. I have mine next Saturday so will do my meth as usual tomorrow but not my humira on Thursday or the meth the following week: this follows my hospital's advice and it kinda makes sense to me. DD

BettyMac

Mr Mac and I got our flu jabs on Monday.

We couldn’t go to the walk-in Saturday session at our surgery so organised it at the chemist instead.
It was free because we meet the NHS criteria.

The young pharmacist was brilliant!
I can honestly say I felt nothing; his technique was amazing.

Jackie47

Had mine beginning of September. Did have a bit of flu last January and the jab certainly prevented anything serious. Pneumonia jab ,a one off ,I had years ago as well.

Kitty

I was also told the Pneumonia jab was a one off. But I had two, 5 years apart and will probably need another one 5 years after that. But then I also have a lung disease (Bronchiectasis) as if it's not enough being an old codger and immunosuppressed. :?

Ansam

dreamdaisy wrote:

It's that time of year again, the time when the immuno-suppressed of the UK roll up at their GPs for their free 'flu jab. Mine is booked for October 12th, I have had one every year for far too long to remember and am sure it helps me stay in better health over the winter. DD

I was given my flue jab last year whilst having a routine consult with my GP. This year I wasn't sure when or how this would take place (would I be informed by the surgery, having been 'flagged up', or would I have to phone and make an appointment to see the nurse?). Well, I had to drop by this morning to ask for a repeat prescription, so I thought I would check. I was pleasantly surprised when the receptionist said " Oh, there's a walk in next Wednesday, love, pop along to that." ( You may gather from the 'love' that I live in W. York's).

pinkteapot

Had my first ever flu jab yesterday. Completely painless!

Did get a headache last night that's still there a bit today but it's mild and definitely worth it to reduce the risk of catching flu.

I didn't get the sore arm the nurse said most people get!

dreamdaisy

I've made a judgement call and cancelled my jab tomorrow due to a tight chest, some wheeziness and a cough which is developing lovely, rich, rumbly undertones. I am rebooked for 02.11, the brave new world of post-possible-Brexit. Oh bother. DD

frogmorton

kathleenT wrote:

I was also told the Pneumonia jab was a one off. But I had two, 5 years apart and will probably need another one 5 years after that. But then I also have a lung disease (Bronchiectasis) as if it's not enough being an old codger and immunosuppressed. :?

Hardly an old codger Kath!!! :roll:

Dreamdaisy I think you are being very very wise. Get well soon ((())

Toni xx

Kitty

Totally agree with you Toni. I'm always asked if I've even got a sniffle so DD is doing the wise thing.

dreamdaisy

Thank you, kind ladies, I appreciate your comments. The cough is easing but its colour and 'flavour' (I am sure you get my drift) remains stagnant pond green (a colour that Farrow and Ball might describe as Hoxton Pea Soup). I am due to meth tomorrow but was not going to in view of the flu jab so missing it is no big deal, and I have rearranged my humira doses to cater for November 02. Medmin (medical administration) is a tedious necessity. Splutter on, me hearties! DD