Flu Jab

[maggiebee]

Have just received a letter saying I am entitled to a flu jab this year because of my age (sob sob). I keep very good health and am never bothered with colds or flu. What are the pros and cons of having the jab?

[dannyk13]

I have had the flu jab every year for the past 15 years and only had flu once in that time.

[Robinia]

There was a thread about this yesterday...

I've never had a flu jab and had flu once in the past 15 years.
Every year I really don't know what to do and end up not having one.

[Robinia]

Here's the recent thread
http://www.theanswerb.../Question1176038.html

[LazyGun]

The upside of receiving the flu vaccine is that it offers some protection against contracting the flu - not to be confused, as a lot of people do, with the common cold. The level of protection it offers varies depending on the individual and their immune system, and the match between the vaccine profile and the strain of flu circulating at the time - always a little bit of a lottery.

If its a good match, and you have a reasonable immune system, then you should benefit from the vaccine.

Downsides - localised soreness, redness. systemically, you might suffer a slight temperature - and err, thats about it.

On balance, if in your life you encounter lots of people on a daily basis, then its probably worth having.

Just do not forget that basic good hygiene practices can offer good protection against contracting flu, especially washing your hands.....

[daffy654]

I had my flu jab yesterday for the first time in years (can never be bothered usually), today my daughter brought my grandson round who seemed poorly, I convinced her to take him to the doctor who diagnosed flu, I am now worried my vaccination may have been for nothing. Apparently it is 10-14 days before you build up the antibodies from the jab to actually fight the flu bug :(

[Sqad]

Not as keen as LazyGun but i basicaaly agree:

Pros.

1 )...."May reduce symptoms" providing that the virus affecting you is the "correct one" for the vaccine.
2)Particularly in elderly folk who have diabetes or cardiovascular disease, "may" reduce hospital admission.

Cons.

1) A healthy immune system will combat the virus without vaccination.

2) You may still get "flu"

3) Mercury in vaccine....highly contentious subject.......may increase your chances of Altzheimer.....studies for and against.

4) Sore arm, slight temperature.

5)Allergic reaction...rare.

I have never had a flu jab and never had flu........fingers crossed.

[lcg]

no cons except a sore arm. have the flu jab.....i have one every year and never get flu x

[slaney]

I agree with Lazygun - the benefits of the flu vaccine outweigh the risks on the whole.
Sqad - None of the influenza vaccines contain thiomersal as an added preservative.

[Connemmara]

Sister got it last year - let's say she won't be getting it this year as she was ill with it. She said never never again.

[Sqad]

slaney.......I will take your word for it......readings of papers are confusing....some say mercury is present ....others do not.

I stand corrected.

[jake-the-peg]

Over 100 people died from flu last year

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12184395

Most will have had underlying health conditions but don't make the mistake of thinking that flu is "a bad cold"

[Psybbo]

Before receiving the flu jab today, I was asked if I was allergic to chicken. No ill effects as yet.

[woofgang]

I have had real flu twice in my life. It wasn't life threatening but was pretty horrendous. Now I live alone, even though I am (touching wood) fit and healthy, I get the jab because getting real flu when you live alone (and I have dogs to care for too) would be difficult at least and a bit of a disaster at worst.

[China Doll]

I get it, mainly because of patients on the ward, I say it's to protect the patients as I wander around mroe clinical areas now than I used to. I've never had flu <also touches wood>, I have been offered the injection for years because I'm (very mildly) asthmatic, I never took up the offer... last year two consultants, an A&E senior nurse and a liaison health visitor ganged up on me so I got the flu jab (there's only so much a girl can take!), and actually didn't even get a cold the rest of the year.

[pdust]

i had my first one yesterday due to ill health rather than age... not sure of the pro's and cons but you just reminded me i forget to tell the nurse i needed pneumonia jab too so thanks for posting

[bookbinder]

My wife and I had our annual flu jabs this week, and we've had no side effects. We've had the jabs every year (free, as we're pensioners, at the GP surgery) for about seven or eight years, and never had flu. We hardly felt the needle go in this week, and there was a tiny spot of blood on my shirt sleeve, but that's all. Would we have caught flu without the jabs? No idea.

[Sqad]

slaney

There is no difference between the types of vaccines in efficacy or adverse reactions.[1] Being inactivated, they do not cause the diseases against which they protect. Some vaccines contain the preservative thiomersal and, since rare allergic reactions have been reported, thiomersal-free vaccine should be given if available, especially to children or pregnant women.[10] If a thiomersal-free vaccine is not available, the vaccine should still be given, as the benefits of giving it outweigh the risks. The trivalent vaccine should be used in most circumstances.

Now not discussing the dangers or otherwise of mercury........surely the above casts doubts on the use of mercury as a preservative.

As you may have gathered i am a clinician unable to match the expertise of academics.

So, I ask again " Are all the vaccines mercury free?"

[slaney]

Sqad - I am a retired clinician not an academic.
The best reference for these matters is the Department of Health's Green Book which gives a list of the vaccines used in the UK for the 2012/13 season in Table 19.5 and below it says that none of the vaccines contain thiomersal as an added preservative.

https://www.wp.dh.gov...-Chapter-19-v4_71.pdf
It also gives a reference in another Chapter (8) to the risks of the above.

[slaney]

And a link for the thiomersal risk..
https://www.wp.dh.gov...pter-8-Patch-v4_0.pdf

[237SJ]

Personally, I`ve never bothered having a vaccine and I wouldn`t now (even though I interact with literally hundreds of people at work). I`ve had flu a couple of times and it`s not nice but that still wouldn`t make me have the jab. I take the view that if I get flu, then that`s just tough. If however, I was elderly, had a compromised immune system or had some other pressing reason why I couldn`t afford to have the flu then I`d have the jab. I`m sure the drugs companies would like everyone to be vaccinated because that makes them lots of money.
On, second thoughts, the big drugs companies are huge customers of ours so yes everyone, go and get the jab as it keeps me in a job :-)