# 'Alarm' as patients shun flu jab



## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

The BBC is reporting that there has been a 6% fall in immunisations at GP surgeries this year compared to last year. Doctors are complaining of fridges full of unused vaccine.

At a time when we are told that people are living longer and that the working age will be increasing is it really necessary to offer the jab to people who are normally healthy? Has the flu jab become a money earner for drug companies and doctors? Is that one of the reasons why doctors are complaining? 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-34790037


----------



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Maybe it is a cash cow for the Docs as my Doc telephoned me and asked me to come in immediately and he would give me the jab.
It was quite handy as I was going to make the appointment, but I had the jab five minutes later, the receptionist, hadn't even had the time to put it on her appointment list!>
No side effects!


My Doc seems to have time on his hands as his Son and other partners do most of the day to day appointments.
He is sort of semi retired and dabbles


----------



## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Apparently taking statins nullifies the flu jab, perhaps a lot of people have read the same article.


tony


----------



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

GEMMY said:


> Apparently taking statins nullifies the flu jab, perhaps a lot of people have read the same article.
> 
> tony


That's buggered me up as the Doc put me on Statins at the same appointment when he gave me the flu jab:surprise:


----------



## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

Grath said:


> That's buggered me up as the Doc put me on Statins at the same appointment when he gave me the flu jab:surprise:


It is interesting as my surgery do a blood pressure test at the same time as giving the jab. They could do a cholesterol test at the same time with little effort. It is well documented the doctors receive a payment for each patient e.g. "Guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says GPs should get financial incentives to prescribe statins to patients with high blood pressure even if they only have a low risk of developing heart disease over the next 10 years."

http://www.express.co.uk/life-style...octors-will-be-paid-to-dole-out-risky-statins


----------



## cabby (May 14, 2005)

GEMMY said:


> Apparently taking statins nullifies the flu jab, perhaps a lot of people have read the same article.
> 
> tony


where did that quote come from.

cabby


----------



## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

http://www.theguardian.com/society/...pear-less-effective-for-people-taking-statins

Cheers

Dave


----------



## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Grath said:


> That's buggered me up as the Doc put me on Statins at the same appointment when he gave me the flu jab:surprise:


Graham

I had a good laugh at that - not at you.

Maybe there are some statins which are compatible with the jab and some not - bit like 'No alcohol' with some antibiotics, and not others.

I have always turned down the jab - just to save the NHS money, and my time, because I have never had 'flu. I know, I know - it is much worse when you get old; so when I get old I may have it - only 73 now:laugh:

Geoff


----------



## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

I have the flu jab every time, the boss has never had a flu jab...in fact she has never been to the doctors...both ways work because neither of us have ever had the flu.
Although I must admit to the occasional touch of man flu:surprise:


----------



## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

I pay for the flu jab every year and this year paid for my lad too, as he used to have it free when he was asthmatic but doesn't now he's free of that. The reason we have it is that Mrs GMJ gets it free because of her asthma so we also need to do what we can not to pass it on too...(with her MS she wouldn't be in a great place if she got flu).


As a P-T teacher its an occupational hazard for me and the lad has only just finished college at 18, so he was a germ carrier too!


Touch wood: 3 years now without a day off ill 0


Graham:smile2:


----------



## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

I had flu and pneumonia jabs together, I am on Atorvastatin tablets as part of my post-op medication but the nurse said the jabs do not affect any existings med's, but I didn't think to ask about the other way around.

The flu jab screwed my arm up for a week and it still aches!

Peter


----------



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Not to worryPeter

The pneumonia jab is a one off

Immunity for life

Did you have shingles jab?.

We now both have the flue jab each year

It's a guesstimate on flu varieties likely to occur

But flu is a killer to young and old
So worth hedging the bets

Sandra


----------



## delawaredandy (Oct 12, 2012)

I seem to remember that back in the late 70,s maybe early 80,s the government were trying to push the flu jab onto the general workers, I queued up with the other other lemmings and duly received my flu jab, three hours later I felt like I had contracted what I can only imagine a dose of Ebola must feel like and spent the next week and half of work.

Would I have another flu jab again "would I B******* :smile2:


----------



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

They are much improved now

They are not live vaccines 

And make no mistake flu is a killer

Sandra


----------



## delawaredandy (Oct 12, 2012)

I take your point Aldra, I am only commenting on my personal experience from many years back. :smile2:


----------



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Well age has a bearing

The very young and the older are at a disadvantage

The inbetweens , well a week or so of misery they will bounce back

Unfortunately my bouncing days are over

So I have the flu jab

Sandra


----------



## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

My Doc gave me the flu jab in one arm & jab in the right arm to ward off shingles, he said one is a live vaccine & the other not live . . .but I can't remember which was which - now I just need a 'help my memory' jab


----------



## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

aldra said:


> They are much improved now
> 
> They are not live vaccines
> 
> ...


We are both 'shunners'. I had my first Flu jab 2 years ago and felt terrible for 2 months afterwards. I refused one last year and apparently it did not work anyway. This year, we both asked the Doctors Receptionist to take our names off the list for reminders. :smile2:

The last time I had Flu, Harold Wilson was PM. :wink2:

We now have one of our Grandsons living with us and it may be permanent. Teenagers catch all kinds of Bugs, so no doubt we are at more risk. :frown2:


----------



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

The shingles vaccine costs over £200 each one

I guess it must be cheaper than treating shingles

And much less painful

Out surgery gives it to all those over 70

Aldra


----------



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

I always remember this
Many years ago, 24 members of the company I worked for were working as sales staff at the International Boat show in London.
All had the Flu Jab except my wife and I.
All caught the flu and were in bed for a few days, EXCEPT, my wife and I
BUT, it was a live vaccine in those days.
It took me many years to take the chance and give it a try, however I did as it is no longer a live vaccine.
No side effects at all!
The only question for me, is does it work


----------



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Well it works if they get the strain right 

Which they mostly do, but sometimes don't 

It's a guesstimate 

But the truth is for most of us no side effects, occasional aching arm

And as we age full scale flu is a killer

Aldra


----------



## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

I always have the flu jab, a mildly sore arm for 1-2 days but nothing worse.

If you get a real dose of flu you can be man down for 14 days or more. Very contagious. You can make every one around you sick too. (Every office has someone who comes to work sick as a pony (putting on a brave front), stays long enough to spread their germs, then retire defeated to their sickbed. Then everyone else gets ill! And so round and round it goes. 

Outside chance of dying if you have other complications, or extremely bad luck. Not worth the risk.

Remember (not literally!) the 1918 epidemic?


----------



## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

We´ve had the flu jab for the past 30 years. One year Hans didn´t (Too busy he said), he caught it and was bedridden for 2 weeks, over the Christmas/new year period and his birthday.
We had the pneumonia jab years ago, never heard of the shingles one, must ask our doctor. What an informative forum we have. :grin2:
Jan


----------



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

When we are young

Flu isn't that bad, well it is , but hey we survive all things

As we get older it takes much more out of us

Older still we may not survive it

Why would The NHS give flue injections that cost money for nothing?.

They give it because it has an advantage to those who get it

Get wise

Sandra


----------



## JLO (Sep 27, 2006)

I had my flu jab this year as I happened to be at work at the same time as our Infection Control Matron was giving the jabs out to staff.....I have been "under the weather" since, going on for five weeks now. 

Dr reckons I succumbed to a virus and its just a coincidence it happened two days after my jab. 

The senior nurse practitioner in our surgery told me 60% of patients are complaining of feeling ill afterwards this year. I know of 3 others who have suffered the side effects going on for four weeks, 2 others in my office.


----------



## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

JLO said:


> I had my flu jab this year as I happened to be at work at the same time as our Infection Control Matron was giving the jabs out to staff.....I have been "under the weather" since, going on for five weeks now.
> 
> Dr reckons I succumbed to a virus and its just a coincidence it happened two days after my jab.
> 
> The senior nurse practitioner in our surgery told me 60% of patients are complaining of feeling ill afterwards this year. I know of 3 others who have suffered the side effects going on for four weeks, 2 others in my office.


That effect is quite common but the NHS play it down. That is the reason that I don't have a Flu jab anymore. I wonder what else they are keeping quiet about. :frown2:


----------



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

I think there is a lot of scaremongering and old wives tales, talking negatively about the flu jab. As I posted earlier in the thread, I was also against the jab, but that was when it was a live vaccine.
I have now had it for several years and the most I have had is a little aching arm, but mostly no side effects. This year absolutely none, so last week I asked for the pneumonia jab, and again no side effects!


----------



## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

JLO said:


> I had my flu jab this year as I happened to be at work at the same time as our Infection Control Matron was giving the jabs out to staff.....I have been "under the weather" since, going on for five weeks now.
> 
> Dr reckons I succumbed to a virus and its just a coincidence it happened two days after my jab.
> 
> *The senior nurse practitioner in our surgery told me 60% of patients are complaining of feeling ill afterwards this year.* I know of 3 others who have suffered the side effects going on for four weeks, 2 others in my office.


Sounds like she is a scaremongering old wife to me. :wink2:


----------



## JLO (Sep 27, 2006)

The senior nurse practitioner is a man. :wink2:

I am just going on anecdotal evidence of other people and my own experiences, we are all different and I know what they tell us, I work in the NHS in the same office as the person who gives out the jabs, but personally I don't think I will have another in a hurry. 

I wasn't ill prior to the jab, now I am and have been for 5 weeks, its as black and white as that for me.


----------



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

JLO said:


> The senior nurse practitioner is a man. :wink2:
> 
> I am just going on anecdotal evidence of other people and my own experiences, we are all different and I know what they tell us, I work in the NHS in the same office as the person who gives out the jabs, but personally I don't think I will have another in a hurry.
> 
> I wasn't ill prior to the jab, now I am and have been for 5 weeks, its as black and white as that for me.


I suppose JLO, we take our views from our own experience.
As I said earlier, years ago, I was dead against the flu jab, but my recent experience has been all positive:smile2:
I only know for certain a few who have had this years jab, but all had no side effects 
Mrs G
Mrs G sister (from another part of the country) (late 70s)
Brother in Law (as above)
My mate down the road (another motorhomer) (over 80)
His Wife
Their Daughter (Health Practice Nurse)
An old neighbour in our cul de sac ( generally, not a very well person)
His Wife
And Me
That makes 9 people.
Obviously there must be some with side effects, but I have not spoken to any and I wonder how many of those would have the effects even if they didn't have the jab? I suppose we will never know:serious:
I think the important thing is that some people really do need it, as they possibly would not survive full blown influenza, but can manage any possible side effects.
At the end of the day, we all go with our gut feeling and take the consequences, and what is right for one person , may not be for another!


----------



## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Grath said:


> I suppose JLO, we take our views from our own experience.
> As I said earlier, years ago, I was dead against the flu jab, but my recent experience has been all positive:smile2:
> I only know for certain a few who have had this years jab, but all had no side effects
> Mrs G
> ...


Add myself and Mrs GMJ to that list:smile2:

Oh and the lad...but he did feel a little prick though>

Boom Boom Tish!

I thank you: I'm here all week...try the veal:grin2:

Graham

NB: My FiL who is 77 wont have it but his brother is 75 and he does. The FiL says its OK for him as he's a "young 'un" :smile2:


----------

