I hesitated about asking this here. I don’t want to spread any pointless rumours of uncertainty about the annual flu vaccination. I certainly think that having the flu jab is better than getting flu.
But the last two years I have had weird temporary symptoms from about October to January which I now realise may well tie in with having the flu jab - which I have also had for just the last two winters.
This could be coincidence. But I wonder if anyone has had any similar experiences / suspicions / thoughts.
Another possibility is that I have become allergic to eggs as well as milk now - I believe they use egg albumin or something in the vaccination.
Hi Lapwing, it does seem to me that I’m not well for a while after having the flu jab… worse than usual anyway… but I’m never sure if it’s the jab that caused it.
About 6 or 7 years ago I didn’t have the jab and I caught flu. I was in bed for over 3 weeks and thought I was dying… and didn’t care if I was. It then took me about 3 months to recover… so since then I’ve had the jab every year as wouldn’t want to go through that again.
As you say, the flu jab’s better than getting flu.
I suppose it would make sense if the jab affected us as our immune systems are so compromised. So yes, I think you’re probably right.
I’m free of odd unpredictable symptoms again now, which is good. Just legs of lead and the familiar feeling of being like an old car trying to get up a steep hill in top gear a lot of the time!
Yes, I think you’re right about it being wise to get the jab.
I had a flu jab years ago when they first started pushing them on nurses and it made me very ill as you described, in bed with flu for weeks so I never had one again but this year my gp encouraged me to have it, explaining how much they’ve improved over time and I’m converted. Even living with an asthmatic teenager who regularly picks colds up and is quite generous with her germs, I’ve not even had a sniffle this year. I only had it because a cold would kill my dad, but I’ll happily have one every year now. I’d definitely ask about the egg thing as a few vaccines can’t be given to people with egg allergies and this might be one of them.
I stopped having it for a few years coz I thought it made me a little worse after it but restarted last year after realising how bad flu is and that a few days discomfort was a small price to pay. Friends got the flu this year and it ruined their Christmas. I don’t know about how it would affect allergies maybe ask your GP.
Unfortunately I am one of those people who is allergic to something in the jab, cos within a very short time of having it I am covered in hives, so no more for me.
I do believe, however, if you can its best to have it.
I’ve had the jab for the last 9 years and it has had no real impact. I think like the beast itself, everyone may react in different ways. Since having them I don’t seem to get very sniffy although my head can still have the urge to explode. Very queer indeed!
Hope everyone is as well as they can be. It’s not dark at five anymore. Our two year old has moved from cot to bed-it’s almost reassuring to have some nights interrupted for normal reasons.