Are you going to get the swine flu jab??

sam34

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

I agree with robinph. Simply saying talk to your doctor when someone has clearly done so, is unhelpful. I'm not sure why Sam34 took issue with that comment, as I don't recall LionelRichie giving out anything remotely like medical advice.

How in all honesty could someone looking to see what to do with two doctors giving confilicting opinions, be treated as looking for treatment advice?? A bit of common sense would go a long way

the pposter gave their own medical history and then asked what they should do... looks like a request for medical advice to me.

Wyyldfairy wrote: »

any thoughts or ideas or advice on what i should do??

and i think taking medical advice form peopel on the internet is a very dangerous thing to do.

how could mike65 have been any more helpful, without straying into medical advice territory??

lucernarian

Medical history? His problem was 2 doctors giving conflicting advice (which was the bit you left out of the quote). I think it's reasonable to hear a way of dealing with that.

Getting the two doctors to talk to each other is a productive suggestion that hardly counts as "medical advice" as per its legal status.

Saying to "talk to your doctor" is condescending to a poster who has clearly done that and is wondering where to go from there.

It was quite easy to help the poster without giving medical advice. You made a good suggestion too in this regard! I take issue with mike65's self-imposed judgement on the matter.

Do you see, it's sort-of irrelevant in this case if the poster is asking for medical advice. The mods can look after charter issues, I won't go into it. But surely any poster can withold any medical advice and then simply offer a common sense suggestion to help someone receive the correct advice? Parroting "don't look for medical advice here" was less than unhelpful in this situation and it was up to the mods to decide that aswell.

mike65

As you may have seen I've clarified my own earlier post, meanwhile on 'post-jab watch', the red rash has all but gone (got injection on Wednesday)..

mp22

Got the flu jab last Friday gp says be back next Thursday for swine flu jab,should be fun.

sam34

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

Medical history? .

yep, the poster gave their medical history as an intro to the post:

Wyyldfairy wrote: »

im a 22 year old...Im also a very severe asthmatic and have already been in hospital twice this year with asthma etc... my immune system is so low

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

Do you see, it's sort-of irrelevant in this case if the poster is asking for medical advice. The mods can look after charter issues, I won't go into it. But surely any poster can withold any medical advice and then simply offer a common sense suggestion to help someone receive the correct advice? Parroting "don't look for medical advice here" was less than unhelpful in this situation and it was up to the mods to decide that aswell.

i have no issue with common sense suggestions, as you call them. however, it wasnt clear if thats what the poster wanted. it was his/her first post, so they may not be familiar with the charter.

some people, in fact a lot of people, think it's OK to look for medical advice on the internet. i delete loads of threads on the medicine forum that are looking for medical advice. despite the fact that we have a big sticky on the first page, people still go ahead and post.

again, the poster in this case, being new, may not have been familiar with the charter, and/or may be one of those people who think taking medical advice off the internet is a safe option.

telling them otherwise is helpful in general, and for the future.

thats all i was trying to get across.

Miss Lockhart

Wyyldfairy wrote: »

Hi all- im a 22 year old who works with young kids ina school all day at the moment . (im in college still). Im also a very severe asthmatic and have already been in hospital twice this year with asthma etc. My GP does NOT want me to get the swine flu jab at all because my immune system is so low and its a rather important year for me college wise. My respiratory conusltant tells me i HAVE to get it. any thoughts or ideas or advice on what i should do??
Thanks

Just to be clear - this is NOT an attempt to look for medical advice but I thought I would share my experience as it is sort of similar.

I have a particular problem with my heart but my GP said he could not give me the vaccine as this problem did not fit HSE criteria for the high risk groups. Fair enough - I was happy enough with that advice.

However, at a subsequent apointment my cardiologist told me I HAVE to get it so I explained the situation regarding my GP.

As others have suggested here, it was decided the two doctors should discuss the issue - my cardiologist offered to phone my GP. The outcome of this phonecall was that my GP stuck by his stance that I don't fit HSE criteria. So, my cardiologist is sending out a letter detailing my condition to bring to a vaccination clinic with me instead, as he really wants me vaccinated.

I totally understand your frustration here with the conflicting advice, and also especially the confusion for expectant parents - with many GPs advising against while maternity hospitals support vaccination.

irish_bob

i suffer from asthma so i fell into one of the at risk categorys so i went to my local hospital last tuesday , guess what , everyone showed up regardless of whether they were in the at risk category , i asked the nurse who adminstered my vaccination and she confirmed as much , we cant exactly turn them away she said

The_Conductor

irish_bob wrote: »

i suffer from asthma so i fell into one of the at risk categorys so i went to my local hospital last tuesday , guess what , everyone showed up regardless of whether they were in the at risk category , i asked the nurse who adminstered my vaccination and she confirmed as much , we cant exactly turn them away she said

Happily it appears that supplies of the vaccine are more readily available than we were originally lead to believe. Either that- or else there are shocking numbers of people who really should be getting vaccinated, who are avoiding the vaccine, because of the media circus over it........

KiLLeR CoUCh

Got the vaccine on Monday. My arm is still a little tender and have the sniffles, but that might not be related =P

deisemum

I'm booked in to get it tomorrow.

star-pants

My mother already had a bit of flu but she got her shot on Wednesday gone, her arm was sore for a few days, but doesn't appear to be any side effects at the moment. Her flu didn't get any worse, she's still getting over it, but so are the rest of us.

Eoineo

My entire household had all but one of the symptoms of SF 2 weeks ago but no clear diagnosis because we had no temperature spikes. Both myself and my child would be in the at risk categories but I'm undecided yet.

The_Conductor

Keep in mind- even if Swine Flu is the predominant strain in the wild at the moment- it accounts for roughly 65% percent of all influenza strains out there at present- there are 6 other strains vying for the other 35%. Just because you've gotten an easy dose of the flu- does not mean you have encountereed AH1N1 Swine Flu.......

S.

mood

robinph wrote: »

Doubt I'll bother myself.

I only rarely tend to get the regular flu jab, which then just makes me feel a bit crappy for a few days, and I've just survived the winter (summer) down in the southern hemisphere without picking up their version of the pig flu. I'd only get the regular one anyway if I was in seeing the GP about something else as I have an aversion to giving a GP money when there is nothing* whatsoever wrong with me.

* Not entirely true, but I still resent paying money to be told that I'm fine.

Swine flu injection is free.

mood

kerchow wrote: »

I am still wary of this jab. I never get the normal jab. (Am asthmatic) And I won't get this one either. Talking to a few girls in work today and most of us aren't gettting it either. I just don't have faith that a few months down the road they will discover that it doesn't really work and people will still end up getting the flu after getting the jab.

I got it as I'm asthmatic. I know another asthmatic seriously ill in hospital with it (very, very serious)! I also know a perfectly healthy person who is quite sick (but not in hospital).

Arm slightly sore but nothing to be worried about. It might bother me tonight in bed when I role over on it that's all.

deisemum

I got it on Wednesday and fortunately haven't had any reaction to it so far.

I got it at my local clinic and was very impressed at how well run and organised the whole thing was, credit where it's due.

Sinall

I am asthmatic and got the swine flu jab on Wednesday. Fortunately, have had no flu-like symptoms, but my arm has been quite sore for the last few days. In my opinion I would much rather put up with a sore arm than be at risk of the swine flu! I do feel reassured after getting the jab.

I also get the regular flu jab every year as my asthma can lead to complications which can take weeks to get over.

Richiecats

Got my little man jabbed last Thursday, he has been running a temperature and been grumpy for 2 days. But this has passed now, has to get his second doze in three weeks as he is only 2. Much better than getting the full blow flue and ending up in hospital or worse.

Eoineo

Well I met with my gp last week and they discussed all my options and I've decided to get it on balance, my son will get it too as he is also high risk. I've not received a letter for him yet but my gp has offered to do us both at the same time.

Has anybody with immunosuppression had problems dealing with the clinics? A family member has had major difficulties persuading them to have their main carer (who lives with them) vaccinated even though their gp has recommended it. The gp is not offering the vaccine themselves.

mood

If you get it at a HSE clinic I think you get the one without mercury.

sickpuppy32

mood wrote: »

If you get it at a HSE clinic I think you get the one without mercury.

The stuff about the mercury in the vaccine is a scaremongering myth. IT has ethyl mercury in it not the dangerous methylmercury. There is more ethyly mercury in a can of tuna.

Giggles1982

Hi just to share my experience I got mine a week ago and thankfully i had zero problems , I work in healthcare ( paramedic ) so i get exposed to everything going , but i was offered it as i have asthma & epilepsy , I needed to attend the HSE for the Baxter-manufactured one ( its egg protein free , i'm allergic ) .
No after affects whatsoever ! The tetanus i got 3 weeks ago left me with a much more sore arm ! Previously got the regular flu vaccine a few years ago and vomitted rings around myself and a high temp , but i have survived this one no problem !! So go ahead !!;)

ixoy

To my surprise, I got a letter from my GP saying I was in a "high risk" group. Now I've a feeling that I just got ticked off on a machine somewhere because I fit into a neurological condition (epilepsy) category.

My consultant never mentioned anything about flu, in any form, as being a risk or something to look out for. Lots of other things came up - but not the flu. Is this a blanket listing by the HSE? I don't fit the particulars for epilepsy treatment listed on Brainwave's page so it's made me curious as to how they're targeting.

Giggles1982

Ixoy any sort of virus in the body or continually high temperatures can trigger a seizure , especially in those with Epilepsy .
I actually chose to get my vaccine not because of my asthma ( ive had really past chest infections & been hospitalised before but ive always come through ), but because of my Epilepsy , I just didnt want something silly like Swine Flu ruining my record of being seizure free for the past 8 years !
I guess you can make a decision on how severe your own epilepsy is , and perhaps put a call into your neurologist & get their opinion .

mood

ixoy this is not the regular flu. It is killing people the the regular flu doesn't.

The regular flu normally only kills the very old/ill/frail. The swine flu is killing healthy people.

orlanemo

I am on immuno-suppressants and got the general flu last Christmas. I lost about a stone in a week (I wasn't particularly big to begin with - Size 10) , had a high fever for a week, and on two nights was on the verge of going to the hospital.

Its not just about killing you - its about the medium term damage it will do to your health. I took me 2-3 months to recover properly, I still have not regained the weight I lost. When they said the swine flu vaccine was available I was down there straight away. I never want to get that sick again

lucernarian

mood wrote: »

ixoy this is not the regular flu. It is killing people the the regular flu doesn't.

The regular flu normally only kills the very old/ill/frail. The swine flu is killing healthy people.

I don't think the mortality rates are higher from figures I've seen reported since Autumn. I think there is more to it than healthy/ill. The prevalence is higher, which is why there are more people dying.

Carsinian Thau

I already got mine. :D

Carsinian Thau

mood wrote: »

If you get it at a HSE clinic I think you get the one without mercury.

The mercury that's used is supposedly not harmful because the body is able to excrete it with urine after a while.

That's just what I've heard/

Eoineo

Myself and the wee man got it this afternoon. No bad signs so far. He was teething anyway so in bad form (he's only 1) so hard to judge. I'm okay apart from a hot arm. I'm disappointed I have to bring him back again in 3 weeks time. The child will have a GP phobia at this rate of going as he's only just had his 12 & 13 month jabs too!