The flu shot.

byhookorbycrook

Didn't get the swine flu shot last year, just the "ordinary"one. This year I had the shot-it also has swine flu inbuilt and didn't feel great for about 5 days, anyone else the same?

robinph

When I have had the flu shots in the past I'd generally feel a bit rotten during the following week and that is pretty normal I think. Not bothered with the shot for the last couple of years though.

rugbug86

That's fairly normal. A flu shot contains tiny amounts of the virus that causes the flu, and by giving you the small amount it causes an immune response. When your immune system responds, it produces antibodies that are specific against the virus you've been injected with. Because its such a small amount of virus, the antibodies can fight it. But these antibodies stay in your system, so if you are exposed to the flu virus this year, you'll have the antibodies already there and you shouldn't get sick.

So unless they've preducted the flu strain wrong in the vaccine (again), you should be okay.

And as for feeling crappy - your immune system is working overtime so you're gonna feel a little bit off.

byhookorbycrook

This is the first year i've felt so awful, I'm on the MS drug tysabri, that works by lowering immune system. I think I made a mistake in getting the shot so close to the infusion.

rugbug86

Well I hope you're feeling better now. I've experienced the crappy feeling after vaccines and it ain't nice!!

mp22

Got mine yesterday,sore arm today,dose not seem too bad this year.

byhookorbycrook

took a few days to kick in with me , but hopefully you'll be ok. All LTI people should get the shot though.

up for anything

I had the swine flu vaccination and booster last year. I felt really ill about 2 hours after getting them for the next 24 hours. No sore arm though. It's really putting me off getting it this year. I haven't had the normal flu jab for years. I wonder should I bother this year. The reaction I had last year really has put me off. I'm on MXT so supposedly at risk.

rugbug86

24 hours of feeling crappy is better than having to take 2 weeks off work if you get 'flu.

If you're at risk, go get it!

koppy

had a bad dose of flu last year and it really knocked me out. deffo worth two days suffering to prevent

CramCycle

rugbug86 wrote: »

A flu shot contains tiny amounts of the virus that causes the flu, and by giving you the small amount it causes an immune response.

It's inactivated so don't worry about that, you cannot get the flu from the flu vaccine despite what some scare mongers will tell you. Its the immune systems response to these inactivated viruses, which will prepare your immune system for the possibility of the actual flu, that helps your body to fight off the flu (as in it's ready to fight so it should kick it's ass immediately).

up for anything wrote: »

I had the swine flu vaccination and booster last year. I felt really ill about 2 hours after getting them for the next 24 hours. No sore arm though. It's really putting me off getting it this year. I haven't had the normal flu jab for years. I wonder should I bother this year. The reaction I had last year really has put me off. I'm on MXT so supposedly at risk.

It's normal for alot of people to feel a bit run down for up to 48 hours (obviously for those of us who have problems with our immune system for whatever reason, this may take longer, your GP should have good advice for this though) after the shot, as mentioned in other posts, the immune response is still there, so you get alot of the symptoms of the immune system fighting the flu.

rugbug86 wrote: »

24 hours of feeling crappy is better than having to take 2 weeks off work if you get 'flu.

If you're at risk, go get it!

Good advice, the key principle to any immunisation programme is herd immunity, if enough of us don't get it, then it becomes a redundant measure for the most part.