To have or have not - Swine-flu jab and fibromyalgia

Unity

I just wondered what others think about having the Swine-flu jab when affected by fibromyalgia?

The following is the scenario as it occurred in my case: -

I was told by my GP, when I saw him last, that it would be a good idea in my case, and he made the appointment for me for the following week. A couple of days later I got a call from him to say that he had changed his mind after discovering that there had been some spontaneous cases of Guillain Barre syndrome developing in Canada after the vaccine had been given.

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Guillain-Barre-syndrome/Pages/Introduction.aspx

My GP thought a better way forward would be to give my OH the jab, as he is my carer and he had this together with the ordinary flu jab two weeks ago.

I'm okay with this but thought the above link may be of use to those who share this condition.

Invasion

I will personally be staying away from it, partly because of the guillian barre syndrome issue- which happened with the last swine flu jab that was made available.. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx this is quite an old article, from when swine flu was just starting.... but I made up my mind when I read it then that I would not be getting the jab. I have ME and my legs are already bad enough, and I can do without paralysis. If it does mutate then I'll be staying away from college etc anyway.

I guess it's just weighing it all up, friends of mine have had some pretty rough reactions to the jab, nausea, vomiting, extreme pain in the site of the injection and down the arm, fainting etc. They all had ME. Obviously not everyone will react, but just some info

Invasion

on that link, when that annoying pop up comes up, click on the page with the article and press escape to get rid of it

Ruby_Moon

I will not be having any Swine Flu jabs and I do not take the normal flu jab that I am offered every year.

jazabelle

I can't decide what to do. I had what I think was probably swine flu earlier this year, and it was pretty damn awful. I had all the symptoms, but obviously they don't test for swine flu now unless you end up in hospital, so no one can confirm it.

It also lasted for about a month, which as I was unemployed at the time, wasn't such a huge problem, but would be now I work.

I had the flu jab a few weeks ago, which went fine, other than my arm being really painful for about five days.

Obviously you can have the jab and still get flu, but what if it does prevent it? I really wouldn't want to go through it again, but I'm nervous about the side effects.

I also find it interesting your husband was offered one as your carer. My mum asked for one, as my carer, and was told only vulnerable people were being offered it at the moment. Quite annoyed with my GP at the moment!

Unity

jazabelle wrote: »

I can't decide what to do. I had what I think was probably swine flu earlier this year, and it was pretty damn awful. I had all the symptoms, but obviously they don't test for swine flu now unless you end up in hospital, so no one can confirm it.

It also lasted for about a month, which as I was unemployed at the time, wasn't such a huge problem, but would be now I work.

I had the flu jab a few weeks ago, which went fine, other than my arm being really painful for about five days.

Obviously you can have the jab and still get flu, but what if it does prevent it? I really wouldn't want to go through it again, but I'm nervous about the side effects.

I also find it interesting your husband was offered one as your carer. My mum asked for one, as my carer, and was told only vulnerable people were being offered it at the moment. Quite annoyed with my GP at the moment!

Yes we were also ill in September and when DH rang the help-line they were quick to dish out the Tamiflu and said I should see my doc as I had chest pains. I've had these before and it was pneumonia last time. When DH rang the surgery to ask the doc to come out - the receptionist asked if I could go in :eek:. Now I thought that was the one thing you weren't supposed to do:rolleyes:. Anyway DH just told them there was no way I could get in as I was too ill. My GP did not think it was Swine-flu, but without testing who is to know? The whole household was ill for over three weeks and still coughing after five _pale_.

It's ridiculous not to give your mum the jab - if she is ill, who looks after both of you and chances are you will catch it from her. Some GP's may be well qualified medically, but they lack basic common sense :rolleyes:. If carers in nursing homes can get it, why not carers within families? Or am I being cynical in thinking it's because you can't take sick leave from your family?;)

Tbh I was set to have it - if the doc had not found out about these cases in Canada. I know the problems I have recovering after even the slightest of infections and I dread to think how I'll be if what I had wasn't Swine-flu and I catch it in the near future.

My GP said the take-up on vaccines is slow, but if we are like Germany and people start dying as a result, he reckons the demand will easily exceed what is available. He also predicted an epidemic within three weeks :eek:.

I'm taking supplements in the hope of boosting my immune system to cope with whatever gets flung at me .

Penny-Pincher!!

I had Swine Flu 3 months ago and have FMS along with a long list of other illness/ailments. Was given the Tamiflu, but it did make me feel sick. My joint pain was more intense too but my GP gave me extra steroid shots and pain meds.

HTH

PP
xx

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Just had both flu vaccines. Pleased to report that I haven't keeled over as of yet, just a bit of an aching arm.

Asked the lovely nurse how it's going and she says it isn't money that keeps her there at evenings and weekends vaccinating people, or has got every doctor in the practice prepared to vaccinate any patient who is in the surgery for something else.

But then again, I've seen what Swine Flu can do to someone with the slightest vulnerability. Boyfriend is still unable to come back up here after a month as he's still in pain, still wheezing and too weak.

So whilst I'm not keen on the experience or risk of having the vaccinations, I think I would probably find the experience and risk of having Swine Flu considerably more disagreeable.

Paparika

I've had one of my firends household go down with it, and another's husband go down with it be her and her son didn't.

My gp surgery didn't bother to ask me in for flu jab last year, and i've not had any invitations this year.

Although fighting the tail end of a cold, now passed to son, who just got over a shot of flu.

Oh jeeze the coughing is driving me up the wall, embarrassed to say i cough and go incontinent, the shame of it all..

Valley's_girl

I was booked in this friday for swine flu jab I have cancelled it because In am not feeling well I am not sure wether or not I have had swine flu ds was ill first then me.
I have chronic lung disease and also Me, I know I should really get it but I just don't know what to do.
The receptionist at the docs said I need to see the gp so I can talk to her about it so I will just have to wait and see.
best wishes
ally x

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

This week, BF has gone back to the GP at his Mum's to get the results of the blood tests they took as he was so ill (I think they had heard of the Tamiflu resistant strain before it hit the press). The tests confirmed that he has seasonal flu as well as swine flu. All the doctor could say was 'if it's any comfort to you, by having the pneumonia vaccination a few years back, you've probably saved yourself an ITU admission, if not worse'.

So - a bit longer before he comes back here then. And his mum gets to look after him even more, which she is loving, as he's been doing the looking after since his 63 year old father died last year of heart failure resulting from a virus causing a fluid buildup on his lungs.

I asked him if he's going to have the vaccines next year. He says even if they charged a hundred pounds each for them, he's going to make sure he has them!

But at least he is slowly getting better, nearly 2 months now. And I miss him.