The Flu Jab

A word of warning to anyone contemplating having the flu and pneumonia jab. I had it roughly two weeks ago and at first no problem. Then over the space of approx one week I have developed aches and pains all over my body and I am in constant pain. The area on my arms where I had the jabs are particularly painful and I am unable to raise my arms over chest height. It is worse at night and first thing in the morning until I can get more mobile etc. I have seen the doctor three times but he is unable to give an answer except to say it will probably disappear in time. Those that know me will know that I always prided myself on my fitness even into my sixties and I just hope it goes as quickly as it came. Apparently there are hundreds of people who have the jabs and suffer no side effects but I wondered if anyone else on this site has had a similar experience? At the moment. It has taken me over 25 mins just to type this. I am not after any sympathy God knows there are people far worse off than me but as I said at the start a gypsies warning to those contemplating the jabs.

Colin

I had the jab 4 weeks ago, and I have had no problems so far. However, my misses had the jab the same day and she is suffering with a cold. This happens each year when she has the jab.

Had my flu jab with no probs.

I had one three years ago - it turned out worse than the flu.

Wife had hers two years ago and had similar symptoms to those described by Colin for about 3 to 4 weeks.

Haven't had one since.

I have the flu jab every year, because of diabetes (at risk group) and having had the jab for the past 10 years have never had any symptoms, except for a painful arm for up to 24 hrs after the jab

I have the Jab every year, the only symptoms i normally get is a head clod and then a chest infection, fingers crossed this year had it 3 weeks ago and so far nothing....

I had the flu jab every year from 1994 through to 2004 because I worked in GP surgeries and was deemed to be 'at risk'. Stopped work in early 2005 so didn't have it any more (not 'entitled') but I got to be 65 this year so am 'entitled' again, because of age. Had the jab 3 weeks ago and so far, as it was in all the previous years, no problems. In my experience - and over my years in surgeries we must have administered hundreds of thousands of flu jabs, including to very young children, and I must say that apart from the inevitable who produce a cold almost immediately following the jab I cannot remember anybody reporting what sounds like a really serious reaction which has afflicted JCJ - and we would have been obliged to 'Yellow Card' (that the reporting procedure for adverse reactions to medicines) it to the authorities at the Department of Health. Don't know if they still use that procedure nowadays, though.

It seems I owe everyone an apology my doctor believes I have contracted something called PMR. I have to wait a week for blood tests and the doctor believes that picking up this PMR at the same time as the jab is pure coincidence.all I know is I am in sheer agony and praying the steroids prescribed do the job.once again sorry if I have caused undue alarm.

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Originally Posted by jcj

It seems I owe everyone an apology my doctor believes I have contracted something called PMR. I have to wait a week for blood tests and the doctor believes that picking up this PMR at the same time as the jab is pure coincidence.all I know is I am in sheer agony and praying the steroids prescribed do the job.once again sorry if I have caused undue alarm.

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For the uninitiated - Polymyalgia Rheumatica - painful - but the symptoms respond quickly and completely to low doses of corticosteroids.

We civil servants used to get the flu jab every year at Donnington however with the cuts both the jab AND the site nurses have been done away with. Nowadays if i need to go sick i am supposed to phone a private company for them to tell my work, needless to say i dony bother just phone my line manager and stuff the privatisation.