Author Topic: Swine flu vaccine (Read 7600 times)

numbnuts · « **Reply #25 on:** 16 October, 2009, 09:19:41 am »

I'm having my jab on the 19th

clarion · « **Reply #26 on:** 16 October, 2009, 10:09:45 am »

Quote from: andygates on 15 October, 2009, 11:17:39 pm

Neat, thanks for that. Do you have a source, or was that internal?

IIRC it's on the FAQs at dh.gov.uk. But I got it from an internal document. Dang! I've leaked $:-\$

clarion · « **Reply #27 on:** 16 October, 2009, 10:50:51 am »

Quote from: Londonwide LMCs

It is perfectly safe to co-administer Swine Flu Vaccines and Seasonal Flu vaccine together. Similarly Childhood Vaccines.

An extract from a CEO message just issued.

andygates · « **Reply #28 on:** 16 October, 2009, 12:01:22 pm »

Lovely jubbly.

docsquid · « **Reply #29 on:** 16 October, 2009, 09:32:30 pm »

I'm having my seasonal flu jab next week. When I enquired about swine flu vaccine (I need this because I have cystic fibrosis) I was told that it would only be given to you if you received a letter from the PCT.

Now, despite having CF, I never get called up for a seasonal flu jab. I only get to hear about it being available because my mother in law, who is over 65, gets a letter. Every year, when I try to make an appointment, I am told I am not on the list. Every year we go through the fact that I have CF and they say they are sorry I was missed out and it won't happen again, and they'll let me have the seasonal flu jab this year even though I don't have a letter etc etc.

So what are the chances that I'll be on the PCT list and actually be called up to get the vaccine? Zero, I think. Unfortunately this time I can't blag my way through it, as I won't have a letter. So I'll be one of the most vulnerable of all and unable to get the vaccine. I'm really annoyed, but there is no way round it.

The last time I got seasonal flu, even though I was vaccinated, I nearly died, suffered from pneumonia for months, lost nearly a stone in weight (I only weigh 8 stone anyway) and spent months in hospital.

So, all you lucky people who are thinking of not having the swine flu vaccine, be aware there are some who should get it and can't. I would happily pay quite a lot of money to be able to get this vaccine. I would sell all my bikes to get this vaccine. I would re-mortgage the house to get this vaccine. But apparently, I cannot get it.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #30 on:** 16 October, 2009, 09:36:59 pm »

If you're not on the list (I'm marginal and probably won't be called up, since I always refuse the asthma clinic invite) can you pay £15 for it, as you can for the seasonal 'flu vaccine?

docsquid · « **Reply #31 on:** 16 October, 2009, 09:38:27 pm »

Unfortunately not. You can only get it if you are on the list, which I'm not as I don't have asthma, I have cystic fibrosis. The computer only searches for asthma, hence I get left off.

I might pay somebody for a letter though

clarion · « **Reply #32 on:** 18 October, 2009, 08:58:54 pm »

Doesn't CF come under COPD?

The position vis-a-vis asthma is a tricky one, as our performance is measured one way including asthmatics, and later without.

numbnuts · « **Reply #33 on:** 21 October, 2009, 10:48:06 am »

Quote from: numbnuts on 16 October, 2009, 09:19:41 am

I'm having my jab on the 19th

I thought it was the swine flu jab, but it was the ordinary flu jab, now I've been told I may not qualify even though I have emphysema

PeteB99 · « **Reply #34 on:** 25 October, 2009, 01:11:09 pm »

I'm having my seasonal flu jab tomorrow - while I'm there I'll ask the nurse if the swine flu jabs use the same list.

clarion · « **Reply #35 on:** 25 October, 2009, 03:54:22 pm »

No, it's not exactly the same list. Essentially, though, only healthy over-65s are not on the Swine Flu list who would be on the seasonal flu list.

Definitive guidance has been issued that, for the vast majority of patients, one swine flu jab is sufficient.

And you can have both flu jabs together. Assuming that the Practice have received their vaccine supply (due tomorrow).

Regulator · « **Reply #36 on:** 25 October, 2009, 06:25:29 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 25 October, 2009, 03:54:22 pm

No, it's not exactly the same list. Essentially, though, only healthy over-65s are not on the Swine Flu list who would be on the seasonal flu list.

The order of vaccination is:

- Front line acute trust staff and at risk inpatients (may include some outpatients, e.g. those receiving daily chemo).
- PCT/GP front line staff. And under 65 at risk patients.
- Pregnant women.
- Over 65 at risk groups.
- All others (including non-at risk over 65's)

Quote

Definitive guidance has been issued that, for the vast majority of patients, one swine flu jab is sufficient.

And you can have both flu jabs together. Assuming that the Practice have received their vaccine supply (due tomorrow).

You can have both jabs together but they should be in different arms. This has the potential to cause problems and some GPs may give one vaccine (swine flu or seasonal flu) one week and the other the following week.

PeteB99 · « **Reply #37 on:** 26 October, 2009, 07:13:30 pm »

Well I asked the nurse at todays appointment and she said that when they get the vaccine they will be using exactly the same priority list as they use for the seasonal jab.

I explained why I'd asked and enquired if Cystic Fibrosis and emphysema patients would be included and got a slightly shocked yes.

clarion · « **Reply #38 on:** 26 October, 2009, 07:17:34 pm »

Quote from: PeteB99 on 26 October, 2009, 07:13:30 pm

Well I asked the nurse at todays appointment and she said that when they get the vaccine they will be using exactly the same priority list as they use for the seasonal jab.

OK. They can jab whoever they feel like, but they will only get reimbursed for the ones on the DH list

docsquid · « **Reply #39 on:** 27 October, 2009, 11:49:36 am »

I'm giving it a couple of days and then will ring for an appointment. I was very lucky when I went in for my seasonal flu jab. Normally it is one of the nurses who does it, but this time it was my husband's GP. He was very clear that I should have it and be one of the first to be invited. So fingers crossed!

LindaG · « **Reply #40 on:** 30 October, 2009, 10:32:40 pm »

I had the seasonal flu vac lastweek and the pigpox jab yesterday.

My arm was so painful I couldn't use it properly yesterday (I'm frontline hospital staff), the other girls were the same, all you could hear was "ow" "ow" "ow" as people tried to open doors/ pick things up/ do their jobs.

An hour ago my whole upper arm came out in nettlerash, and it still hurts like stink.

I'm sure it's worth it.

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #41 on:** 30 October, 2009, 10:36:24 pm »

I had both normal and swine yesterday, one in each arm. Mild discomfort at the injection sites (a bruised sort of feeling) only.

peliroja · « **Reply #42 on:** 30 October, 2009, 10:41:04 pm »

I'm not sure if I should have this or not. I've managed to avoid getting the flu so far, but I guess it's inevitable I'll get it at some stage.

I am asthmatic, so would I be an 'under-65 at risk'?

hellymedic · « **Reply #43 on:** 30 October, 2009, 11:39:50 pm »

Quote from: peliroja on 30 October, 2009, 10:41:04 pm

I'm not sure if I should have this or not. I've managed to avoid getting the flu so far, but I guess it's inevitable I'll get it at some stage.

I am asthmatic, so would I be an 'under-65 at risk'?

I think so.

My partner has managed to get flu jabs as an asthmatic.
He's not needed to use an inhaler for five years...

Flying_Monkey · « **Reply #44 on:** 31 October, 2009, 02:15:27 am »

Well, Canada is vaccinating everybody who wants it. They have enough vaccine for 50m doses*. There is the same adjuvant-fear here - mind you, the Japanese government advice (which we also receive) is for pregnant women not to have the adjuvanted vaccine.

*However the province-level organisation for vaccination is terrible. They had one - yes, one - location for vaccination in the town I live in, and despite saying that this first week was for high priority cases, and my almost 8-month's pregnant wife being about as high priority as you can get, she still could not get vaccinated this week and was turned away. They had no triage at all until today, so people who were not high priority at all were turning up and queuing and getting vaccinated when they should have been told to piss off until the high priority cases had been done. The problem was that the government had also said that despite the priority call, 'no-one would be denied vaccination', so of course everyone ignored the priority issue.

Selfish people and and stupid governments... not a good combination.

Regulator · « **Reply #45 on:** 31 October, 2009, 08:02:09 am »

Quote from: peliroja on 30 October, 2009, 10:41:04 pm

I'm not sure if I should have this or not. I've managed to avoid getting the flu so far, but I guess it's inevitable I'll get it at some stage.

I am asthmatic, so would I be an 'under-65 at risk'?

Not all asthmatics are considered to be 'at risk'.

Do you have to regularly use an inhaler? In particular the brown one (I'm a bit woolly this morning and can't remember the name of the drug)?

If so, you should be offered the jab.

If you get a bit wheezy now and then but don' take regular medication, then you're not in one of the priority groups but may be offered it further down the line.

hellymedic · « **Reply #46 on:** 31 October, 2009, 09:12:07 am »

Blue inhalers are generally 'relievers' like salbutamol (Ventolin).
Brown inhalers are usually 'preventers' inhaled steroids like beclomethasone (Becotide).

Regulator · « **Reply #47 on:** 31 October, 2009, 09:14:19 am »

Quote from: hellymedic on 31 October, 2009, 09:12:07 am

Blue inhalers are generally 'relievers' like salbutamol (Ventolin).
Brown inhalers are usually 'preventers' inhaled steroids like beclomethasone (Becotide).

That's what I was after - Becotide.

I'm having a bit of a blonde day today...

rogerzilla · « **Reply #48 on:** 31 October, 2009, 09:23:03 am »

A thought...as I use Beconase (also beclomethasone) regularly for hay fever, is this why I don't seem to get asthma any more? Unless it's exceptionally cold or I'm riding exceptionally hard, I don't get wheezing.

hellymedic · « **Reply #49 on:** 31 October, 2009, 09:32:24 am »

Possibly, rz.
You might, like my partner, have 'outgrown' your asthma.

Author Topic: Swine flu vaccine (Read 7600 times)

LindaG

Flying_Monkey