Paphos Life

Have you had your flu jabs yet? Are they available yet in Paphos General?I can certainly vouch how easy it is when you have a medical card - completely free to pensioners etc,no need to register even you just pop along to the room just past where you buy the stickers. Brilliant service and they say this year is going to be bad for flu so check it out and for anyone who thinks it gives you flu - it doesn't!

Poppy wrote: ↑Thu Oct 19, 2017 2:01 pm Have you had your flu jabs yet? Are they available yet in Paphos General?I can certainly vouch how easy it is when you have a medical card - completely free to pensioners etc,no need to register even you just pop along to the room just past where you buy the stickers. Brilliant service and they say this year is going to be bad for flu so check it out and for anyone who thinks it gives you flu - it doesn't!

Who does?... Link please.

Yes time of the year to take this precaution, I will be going for mine very soon to the General.

Is there a certain time e.g 9 till 12 or can you go anytime within reason
garry

Wifey was literally attacked by our GP with a Flu jab when seeing him for a completely different issue 2 or 3 years ago. For the next few days, she was out of sorts, feeling mild / medium flu-like symptoms, and stayed in bed.

She vowed never to have a flu jab again. I have followed her advice since... AL

I had mine last week in UK. No side effects whatsoever. It does not give you flu and is much better than having a full blown attack. I do not think I have ever had flu. Early in my teaching career, in the late seventies, there was a flu virus and we had only 40 children in school, out of 400, and only a handful of staff. We taught the children the hall. Even so, I always have a flu jab now and have also had a pneumonia jab, which lasts for a few years.

My concern about the flu vaccine is that medical scientists are predicting the type of strains that may occur and it can be a bit hit and miss. Not trying to put anyone off having a flu jab but perhaps to look a little deeper into all that is involved.

Flu vaccine effectiveness 2016/2017
The vaccine was most effective in children at a rate of 65.8 per cent and reduced the risk of flu in the age group 18-64 by 40.6 per cent among those who received the vaccine. The vaccine did not show significant protection among those over 65s, highlighting the importance of vaccination in other age groups to help prevent risk to the elderly.
http://www.nhsemployers.org/news/2017/0 ... ectiveness

I think by having flu jabs you weaken your body,s immune system.....just my opinion

It is really a no brainer for us as I have a serious lung condition and my husband's' immune system is very low after intensive chemo so although we may not be 100% protected against all strains it is better than nothing. Influenza can be very serious indeed.

I concur, WHL. Feel the same way about the Pneumonia jab at present, tbh.. As I'm already on three different inhalers and capsules two or three times a day for incurable COPD and Emhpazema for the past 18 months!

@Poppy: May I be nosey and ask what meds you are on for pulmonary? I'll happily share mine:
Carbosyteine 2 caps 3 times daily (mucus breakdown, but doesn't work)
Fostair inhaler 2 puffs morning and again at night (rinse & gargle after, as steroid)
Spiriva (Tiotropium Bromide) 1 cap once a day, inhaled via HandiHaler
Ventolin 2 puffs when needed (out and about, out of breath)

AL

Our daughter had a nasty reaction to the bird flu vaccine a few years ago.

WHL wrote: ↑Thu Oct 19, 2017 7:57 pm I think by having flu jabs you weaken your body,s immune system.....just my opinion

Now there's a novelty WHL.
I agree with you

Dominic ,occasionally you can have an unpleasant reaction but it does nor mean she would have that reaction again but it is down to the individual at the end of the day other than medical staff who I believe have to have it.
Al, I have COPD ,mainly self inflicted after 40 years of smoking but also I sustained some damage after a very serious bout of pneumonia some 12 years ago - the only good thing is that it stopped me smoking!! I have two inhalers,namely seretide and spiriva.

Many people think the heavy cold they get most winters is flu; IT ISN'T. Infulenza is a killer, particularly for the young, elederly & those with a weak immune system. I had influenza when I was 10 and can assure people it is a very serious condition! I had my flu jab 2 weeks ago at the IASIS Phamacy for just 10 Euro. Better than going to the General where you stand a good chance of catching something to make you ill

Hudswell wrote: ↑Thu Oct 19, 2017 8:10 pm

WHL wrote: ↑Thu Oct 19, 2017 7:57 pm I think by having flu jabs you weaken your body,s immune system.....just my opinion

Luckily the experts have different opinion.

http://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/c ... cine+myths

Yer they do have different opinions

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/ ... eless.html

Yes, there is a Flu Clinc at the General Hosp now. I went a few days ago, walked into the room. There was no one else there other than the staff. I was asked for my white med card, which I produced. While the lady behind the desk noted my name etc, the male nurse was on my other side with the syringe.. Within a minute or so, it was finished. I was on my way again.
It's a very good service, requires no appt and is free! They are open mornings from Mon-Fri.
Personally, I have a flu jab every year. I have had some really bad does of flu previously with complications of near pneumonia. I was using a nebuliser for weeks. Since having the flu jab each autumn, touch wood I haven't had flu! I only had a very minor reaction to the vaccine, short lived and nothing like the real flu misery.

Dee

Hudswell wrote: ↑Thu Oct 19, 2017 9:35 pm

WHL wrote: ↑Thu Oct 19, 2017 8:47 pm

Hudswell wrote: ↑Thu Oct 19, 2017 8:10 pm

Luckily the experts have different opinion.

http://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/c ... cine+myths

Yer they do have different opinions

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/ ... eless.html

Did you actually read the telegraph article?

Did you?

Reading the Telegraph article could put people who skim read off having the jab. Look carefully at the date. I think that was the year they brought out the bird flu immunisation, which did make some people feel ill. I was warned of the symptoms before I had it, and only suffered a sore arm.
If I had caught flu in December/January, when I had my heart bypass, it would have finished me off.

I go with the report in the 1st link. I think that far from weakening my immune system, the vaccine of flu virus (which are already killed) so it is passive, actually strengthens my immune system as it encourages my body to increase the immunity to the flu!
Sometimes people can have a worse reaction if they are vaccinated at a time when they are about to develop a cold /sore throat /flu. I always try to have my jab done before the weather breaks and before childrens half term. Ie before these viruses get going among susceptible people. If that makes sense!
Dee

Here in the UK MOH and I were offered our flu jabs when we attended the surgery for something completely different. Of course we accepted. We were told that this vaccine was a completely different strain. No after effects at all, and another visit saved.

I've had true flu twice in my life, I don't ever want to experience it again. Prevention is better than cure, if they can cure you.

Jackie