Flu Jab & BCG

Hi . This subject comes up on a regular basis here every year. The advice in the past has always been a six week clearance. Best wishes.

Thank you.

My CNS and her manager said 2 weeks. I'm getting it just before I go into isolation

Wales NHS say 2 weeks before or 6 weeks after

Hi Gandalf, congrats on completing the induction course. It generally means about 3 months off before the maintenance doses start. The mid-treatment gaps always feel like the school holidays to me Personally I'd prefer a 6 week gap rather than 2. I'm tempted to think the NHS view is that it'd be worse to catch flu and I agree with that but since my life is fairly isolated I have always gone for longer rather than sooner with the space between BCG and flu jab. x

Hello Htd.

I do feel as if I have achieved something by completing the course; yes, a bit of the end of term feeling. Perhaps a certificate would be nice!

I think I will go with the 6 week gap, rather than 2; it just feels safer.

I found a link which is quite informative about BCG with a little bit about the flu jab. CUH = Cambridge University Hospitals. https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/book/export/html/625  They go with 6 weeks, after and before.

It looks like each trust has its own idea for this

Steam coming out of my ears! I have just had an infuriating conversation (actually, mostly a repetitious tape) with the Lead Practice Nurse at my surgery.

I followed your advice and had left a message at the surgery saying that because of BCG treatment, could I have a flu jab in 6 weeks time. I had to get put through to the Practice Manager as no one else would or could progress my enquiry.

After missing calls from the LP Nurse (in loo, asleep; me, not her!) I phoned the surgery and spolke to an helpful receptionist, who said she would pass on my request to the LP Nurse.

She phoned back at the end of the day to alert me that the surgery may not have any flu vaccines in 6 weeks time, as there had been a large take up. After the current Clinics close (which is before the six weeks), they are then moving to the next age group down. She offered me an appointment tomorrow! (Saturday?!)

I told her that I had been advised to wait 6 weeks, and all she could do was to repeat the same sentences. I asked her if she could keep a vaccine for me and she merely repeated that she could not guarantee they would have any. I asked her what I should do and she merely told me she was alerting me to the possibility that there would be no vaccine. I am afraid I become somewhat chilly and told her I thought her response was unreasonable. (That isn't what I was actually thinking!!)

She asked me to contact the hospital. I spoke to the senior CNS who told me that the opinion of urology UK-wide is to wait 4-6 weeks. She could/would not say whether having the jab at 4 weeks was more risky than 6 weeks.

I hope the above makes sense and I am sorry to have gone on for so long. Well done if you got to the end! Fortunately, tomorrow is Saturday so I have two days to calm down before contacting my GP, as he is in charge of my treatment. I can't think what else to do. Mrs G is more angry than me! Perhaps I should put her on the phone on Monday!!

How absolutely ridiculous! All they have to do is put a dose with your name on in the fridge!!! On the other hand I know that our practice has a Flu-jab clinic tomorrow where 600 (!!!) people are getting vaccinated by 5 people in 3 hours. 2 minutes per person I understand, so if the staff are stressed and unhelpful I can kind of understand why. I couldn't even get through on the Flu line (always engaged) to make an appointment yet, so I'll have to try ringing surgery next week.  Hope your GP is more helpful. Friday evening think I might have to raise a glass to us all. x

Prompted by all this I just looked up my GP website -  not a word about flu jabs. So I have used the new e-consult 'request admin help' to ask them. Hmm. I had to visit twice and argue last year to get one, even though it is a legal right for registered carers. Bu then carers are not on their radar at all. 

Denby

I’ve been offered one before as mum’s carer.John had terrible trouble getting his,despite his neuromuscular team saying he must have the vaccination.This year though the health centre have him booked in but not his mother.love Jane x