Help needed! For all those with children under 5 or pregnant mums - what is your opinion on the Swine Flu Vaccination?

Hi Lisa - we've had letters through for our under fives, and both me and Mrs Monkey have had a long discussion about it.

The health centre didn't really just reasure us, they just said they've been advised to tell people its safe. With it being such a new drug,our worry was that they've not had enough time to test it out.

A friend of ours has had the jab, as he asmathic, and he complained of his arm going rock hard for a day (yes arm, he had flu vacine not viagra - before you start Steve).

A couple of our friends kids have had swine flu, which left them in wiped out. James whose 3 slept constantly for two days on tops of days and days of being bed ridden. Another friends little girl was unable to take tamiflu as it was in tablet form, which isn't so easy for a small child to take.

I think because of those points we will end up giving the little ones the flu jab, but it's not a choice made in confidence.

Drew has had it, compulsorary as a healthcare professional. No problems reported, and all well. Worth considering that any vaccine is designed to stimulate immunity, and as such, it is totally normal to have a slight temperature increase, and for your lymph nodes to become slightly more prominent for a day or so afterwards- happens to me everytime, but that is simply a sign that the vaccine is doing something.

My girlfriend had swine flu when she was 4 months pregnant, she was not allowed the injection, but took the tablets, which are a milder dosage, baby was fine.

My friend works as a pharmacist in a hospital up in Tyneside, she had both Flu and Swineflu jabs on the same day - opposite arms, and was fine with them both. She also has 2 young children, the youngest was vaccinated in the 1st wave and she has now had the other one done too. She reccommends anyone that is eligible to have the vaccine, as in all honesty, it's better to get the vaccination than to have to suffer with swineflu itself.

My dad has just had the swineflu jab; due to asthma and illness he's eligible for it; and athough he's recently had surgery and a chest infection, he suffered no problems with the jab at all.

My suggestion would be to go for it. Get the vaccinations - any vaccinations. They wouldn't be offered if they were going to be worse than the illness itself.

Hiya Lisa

We finally managed to get a slot on a Saturday, and our 1 and 3 year old had their jabs, whilst our eldest lad, just missed out to his relief.

They were a little glum and grumpy the next day, but apart from that there have been no side effects.

Matt

Liam didn't seem to bad on Sunday when we were in the park, seemed his normal self apart from his nose!!!!!

Little Liams flu symptoms kicked in on Thursday, bad back, lack of energy and general grumpiness. Yesterday he was worse, and today he's feeling a bit better.

The Nurse said there would be a few symptoms, but I didn't expect him to be so low. Just out of interest though, his little sister, has shown no signs of flu. Weird how it effects everyone differently.