Flu jab on thigh

Ask our Nurses your questions
1

Hello

Please may I ask which private pharmacy do flu jab injections on thigh.

I need to have flu jab at private as I am not eligible for NHS flu jab.

I hit brick wall to find a pharmacy do flu jab on thigh or anywhere other than arms.

Many thanks

Regards

Joanna

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Hi As far as I know if you have begun treatment for breast cancer you automatically qualify for a free flu jab whilst being actively treated, you need to check with your pharmacist or your BCN

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1 Like
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Hi Lizaki

Thanks for the reply.

I checked already with my GP twice. I am not eligible for NHS jab as I am not at chemo, radiotherapy or immunology. I was told twice by my GP that I have to get private jab.

I went to two pharmacies and a lot of farthing and told me they cannot do jab on thighs.

I asked GP again and ask me to go private. It goes round in circles.

Any advice would be welcome.

I really need to have the flu jab but just getting nowhere.

Many thanks

Regards

Joanna

4

Hi @bcnj

I had the same problem with my Covid jab earlier in the year. Rang around several pharmacies to be told that pharmacists are only trained to vaccinate in the arm.

Even tried to see if I could pick up a vaccine at a pharmacy and take it to my GP practice so the nurse could administer but whilst the pharmacy were happy to do that they said my GP would have to give me a prescription for the vaccine before they could supply it and my GO practice wouldn’t do that.

I resigned myself to having the vaccine in my “better arm” ( the one I’d only had a few lymph nodes taken from rather than my other arm where I’d had a full axillary lymph nodes clearance). So I booked a jab via the NHS website (which asks you if you are eligible for a free jab or whether you need to pay). It gives you a list of pharmacies/vaccination centres to choose from and I chose vaccination at a pharmacy attached to a large GP centre a little further afield. It was a nurse administering the vaccines there and she had no problem with injecting me in the thigh.

So maybe try to book your vaccination at a vaccination centre/clinic or at a pharmacy attached to a GP centre where the vaccinators are more like to be trained to inject at sites other than just the arm.

All the best x

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Hello

Many thanks for the post.

That is really helpful.

I asked another pharmacy today and they are more helpful and give me a reason why they cannot do flu jab on thigh. It is due to PGD insurance cover. They offered private flu jab can only do it on the arm as more fat on thigh.

I will explore NHS pharmacy closed by.

Thanks again.

Regards

Joanna

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@Lizaki

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@bcnj welcome to the forum, I don’t think a chemist will be able to do your flu jab in the thigh, maybe a private hospital will be able to help.

Hugs Tili :folded_hands::rainbow::folded_hands::rainbow:

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Hello Joanna,

Thanks for posting.

We don’t know which private pharmacies would give the flu vaccine in the thigh.

We’re unsure why you would prefer the jab in your thigh and not your arm.

If you have had surgery for breast cancer and lymph node removal you may have heard you shouldn’t use your arm for vaccines, blood samples etc because of the risk of lymphoedema.

It might help to know that here’s no consistent evidence that using your “at risk” arm or arms for injections, blood tests, blood pressure readings or intravenous fluids will cause lymphoedema.

This is included in the National Institute for Health and Care (NICE) guidelines, page 75.

If you already have lymphoedema then it is best to avoid vaccines in the affected limb. As @Jock says you may want to contact a vaccination centre. Healthcare at Home are offering a vaccination service.

Perhaps you could also contact your treatment team if you have one to ask for their help with this.

We offer a range of free supportive services which you may be interested in. They include face to face and online courses and events.

Do call our helpline if you would like to talk this through or have any further questions. The helpline team have time to listen, talk things through and signpost you to additional support and information if necessary. Your call will be confidential, and the number is free from UK landlines and all mobile networks.

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Best wishes,

Jane

Breast Care Nurse

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