(no subject)

[urocyon]

This has been a frustrating day. I think I overdid things yesterday, just trekking to Sainsbury's; today, my arms and legs have been wobbly enough that even heading across the street to the bus stop and heading somewhere within easy range didn't seem like the best idea. The hell of it is, I'm pretty well over the weird virus that hit last Wednesday or so.

This shouldn't be entirely unexpected, but it's still aggravating. I know full well that I have a funky Amerind balance of liver enzymes, which shows up most noticeably as Gilbert's Syndrome. I've watched half my family, as well as myself, periodically turn yellow and feel like crap for 30 years now. Why, then, does it surprise me when I have a particularly bad episode and resemble a shaky cirrhotic clown* under the fluorescent light in the bathroom? *wry smile* In an attempt to get the bilirubin level down some, I started using some milk thistle (never tried it before) and started again on St. John's Wort tincture, which has helped my SAD symptoms in past. One warning: unless your preferences are very different, do not try a dose of it in a glass of orange-mango squash. Urgh.

This has brought home, even more, that I have some peculiar expectations of myself. Why should I feel as if I should keep moving, even when I'm in no shape to? Why should I feel as if I'm letting down the side if I lie down and read instead of buzzing around the house trying to clean, when I don't feel up to it in any way? Why should I, in the back of my mind, half-expect nasty comments from vatine when he comes home to a truly messy kitchen, when I've been sick for a week? Also, just because I've been down for more than a week doesn't mean that I have some bizarre obligation to pull myself up by my bootstraps and carry on through the fatigue and afternoon/evening fevers. Those are all very strange thoughts, and not exactly helpful.

This bout, though, is enough to convince me that getting a flu shot is a good idea. I'm not entirely sure how well they would work for me, considering we don't build antibodies well and will catch unlikely things multiple times, but a chance of warding off some of the nastier anticipated strains is worth a try. I understand that the main target group here in the UK is people 65+, but am wondering if I can't make a decent case for having a lousy enough immune system to justify needing a dose. I think I'd leave out the bit about "but surviving", and focus on coming from people who caught every virus that came down the pike, leading into bronchitis and sometimes pneumonia. And at least a week of bilirubin-induced ickiness. And that's not really the hard sell.

How strictly do most GPs stick to the 65+ guideline? That probably depends on supply, so does anyone know how it's running this year? (I should probably look that up--sorry!)


* Not as big an exaggeration as it may sound. More than one doctor has assumed that my mother had a serious drinking problem, between the yellow tinge from illness and the abdomen-only accumulation of weight viewed as an enlarged liver. (Then there were the two hepatitis scares...) The time she indulged in a glass of wine beforehand, to relax and offset the "white coat" anxiety blood pressure effect didn't help. :) None of those doctors were from the area; they're used to the liver and body type.

Comments

[artela.livejournal.com]

For 'flu shots it's over 65's PLUS anyone at undue risk due to other underlying conditions (asthma, etc).

[urocyon-c.livejournal.com]

Ah, thanks. I do have a touch of asthma, so it's worth a try.

[da-pol.livejournal.com]

GPs have a priority list for who gets the flu shots and it's got most of the vulnerable groups on it - if you go to your GP and ask and explain the reason chances are you'll get the shot - I'm eligable for it and I'm only 30.

[urocyon-c.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I was considering it, and that's encouraging.

[megabitch.livejournal.com]

Me, K and Korenwolf all get letters inviting us to have a flu jab - K & Korenwolf are asthmatic - never been too sure why I started getting them *shrug* D has never had one.

[urocyon-c.livejournal.com]

Thanks--good to know. I do have a bit of asthma, and have had to get inhalers here, so that should help.

[clanwilliam.livejournal.com]

Although it's unlikely you'll be on the priority list, if you go to your GP and explain *why*, you'll almost certainly get one. The only reason you won't be on the priority list is that UK GPs won't be expecting your particular genetic background.

[urocyon-c.livejournal.com]

Makes sense. I was probably making a mountain out of a molehill, especially given my emotional state recently. *wry smile* It also sounds as if the touch of asthma might be a helpful consideration.

It's only a flu shot, nothing important; it doesn't matter whether I like the guy, I should go in and talk to him anyway.