# Travel Vaccinations - How Did They Make You Feel?



## flossie (12 Jul 2011)

Just wondering how people have reacted to having travel vaccines? It's been about 5 years since my last major set of them, and i managed to get them spaced out over a period of time.  It looks like I have about a month to get pretty much every jab going. That's a lot to be going into the system so wondering how people have felt after theirs?

I'm travelling to Kenya and Sout Africa, so looks like i will be needing to have:

tetanus
polio
Hep A
typhoid
Yellow fever? (i believe as i am travelling onto SA ia certificate is required at point of entry)
Malaria - any reports of people's experiences on the different types appreciated.
Have a very busy month coming up so am guessing i'll be feeling a bit run down on top of this as well!

Have discussion with doctor tomorrow about the jabs and to look at a schedule, should be fun trying to squeeze everything in!


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## dahamsta (12 Jul 2011)

You shouldn't have left it so long, they're spaced out for a reason.

I can't remember precisely what jabs I got when I went to North Africa a few years ago, but they had no discernable affect on me whatsoever.


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## Perplexed (12 Jul 2011)

I didn't feel any major adverse effects from my jabs.  Arm felt a bit dead for a short while but that's all.


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## flossie (12 Jul 2011)

dahamsta said:


> You shouldn't have left it so long, they're spaced out for a reason.
> 
> I can't remember precisely what jabs I got when I went to North Africa a few years ago, but they had no discernable affect on me whatsoever.


 
It's work related, dates couldn't be confirmed until this week due to client availability.

Good to hear you didn't have any bad effects.


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## BillK (12 Jul 2011)

We've visited S. Africa many times but were never asked for a yellow fever certificate.


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## flossie (12 Jul 2011)

BillK said:


> We've visited S. Africa many times but were never asked for a yellow fever certificate.


 
Have you crossed from Kenya into SA? My understanding of internet searches is that a certificate is required if travelling between the countries in that order (would have liked to do the trip the other way around but not possible), but then i see the words 'recommended', 'required' on different sites and it's getting a bit confusing.


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## shesells (12 Jul 2011)

No reaction to jabs..my oh had bad reactions to our anti malarials when on honeymoon. It was Malarone which is supposed to be more gentle than previous anti-malarials.


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## Brendan Burgess (12 Jul 2011)

We don't allow discussion of medical issues generally. 

However, we tend to make an exception for travel related queries. 

That would not extend to how to deal with an illness acquired abroad.


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## pansyflower (12 Jul 2011)

Fwiw
I ran out of malaria tablets while abroad a few years ago, because I hadn't checked the contents of the package at the time of purchase. I was able to buy some in a pharmacy in Uganda at a fraction of the price.


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## ccraig (12 Jul 2011)

*Vaccinations, where did you get them*

Hi, where did you get your vaccinations, gp?


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## Newbie! (12 Jul 2011)

I got all mine in one sitting and I was fine. I didn't think there was a jab for malaria, I think we just took malerone.


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## flossie (13 Jul 2011)

Brendan Burgess said:


> We don't allow discussion of medical issues generally.
> 
> However, we tend to make an exception for travel related queries.
> 
> That would not extend to how to deal with an illness acquired abroad.


 
Noted Brendan.....

Thanks for the response so far everyone, will hopefully get them all in one sitting and feel fine!


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## dereko1969 (13 Jul 2011)

have never had a reaction to jabs other than sore arm.


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## beffers (13 Jul 2011)

I got mine in one go as well, due to similar time restrictions. Arm felt a bit sore, and well, I guess heavy is the best word to describe it for a few hours after wards. Had to get someone else to cut up my meat during dinner, but other than that I was fine. I had to show my yellow fever jab cert when I arrived at the airport in Ethiopia. They don't let you in unless you have one. Not sure about SA. I'd get the cert, and bring it along with you just in case. What can it hurt? No pun intended !


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## flossie (13 Jul 2011)

Booked in for next week, only thing i'm not getting is Rabies jab (don't really have time, and apparently only 60% success rate).  Already covered by Hep B from previous emplyment.  Yellow fever is being done to ensure i can enter into SA from Kenya, and the cert is valid for 10 years so not so bad.

Thank God i'm not having to pay for these!


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## myate (13 Jul 2011)

I had them all a few years ago when we went to Kenya on safari. Didn't have any effects, or from the Malerone which we took for malaria. 
That only thing that would have hurt would have been the GP bill, but thankfully I was living in the UK at the time, so got them all for virtually nothing...the malerone cost less than a £10 which they apologised for being so expensive!!


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## horusd (13 Jul 2011)

Just a general point on this. I got my shots for a longish travel period in Asia, came home and got sick from them. Doctor said they had knocked out part of my immune system. Had to spend a few days in the hospital here. Not discussing medical issue as such, but just be aware of the health warnings etc.with vaccines so you know the score. My case tho was very unusual apparently.


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## BillK (13 Jul 2011)

flossie said:


> Have you crossed from Kenya into SA? My understanding of internet searches is that a certificate is required if travelling between the countries in that order (would have liked to do the trip the other way around but not possible), but then i see the words 'recommended', 'required' on different sites and it's getting a bit confusing.


 
Hi flossie,

No, usually entered SA from Swaziland where I worked for a few years. Other times have been from UK.

Went to Kenya about 25 years ago and didn't get jabs for anything.


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## nigey (14 Jul 2011)

The only reaction i had was slight stiffness in my arm where i got them but thats normal! Other than that nothing!


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## Nige (14 Jul 2011)

flossie said:


> Booked in for next week, only thing i'm not getting is Rabies jab (don't really have time, and apparently only 60% success rate).


 
Hmmm, I'd prefer the 60% success rate to the almost 100% mortality rate if you are exposed and don't get treatment soon enough.


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## BillK (14 Jul 2011)

Hi flossie,

Just looked through a couple of travel guides and travelling from Kenya, where yellow fever is endemic, to SA does require the inoculation.


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## flossie (15 Jul 2011)

Nige said:


> Hmmm, I'd prefer the 60% success rate to the almost 100% mortality rate if you are exposed and don't get treatment soon enough.


 
I should be no more than 4 hours from a hospital, which should be OK - plus i am covered by an international emergency assistance programme which gets me emergency assistance (medical, travel, legal etc.) through work, and should allow me to get emergency air/land/sea travel if it's required.

Funny thing is i took the dog to the vets last month for his passport and got his rabies injection - maybe i should have got the vet to do us both!


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## flossie (31 Aug 2011)

Hi Langer,

I ended up doing the trip by flying into South Africa and then onwards to Kenya. I didn't need to produce the Yellow Fever card (i flew back from Nairobi). I arrived back on Monday and still taking the Malarone - have to admit, even though i was taking them in the morning, i still suffered very vivid dreams! 

Unfortunately i started getting ill in my last few days there and have come home with flu, sinus infection and a chest infection, so not the best!


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