Tuesday, 13 November 2012

What the guide books - or the nurse - don't tell you

Hello peeps!

I have come across a phenomenon from which neither the guide books - paper or online - the forum or even the travel nurse at the GP have warned me against.

This phenomenon is called - the immunization cocktail you are about to pump into your system will make you catch chicken pox!

Now, could be chicken pox or any nasty germs around for that matter - but in my case it was chicken pox.

Allow me to demonstrate...

In between the recommendations in the Lonely Planet SEA guide book and the stuff on the NHS website, I came to the conclusion that I need to be immunized against the following diseases for my upcoming trip:
- Hepatitis A & B: 3 jabs
- Rabies: 3 jabs
- Tetanus/Polio/Diphtheria: 1 boost
- Japanese Encephalitis: 2 jabs
- Typhoid: vaccine not currently available on the NHS, so will do this in Martinique.

I had already done the Yellow Fever jab a few years back, so no need to do it again. Still, I would get 9 jabs over 4wks, plus however many the Typhoid will be.

The only side effects mentioned where for the Japanese Encephalitis, where the nurse mentioned I could have flue-like symptoms, but nothing major.

Well not really! After 3wks of stuff being shot into my arms, I am now down with chicken pox!!

Nothing directly related to the jabs, but a definite side effect. You see, this heavy duty of immunization has completely messed up my immune system. So if it hadn't been chicken pox, it would have been something else!

That sucks - and it is itchy :(

On the plus side - if there is such thing really - I get the week off work. However I would have preferred not to and get to sleep at night and not look like a freak!

Rant over - sorry guys, my usual chirpy self will be back as soon as the itchy spotty one has gone.

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