People saying they’ve never had flu?

Age 65 and I've never had recognisable flu. Some bad colds, some subsequent bacterial infections (prone to sinusitus). Ditto my dsis, until 4 years ago - flu floored her and her dh. Couldn't get out of bed.

Genetics? Immune system? Good hygeine? Poor hygeine leading to stronger immune system?

It’s £20
would you not pay for it?

I'm 46 and I've never been ill enough that I couldn't leave my bed, or the house (that I was old enough to remember - I may have as a child). I've had colds where I felt rough but never bad enough to stop me cancelling whatever plans I already had. Some of those might have been flu with mild symptoms, but I've never been tested. I get the flu jab most years as it's free, so I figure I may as well take it, but sometimes I've forgotten to get it and it's made no difference.

My son has just been unwell with a temperature, aches, nausea, sore throat and a headache, he had one day home in bed then next day back to school with paracetamol.
Flu?

Unless you test every time you have a headache, sore throat, aches, temperature etc how can you tell the difference between flu and a cold?

I’m 65, immunocompromised and never had flu

I think it's actually very hard to tell, unless you've actually tested for it. And it's incredibly unlikely that most people have ever been tested for flu. The problem is, some people will have flu with mild-moderate symptoms that are like any other cold or flu-like virus. Some people will get very ill.

I've had flu once as a teenager, but since then I've never had a flu like virus that severe. I couldn't rule out having had mild or asymptomatic flu though.

I’ve had it twice (so far!) Both times I’ve not been able to get out of bed and it was definitely very different to a cold. I had a high temperature, no appetite, hallucinations and exhaustion etc. I don’t think this is unusual. I’ve had the jab since Covid now. I think I’ve had one respiratory illness in my life, ear, throat and sinus infections on the other hand… 😬 We are all different.

Had flu once when dd1 was 6 mths old, I was in bed for ten days a sick for a month. The only thing I would compare it to was when I had measles as a child. Awful!

(Though perhaps people have different symptoms.Plenty also call a cold flu.

The only time I had flu, I didn’t have chest or nose symptoms, but I had an awful temperature and couldn’t stay awake long. I was bed bound for 5 days.

Im nearly 60 never had flu, had covid twice and wouldnt have known unless l tested postive( worked in a care home in pandemic and tested daily). I actually cant member the last time l was properly sick, maybe noro 10 years ago? And l have the most unhealthy lifestyle ever, drink, smoke and overweight...

How can you tell the difference?

I did look up the difference between a cold and flu recently... apparently flu symptoms come on very fast, where as the cold builds up more gradually.

A cold can be worse than the flu, even in a healthy adult.

When I had what we think was flu... I was fine Christmas eve, then out of it on Christmas day. I Iost about a week. And at the time, the fact it was flu never occurred to me as I wasn't capable of thinking straight.

I've had some bad viruses in my time, (worse than a common cold.) Whether they were flu or something else I don't know though. There's not really a test for flu like there is for covid as far as I'm aware.

I've never had flu. But I have also paid for, or had through work or on the NHS, the flu vaccine every year since I was 16.

I’ve had flu vaccines for as long as I can remember which might examples why I’ve never had it. I can’t remember when my vaccinations started but more than 20 years ago. Had nasty colds, pneumonia, tonsillitis a lot, but definitely not flu (thankfully).

Not had flu. The one time I thought i did have it, I was so poorly I ended up with an overnight stay in hospital on a drip. They tested me for flu and covid and i was negative for both.

Im 43 never had flu, never had a flu jab. My husband and son never had it either. Unless it was super mild we don't think we have ever had covid either.
Maybe some are lucky my nan died at 98 never had flu either and refused the jab every year too as she hated needles .

I literally haven't had so much as a cold since getting the covid jabs. It is odd.

Had it once when I was a teenager. Totally flattened me for about 10 days. I remember the infection somehow went to my ears so I ended up stone deaf for a while, and the other weirdness was it screwed up my sense of taste. Everything tasted "wrong" chocolate in particular tasted horrible. I read later that that was caused by the body losing zinc. Funny the things you learn! I can still recall the odd tastes now - the only thing I wanted that tasted normal were strawberry ice lollies!

I'm the same. Never had the flu, have never had antibiotics, never had a stomach bug, only had 2 or 3 mild colds in my life. I've never had the flu jab. Ive had covid twice and was asymptomatic both times.
No idea why.

I have Influenza A right now. I feel mildly under the weather with sore sinuses and a v low fever. With paracetamol, I feel fine.

I've also had confirmed flu with no symptoms at all (took part in a trial).

But I've been on MN long enough to know that 99% of people persist in believing that flu is a special virus that only presents one way. In reality, many people will have had flu that was extremely mild or asymptomatic. It affects everybody differently.

Nobody will read this and the myth will persist.

Definitely haven’t had it, bad colds but nothing that I was unable to get out of bed with, in my late forties.

I know a few people who say they have never ever had flu,but then again I know a few who seem to have it several times a year! They just don't know the difference between a bad cold and the flu.