to think some people grneically are more prone to illness

[toriuk]

I usually get sick quite often, always have.

I'm currently struggling at home and just cancelled meeting a friend tomorrow as I've got the flu. She replied back saying hope I get well and she goes to work even when she las the flu. Ffs that is not the flu, it took me hours to get the energy together to get out of bed to go to the toilet today!

Of course your health has a genetic factor. This will be the biggest indicator of your health, far more so than lifestyle choices

I do think that some people like to wallow in it and will take to their beds at the slightest thing whilst others will soldier on with very serious conditions. Your personality definitely plays a bid part in how you deal with illness

And the flu jab contains no live viruses so it is impossible to get flu from it

Some people are definitely ill more than others, yes. But some people are just hypochondriacs (I'm not saying this is you, OP) and ruin it for everyone who is genuinely ill. My friend's OH is a prime example, he has a "migraine" every weekend among other ailments, none of which stop him lounging on the sofa playing videogames but do stop him doing housework, helping with dinner or going out anywhere she wants to go. He also regularly has man flu, stomach bugs etc etc when blatantly there is nothing wrong with him, he just likes the attention. If my friend has any sort of illness, he has to have it twice as bad.

My elderly dad on the other hand is very prone to severe chest infections and other ailments, having been very ill as a child and had lung problems ever since (multiple bouts of pneumonia, pleurisy etc) and will stay indoors in the warmth and take whatever antibiotics the doctor orders, but never grumbles. I'd say every other month he has a fairly major health problem of some sort but I wouldn't know unless my mum tells me, which she always does (and makes it out to be far worse than it is) because he doesn't see the point in moaning about it and doesn't like to worry anyone.

My husband is never ill, apart from once when we both had flu at the same time and honestly thought we might die. He was so feverish he was hallucinating; I ended up with bronchitis that took months to shift. Both of us were off work for weeks. So if he ever complains of a headache or not feeling great I know he's genuinely not well and will offer sympathy and whatever's needed till he's feeling better.

See with that flu jab comment I'm inclined to think you're a bit of a malingerer OP. It's the kind of thing someone who enjoyed 'being ill' would say. It's exactly the kind of thing my mate would say and use as an excuse not to have the flu jab. That ironically would make her more healthy.

Genes for susceptibility to some viruses are being identified. I was part of an early study and have a gene variant which they think makes you pretty resistant to Norovirus but they also suspect makes you more susceptible to flu. It would stack up with my medical history, I've had a sickness bug once in my life but had flu at least three times in the last fifteen year (and for some of the years I didn't get it I had flu jabs). Most years I am very grateful to have noro resistance (and I could well believe it has a genetic component, both parents were teachers and similarly have never had it) on the other hand I suspect I might be one of the first to snuff it come a serious global flu pandemic!

I believe I'm blessed with a good immune system despite being overweight and not eating a terribly healthy diet. I have probably only had ten sick days in the ten years at my current workplace, have never had flu in my life, have never had a flu jab. I put it down to working in a hospital environment and having built up resistance to many bugs. Having said that, many of my coleauges working in the same environment seem to have time off every other week - headaches, sickness bugs, colds, stress etc.

it must be partly genetic as I can honestly say I have never had a migraine and don't get headaches whereas some people get them quite regularly.

However I have also noticed that the frequently "off sick" people at work are the ones most into their bodies whether it be healthy eating or keeping thin/fit.
The semi alcoholics who are in the biscuit tin most days seem to never be ill ( although might skive a bit!).
Don't know if they would be worse off though if they didn't look after themselves?

Look at it the other way round. Does everyone have the same immunity? No of course not, we are all totally different.

I always pick up viruses but have no allergies whereas some people have loads.

Sometimes healthy young people get horrible diseases - MS, leukaemia for eg - for no apparent reason. There may be lifestyle factors involved but clearly some people are vulnerable.

Fact: the flu jab doesn't give you flu! That's an old wives tale. You may have had a reaction to one of the other ingredients though.