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AIBU?

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Original poster

Flu vaccine - is it coincidental/psychological

57 replies

AliceInUnderpants · 21/10/2015 13:59

(sorry posting for traffic)

I had my yearly health check this morning and got my flu vaccination at the same time.
Now, two hours later, I have a rotten headache. I am sinus-y, achy, cold and tired.

Last year I felt rotten for a couple of weeks afterwards too, but can't remember how quickly symptoms came on.

Is it possible that I am reacting to the vaccine already, or is it just psychology or coincidental timing?

OP posts:
scaevola · 21/10/2015 15:54

Pack information leaflet

The symptoms you list in OP are recognised common side effects of the jab (affecting up to 10% of recipients).

Still better than actually having the flu, though.

Namechangenell · 21/10/2015 16:35

I live in the US. We have flu vaccines here as standard each year. So do my DC. None of us have ever had bad side effects. I think it's psychological personally!

bumbleymummy · 21/10/2015 16:39

"Still better than actually having the flu, though."

Not necessarily. You can come into contact with the flu virus, develop immunity to it and not show any or only mild symptoms. You can have mild flu.

waitingforcalpoltowork · 21/10/2015 16:47

i feel like that my arm aches my nose is runny tummy ache and a sore head

the difference is i have not had the flu jab

go figure

Sothisishowitfeels · 21/10/2015 16:51

I have no idea but I had the whopping cough vaccine recently and then got a really nasty cold /wheezy chest and which has taken about 6 weeks to ease. At some points I was coughing so much I was being sick. I'm told it's a coincidence but who knows!

kali110 · 21/10/2015 16:53

Alice i was like you, i also had a temp, it is normal but it only lasts a few days.
I took echinea, it really helps.
It's hard when youre on loads of medication!
Coukd you take covodamol instead of the paracetamol?

kali110 · 21/10/2015 16:55

*cocodamol

kali110 · 21/10/2015 16:56

chazall the stmptoms are all possible side effects from the vaccine.
I also had them along with a temp a few hours later.

scaevola · 21/10/2015 17:22

Of course it's possible that you might not develop flu, even if you come into contact with the virus. Or get a sub-clinical infection. This is true of pretty much any disease. Even in pandemics, some people do not become ill. But I did mean the jab is better than having the flu, not of not having it.

It is possible that you only get it mildly (which is the norm for a type C).

But the types A and B are both very nasty and circulate widely.

AlexCloverandSam · 21/10/2015 17:27

I keep reading that people are having a 'yearly health check'.

What is this please and what age limits are there?

BikeRunSki · 21/10/2015 17:29

This coincidence happens to me every time I have a flu jab. Confused

Original poster
AliceInUnderpants · 21/10/2015 17:31

Alex I get a yearly review as I have asthma.
I know they are also offered for conditions such as Lupus, Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Epilepy, kidney or heart disease etc. Our surgery also offer them for carers.

OP posts:
annandale · 21/10/2015 17:37

Why not aspirin? Such a great drug.

I had a temp and muscle aches for a day 2days after this year's flu jab. It's quite common to have some kind of reaction Imo.
I've now got the cold from hell a week later but can't take any time off. I hate this time of year.

donajimena · 21/10/2015 17:38

I felt crap after my last two flu jabs

Badders123 · 21/10/2015 17:45

Asthma = no aspirin

Mistigri · 21/10/2015 18:11

All four of us have a flu jab every year with no side effects. The only jab anyone here has had issues with is the HPV one.

That doesn't mean that side effects are impossible - there is a risk attached to every medical intervention - but because it's not a live virus, flu-like symptoms are most probably coincidental.

saucony · 21/10/2015 18:27

I'm offered the flu vaccine due to multiple chronic health problems, the treatment which results in being immuno-compromised. I always feel rough afterwards but I know the flu is more dangerous. I've had other vaccinations and reacted the same way; temperature, fatigue and feeling achy. My GP feels it's because my baseline is so low anyway. I think the vaccinations trigger off my autoimmune illness, the symptoms include; temperature, fatigue and feeling achy. So, when people tell me it's psychological, I want them to shove it up their arses. Grin

NumbBlaseCold · 21/10/2015 20:03

I was ill after the jab.

I came down with flu the day after in the morning and my husband in the evening.

I had the jab, he did not.

We'd both been infected a few days before by my cousin's new partner who hadn't wanted to disappoint and let down by being a family now show.

He was certainly remembered for giving three grenerations the flu.

Had I not been at the party with my husband, I would have wondered if it was the flu jab.

I did wonder at first and then wondered where we got flu from, which took several weeks to realise.

I think because I had a response, fever, to the vaccine, it brought the flu I was unknowingly incubating out quicker but did not give me flu.

I think some people are ill with viruses, colds and flu what have you, and don't know yet so have the vaccine and get sick.

Fluffycloudland77 · 21/10/2015 20:22

I was going to have mine last week, I ran out of time and didnt. Felt awful for the next three days.

If I'd had the jab I would have blamed that.

ghostyslovesheep · 21/10/2015 20:33

I had it Monday - I've had a nasty headache and I feel shattered - proper bone tired

but it's way better than getting the flu!

Getyercoat · 21/10/2015 20:40

It's not coincidental in every case.
Said the doctor who gave it to me and saw me 48 hours later.

Junosmum · 21/10/2015 20:48

I've never had any side effects from the flu jab. Guess it depends on the person (I've had one the last 5 or so years).

kali110 · 21/10/2015 22:54

Op could you take cocodamol instead of paracetamol? Worked great for me whilst i were suffering!

BumpTheElephant · 22/10/2015 07:35

The very first time I had a flu jab (the swine flu jab when it first came out), I felt like I had a mild flu in the 24hrs following. The symptoms then disappeared as suddenly as they came on. I've never had any side effects to a flu jab since.

paulapompom · 22/10/2015 07:46

Alice hope you are feeling a bit better or at least no worse Flowers

Does anyone know if the flu jab contains no active virusy stuff (medical term Grin) why do people get any symptoms/side effects at all?