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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to think the blasted Flu Jab is more trouble than its worth

119 replies

Oldsu · 28/09/2021 01:28

Had mine Sunday very early so went and had a full English breakfast, a lovely walk by the sea, a scenic bus ride and then a strawberry ice cream sundae I was just thinking life doesn't get any better than this and WHAM my legs went from under me, by the time I got home I was very ill, hot and cold shivers, headache, total fatigue the lot I was in bed by 7pm, still feel ill today and my bloody arm STILL hurts, DH had his at the same time and was fine . The thing is I have never actually had flu not until they inoculated me against it, luckily it didn't include the covid booster I have got that to look forward to

OP posts:

DinosApple · 28/09/2021 06:05

I've had to postpone mine from Monday, but I am desperate to get the flu vaccine. Currently I'm not well with a bad cold and sinusitis though so they won't jab me until I'm better.
Chances are you were brewing something before. There's a huge amount doing the rounds at the moment because we've been living so separately for a long time.

I was off work for 6 weeks for a bad bout of flu. I was extremely weak afterwards, and only in my 20s. Took about 6 months to feel right! I don't take a chance these days.

Sprostongreen21 · 28/09/2021 06:10

I’ve been having the flu jab for work for ages. Although I didn’t have the first swine flu one, then got swine flu and that was awful.

I rarely get a reaction to it though to be honest. I’d rather that than full on flu though. People say they have flu when mostly it’s a heavy cold. Real flu is so bad.

Banani · 28/09/2021 06:22

Extremely unlikely that the flu jab caused that, especially that quickly. You’ve got some other virus (may or may not be flu) that happens to have coincided with getting the flu jab.

GloomAndDoom · 28/09/2021 06:29

@Goneroundthetwist

Maybe you have Covid…….

I was thinking this, make sure you do a covid test if you get a temperature.

Or could be food poisoning?

Or flu?

BowledOverly · 28/09/2021 06:33

@BetsyJameson

The flu vaccine can’t give you flu as it isn’t a live vaccine.

This. You just got poorly. But it wasn’t the flu jab as it’s not live so impossible to get flu from it.

ApplesAreTheBaneOfMyLife · 28/09/2021 06:39

Having had flu twice, and being ill for months afterwards, I always get the vaccine. Had mine on Friday with no side effects at all.

It sounds like coincidence in timing to me. Even if not, it’ll be over quicker than flu.

Kittyswhiskers · 28/09/2021 06:46

I give the flu vaccination. It isn’t a live vaccine. Side effects usually come on after 24 hours. Since you felt ill merely hours after your flu jab I would highly recommend you get a pcr for covid. If negative you can start taking cold and flu remedies which are available otc. For anyone reading this please don’t be put off your flu jab. I work with hundreds of drs and nurses and no one ever mentions anything except having a sore arm. Flu is predicted to be worse this year and if it’s caught with covid it could be deadly. Protect yourself if you can.

Angelou79 · 28/09/2021 06:53

When I had mine Friday the pharmacist advised it takes 4-5 days to kick in so you are still able to catch flu within a certain period after being inoculated. Perhaps this is what happened?

chocolateorangeinhaler · 28/09/2021 06:55

Be glad you didn't have actual flu then. Those symptoms but worse and last for about 10 days. House could be on fire and you wouldn't move iven if you wanted to.

It's a normal response of your body learning to recognize and kill the virus.

Redsquirrel5 · 28/09/2021 06:56

Ten your GP. I had a reaction to one years ago and told my GP, who had given it to me. He said he wouldn’t give me that one again. It didn’t happen that quickly to me but the next I felt really unwell and it went on for about three or four days.

I hope you feel better soon.

Yamaya · 28/09/2021 07:00

IF thia actually happened, I would contact your doctor because this wasn't caused by the flu vaccine. I've had it every year for about 15 years and never had a reaction like that.

SquareYellow · 28/09/2021 07:02

The flu jab doesn’t give you flu.

If it is genuinely flu then it means you’ve caught flu in the week before and it takes a few weeks to get immunity.

What you have is the immune system reacting and learning about the virus. Flu symptoms are you body trying to fight it.

But crack on and tells vulnerable people around you the jab gave you flu so they don’t get it and you know, maybe die this year’s.

musicalfrog · 28/09/2021 07:03

@SpindleWorld

Stop eating so much crap.

Willyoujustbequiet · 28/09/2021 07:08

I believe the nasal flu vaccine IS live and can shed.

Its mentioned on the consent form I've just had to sign for my dc.

CrunchyCarrot · 28/09/2021 07:10

Some people react very strongly to the flu vaccine. My MIL was very ill for a few weeks the first time she had it, many years ago. I am extremely surprised she went back for it the following year, but she did and has had no more problems with it over the ensuing years. Everyone's different!

Hope you feel better soon, OP!

Rosesareyellow · 28/09/2021 07:10

The vaccine can’t give you the flu, I think that’s common knowledge now.
The time of year when you get the flu vaccine coincides with lots of other bugs going around, Covid included right now. People get the vaccine, pick up a cold and say they have flu

Thanks to the flu vaccine a lot of people don’t get the flu. I’m quite certain that a lot of people who said they’ve had the flu have actually had a heavy cold - most people have no idea how debilitating flu actually is.

ohnotanotherusername · 28/09/2021 07:16

The jab doesn't 'give' you flu but if the virus was already present in your body at the time it can accelerate it.

WrongKindOfFace · 28/09/2021 07:28

It could be side effects (although they’re not usually that fast) but equally it could be covid or the other horrible virus that’s going round.

Zilla1 · 28/09/2021 07:40

As PPs have said, you haven't caught flu from the vaccination. Symptomatic 'Proper' flu as opposed to a cold, a 'bad' cold, 'manflu' and a 'really bad cold' can hit you like a train, immobilise you for a couple of weeks, make you feel like death and believe that would be a welcome outcome and is linked to significant mortality hence the vaccination programme. Many adults have never had symptomatic 'proper' flu IME hence the laughable belief they have flu when walking around but feeling a bit rough. Most adults IME have only had symptomatic proper flu a handful of times.

EatYourVegetables · 28/09/2021 07:41

I had flu three years ago (because I wasn’t organised enough to get a shot). Trust me, one day in bed is nothing. I was very ill for 2 weeks, unable to get out of bed, really cold and shivery and with a fever, unable to eat. Lost a bunch of weight. I then continued coughing for another two weeks. I actually went to the doctor to see if I got pneumonia as I had lungs pains - it turned out I had pulled a muscle near my ribs from aggressive coughing.

I’m getting a flu shot every year now, as are all my family. Not risking that again.

isthismylifenow · 28/09/2021 07:43

Did you have any side affects from the Covid vaccine?

Tbh my arm felt more sore from the flu jab than the Pfizer shot.

LaurieFairyCake · 28/09/2021 07:46

I'm always really ill after the flu vaccine - last time I had 5 days of sweating

However the two times I've had real flu as an adult still make me have it every year (I wished for death it was so awful)

FuzzyPuffling · 28/09/2021 07:48

I usually react rather badly to the flu vaccine, as in a day of feeling rough. I have a stupidly over reactive immune system. had this year's jab on Saturday and nothing more than 24 hours of a sore arm. Yippee!

And anything is much, much better than proper flu.

Medievalist · 28/09/2021 07:58

You're not putting me off having mine this week op. My 90 year old mil had hers last week with zero reaction.

But I hope you feel better soon. And do a Covid test!

muddyford · 28/09/2021 08:00

For once after my 'flu jab, I had absolutely no side effects at all. No sore arm, no feeling rough for a day or two. Better than a week of 'flu followed by six weeks of post-viral syndrome.

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