Really terrified about this flu going around

[Caramelbarrel]

I’m in a total panic about the flu. It’s everywhere I look online, people are posting about it left, right and centre. Including locally.

I’m always hugely anxious when my DS gets ill anyway and so if he gets it I know I’ll be a wreck. I have bad health anxiety too.

I don’t know anyone personally who has it, but I know it’s just a matter of time.

I’m so worried I’ll get it before Christmas and it’ll all be ruined for our DS. We’re supposed to be going down and staying with family.

Given neither of you seem to have conditions that make you especially vulnerable I think this is a massive overreaction. Get the flu vaccine of you are able to buy mostly seek help for this anxiety before it affects your child.

It doesn’t help that many people can’t differentiate between a bad cold and flu. Some people on SM who diagnose themselves as having flu, may just be suffering with a cold. If they genuinely had the flu they wouldn’t be on SM. I’ve had it once, and had to lie horizontal dosing myself with meds for two weeks.

You can buy ffp3 masks that reduce the chances of catching flu and other illnesses.

My kids just had it and with had the flu immunisations

My sister and brother in law both got flu, which turned into Pneumonia and hospitalised them both. They were both seriously ill. My sister was close to getting sepsis at one point and her partner is still in hospital weeks later as he had a cardiac arrest too.

It isn't the flu so much, but any other underlying conditions which means the body struggles to fight it. I genuinely thought I might lose my sister.

You may not get it.

If it helps any, I teach in a secondary school and we have had loads of staff and kids off with it over the last few weeks. My son is in Y7 at a different school and there have been lots off with it there too. Schools are basically a complete germfest.

However, neither me nor DS have had it, nor any sign of getting it. So, you may be lucky.

It's less than £22 at Boots.

I just had it and have paid for a flu jab back in October. Put me on my arse for a week. I’m still coughing up crap now but infinitely better than I was. DC also had flu vaccine and had it. One was worse than the other but again a week later we are ok. Someone DH who hasn’t had the vaccine has avoided it!

Me and DH have the flu vaccine on the NHS, both my kids have had it at boots (think it was about 22 quid). Just book on line and pay for it!! If is a nasty strain and we have more people than normal hospitalised at the moment - with more to come. It isn’t pleasant but generally if you are fit and well it should be okay. Covid and other viruses are also circulating so its difficult to tell what people have at the minute without testing! The vaccine is giving protection against flu, its never 100% but some protection is better than nothing.

What a great reply to someone with health anxiety who is severely worried about the flu.

I get the flu jab every year because I am a supply teacher so everywhere I go someone seems to be ill. There are loads of people off school at the moment. I paid £10:in Superdrug.

If you have health anxiety you should stay on top of how things work rather than wait for someone to offer you the jab.

You can pay for it at pharmacies like Boots. Very worth having it done.

I have it at the minute. Been in bed pretty much constantly since Friday evening when I got home from work. Four kids and a full time job, I do not have time to be sick! Have had to give in and tell my boss I'll not be in tomorrow which I hate doing. Zero energy, everything hurts, coughing and sore throat. Next year I will be getting the flu jab 100%

Terrified? Really? Get the flu jab and seek help for your HA.

I’ve never had the flu jag (I’m 57) had the flu which is going around, felt utterly crap for 2 weeks but got over it fine, my husband and daughter who live with me never caught it (they have also never had the flu jag)

Just pay the £15 or whatever for the jab and move on with your life. Seek help for your anxiety if it continues to affect your life this way

I will pay for it at the local boots, I didn’t realise you could (sorry if I sound stupid) I thought they were reserved for the immune compromised and elderly etc. didn’t realise you could just go and pay for it.

However my DH won’t have it done, says it’s pointless and he doesn’t want to, says I’m making a fuss about nothing. He works in a school so very likely to pick it up and pass it on here.

Well he’s not going to pass it on if you and your DC have had the jab. Just pay a tenner at the pharmacy and have it done.

He’s stupid then. You’ll just have to hope that he doesn’t get it.

So what? That’s up to him. He hasn’t got health anxiety and he doesn’t want the injection. You are just finding something else to worry about.

His body, his choice 🤷‍♂️

You can also contact your GP surgery and see if they do what mine often does, which is to offer any leftover jabs to all patients on a first come, first served basis.

I’ve never had flu in 52 years, it’s really not that common to catch flu. Now colds a different, rude this year and quite nasty, had 3 so far but still not broken my duck for flu. Not vaccinated as not vulnerable

Other than getting the jab, I'd make an appointment with the GP about anxiety because it isn't healthy or necessarily to worry this much. Also take a look at your news / social feeds - if you are anxious anyway you need to curate them.

"Terrified" is a big word and, I would suggest, a massive overreaction.
Like others, I've never had flu (aged 60), but if I get it then I get it. No doubt I'll feel a bit rough for a few days, and cross too, but I'll be OK. It's not Ebola - it's not something to worry about.
Maybe, OP, you need some emotional or psychological support?

I wasn’t ’offered it’ I paid, got the vaccine in November and I’m not at all worried.