People saying they’ve never had flu?

[Cumbrianlassie]

I find this incredibly strange. I’ve had flu several times in my life and I’m 36, I mean the ‘proper’ flu - body aches, fever, skin pain, headache, cough, no appetite, fatigue for several weeks and weakness.

I had it in January, as did my DS and DP.
Havent had this new strain yet but feels inevitable!

Are some people just immune?

Flu is short for influenza, which is one nasty disease out of many which are floating around all the time. People say flu to mean any nasty virus that makes them feel like crap for a while, but it's not. Was yours diagnosed by a doctor? If not, it probably wasn't actual flu. I haven't had it; most people haven't. Which is a good thing - it can be fatal.

The difference between flu and a bad cold is the virus causing it, not the severity of the symptoms.

I've never had it and nearly 50.

Though of course, I might have had it but it just didn't result in the severe flu symptoms that others get so it didn't register as flu.

You've probably had a temperature, headache and sore throat loads of times though and battled through despite being tired.

56 and never had it - had glandular fever aged 19 which had me bed ridden for two weeks and off work a further 4 weeks to recover. Lots of tonsillitis and really heavy colds but nothing remotely described as 'proper flu'. Just getting over my first shitty cold for 5 years - I did have high temperatures at night time for 3 nights last week but felt fine during the day so carried on as normal. (my daily life doesn't involve being near or around people, young, old or vulnerable or using public transport or risk spreading the bug any further)

I'm aware of that, but influenza is typically much, much worse than a cold virus.

in my late 30s, had similarly nasty illnesses when younger but fairly sure I’ve never had the flu that I can remember. These days I get the jab as well.

Is it? What about people who get it with no symptoms at all? Or really mildly?

I’m 71, never had flu, never had a flu jab (watch me get the worst dose of flu ever now!). Even when I had covid it was asymptomatic, I only knew I had it because I had to test as a colleague had it.

I don’t think I’ve ever had “proper” flu, the “can’t get out of bed if there’s a £100 note at the bottom of the garden” type flu. I’ve certainly had heavy colds that made me feel like crap for a few days but not flu.

My DH I’m sure had it once, he could barely move, I had to change the sheets daily as he was sweating buckets, and it took him a good couple of weeks to feel anything like himself so having seen that, no I don’t think I’ve had flu.

I don’t think my parents have either so maybe we have some kind of superhero genetic immunity

Yes and was arrogant that nothing could fell me. I was completely the I can keep going through anything camp.

Until I couldn't.

So sometimes people get bad flu and have to take to their beds, but mostly people with flu can carry on.

You've probably just had it several times but mildly.

Thats what i tbought

I have had flu once when I was 17 - the only year I didn't get the flu jab at boarding school (so got it from 11-16) I haven't had a flu jab since and I've never had flu again. I have picked up several stomach bugs over the years that have left me needing to stay in bed for a few days but never again had a cold/flu bug that floored me.

All these people who have had/know someone who has had a virus with a temperature, sore throat, cough, headache, aches, nausea, fatigue - oh but it definitely not flu because they weren't in bed for a week and could answer the door/pick up money/scroll their phone/insert other random test 😂

Honestly, you’re flogging a dead horse here. During the pandemic we had to listen to people claiming it was only a cold while others around them were seriously ill, got long covid or even dropped dead. This is pretty much the same, only kind of in reverse😆

A billion people a year get the flu. You’ve most likely all had it!

Had it once when I was 10. It was horrific, I couldn’t move for at least a week but I don’t think I’ve had it since. Doubt the one bout made me immune for a lifetime so no idea how I’ve dodged it. I don’t think it spreads quite as easily as other viruses though, I may be wrong but I’m certain this was mentioned during Covid.

I'm in my 60s and had it once about 25 years ago. I couldn't get out of bed. I also had Swine flu which was nothing like as bad.

Before I had flu I used to get awful chest infections every winter with a cough that went on for weeks, afterwards I didn't get them so it seemed to give my immune system a reset. That's my totally non-medical interpretation.

I don't remember ever having flu (like can't get out of bed, want to die type flu), just really bad coughs and colds.

I had glandular fever earlier this year though (at 30, I thought it was something teenagers get 🤣), and oh my god it was horrendous. I'm still not 100% better six months later.

I’ve had it twice in my life. Once when I was 7 years old and once when I was 29. Both times I couldn’t physically move and the second time I was nearly hospitalised as I was delirious.
I had horrific body aches and my legs were so painful that I was telling my husband (and fully believing) that I’d broken them in cheerleading practice 🤣 I am not a cheerleader.

I’m 51 and never had it and never had the flu jab either.

I had it when I was a child. That was a long time ago.

I had type A flu (apparently Beijing flu) when I was 4 - so my mum tells me anyway!
Not had a similar level of illness since, I had a flu jab when I was pregnant but don’t get one usually.