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?

42, never had flu, never had a flu jab either and they give them to us free at work.

I think the saying goes you really really KNOW if you have flu. It’s WILD. Writing something on a phone would be beyond you. Getting to the loo involves crawling.

Nobody has said anything about virtue or superiority.

We’ve said we havent had it, either because we haven’t come into conatct woth it, or because perhaps perhaps some of us have some kind of natural immunity to it. No reflection on us as people.

I haven’t had it. Mid forties.
I do have a very active immune system- a cold or a bug picked up from from my kids, including Covid, is generally felt as a scratchy throat one day and gone by the next morning.
The flipside is that my body reacts to a lot of things ie. allergic reactions, and currently have at least two autoimmune conditions.

Im almost 60 and never had the flu. Had a handful of bad colds but nothing that incapacitated me tl any extent.

Never had a flu jab either

I’ve never had flu and never tested positive/had Covid to my knowledge

Had it once when I was about 8. The only times other than that when I’ve felt really poorly is with tonsillitis, so pretty confident I’ve not had it again since.

How did you tell what virus caused the bad colds?

I’m mid 40s and I’ve never had flu. I don’t seem to even get colds now. I had Covid and only felt ill for 2 days whereas everyone else in the house was ill for over a week.

How do you know you had flu? Was it confirmed on a swab each time?

I'm 54, think I may have had it once years ago.
Ive had all those symptoms though many times where it will last a week pretty bad then maybe another week or 2 of feeling shite. But put it down to a bad cold/lurgy.

OK but flu is like covid - some people have no symptoms, some just have it mildly?

Never had flu....never had covid that i know of either. Middleaged with kids bringing home all the germs.

I do have an auto immune disease (so thought i'd be more susceptible) and have all the flu jabs.

I’ve never had the flu either. Bad colds, yes. Flu, no. I don’t believe most people when they say they’ve had flu. Like the people who say they’ve got a migraine when it’s a headache, it’s usually not. Not disputing they feel bad. But it’s most likely not flu (or a migraine).

I think those arguing over how people know they haven't had the flu are being a bit pedantic here. Of course you can have a mild dose of the flu virus without ever knowing. The op is specifically talking about being very ill with the flu and being surprised others haven't had it to that extent.

I have never had testing for the flu but I consider myself to have only ever had it once as that was the only time I was significantly unwell.

I think if I was the op I'd be looking at ways to boost immunity and paying for the flu jab. It really sucks but she's obviously unlucky when it comes to immunity/her immune system.

Mid 40s and had it twice, possibly three times. I have had other horrible viral infections with chills, aches etc. but that's not the same as flu.

Around 20% of people get seasonal flu each year.

I don't believe I've ever had it. 61.

62, had it once in my 40s. It is nothing like a bad cold, or (at least in my experience of it, it did vary) Covid and actually made me feel about the same as sepsis did.

It turned into a bad chest infection and took me months to shake.

My husband is 60 and he’s never had flu I’ve had it once I’m also 60

I am 60 and have never had flu.

Been jabbed up for the past few years but never before.
Fingers crossed this isn't the year I get it.🤞

My OH had it once, before we met (35yrs+ ago).

As you seem to get it a lot, I think it would be worth you paying for the vaccination OP.

Also, in general, how is your diet? Do you drink enough? Get enough sleep? Those are all things that can affect your immune system.

I’ve never had flu. I’m nearly 60.
My DH gets the flu vaccine and he still is incapacitated by flu.

I was knocked for six by covid the first time round, and I've had body aches and extreme fatigue for a couple of days with cold type illnesses, but I don't think I've ever had flu. TBH I don't think I've ever had a raised temperature.

I’m nearly 60 and have had it once about 25 years ago.
It was bloody dreadful and I have had a flu vaccination every year since. Don’t know if that’s connected but there’s a good chance it is.
For any anti vaxxers reading this I’m a public health professional so don’t bother trying……