Please tell me your experience of the flu vaccine

[designonaut]

I've got flu - signed off work for a week and it seems I'm recovering well, but the first few days in were terrible. I've never had the vaccine and I'm planning to have it for next season although where I live I'll have to pay for it. My doctor says that it doesn't always work, but he says this year it has been working well. I don't want to go through this again (nearly passing out on day two) Are there any downsides to the vaccine?

Not really
I have it every year as an NHS worker

I had a sore arm for a few days but that was about it.
Our family got the flu despite being jabbed this year but I feel it was much more mild than it would have been without the jab, didn't have to see a dr and DH went to work every day (I didn't quite manage but I'm pregnant too so a bit sicky/unwell most days anyway).

I've had it several times (asthmatic) without adverse effect. The vaccine in any given year is their best estimate against the strains predicted, hence no guarantees.

No downsides for me. DS and I have it every year (asthmatic). Once I had to wait for the doctor to get it in stock and got flu before, which was rubbish. Ended up with a chest infection, two lots of antibodies and a course of oral steroids. Took me months to recover fully.

I have it every year. Sometimes it's like I didn't have anything done in terms of side effects and some years I get a sore lump at the injection site that last for 24 hours ish, and that's it. Waaaay better than full blown flu that's for sure!

Hope you feel better soon

I have never experienced a side effect from the vaccine and know no one that has.

Thanks everyone, a sore arm for a day would be far preferable to what I've just experienced. For some reason I was thinking of the flu like it's a bad cold, but I was wrong! And that's without any complications. I should have got it done before.

Ah, you've discovered that once you've had flu you will never describe a bad or heavy cold as the flu ever again- its the pits isn't it?

It is donpablo. I am just getting my appetite back after eating almost nothing for a week and it's telling me to eat an M&S trifle for dinner

Trifle has many healing properties-I'd give it a go, see if it works

I have it every year (asthmatic) this was the first time I'd had anything resembling a side effect and I just felt really tired and got a headache a few hours later. Normally nothing though

I have it every year as I work in care. All I’ve ever had is a sore arm for a few days. Maybe a bit of a headache but I get those anyway! Nothing major has happened to me after.

My experience - had flu vaccine, didn't get flu. HTH.