Had a Flu Jab but now have Flu !

[Tartantatooes]

Feel absolutely lousy , aching body , headache , thirsty, no appetite and feel sick . I have been sleeping loads .I had a Flu jab 3 weeks ago so how come I've got Flu ? The pharmacist who did it was in a bad temper that day I over heard him say to his assistant he didn't really have time to do the jab . He did anyway . Now I'm starting to wonder did he really give me a flu jab

I’ve never had a flu jab (or flu) but if it works the same way as the Covid jab then it will just be designed to lessen the effects of the virus as opposed to preventing transmission. Hope you feel better soon. 💐

It doesn't prevent you getting flu, it possibly makes it less severe.
I hope you feel better soon. It is rotten.

Here’s what the NHS website says:

‘The flu vaccine aims to protect you against the most common types of flu viruses.
There's still a chance you might get flu after getting vaccinated, but it's likely to be milder and not last as long.‘

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-influenza-vaccine/

Or there’s the possibility you have got another virus that isn’t flu.

The flu jab doesn't stop you getting the flu, just makes the symptoms less severe.

Similar to the Covid jab.

Why would the pharmacist bother to stick a needle in your arm at all if he didn't give you the flu jab. That's just daft.

How do you know it's definitely flu? There are a lot of nasty viruses going around at the moment.

If you're well enough to get typing on Mumsnet, it's probably NOT 'flu. Could be any one of a number of other viruses (including a very bad cold).
In any case, the 'flu jab doesn't prevent all types of 'flu.

The flu vaccine is made from the most likely flu strain for the year, not every possible strain. The jab protects you but doesn't guarantee you won't get flu. There is no conspiracy or compensation to be had 🙄

Also, agree with PP if you're posting on MN it's either very mild or not flu.

You probably have one of the multiple other viruses that isn't the flu. Hope you feel better soon!

I'm just starting to feel better and have just woken up after a very long sleep

I've had flu before .

Possibly I don't have a stinking cold but my body was aching terrible yesterday and I kept shivering and going hot and cold . I've not long woken up after a deep sleep

OP, I don’t get the flu jab because the last 2 times I took it I ended up with pneumonia after contracting flu symptoms just 3 days after getting the jab.

The jab is a dead virus so you can’t get flu from it but I came across an interesting paper in a medical journal which suggested some people can get chest infection / pneumonia as a auto immune reaction.

That must be the quickest bout of flu ever, op!!!

Well, it might be covid rather than flu, the symptoms you have sound almost identical to mine when I had covid over Christmas. Or you might have got the flu despite having the vaccination, it's not 100%, you can still get flu though it should be less bad than it would otherwise have been. It is RIDICULOUS to think that he might not have given you the jab - aside from the fact that that would be not just a sacking offence but possibly one he could be prosecuted for, what do you think he injected instead? And why on earth would he do that? It's not less time-consuming to inject something else.

Oh if you're starting to feel better on day 2 then it probably is flu and the vaccination has worked. The last time I had flu without having been vaccinated I couldn't get out of bed for 5 days, it was dreadful.

There are many, many variants of flu. The vaccine is designed to protect against the strain that is predicted to be the most prevalent and severe for that particular winter season. Sometimes that prediction is wrong as happened during the winter in 2018. It is probable that you have contracted one of the flu virus's not covered by the vaccination.

Did I say when my symptoms started ?

Did I say when my symptoms started?

Are you just planning to get arsey with everyone who replies to you?

Unless you've had swabs done or have a rapid test to self test then you don't know whether it is flu or another virus. You also wouldn't know, again unless tested, which strain of flu it is and therefore whether it is covered by the vaccine you had. The vaccine tried to protect based on predictions looking at global data for which strains will be most prevalent in the UK (if that's where you are). Sometimes they get it pretty much spot on and the vaccine is highly effective and sometimes they don't and it is only somewhat effective.

Lastly, even if they get it totally spot on the vaccine will not be 100% effective so it is indeed perfectly possible to get flu even if you've had a vaccine. However, it is likely that having had a vaccine, if it is indeed flu that you have, you have reduced the chance of passing it on to somebody else and also reduced the severity of illness for yourself.

What do you think the pharmacist stuck in your arm? The pin off his name badge? Whichever vaccination he could lay his hands on quickest?

There are a lot of stinking viruses around, so this isn't necessarily flu. I mean, it could be, and that's bad luck but the jab doesn't offer guaranteed protection. Take it easy, drink loads.

That's interesting about the pneumonia and chest infections.

I had Covid in December and now have flu. I've had the flu jab but wasn't eligible for the Covid jab.

My husband had both jabs and is suffering with flu too and had Covid after me!

My flu is turning in to a chest infection which I also had this time last year and it then turned into pneumonia!

Might be lesser flu thanks to the jab, might be covid...You can get pcrs from boots which tell you.

But I highly doubt the pharmacist gave you a fake jab because he was mardy!