Flu jab and illness afterwards

[lavalamp08]

Morning all!

I'm about 25 weeks pregnant and about a month ago I had my flu jab. I've always suffered with coughs but since this jab it's taken it to a whole other level. I feel absolutely horrendous

The cough comes with pains in my back and belly when I cough, it's easier to go and cough on the toilet too - if you know what I mean. I'm sick most mornings when I have my first cough of the day

I've been to the doctor who prescribed me simple linctus that can be bought over the counter but that's it. I know I can't have antibiotics due to the baby but any tips tricks you can share

Has / is anyone in the same boat? I feel like I need kidnapping just to get some rest. I'm off work today and my mum has got my little boy so least (touch wood) I get a decent rest today

Thanks for listening to my moan xx

The cough won’t be anything to do with the flu jab, the two aren’t connected. It’s just that time of year.

I have a horrible cough at the moment as well, although I’m only 14 weeks. I’m just drinking lots of honey and lemon, paracetamol when needed, hot steamy showers to try and degunk my chest and I’m taking it as easy as it’s possible to do with a toddler.

There are some antibiotics you can have

I feel your pain!
I had my flu jab two months ago and now currently recovering from the flu , chest infection, sinusitis and eye infection!! Pregnancy lowers immune system so its pretty common to pick things up easier than you would normally.

I've been prescribed antibiotics. There are some safe to take when pregnant, but they'll only prescribe them if you have an infection. Antibiotics won't help you get rid of a cough. Unfortunately its just a waiting game.

I've been steaming with menthol crystals, drinking lots of water (not too cold though because it seems to irritate my throat more), taking multivitamins and eating a healthy diet. Main thing my GP recommended was resting and staying warm. Hope you feel better soon x

Oh poor you. The good news is it isn't connected to the flu jab - yeah! It's not an active vaccination.

My GP gave me an asthma inhaler and it was wonderful to widen my airways out - it really helped when i had a cold. It's worth going to see them. Don't take antibiotics unless you have to is also my advice!

I've been off with a rotten cold but gargling with warm salt water several times a day made a big difference to me - maybe worth a try?

I was ill after the jab too, not straight away though maybe a week or two... unrelated. I had a cold but when you’re pregnant it feels just like the flu because your body struggles more. I had a chest infection, sinusitis and laryngitis for about two weeks... it was bloody awful! Unfortunately it’s just the time of year. When pregnant with my youngest I had flu (actual flu, not just a bad cold) and had to be hospitalised, because flu when pregnant is no joke and you probably wouldn’t be making coherent posts if you had it. I wouldn’t worry, it will ride out

Amazing all these unrelated, can't possibly be the jab comments!!!

I'm very pro vaccination ... but everyone I know who has had the flu jab has gotten flu. It's a live vaccination AFAIK. Doubly scared now I'm pregnant and I might actually have to have it.

@StarUtopia it was WEEKS later! Pregnant women are offered flu jab because of how likely we are to get ill, with or without it, but with the flu jab it protects us for that at least. I had flu and was far more ill in my last pregnancy and never had the flu jab and it nearly killed me, this time I’ve just had a bad cold and I’ve had the flu jab.

@TheGrumpySquirrel It actually isn't a live vaccination chick. You physically CAN'T get the flu from the flu jab....

The flu jab doesn't cause flu as it doesn't contain live viruses.
However, you may experience side effects after having the jab, such as a temperature and aching muscles for a couple of days afterwards. Your arm may feel sore at the site where you were injected. More severe reactions are rare.

www.nhs.uk/livewell/winterhealth/pages/fluandthefluvaccine.aspx

Thank you, that's made me feel a lot better about it!

It often looks like there is a direct link between jab and illness but that’s just because it is given at the start of the season where coughs and colds etc are more prevalent.

The injected flu vaccine isn't live. It won't have caused a cough.
And antibiotics won't help unless you have an actual infection.

CL1982 summed it up well. I got my flu jab at 9 weeks and only got a cold (not flu) at 22 weeks. I work for an NHS trust and all clinical staff have to get the jab, and none of my colleagues have got it.

Sorry to anyone feeling ill though, found dealing with a cold in pregnancy miserable as couldn't take anything decent for it!

You can have amoxicillin when pregnant, I'm on it now for a chest infection and am 35 weeks, but as others have said it won't be any use if that's not what you have. It's worth going back to the Gp though if you're struggling, there may be other things like inhalers that they can offer you. In the meantime hot water with honey and lemon for your throat, steam as much as possible, sit with your head over a bowl of hot water and breathe it in, or get the bathroom nice and steamy by running the shower, and sit in there for a while, and you can take paracetamol if you need to as well.

Ps I totally get what you mean about coughing on the loo, possibly the most depressing part of my pregnancy has been this cough and the associated bladder control challenge. :(

None of my colleagues have got the flu after the jab, I should have said!

I get really bad coughs with every cold since I had pneumonia. I've found that Strepsils Sore Throat and Cough sweets really help to calm it down. I've also found steeping a chunk fo fresh ginger root in hot water then drinking it (with honey and lemon if you like it) helps.

I've been sick for the past month too. Unfortunately, it's just the time of the year for it. It seems like everyone is sick. And yes, it's the same sort of horrible cough, which pulls the muscles in my stomach and back, which means I'm extra sore. If you still have congestion, I'd really recommend a saline nasal spray (sterimar is great). It's made a tremendous difference for me. Honey, lemon and ginger will probably do just as well as a linctus, so you might add that in if you aren't.

You may also think of going back to your doctor. Chest congestion should clear in a cough of weeks and if yours is still going on, you could have an infection (which may need antibiotics, likely not though, there are plenty of safe antibiotics in pregnancy though if you do), but more than that you might be able to be prescribed an inhaler to open up your chest. I'm asthmatic so I use an inhaler anyway, but it's made a tremendous difference with the coughing and helped me not be so sore as I've been able to clear the infection much quicker using it. Otherwise, often these things you just have to ride out. I really do get it every year at this time and it lasts about a month or so before it clears on its own.

As someone else said, nothing to do with the flu jab either (I get that every October and have never been sick after). But if you were already exposed to an infection and got the jab at the same time, your immune system has just been working overtime, which might make you more suseptible to any infections you did encounter. Just bad timing more than anything unfortunately.