2023 Flue Shot

[Rando21]

Has anyone else taken this years flue shot and gotten abnormally ill from it? Not to dissuade anyone from taking this years shot but I was sick nearly a weak. The illness followed an unusual pattern too. I was sick the day after the shot but then completely well the day after. The morning after being well I started to get sick again and this lasted for days. I don’t think I’ve ever had a flue shot cause this much of an issue. Assuming this was from the shot you may want to plan accordingly, giving yourself more time to get over the illness that comes with it.

[GMa27]

Never experienced that. My doc says if u have anything lurking at the time of shot, it will bring it out. Doesn't cause illness. You didn't mention ur symptoms. Lots of illnesses going around this time of year. I just got over a cold. Was supposed to get flu shot tomorrow. My doc said to wait till I am completely fine. Will put it off few more days. 2 weeks ago I caught stomach bug from my cousin.

[Rando21 in reply to GMa27]

It does make sense that it could have brought something out because there was an immediate illness then a complete rebound followed by a reemergence of illness with days of flu like symptoms.

[CycleWonder]

I started feeling I’ll the night of the flu shot and the next day. I started feeling OK two days later.

[MalcT]

My wife and I had this really bad effects from the flu jab. It's now nearly two weeks ago and I am still feeling unwell. Never had this before.

[Rando21 in reply to MalcT]

Same. Seems like most years there are almost no symptoms after the shot. With this shot I am still congested 11 days after, though I’ve felt generally well for the last 3 or 4 days. Some say it can bring out other lingering illnesses I’m not sure.

[CaptRon1976]

Rando, I commonly get a multiday reaction with fever, fatigue and aches with covid shots but never more than a sore arm with flu shot. RSV produced side effects of dizzy loopy feelings for a whole week. I am wondering if you got RSV + Flu combined in the same needle?

[Rando21 in reply to CaptRon1976]

No it was definitely only the flu. Never had this before, I think I would have rather taken my chances considering my age and general health. I can’t remember much more than a mild ache from past flu shots.

[MisfitK]

My flu shot is Oct 1, so I'll report back after (gonna have my meds ready now - thanks for the head's up).

[lindalou5]

I slept away the whole next day..which has never happened before.

[MovingForward4423]

Sounds like you have had a good strong reaction to the vaccine. I worry more when I don’t have reaction beyond a slightly sore arm. That was the case for all the Covid shots until I moved into remission.

[malloy7870 in reply to MovingForward4423]

Ditto, so not keen on anymore

[Rando21 in reply to MovingForward4423]

Do you know if they offer stronger doses from elderly and immune compromised? I’m wondering if they took my disclosure of having CLL as a reason to give me a higher dose that given my WBC and age was not necessary.

[Cafa]

A nurse friend of mine said this current flu vaccination in the UK contains MNRA, I don't have solid evidence for this but could this be why so many are having adverse side affects? I'm thinking twice about it as had an adverse reaction to the covid vacine so will discuss with my doctor first.

[Rando21 in reply to Cafa]

My family member who got her shot before me at a different pharmacy had no illness. Which had me wondering if there are different manufactures or if it was just me. I’m not sure.

[MovingForward4423 in reply to Cafa]

“People have varied reactions to vaccines, but it’s important to remember that feeling unwell after a shot is often a sign that your immune system is working to identify and respond to what it perceives as a foreign body. If you have CLL, your immune system is already compromised, making you more susceptible to infections. The risks of not getting vaccinated, particularly against the flu, could be much higher for you. It could lead to severe illness, complications, or even hospitalisation.

[Rando21 in reply to MovingForward4423]

Well at my age and health I think I would have preferred take my chances with the flu. I’m not even 40, run usually at least 2 miles a day among other things, and have a very low stable WBC. The flu is rarely worse than what the flu vax put me though this year.

Edit: Someone bellow said they might give different, higher, doses for immune compromised and elderly. I did disclose my CLL. Maybe the pharmacist gave me a larger does than what I needed based in my diagnosis. Basically I’m healthier than he though.

[Alibaba26]

Yes not been well now for a week and half after it.!

[kitchengardener2]

We are booked for our flu jabs next week. We had our covid ones yesterday (my 8th). I chose not to have them both together, thinking that if there was a reaction, I wanted to know which one was responsible. Feel ok this morning, just a bit sore at the injection site.

[TruthJunkie]

I seem to be the only person who had no reaction at all from this year’s flu vaccine. Feeling fortunate, I guess (if it prevents the flu)!

[MovingForward4423 in reply to TruthJunkie]

Well it could mean your immune system is suppressed and didn’t react and create antibodies.

[TruthJunkie in reply to MovingForward4423]

Yes, that’s what I figure. Will get the vaccines anyway, hoping.

[CLLCalifornia-USA]

No reaction from the flu shot. Not even a sore arm. I’m hoping it works well. Sally

[veteranoak]

No reaction either. Absolutely zero.

[Samm22]

No reaction from flu shot just a bit more tired than usual.

[Ovidess]

Well, I sometimes have a day's illness after a flu jab. I had my Covid vaccine this week and was violently sick for about 30 hours. I'm trying to tell myself that it is the price of protection, and only happens sometimes. Last year I had no reaction to the flu shot but then got a bad flu a few months later. Immune systems are odd.

[CLLBGone]

Zero ... as in nothing ... No reaction to Sept 6 flu shot and no reaction to the RSV shot I took on Sept 8. I'll get the new Covid vax most likely at the end of October .

[DoriZett]

I woke up in the wee hours the day after the flu jab with a banging migraine and then got the dry heaves. Headache lasted into the next day so about 36 hours of headache and queasiness. That has never happened to me before with the flu shot and I wanted to ask if they gave me the Senior Dose at the pharmacy (I am not 65 yet and the insurance usually balks so since we CLLers may not have a full response anyway - it was never worth fighting for). The pharmacy online sign up did ask me if I was immune compromised so I wondered if they slipped me the Senior Dose. Unfortunately, my pharmacy location closed last week so I couldn't call the pharmacy but I know (in the US) there is a vaccine database the doctor can see so I was going to ask which dose I received - since this was a first significant reaction to a flu shot ever.

[Rando21]

hmmm. I didn’t know they gave a different dose. This may explain my extreme response. I have a low wbc and am under 40. But I did disclose CLL. Maybe they gave me a monster dose?

[Catnap7]

I only started getting the flu shot about 5 years ago and only because it was a prerequisite for my 2 yr Ibrutinib/Venetoclax trial I became terrible sick for a week afterwards Last yr I decided to do the UNDER 55 shot That did the trick and I felt nothing other than a sore arm Yay! The dose for over 55 was just TOO MUCH Catnap7 🐈🐈

[Donnamccll]

I had the exact response to the flu shot this year. (My Ig numbers are pretty low now so I blame it on them. I'm taking IgG infusions but so far no real change. I will continue to receive immunizations but plan to have recovery time scheduled after.