Flu jab

[Antony_M]

I've had the flu jab this year.

After reading various cautionary tales and theories I thought I give it a go. Last year I caught flu in December and had a relapse with viral symptoms that lasted until April. With two children, I figured that I would get flu regardless so why not try getting vaccinated.

I've been tired out lately having moved house. Nonetheless, since the jab on Saturday, I've had a sniffly nose, sore throat, shortness of breath and mild achiness. I'm currently in bed getting some rest.

Does anyone else have any experience of the flu jab, good bad or indifferent? Getting medical advice on whether to have it or not with CFS / ME was, as usual, impossible.

[Hidden]

Hello Anthony_M,

Sorry to hear you are in bed resting up following your flu jab. I believe this is a common reaction to the flu jab.

It's a difficult one, do I have the flu jab? Or not? I think it is personal choice. I can understand completely the reasons you decided to go ahead. I personally have never had the flu jab and I have had ME for 20 years. I have always been advised by a homeopath to steer clear of all vaccinations. I also think there are two groups of people with ME - those that seem to catch everything going around and those that do not catch anything at all. I can honestly say that I have never caught anything a cold, flu, nothing. I was told that I do not catch anything because my immune system cannot cope with anything other than ME. Whether this is true or not I do not know. Now watch me pick something up......

Hope you get back on your feet soon and have a flu free season in your new home.

Lottie x

[Antony_M in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Lottie.

The new house is great as I've moved to a bungalow and it's got all the space that we need.

I've got a day's holiday later this week and only work part-time so I just need to get through it.

Antony

[Hidden in reply to Antony_M]

You are welcome Anthony.

I am envious of your bungalow. My stairs use up so much of my energy but I love the space I have.

Enjoy your day's holiday, take care,

Lottie x

[ALKT]

i have gotten the flu vaccine every year for 28 years and never had any problems. but you do have to make sure you are not already coming down with any infections when you actually go for your jab and check iff you have any allergies to the other ingredients in the vaccine. it sounds to me like you picked up a cold and also it possible you have been over doing things which would also give you those symptoms the curse of me strikes again. hope things improve soon.

[Antony_M in reply to ALKT]

Thanks, it's good to know that some of us benefit from the flu jab as there's a lot of warnings out there but each person is different.

The aches and pains have subsided, it felt like a very mild case of flu with sore throat and aches and pains. I just rested up a bit more than normal. Had a couple of tough days in work and some trouble typing with pain but I seem to be over it. I don't know whether the flu jab brought it on or whether I had a cold that was concurrent but our children seem to be fine and they usually bring the colds home.

[LadyBarb]

Hi Antony_M!

I never take the flu jab. Part of my original blood analysis showed that I'd high titres of flu "A" in my blood ~ and I hadn't had flu for more years than I could recall with any accuracy ~ must have been more than 10+ years. (???)

I get a sort of 'flu' if there's a virulent one going about ~ however, it only lasts around 3 to 5 days of increased pain, without the usual 'gunk' that goes with flu (apologies for the grotty description!) ~ and it doesn't take a l-o-n-g time to recover from ~ however, with my M.E./Fibro, I just get to feel a bit flu'ish every flaming day, LOL.

One of my friends who has M.E. took the flu jab last year ~ and he still got the flu and it took him about 4 months to recover.

With any flu jab, it's only ever a 'best guess' by the boffins, as to which flu 'might be' the one which comes round in any winter. It's far from an exact science.

Hope you're feeling better soon. I think you're probably just having a 'reaction' to the jab which hopefully won't last for long.

There's been a flu going around in my area (SW Scotland), and I got it. Very ouch and bone crushing and miserable for about 4/5 days ~ but I'm relatively okay. I've been getting 'everything' early this year. Already had the Norovirus (Winter Vomiting Disease) in what was officially still 'Summer'. LOL. Wasn't laughing at the time though.

Be as well as you can be! B xx

[Antony_M]

Hi everyone,

As an update - I had a rough weekend last week and spent nearly two whole days in bed asleep, I only got up for meals. This week at work has been tough but the aches and pains have now subsided and I don't seem to have a sore throat any more.

I heard on the news that the NHS is predicting another possible flu epidemic and one that they are less prepared for than last year.

Last year it took me about 4-months to recover from flu and I had to have a lengthy time off work.

Take care everyone

Antony