Can I still get flu?: Morning people I've had the flu... - NRAS

NRAS

36,431 members45,077 posts

Can I still get flu?

Dave74 profile image
5 Replies

Morning people

I've had the flu jab and wondered if you could still get it?

Woke up yesterday feeling rubbish, hot, cold, hot cold, blinding headache, bunged up n bad cough with voice going too, and everything aching sooooo bad!!!! Feel dizzy and can barely sleep too!

I'm on mtx n enbrel!!!!

Written by
Dave74 profile image
Dave74
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
5 Replies
Dotty7 profile image
Dotty7

The flu jab only protects against some viruses, I think. The problem with immunosuppressants can be that if you get something you get it quite badly. I hope you start to feel better today - keep warm, rest, fluids, all the usual stuff, and if you keep feeling really rough, then contact your GP, I guess.

Take care,

Dotty x

helixhelix profile image
helixhelix

I think the flu jab is a cocktail of the different strains of flu that they think are likely to be "fashionable" this year. But that doesn't protect against all of them as there can also be less fashionable variants that pop up in different places. So you could have encountered one of them unfortunately. Have you also had the pneumococcal jab? As that helps stops lots of things settling on your chest. But talk to your GP as sounds as if you might need a week off your drugs. Polly

shirlthegirl profile image
shirlthegirl

No, As everyone has said, i had a flu jab a couple of months ago, lucky for me i havn't had the flu since, but i do know of other people who have had the flu since they had the injection but not as bad, hope you feel better soon xx

earthwitch profile image
earthwitch

Yes, you can definitely still get the flu even if you have had a flu jab. Mostly the reason is that before the flu season they have to guess which strains are going to be the worst, and they just include something like three different ones in the jab. This year I have heard that they did get at least one of them wrong, and there have been quite a few people getting a particular sort of flu that wasn't included in the jab.

Because you are on RA drugs, don't let your flu get out of hand - if you are feeling really bad, or it hangs on for too long, and particularly if you end up with a high temperature, definitely phone your doctor and ask for advice, or phone NHS 24. Make sure you tell them what meds you are on though.

mistymeana profile image
mistymeana

Hi Antony. It's unlikely to be flu unless the strains going round have mutated. I've had the jab for years and not had flu since, despite working in a GP surgery. However, there is a particularly nasty cold virus doing the rounds at the moment. A few of us at the surgery were pole-axed by it (thanks lovely caring sharing patients ;) ). Sounds just like the symptoms you're describing. Hope you're feeling a bit better today x

You may also like...

Really, can I still be in denial 11 years on!

stop. I hate taking the drugs and take a low dose MTX to keep things bearable - my knees have...

Who can still get free lateral flow tests from this Friday?

Trying to get a diagnosis, what can I do?

middle finger joint. The swelling and pain got so bad the GP prescribed 5 days worth of prednisone...

Can i get free covid tests?

Arm still aching after flu jab

least I think it's because of the flu jab as my left arm didn't start aching until a few days after...