Has anyone got flu at the moment after having a flu jab?

Adenovirus is doing the rounds at the moment. Sore throat and cough which can be severe enough to lead to pneumonia so while not flu, it can make you extremely poorly.

Had flu jab back in December. Two days later came down with a virus that laid me low for over a week. Last week think it was adenovirus. Felt awful Tuesday and while I’m back at work, have a horrible cough and still not feeling anything like what I should.

And the snow not helping blarghhh

Further to above, although I had (confirmed by throat swab) flu after the earlier jab, I think it might well have mitigated the effects. I agree with Candelle about herd immunity too. People have a responsibility to the elderly, young and otherwise vulnerable. Having the pneumonia jab is only be effective against pneumoncoccus, which is a bacterial infection, and will definitely not stop you getting flu.

I got it on December 13th after a hospital visit so I must have picked it up there. Fever, incredible weakness, crippling joint pain which confused things for a few weeks. GPs ordered me to stay in bed so Christmas and New Year passed in a blur. 6 weeks later I am still very weak, too weak to stay out of bed. I cannot text, hold phone for long, I can type a bit on my laptop set up over my bed. GP still says stay in bed, keep warm, drink a lot and "we'll see you when you feel stronger" unless anything develops. Like many I had the two big flues in my childhood so this one is a completely different and a particularly aggressive one. I don't have a flu jab, not advised due to an already compromised immune system.

I had the same experience last year. About 7/10 days after the vaccination I developed a fever and achy flu like symptoms. Felt too awful to get out of bed and eventually went to docs and was diagnosed with a chest infection. Have never had anything like this before, so this year decided against the vaccine. Anecdotally I have heard many similar stories.

We had been on a cruise which ended with 3 days in New York. My poor husband did not leave the hotel bedroom! He was so ill- definitely ‘flu. We paid 150 dollars to extend our stay for the day before leaving for the airport. Horrible experience. We fly to Cape Town next week so hope we escape the “lurgy”

grannypauline, I do have to disagree with you here.

Although I note that you do say it is your personal choice not to have the ‘flu jab, there is an issue for the jab giving ‘herd’ immunity during a ‘flu outbreak. Those more vulnerable of us (I am in week three of a viral infection which may or not may not be ‘flu’ - I really don’t care what it is called!) need added protection. If many in the community are offered and given a jab it will protect a greater segment of the population.

I can’t discuss the semantics of the particular vaccine given this year, only that predictions were given in good faith. There is no crystal ball.

I am on round two of antibiotics, round two of steroids, should have gone to A and E as my breathing (this infection has exacerbated my asthma and I have had ongoing breathing problems for a fortnight-can’t do a thing) has been at the lowest acceptable limit.

If people with your views think the body can fight off an infection with good food and a fitness regime, I have to say that you are wrong. I was exceptionally fit just before this illness and if a virus can do this to me, I can’t imagine how some elderly fare when they just don’t have the energy to cough to clear the thick gunk from their lungs which continues day and night, every few seconds. There is no respite. This can be a killer. Real ‘flu is a killer.

Finally, have you considered why ‘financial incentives’ should be given to a medical practice to immunise their patients. I wonder if it would be because it is actually beneficial to them?

I feel you are also suggesting that by accepting a ‘financial incentive’, a medical practice is doing something sneaky.

Getting flu after a flu jab doesn’t mean the jab is the cause. It depends on the strain of flu that is around at the time. I understand that the health service monitor and then make a guesstimate of which flu strain is going to “attack” and issue the flu jab accordingly. It can never be an exact science, coupled with every human being different.

I'm with grannypauline on this one - I don't have 'flu jabs as I think they are not very effective. As others have said, there are so many different strains of 'flu about that having the vaccine will not necessarily prevent you from getting the 'flu. Without wishing to sound smug, I have never had the 'flu so perhaps I have some immunity. A friend of mine, a former nurse, never has the jab as she's convinced she is immune from nursing so many people with it in the past. Having said all that, my sympathies for all who are suffering - I remember my mother getting 'flu when I was a youngster and she was convinced that she was going to die...not very edifying for me though!

First - really sorry to hear so many of you have been really ill and feeling so bad.

But really - why the faith in flu vaccines? They are clearly not that effective and they used to (not sure now) contain mercury as a preservative!!! They do make money for the pharmaceutical companies however.

That's not to say that you should never have a vaccination as there are obviously some diseases, those with a high fatality rate for example, that you would want to insure against as much as possible.

So... my personal choice is to have the pneumonia vaccination but not the flu jabs my doctor keeps pressing on me. I note that "partners in doctors’ surgeries receive financial incentives according to the percentage of their patient population they immunise".

The body itself is what fights disease and sometimes it does need assistance. But in the main it fights flu well - even though the patient might disagree! It seems to me that it is more important to eat well and exercise so your own immune system is prepared for viruses etc.

Trouble is the jabs only protect against 3 strains of flu, the cold viruses arn’t Included, and one strain of the Aussie flu wasn’t included in the NHS vaccine. I had mine mid October.

I had a cold before xmas, for the first couple of days I went from burning hot to shivering, and then a cough that’s only just gone. It’s blooming miserable. Sympathy to everyone who is feeling rotten. Roll on summer

The NHS Choices website lists the flu symptoms. I believe you can have flu but with different levels of severity. Worst you'll not get out of bed, but lesser form (mine) you'll struggle along doing 50% of normal stuff, managing the symptoms and napping a lot. Mine started beginning of November. it's definitely not a cold. I have the odd day when I think it's starting to go but trying to be slightly active just sets it all off again. 7 day course of AB's did nothing but maybe prevented my cough and earache getting worse. My work sickness rules mean I've had to continue going in but anyone I've sat next to has gone down with it, although gotten better before me.

I had the cough virus in December and it knocked me out for over 3 weeks, definitely NOT flu though! I have only ever had genuine flu once in my life and can quite understand why it is a killer! People are way too eager to cite flu when they feel awful - especially men ??

I had the flu jab on 19th September. I developed a cough on New Year's Day, then had a positive throat swab for flu on 5th January. I thought I'd just reacted badly to a viral laryngitis because I've been on chemotherapy. Symptoms in order of emergence: cough, headache, pharyngitis, laryngitis, fever (on day 4, went up to 38.6!), shivers, diarrhoea. Still have the cough, and only just feeling like food (I lost 3kg). On the topic of severity of symptoms, there is a lot of misinformation around. You can be a carrier of flu and be totally unaware of it, and anything through a mild sore throat/headache, to severe illness and death. Generally, you don't have much of a runny nose, as you would with a cold. The symptoms (yes, including diarrhoea) are on the NHS Choices website. The incubation period is 1 - 4 days and you are contagious from 5 - 7 days.

It was said on the radio that the flu jab was not working for the over 75s? My Bridge partner who is never poorly has been absent for a month because of this virus.

What you have is a strain of flu but not the one you were vaccinated against. This cough virus lasts around 3 weeks sometimes longer. I am at end of fourth week with just the occasional cough now. I lost my voice totally at the beginning and had a lot of time off of work. I found spoons of honey soothed my throat and the coughing. Wishing you well x

I think it's terribly unwise to have it. I used to work with a frail young asthmatic girl who was advised it - she was stricken for weeks after. And of course she might never have caught flu anyway! Plus there's multiple strains - you could get jabbed, be ill ... and still catch another variant! Would never consider it.

Nannyliz Y
You mention a 'cough' Are you sure you don't have a chest infection.? I have had flu jabs for many years. Never had flu but have had chest infections needing antibiotics and hospitalised on two occasions as these turned into pneumonia.

A rash is unusual I would phone the surgery for advice on those symptoms!

Yes you probably have the flu. NHS England sent a letter to GPS that the Jab did not work for this strain, I and my friends have all had it. Started with a bad throat,chesty cough,loss of appetite,lethargy,fever at the start. Taken three weeks to recover.

We both had the flu jab before Christmas. DH has been coughing for ages. and yesterday succumbed to whatever has attacked him. Last night he was very hot and had a rash all over his head and face. I've told him to stay in bed this morning, which he will hate, and will keep supplying hot drinks and paracetamol as needed.

I'm with merlot - call it what the hell you like - I'm fed up with it.

I think most of us have called it the bloody lurgy and don't claim to have had flu!

The main thread on this is called 'viral Infection'.

A lot of the problem seems to be that we have quite possibly had the flu. Been wiped out and in a darkened room for several days. And got better. Nearly. But the damned thing won't go properly away! How long before we stop needing several naps during the day? How long before any movement causes convulsions of coughing? I don't think I got it as badly as I would have without the jab, but I really could do with feeling better now.

lovetopaint I agree with you . Most of the viruses which people call flu are not flu , you can assume that if you are posting on GN then you do not have flu . There are so many rumours going around about the Aussie flu and how it overrides the flu jab by this per cent and that per cent . Once you have had real flu you know about it , it cannot be mistaken for anything else and you always make sure you have your jab after that ! I start asking in the chemist in September and am one of the first to have it after having flu 2 years ago (the first time I didn`t have the jab) I really thought I was dying and would not have been too bothered if I had ! It took months to get over and still scares me when winter approaches .

I had Asian flu in Asia, aged 10 (very ill) and Hong Kong flu in 1968 when I was pregnant so quite honestly I don't know what we've got now. We've both been really ill and it's not letting up.

Call it what you like. I wish it would bugger off.

Having reading the descriptions of what is actually being called the flu I would venture to say that they are nasty viruses and not the flu. I was also laid flat with a terrible cough and felt so awful that Christmas preps were all put on hold. However, I have had real flu first in 1957, then in the sixties and again in the eighties. I also had it 2000 but the vaccine curtailed the longer effects that flu gives you. First, you can hardly get out of bed and walk to the loo, secondly it goes on until you feel you will never be well again. It lasts weeks, not days and leaves you entirely wiped out. When I had it in the sixties at Christmas I was still coughing in March. When I had it in the eighties I looked and felt really ill from well before Easter until weeks later. However, having had the flu jab in 2000 I was able to get up after about a fortnight and my recovery was much faster. So I believe the term flu is mistakenly used in many cases. I know how awful I felt in December but I knew it wasn’t flu which I dread.