Anyone had a flu injection?

[Mick47]

Reason I ask is because I've been off work for a fortnight with it and I'm still looking doubtful for this weekends golf. Fair to say I never felt so weak and dibilatated in my life. All I've done for the last 10 days is sleep, cough and blow my nose and all the while all my bones and teeth ached liked the devil. So not somewhere I want to re-visit.
We all have read of flu epidemics and X amount of people dying as a result. I suppose I've always thought the victims were the old and the infirm and paid little or no attention to the figures, however, this last couple of weeks I've become much more aware of my mortality and from now on I'm having a yearly jab even if it costs me a few quid and a few days with the sniffles.

 

[Dodger]

I am type 1 diabetic so have the jab yearly and I think it really is worth getting.

A couple of years back I was floored with it over Christmas and New Year but I am convinced it would have been worse had I not had the jab....I was only really bad for about 3 days.

Over the passed ten years when I have got a bit of a sniffle it has only developed into a bit of man flu and no the full blown stuff and it has kept me at work and not in my bed.

Get it done.

 

[grumpyjock]

Came down with the bug at the end of September, and then had flu jab at begining of October.
HID gets it free due to health problems and we get it from the company as a perk.
Never had any probs apart from a little sore arm.
Remember they only cover you for the relevant virus at the time.

 

[USER1999]

Had one about 35 years ago. It gave me flu. I have not had one since, and have remained flu free. I think the Stella keeps it at bay.

 

[StrangelyBrown]

I had mine on Friday, I feel tickity boo

 

[Andy]

Had it once as also T1 diabetic. Felt terrible and have never wasted my time again.

 

[daymond]

Yes. Get mine free. Had the Spanish flu back in the 50's. Never,ever want to go through that again.
There is no comparison between flu and a bad cold.

 

[StuartD]

Never had one

I think that the jag no longer contains a live strain of the virus nowadays. Therefore you should not develop a mild strain of the flu afterwards

 

[Doh]

I have one now due to my dickie ticker never have a problem even with colds since. Like Murph I had one years ago and it made me ill so i was dreading having it again but touch wood no problems so far.

 

[thecraw]

Had one about 35 years ago. It gave me flu. I have not had one since, and have remained flu free. I think the Stella keeps it at bay.

Haha Murph,

That reminds me of a Dr I used to golf with. His reply to any question about illness was

"I've never found anything that 12 bottles of Becks doesn't cure!"

 

[Crow]

I am type 1 diabetic so have the jab yearly and I think it really is worth getting.

Ditto

I get a sore spot on my arm where the jab was for a couple of days and sometimes a very mild flu feeling but only for a day or too.
Well worth it.

 

[Matty]

I get mine yearly as I work in front line healthcare.

Just to dispel some myths:

When people in the street with a runny nose tell you they have 'flu - they don't they have a cold. Genuine and proper flu puts you in bed for over a week just as the OP said.
Flu is actually 1 virus but it changes slightly every year, this is why you need a new flu vaccine each year - to work against the predicted strain of virus for that year.
Colds on the other hand you can only get once - BUT there are over 600 cold viruses - that's why you get lots of colds over a lifetime.
Finally, the flu vaccine is not alive. It might cause some soreness of heaviness where it gets injected. It may also cause a flu like illness for a few days - this shows it's actually working. But trust me, if you get this from the vaccine it got to be better than what the real live flu virus would do to you!

 

[Mick47]

Interesting guys everyone who I'd talked to, who'd had the jab, said it made them ill (gave them the flu) But as Matty said most folk don't know the difference between a cold and the flu. I've had it 10 days or so now and am begining to feel slightly better (now i feel like I have a very bad cold) Hopefully I'll be well enough to try a round at the weekend. Thanks for the replys particularly Matty's informed post.

 

[Shaunmg]

As already mentioned, the flu jab is dead and can't give you mild or any other form of flu. To say its difficult to tell the differnce between a cold and flu, beats me. If your not on your back, exhausted with a fever, aching all over and think you're dying, then its a cold not flu.


I get colds every year, but only remember having flu once in my entire 60 years. It makes me laugh when I hear some one sniffling and saying they have a touch of flu, nonsence, man flu is not real flu.


A mate of mine had flu about 5 years ago, never seen him for weeks and he lost 2 stone, a lot for a little bloke of about 10 stone.

The 1918 flu pandemic killed twice the number of people worldwide, than the entire first world war.

Excuss the pun but the flu is not something to be sniffed at. if you're entilted to the jab, get it, if not, then pay for it if at Boots

 

[grumpyjock]

Too true when you have a propper dose of the bug it really puts you on your back.
Last year with the swine flu I thought someone had attacked me with a baseball bat, and the sweats and shivvers meant HID changing the sheets twice a day. Never had a real attack with the jab and never have any after effects.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I get it every year as a reward for being diabetic. Never had any flu like symptoms although the arm is a bit sore for 24-48 hours. All our staff are advised to get it in work (even the admin staff) and so I'd have had it anyway. Having helped on a respiratory ward last winter it is easy to see just what effect flu can have not only on the old but the vulnerable (asthmatics etc).

 

[Imurg]

HID gets one being a Nursey but I don't tend to get things like that.
Can't say I've ever had "flu" more like heavy colds.
Don't they say "Feed a cold, starve a fever"?
I say drown 'em both in Ruddles...

 

[HomerJSimpson]

HID gets one being a Nursey but I don't tend to get things like that.
Can't say I've ever had "flu" more like heavy colds.
Don't they say "Feed a cold, starve a fever"?
I say drown 'em both in Ruddles...

My dear old man use to drink like a proverbial fish anyway and so his answer to toothache, flu or any ailment was to up the whisky intake to 1/2 a bottle per night. Can't say if it helped with the pain but watching him trying to get up the stairs some nights always made me feel better.

I wish I could still drink to try the theory out myself.

 

[Ethan]

As said before, you do not get the flu from the version of the vaccine given in the UK, which is a killed virus. You may get a flu like illness, but that is basically really just a positive immunological reaction to the vaccine.

In the US there is a live (although weakened) version given as a nasal spray, and you do get a minor viral illness after that one.

 

[Mick47]

My mum used to say that, feed a cold and starve the flu, don't know if theres anything in it but I can say my appitite is almost non existant this last two weeks. As for treating it with booze, don't know that I'm brave enough to try, a hangover would see me off at the moment,