MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Latest flu strain looks like it's winding itself up to be a mean one - unless everything I've heard is scaremongering!
Got my jab last week and had zero reaction to it which was a pleasant surprise - many others got it?
None of the local pharmacies had any available for non qualifying people but having had proper flu before I don't really want it on top of long covid so have found a place a couple of miles away that'll jab me next week.
Had mine a few weeks ago, NHS worker so they do drop in sessions frequently. Surpassing how many of my colleagues don't have it because "it makes them ill." And we're microbiologists!
Had it weeks ago, never had flu and don't want it (sounds proper shit)
The somewhat bad news is that, apparently, the dominant strain in the UK has managed to mutate sufficiently to partly evade this version of the NHS vaccine. So while it will doubtless offer some protection, perhaps not as much as usual.
It's got going much earlier this year, anecdotally I've heard it's much worse in the younger generations than the older ones. I don't know if hospital admissions in the elderly reflect that. Normally they'd be ramping up at this stage of the wave.
I felt a bit rough for 24 hours a couple of days after this jab, which is unusual for me.
Got it Tuesday, sore arm that evening then nothing since.
Did a wee strength workout Thursday AM and 90 min Z2 outdoors this morning, maybe a wee bit more tired than expected but nothing else.
Fingers crossed...
Phoned up about my flu jab last week as i hadn’t heard anything or been contacted, for the 5 yr running there is no record of myself on the “at risk” system and they informed me that I’ll probably not receive it till mid January, and I don’t qualify for the covid vaccine either despite having immunity issues, the two folk I interact with have not had covid so I’ve managed to avoid it for the previous 5 years and I’d to continue to avoid it.
Every ****ing year it’s been the same cock-up, despite me phoning the vaccination line 3 months ago to tell them of the previous 4years of **** ups and to ensure I’m on the list, the person I spoke to promised to update the records but I guess the “computer says no”.
Confirmed as flu type A doing the rounds in scotland. Nasty stuff
sort of hoping this super cold thing the whole family have had that has a high temperature for 4/5 days is this flu so we can relax. But suspect there is a lot of other things around too.
And while I’m ranting…… 😉
The urology dept at Edinburgh cannot remotely access my medical records kept down here at my local health centre and rather than contact the health centre they asked me to stop the nitrofurantoin antibiotics I have been taking for the previous 2 years which merely keep on top of the infection in my bladder rather than cure it, so that I get an infection so they can determine the specific bacteria.
The health centre down here do not have the ability to upload my records so Edinburgh can view them as it is two different systems (apparently?, or they are lazy ****ers)
I’ve been self catheterisation since ****ing my spine up back in 91, I’ve had 100’s of infections since then, 95%+ have been E-Coli and due to this the e-coli has entered into my bladder cellular structure and is now systemic.
I am after the new immune/vaccine spray specifically developed for urinary systemic cellular infections which is called “uromune” and costs £300 ish, two sprays once a day under the tongue for 30 days, very simple cheap and effective without any of the issues regarding long term antibiotic use
They won’t give me the spray until they get a positive bacterial identification despite my records showing 100’s of e-coli urinary infections, I cannot afford to have anymore infections due to how it affects my SPMS/muscle spasm/nerve damage etc as every time I’ve had an infection it drives my useless body one step closer to permanent shutdown of existing capabilities.
The above probably doesn’t make a lot of sense but that’s fine, it was merely a pointless rant
Phoned up about my flu jab last week as i hadn’t heard anything or been contacted, for the 5 yr running there is no record of myself on the “at risk” system and they informed me that I’ll probably not receive it till mid January
Sod that!
I just went to my village pharmacy:
Me: Can I book a flu jab please
Them: Sure we can do it now if you like?
Me: Great
Them: Unfortunately [because you look young and are good looking 😉] you'll need to pay unless you have a pre-existing condition?
Me: I have historical asthma [this is true but it was mostly when I was a kid]
Them: Oh that's fine.... roll up your sleeve!
I just went on the NHS website and booked with local pharmacy. Hope this link works https://www.nhs.uk/book-a-flu-vaccination/enter-name
They offered the covid jab at the same time. Got them done 3 days ago... Slightly sore arm and feeling a bit more tired than usual. Don't think the long ride the day after the jabs helped!
Had it weeks ago, never had flu and don't want it (sounds proper shit)
I have, and believe me, you really, really don’t! I spent a week in bed, and I don’t remember much about it, other than feeling very unwell. Flu can and will kill people, look up the flu pandemic of 1918, tens, hundreds of millions of people died worldwide, nobody knows the actual numbers because many countries didn’t keep accurate records.
With modern vaccines, those sort of numbers are highly unlikely to happen again, but with the anti-vax movement higher numbers could happen in the future.
I had my jab about a month ago, it’s offered to me because of my age, but various companies I worked for in the past offered it to their employees, because of the risk of a large number of of the workforce being infected and threatening the ability of the company to actually function.
I didn’t get a Covid shot this year, but I’ve had both at the same time previously.
I just went on the NHS website and booked with local pharmacy. Hope this link works https://www.nhs.uk/book-a-flu-vaccination/enter-name
They offered the covid jab at the same time. Got them done 3 days ago... Slightly sore arm and feeling a bit more tired than usual. Don't think the long ride the day after the jabs helped!
I would do that but it’s not available here in kirkcudbright (one of my neighbours tried), perhaps they were wrong so I’ll call the Chemist tmorn, and see if I can park right outside and get them to come out to the car and stab my arm through the window (I can’t walk at all, but can stand using both arms to hold me up)
Not been done yet, but elderly parents rely on me so I think I will pay for flu and Covid jabs as a precaution
Numerous wards been locked down with us from flu and sickness bug.
Never had the flu jab myself - and from what I see from colleagues; the ones who do have it go off sick more often than those who don`t have the flu jab for other reasons. So either ithe flu jab is making them more susceptible to other infections .. or maybe they are the just the group that swing it the most.
Had the flu jab 3 weeks ago and then cought the flu. It's nasty.
So either ithe flu jab is making them more susceptible to other infections .. or maybe they are the just the group that swing it the most.
Or..people with poorer underlying health might be more tempted to sign up for a flu jab.
Had mine must be a month ago as asthmatic. I always get a text from my surgery asking me to book an appointment.
Also where I work if you not eligible for a free flu jab they will pay for it, though very few take the offer up.
I had mine a few weeks ago - just before the missus developed a bit of a cold/flu thing. My HRV (as recorded by Garmin) took a dip for a week or so, which I've previously seen as a precursor to illness, but I didn't seem to develop any symptoms so maybe the jag did its work.
you can now get little self test kits for flu - same sort of deal as the covid ones (in fact you can get duel purpose covid and flu ones) . I think a big part of the problem with flu is we use the word interchangeably with 'colds' - Beachams Cold and Flu powders or whatever - as assume a flu is just a bad cold.
It wasn't until I had flu in 2018 that I realised I'd never had it before
Given the issues it seems Flu is likely to cause this year it wouldn't be a terrible idea for people to be self testing and allowing themselves to take some steps to protect a few people around them if they can. I regualarly visit a care home (one that successfully managed to keep covid out right through the pandemic until vaccines were available) so don't really want to be their patient zero.
My local hospital is already starting to buckle and has started to restrict access for non essential visits
MrsLawman and I had flu jabs back in Oct, got them done at short notice in the local Boots no problem. Hers free on the NHS as she's a bit older, mine cost me £20 or similar. No side effects for either of us, and no flu yet, more importantly.
She has also had a few emails,texts etc from NHS inviting her for a Covid jab too, but when she turned up at the local walk-in centre, they said she wasn't quite old enough to qualify after all. There seems to have been some sort of mix up with this, or possibly the protocol for qualification changed between email being sent and her presenting. We couldn't get to the bottom of that, so gave up and got on with our lives. She's not knowingly had Covid at all, so far, although may have been asymptomatic with it for all we know.
Thanks for that NHS website link, I keep meaning to ring my GP to moan about the fact I should be being contacted as I'm immune compromised and this has saved me a job!
No flu jab. This year the flu hit me hard. Suffered very painful sore throat for nearly a week then 3 after I recovered I was hit by a heavy dose of flu again which lasted for about 12 days with stuff nose and hearing impairment (the pressure was building up in the middle ear apparently). Am still recovering and hearing is returning to normal.
This year the flu hit me hard. Suffered very painful sore throat for nearly a week then 3 after I recovered I was hit by a heavy dose of flu again which lasted for about 12 days
You are lucky to be alive then, or did you just have a cold. People who say they had ‘the flu’ generally didnt
Proper flu is truly awful. It’s impossible to do anything when you have proper flu
Had it in my 30’s was flawed for a week as in couldn’t get out of bed or move.
Went back to work a few days later (in hindsight way too soon) and ended up with a 6 month period of getting multiple Pneumonia’s. In all the flu took about 5 yrs of my life
There’s a number of people who say on this thread about cold/flu . They are not remotely similar. One is a bad cold, the other you feel like death is the better option
My HRV (as recorded by Garmin) took a dip for a week or so
Garmin did an update that screwed all the HRV status stuff so lots of middle class folk thought they were doomed. If you notice now, Garmin will be telling you you are very well and getting even better 😂
Had it in my 30’s was flawed for a week as in couldn’t get out of bed or move.
same here, it was over New Year in 2000, as well as not being able to get out of bed I remember a really bad fever and running a high temperature, it took a week to abate and was awful.
People who say they had ‘the flu’ generally didnt
It always amused/ annoyed me when students who had had a day off in the winter came back in the next day and when asked why they were off said ‘I had the flu’. Err no, you had a cold. Having had it in my thirties and been in bed for a week I could explain the difference.
Had it in my 30’s was flawed for a week as in couldn’t get out of bed or move.
same here, it was over New Year in 2000, as well as not being able to get out of bed I remember a really bad fever and running a high temperature, it took a week to abate and was awful.
That was a really unpleasant millenium bug - the now MrsMC was properly ill with it
Proper flu is truly awful. It’s impossible to do anything when you have proper flu
Good grief did people really learn nothing from the pandemic? It was only a few years ago.
Any of these common respiratory viruses can make you barely ill, or significantly more ill. It's nothing to do with your moral rectitude or strength of character. (One significant factor is probably the infection dose received). Lots of people had covid without realising or at least without being very ill (demonstrated by blood testing).
I don't think it's likely many people get flu twice in two weeks of course, it's unlikely that two sufficiently distinct strains are coexisting in the same time and place. But it's quite possible to catch flu and get over it quickly, I'm sure I've done that when younger though in recent years the (thankfully rare) occurrences have been week-long illnesses with a longer convalescence to follow.
You are lucky to be alive then, or did you just have a cold. People who say they had ‘the flu’ generally didnt
By your own logic, you didn’t die so you didn’t really have the flu then. A bizarre four Yorkshire men one upmanship seems to exist around flu in particular.
There is a spectrum of response and a quick bit of reading suggests ~1 in 3 infections are totally asymptomatic. Your ‘did you just have a cold’ might just kill granny.
Good grief did people really learn nothing from the pandemic? It was only a few years ago.
Yep. It's amazing looking at some of the responses on this. Maybe a Covid side effect was amnesia?
I felt a bit rough last Thursday afternoon. By the time the evening came I was absolutely drained. Over Thursday night / Friday morning, ease of movement severely declined until getting out of bed was a supreme effort. Conversely the amount of pain I experienced increased until *everything* hurt. Really bad aches with muscular shooting pains. Went to bed on Saturday night and woke up on Sunday absolutely drenched with sweat, kinda like my body went into a showdown with whatever I had. Felt a bit better Sunday then had the same sweat soaked experience last night. Still a bit achey but much better than a couple of days ago. The fact that this lasted 2-3 days would have conventional wisdom suggesting it wasn't flu but I'll admit I felt worse than I have since I had COVID. No cold-like symptoms either for the record.
well said thecaptain!
STW winning with the pedantry as usual. I think the point being made was that self diagnosing flu when you have a bad cold suggests that you are fortunate enough to never have experienced full blown symptomatic flu, because most people who have can distinguish "I spent days in bed, wouldn't have got up if the house was on fire, didn't feel right for a long time after" from "I had a headache and a blocked nose and nearly ran out of Lemsip".
Good grief did people really learn nothing from the pandemic? It was only a few years ago.
Yep. Seems we have.
Mrs_OAB in hospital at present. Despite signs everywhere asking folk to mask up or stay away if they are ill, there are a shocking number of people in waiting rooms or walking around coughing and spluttering everywhere. EDIT: of course being ill goes with the hospital territory, but it is those coughing and not wearing mask. But this is a surgical unit.
We were even at one reception out of hours GP centre on Saturday when someone decided to argue with receptionist about wearing having to wear a mask. FFS.
And I seem to be the only visitor using the hand gel, and I certainly seem the only one with a non-disposable mask pulled out the cupboard again.
But then some of that is being married to someone who is immuno-compromised with damaged lungs from so many illnesses over the years.
@Coyote - almost matches my illness last week to the day, felt lousy Thursday lunchtime and by the time I made it home from work, a shivering wreck, I went to bed for a couple of hours.
Absolutley drenched with sweat for a few nights, really bad sleep.
I also had the DOMs from Monday's squat so the early days were particularly painful!
Started to feel better on Sunday, week and a bit on and I'm training again but still have a lingering cough.
Had my flu jab early October.
Good grief did people really learn nothing from the pandemic?
I am fairly sure that the public did learn something from the pandemic, which is that personal space is BAD.
Shortly after the 2m distancing regulations relaxed, I was queueing in the bakery and the bloke behind me was so close that the phone he was reading was digging into my back. It's been like that ever since - people seem to think that if the person you're queueing behind can't feel your breath in their ear then you're not close enough (this also seems to apply to car drivers)
I could swear people gave you more personal space pre-pandemic.
I completely forgot to pop to local pharmacies a month ago to try and book a paid flu jab, I expect I've got no chance now, just like when I forgot until early December last year.
I'm still not working, but my better half works in NHS ward with in- and out- patients, so my risk isn't that low. Proper flu in autumn '21 did a number on me that took three weeks to feel barely fit enough to return to work and then took ~3 months to get back to close my previous bike fitness. I'd be absolutely crestfallen to catch flu this winter and have a relapse like that, having made a little bit of fitness progress in recent months.
a really unpleasant millenium bug
the real 'millenium bug' as opposed to the other one everyone was fretting about on NYE in 1999 waiting for a tech meltdown!
yes, it was no fun at all, it sticks in my mind, I was young and fit back then and fought it off but now as a late 50s and not so fit bloke I really don't want it at all -- fingers crossed my flight back from Glasgow on Friday night hasn't infected me --- at least not yet!
A Dr. friend says that the hospital he's working in is almost on its knees. Skeleton staff due to the flu, many extra patients also due to the flu, he is absolutely knackered.
Yes hygiene has taken a dive. Hardly anyone uses the hand gel in medical places. Hardly anyone washing their hands, having ventilation in crowded places and still people coughing into their hands. Saw all this last night at a 'Christmas do' (Although we did have some ventilation).
As most have said - flu absolutely 'wipes one out' for a good few days and then a few weeks more to recover.
And as others have said, it's possible to have the flu and not experience such severe symptoms.
Not sure whereabouts you are, but it might be worth checking to see if there's a scheme a bit like this Mobile flu vaccine bus in your area
I expect I've got no chance now, just like when I forgot until early December last year.
i looked it up at 3pm on Saturday and got an appt at 5pm
that day. Boots etc didn’t have anything but the pharmacy attached to my gp had loads. Ring around.
sore arm, slightly elevated RHR, not much go playing football on Sunday but back to normal now. Wife had it and maybe by coincidence was really rough for about ten days.
it's possible to have the flu and not experience such severe symptoms.
you would think in that situation folks would say they have a bit of a cold type bug, given that testing for the flu virus isn’t commonplace outwith hospitals.
I have had flu once in my 59 years, about 10 years ago. I had horrible symptoms, bed ridden for 4 or 5 days and really felt awful. wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
it seems pretty standard for folk to be off work for a couple of days with ‘the flu’ yet they are still walking the dog, doing the washing etc.. surely that’s not likely to be flu ?
It seems pretty standard for folk to be off work for a couple of days with ‘the flu’ yet they are still walking the dog, doing the washing etc.. surely that’s not likely to be flu ?
exactly, if it is flu in my experience there is no way I would be 'up and about' -- it'd be bed with a sore head and high temp :-/
Me, Mrs Pook and our two eldest have had it. 6 year old fine.
It's been proper horrible. Cough, cold, temperature, exhaustion and a constant headache from coughing.
2 weeks in now
12 year old and 10 year old both had 40°C temperatures.
I had my flu jab in October.
you would think in that situation folks would say they have a bit of a cold type bug, given that testing for the flu virus isn’t commonplace outwith hospitals.
I have had flu once in my 59 years, about 10 years ago.
I've got a bit of a cold at the moment - sneezing, runny nose, feel a bit bleurgh, itchy eyes and no wish to go for a run this evening.
Occasionally I'll be ill with something that's not a cold. We are all familiar with cold symptoms, so it doesn't make sense to describe everything as a cold, or even a heavy cold, when it's obviously not, and 'flu' or 'flu-like' are commonly understood by the less pedantic world outside of STW. However, it does give old pedants something to do, hunting out the book of cliches. 😀
yep, flu is not a cold or even a 'heavy' cold!
Colds
-
Symptoms appear gradually
-
Mostly affect nose and throat
-
Early sign - pressure in your ears
-
Chestier, mucus cough
Flu
-
Comes on suddenly
-
Feel wiped out
-
Fever, muscle aches, exhaustion
-
Need bed rest
-
Dry cough
Covid
-
Typical flu symptoms
-
Loss of taste or smell
-
Diarrhoea or tummy upset
(from BBC web-site)
From the above I'd say most of my symptoms fit in the flu bracket.
Couple of folk I've spoken to since have both had the same pattern - aches for a day or so, short period of feeling okay but then being wiped out and having chills/sweats.
Couple of days my food tasted really weird also.
In late September '22, symptoms began with throat feeling full of glass shards. Then head cold plus heavy legs on bike. No coughing. Turned out to be covid. Respiratory issues (but no coughing still) and exhaustion began end of week one.
you would think in that situation folks would say they have a bit of a cold type bug
I've never considered cold and flu to be that similar really. Runny nose, sore throat and sneezing, versus fever and aches (and a cough that can persist for a long time). There's some overlap of course.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cdd5mpgz72lo
Notice how regularly he uses the words often and can.
I seem to have had a bit of a reaction to my jab. just seeing if any others went the same way.
Got it on thursday, next morning its shivers, medium high temp, sweating and generally feeling crap.
Taking Solpadeine max(paracetamol/codeine.
Kind of hoping this is going to be a couple of days max.
Anyone here had these same symptoms - how long did they last.
I had no reaction at all to the flu jag. A friend had shivers for a day or two. Just your luck I suppose.
Anyone here had these same symptoms - how long did they last.
I had the nurse come out and give me covid/flu jabs on Tuesday and thankfully had zero issues, couldn’t even feel where she stuck my arm and have felt absolutely normal, as normal as I can feel with SPMS…..and my 52nd birthday coming up next month