# Oh no I have flu !



## kingrollo (14 Dec 2022)

Had to come home from work yesterday was so unwell with it.

Can't understand it - I haven't flu in years and haven't taken a sick day in around 12 years 

Even when I got covid it was a 48 HR thing ?

Why would I suddenly get sick now ? Is this because I'm getting old ? 59 

Even had the flu jab.

Gutted!


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## fossyant (14 Dec 2022)

It's running round like wild fire, add covid and a shoot loads of nasty colds.


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## vickster (14 Dec 2022)

kingrollo said:


> Why would I suddenly get sick now ? *Is this because I'm getting old ? 59*


yep... 
rest up & make plans for retirement 

How do you actually know it's flu as there's no test (or do you mean man flu rather than influenza)? Probably worth doing a Covid test tho


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## kingrollo (14 Dec 2022)

vickster said:


> yep...
> rest up & make plans for retirement
> 
> How do you actually know it's flu as there's no test (or do you mean man flu rather than influenza)? Probably worth doing a Covid test tho



Yeah done 3 covid tests - one before I went to work yesterday - thinking I would shake it off.

Aches & pains, can't get warm, painful cough - no runny nose though.

All I want to do is sleep.

(And fish for sympathy on CC !)


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## cougie uk (14 Dec 2022)

I've only ever had flu the once. I thought I'd had it already but when you get it - you can't do anything. 
I doubt I'd have been up to posting on a forum even. 

Rest up and get well soon. 
I was out for a full week.


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## BoldonLad (14 Dec 2022)

kingrollo said:


> Had to come home from work yesterday was so unwell with it.
> 
> Can't understand it - I haven't flu in years and haven't taken a sick day in around 12 years
> 
> ...



Now, come on, be honest, is it flu, or, is it man-flu?


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## vickster (14 Dec 2022)

kingrollo said:


> Yeah done 3 covid tests - one before I went to work yesterday - thinking I would shake it off.
> 
> Aches & pains, can't get warm, painful cough - no runny nose though.
> 
> ...



At least you've got it out the way before Christmas hopefully (and won't have to go back to work beforehand )

Plenty of warm fluids and analgesia


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## gavroche (14 Dec 2022)

kingrollo said:


> Yeah done 3 covid tests - one before I went to work yesterday - thinking I would shake it off.
> 
> Aches & pains, can't get warm, painful cough - no runny nose though.
> 
> ...



Our son had it, it lasted the best part of 2 weeks. He did several Covid tests but they were all negatives. He is 52 by the way.


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## cyberknight (14 Dec 2022)

Been bad since saturday , last night i couldnt get warm then spent most of the night sweating so i think i had a temperature and my sinuses were streaming most of the night .
I have still been cycling to work as i have felt ok from the neck down although i havent been setting any records , much as i would like to have a day off we are so short manned with another covid variant that its all hands to pumps .


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## fossyant (14 Dec 2022)

cyberknight said:


> Been bad since saturday , last night i couldnt get warm then spent most of the night sweating so i think i had a temperature and my sinuses were streaming most of the night .
> I have still been cycling to work as i have felt ok from the neck down although i havent been setting any records , much as i would like to have a day off we are so short manned with another covid variant that its all hands to pumps .



Anything below the neck, stop cycling ! Aches and pains stop.


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## cyberknight (14 Dec 2022)

fossyant said:


> Anything below the neck, stop cycling ! Aches and pains stop.



If i stopped because of aches and pains i would never ride


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## gavgav (14 Dec 2022)

My brother has it, says he’s worse than when he had Covid twice. There is so much about at the moment, of literally everything out there you can catch.


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## gbb (14 Dec 2022)

Flu is a funny one, I don't think advanced age makes you more or less likely to get it.
At 64, I think I've had flu maybe 3 or 4 times in my life, and I've not had it in maybe 10 years. You always know when you actually do have it though, no doubt about that.

I was always of the opinion, if someone at work for instance tells you they have the flu...they don't. Flu will floor you, you won't even get out of bed (that's always been my experience anyway)


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## Salty seadog (14 Dec 2022)

gbb said:


> Flu is a funny one, I don't think advanced age makes you more or less likely to get it.
> At 64, I think I've had flu maybe 3 or 4 times in my life, and I've not had it in maybe 10 years. You always know when you actually do have it though, no doubt about that.
> 
> I was always of the opinion, if someone at work for instance tells you they have the flu...they don't. Flu will floor you, you won't even get out of bed (that's always been my experience anyway)



^ this, I've had flu twice, both times the same. Aching joints, in bed for 3 days and shivering and sweating at the same time. 

Horrible.


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## ColinJ (14 Dec 2022)

Which reminds me... It must be flu jab time!


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## wafter (15 Dec 2022)

Sorry to hear this!

My gaffer had something recently that really knocked him out; I thought I had the beginnings of it on Wed, then it backed off.. now after an inpromptu night of vodka-fuelled frivolity I'm not feeling so hot again and wonder if my diminished state has given it a foothold..I guess time will tell! 

It's reckoned that after social distancing, which had arrested transmission of infections, has favoured those that are more transmissible so now contact levels are back to what they were, infections are spreading faster. 

Get well soon


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## mikeIow (15 Dec 2022)

ColinJ said:


> Which reminds me... It must be flu jab time!


Is now a tad late for that?
Ours were done (‘auto invitation’ from our surgery) at the end of October: flu in one arm, Covid booster in the other 💪
So far, so good 🤞


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## Joffey (15 Dec 2022)

Might be a cold - some shockers are going around atm. Get well soon.


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## Ming the Merciless (15 Dec 2022)

kingrollo said:


> (And fish for sympathy on CC !)



I know someone who haddock recently


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## vickster (15 Dec 2022)

ColinJ said:


> Which reminds me... It must be flu jab time!



I had mine on 1 October, GP surgery ran a big drive, queued up with all the other oldies (first free one for me this year)!


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## Ming the Merciless (15 Dec 2022)

ColinJ said:


> Which reminds me... It must be flu jab time!



Were you not invited a couple of months back or so?


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## Ming the Merciless (15 Dec 2022)

kingrollo said:


> Why would I suddenly get sick now ?



Why not? You might have had some immunity to strains before, but not the ones circulating this year.


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## Ming the Merciless (15 Dec 2022)

gbb said:


> I was always of the opinion, if someone at work for instance tells you they have the flu...they don't. Flu will floor you, you won't even get out of bed (that's always been my experience anyway)



I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Covid if anything has shown that it can be anything from asymptomatic to hospitalisation. Why should the flu be any different?

Plus there must be people you come into contact, who have the flu (so you can catch it), without being floored. Otherwise how did you catch it?


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## ColinJ (15 Dec 2022)

mikeIow said:


> Is now a tad late for that?
> Ours were done (‘auto invitation’ from our surgery) at the end of October: flu in one arm, Covid booster in the other 💪
> So far, so good 🤞





vickster said:


> I had mine on 1 October, GP surgery ran a big drive, queued up with all the other oldies (first free one for me this year)!





Ming the Merciless said:


> Were you not invited a couple of months back or so?


It _does_ seem late... I hope that I haven't got so forgetful that I have forgotten having it done! 

Oops... I just found an overlooked text reminder from the local health centre dated November 11th. Looks like my fault! 

I will go for a stroll to Lidl and call in at the nearby health centre to see if they have a drop-in programme. If not, I can make an appointment. Much better than fighting their telephone queue for hours!


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## vickster (15 Dec 2022)

ColinJ said:


> It _does_ seem late... I hope that I haven't got so forgetful that I have forgotten having it done!
> 
> Oops... I just found an overlooked text reminder from the local health centre dated November 11th. Looks like my fault!
> 
> I will go for a stroll to Lidl and call in at the nearby health centre to see if they have a drop-in programme. If not, I can make an appointment. Much better than fighting their telephone queue for hours!



You should be able to get done at pharmacy.
If you are signed up to patient access, you might be able to book at pharmacy via that


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## ColinJ (15 Dec 2022)

vickster said:


> You should be able to get done at pharmacy


Thanks - Boots had a flu jab poster up last time I was in there and that is closer. Looks like a stroll to Boots & Aldi instead.


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## kingrollo (15 Dec 2022)

Ming the Merciless said:


> I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Covid if anything has shown that it can be anything from asymptomatic to hospitalisation. Why should the flu be any different?
> 
> Plus there must be people you come into contact, who have the flu (so you can catch it), without being floored. Otherwise how did you catch it?



I agree - like most illnesses the severity varies. I also remember pre covid there was some research that common cold could make your more ill than they first thought.


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## ColinJ (15 Dec 2022)

kingrollo said:


> I agree - like most illnesses the severity varies. I also remember pre covid there was some research that common cold could make your more ill than they first thought.


Definitely! I have had scary proof of that... 


ColinJ said:


> I agree. I once collapsed unconscious at the side of the road when trying to ride up a moderately steep hill (Heptonstall Rd - > Lee Wood). That was a few days after having a cold. Since then I have been a lot more cautious about recovering properly from illness before major exertion!


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## ColinJ (15 Dec 2022)

vickster said:


> If you are signed up to patient access, you might be able to book at pharmacy via that


I must get more organised! Not only is there a flu jab reminder in my Patient Access account, I just also noticed that I am overdue ordering my next warfarin prescription... Fortunately, I have built up a surplus, but I don't want to run out over Christmas / New Year.


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## gbb (15 Dec 2022)

Ming the Merciless said:


> I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Covid if anything has shown that it can be anything from asymptomatic to hospitalisation. Why should the flu be any different?
> 
> Plus there must be people you come into contact, who have the flu (so you can catch it), without being floored. Otherwise how did you catch it?



As with covid, the common cold and flu, there is a period at the beginning (or maybe at the end) when you';re showing few or no symptoms but can still transmit. Whether that period is a few hours or a day or two, who knows ?
TBF, i said ive had flu 4 times in my life. But how do i (or anyone else for that matter) know it's actually Flu ? No-one gets examined, i dont think theres a readily available test for the masses to know instantly.
The general concensus is enough, temperature, shivers, extreme lethargy, aches and a general feeling of utter cr@pness is enough to label it as flu... and certainly in my cases, you're not generally getting out of bed, let alone going to work. Death warmed up might be a good description


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## gbb (15 Dec 2022)

kingrollo said:


> I agree - like most illnesses the severity varies. I also remember pre covid there was some research that common cold could make your more ill than they first thought.



I'm sure in some cases it can, your general health at that particular time, the particular strain of virus, your bodies immunity to that particular strain, its complex. It would be naiive to assume 'oh its just a cold, it can't hurt you too much' In all liklihood it won't and doesnt, but the wrong mix of circumstances can give it a quite different outcome


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## Alex321 (15 Dec 2022)

vickster said:


> I had mine on 1 October, GP surgery ran a big drive, queued up with all the other oldies (first free one for me this year)!


Similar here, though later in October (22nd).

Even though there was a fairly large queue, they were processing us very efficiently, and it was only about 15 minutes from arriving at the surgery to leaving having both been jabbed.


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## vickster (15 Dec 2022)

Wasn’t even there that long, I arrived a few minutes early, think I was out before my allotted time. Took longer locking and unlocking the bike!


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## ColinJ (15 Dec 2022)

Sorted! (But there seems to be a shortage of the over-65s vaccine so I had to make do with the weaker under-65s version.)


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## Ming the Merciless (15 Dec 2022)

ColinJ said:


> Sorted! (But there seems to be a shortage of the over-65s vaccine so I had to make do with the weaker under-65s version.)



Didn’t know you got a different one to the youngsters in their 50s.


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## Milzy (15 Dec 2022)

Just finished with that and loads at work got it. The mrs was getting over it and it came back. That’s because of a been run down life style. I was taking ZMA and vit c, I’m sure this helped get clear of it.


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## rogerzilla (15 Dec 2022)

Some moron came into work 3 weeks ago with it and two more of us caught it. Not nice, but I wasn't actually bedridden - more sofa-ridden. Awful temperature, loss of appetite and aches. A fortnight later and I still have the cough and a bit of fatigue.

I had the vaccine at the start of October but it obviously wasn't effective this year.


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## ColinJ (15 Dec 2022)

Ming the Merciless said:


> Didn’t know you got a different one to the youngsters in their 50s.


I didn't either! Apparently, it is because the immune system becomes less effective as we age.

I assume that they don't give the stronger vaccine to younger people because they might overreact to it?


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## ColinJ (15 Dec 2022)

rogerzilla said:


> I had the vaccine at the start of October but it obviously wasn't effective this year.


They don't necessarily stop you getting ill, but will reduce the severity of any illness that you do develop. You would probably have had it much worse if unvaccinated.


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## Ming the Merciless (15 Dec 2022)

ColinJ said:


> I didn't either! Apparently, it is because the immune system becomes less effective as we age.



If you are sedentary then yes as the Thamus shrinks.


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## ColinJ (15 Dec 2022)

Ming the Merciless said:


> If you are sedentary then yes as the Thamus shrinks.


I just found a few research papers on the subject. Apparently, yes, exercise _does _help the immune systems of older people. Good - that is yet another reason to keep it up!


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## vickster (15 Dec 2022)

Menopause not advantageous to the immune system either


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## mikeIow (16 Dec 2022)

Ming the Merciless said:


> If you are sedentary then yes as the Thamus shrinks.



The Thamus?
King of all Gods?


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## Ming the Merciless (16 Dec 2022)

mikeIow said:


> The Thamus?
> King of all Gods?



Brain fart 💨- Thymus


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## mustang1 (16 Dec 2022)

kingrollo said:


> Had to come home from work yesterday was so unwell with it.
> 
> Can't understand it - I haven't flu in years and haven't taken a sick day in around 12 years
> 
> ...



AHA!!!! So YOU'RE the "one of those people" that someone knows who got a flu jab and still got the flu. Consider yourself a unicorn, probably just a spot of bad luck I'd say.


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## Alex321 (16 Dec 2022)

mustang1 said:


> AHA!!!! So YOU'RE the "one of those people" that someone knows who got a flu jab and still got the flu. Consider yourself a unicorn, probably just a spot of bad luck I'd say.



The flu jab is less effective than the COVID jabs. 

Less effective because each year's jab is composed of vaccines for 2-3 variants that are predicted to be the most common over the coming winter, but there are always some other variants circulating, and sometimes the prediction is wrong.

But even for the expected variants, in a similar fashion to COVID jabs, they don't completely prevent infection, just reduce the chance, and reduce the severity if it is caught.


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## icowden (16 Dec 2022)

Additionally Flu is worse this year as there was much less of it in 2020 and 2021. 

Why? Face masks. If everyone wears them, transmission is hugely reduced.


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## cyberknight (17 Dec 2022)

Mrs CK is close to physically restraining me from going out riding this weekend as its the club x mas cake ride but honestly i should rest as im still coughing up lumps and head feels full of cotton wool .


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## vickster (17 Dec 2022)

cyberknight said:


> Mrs CK is close to physically restraining me from going out riding this weekend as its the club x mas cake ride but honestly i should rest as im still coughing up lumps and head feels full of cotton wool .



If you’re productive coughing, do not cycle


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## SpokeyDokey (17 Dec 2022)

vickster said:


> yep...
> rest up & make plans for retirement
> 
> How do you actually know it's flu as there's no test (or do you mean man flu rather than influenza)? Probably worth doing a Covid test tho



Flu - a massively overused term for a cold.

Never had it myself but Mrs SD did many moons ago. 

In bed for three days with debilitating fever, could hardly walk for 2 weeks and the most appalling ulcerated throat that lingered for ages.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/coldflu.htm


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## vickster (17 Dec 2022)

SpokeyDokey said:


> Flu - a massively overused term for a cold.
> 
> Never had it myself but Mrs SD did many moons ago.
> 
> ...



Or severe tonsillitis?


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## CXRAndy (17 Dec 2022)

*According to my wife the flu this year is particularly nasty. She dragged me to Boots to have the injection *


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## dan_bo (17 Dec 2022)

fossyant said:


> Anything below the neck, stop cycling ! Aches and pains stop.



Anything below the scalp these days


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## Ming the Merciless (17 Dec 2022)

CXRAndy said:


> *According to my wife the flu this year is particularly nasty. She dragged me to Boots to have the injection *



I do not think there’s any evidence of that yet


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## cyberknight (17 Dec 2022)

CXRAndy said:


> *According to my wife the flu this year is particularly nasty. She dragged me to Boots to have the injection *



no more kids then ? ......................


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## icowden (18 Dec 2022)

CXRAndy said:


> *According to my wife the flu this year is particularly nasty. *


I don't think it's any more nasty than usual, it's just that for the last 2 years there has been a lot less flu and a lot less exposure to the flu virus so our immune systems may have relaxed a bit.

Masks don't just prevent the transmission of Covid. They also block coughs, colds, flu etc. What most people don't seem to understand is that normal masks don't protect the wearer, they protect everyone else.


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## gbb (21 Dec 2022)

Took a Covid test yesterday, negative.
Slept poorly on Sunday night, elevated heart rate but went to work Monday feeling a bit crud. Got through the day OK , very busy, very demanding day, relax relax relax, bath, bed.
Woke up several times Monday night, got up Tues feeling worse, tired and fuzzy. Managed work until lunchtime, thew the towel In and came home.
In bed for maybe 16 hours, slept heavily once gone but prior to that, aches, shivers, hot, slight nausea and a prickly stomach.
Eaten 3 pieces of toast and half a banana in around 30 hours, mending now, eating lightly, feel much better.
Covid, no. Flu, perhaps but had it before, its felt worse. This wasn't nice but had worse. Virus ?, grandkids, several of them have been ill and we have been in very close contact so no wonder...


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## gbb (21 Dec 2022)

icowden said:


> I don't think it's any more nasty than usual, it's just that for the last 2 years there has been a lot less flu and a lot less exposure to the flu virus so our immune systems may have relaxed a bit.
> 
> Masks don't just prevent the transmission of Covid. They also block coughs, colds, flu etc. What most people don't seem to understand is that normal masks don't protect the wearer, they protect everyone else.



This is exactly what I think, flu, viruses, even the common cold has been in the background since the pandemic, we have been somewhat screened from them . Flu is awful, it always was, you never forget proper flu.
pre pandemic, I would get awful colds occasionally, swollen watering eyes ...I don't think I've had one bad cold since. I will get one, its inevitable but I think we have forgotten how rotten these things are. Just getting through a virus now, pretty bad but still not flu IMO. Flu is truly awful.


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## kingrollo (24 Dec 2022)

Ok - OP here.

Every symptom has now gone - with the exception of me fetching up green mucus. Usually worse in the morning.

When I do return to gym and cycling ? - limited myself to foam rolling and stretching excercises at home.


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## vickster (24 Dec 2022)

I’d give it another week, especially the gym as no one wants to be there with someone coughing and hoiking 
You could go for a walk to be active


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## albal (28 Dec 2022)

Forced to abort festive 500 this morning, feeling like cr@p. gutted, not the first time i,ve abandoned it midway through also.
Went out on my birthday boxing day, (6th year alone. Single . It's crap I tell you.)

maybe caught it then? Cold ? Probably. Flu? Doubtful. Don't have many COVID test kits . Just have to let it run its course.

The only positive, living alone can't pass it on.


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## kingrollo (30 Dec 2022)

GP tested the green lumps I was coughing up - and the results came back as an infection. GP phoned me yesterday to say he had sent me antibiotics.

Issue no is I have stopped coughing up mucus - not sure if take course of antibiotics?


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## Adam4868 (5 Jan 2023)

Had it for three or four days now and it's really pollaxed me ! Worse bout of flu I remember having.Me and the daughter have it and luckily my partner and son seem ok so far.Even the cat sitting on me hurts my joints !


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## tyred (5 Jan 2023)

Mine was really bad the week before Christmas. The cough and the aches and pains are gone now thankfully but still feeling slightly lethargic.


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## Psamathe (5 Jan 2023)

I don't know if flu is worse that how I suffered from avoiding flu. Had a flu vaccination and I never react to vaccines, maybe trivial bruising that evening (but don't normally notice it) and every vaccination is in, push, out and done in seconds. Flu vaccination this year and needle was in for ages. That night very painful (disrupted sleep). No external signs of bruising, no inflammation. Next day couldn't lift my arm above horizontal (and even horizontal was painful), can't move arm across front of body - pain. 2 weeks later and several times moving arm and "bang" - agony along arm across shoulder up neck and bad numbness thumb and forefinger and it all lasts 12 hrs before fading back to unable to lift arm above horizontal and perpetual mild pain. Then a day or 2 later moving arm and "bang" agony again ...

Had vaccination in walk-in in pharmacy.

Saw NHS physio yesterday who is e-mailing exercises and said not to move arm to any positioon where pain is worse. Something about start of "capsule" forming.

Wondering if I'd have been better off risking catching flu (never caught it before but limited movement in arm and ongoing pain is horrible. And it's not improving. It's not turned me into a vaccine avoider and I seem to end-up with more vaccinations than many people (as I travel to remote parts of the world) but I think I might avoid pharmacy injections in future.

Ian


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