Flu symptoms

Christian Sanchez44 · 2003-09-27T11:26:10+00:00

About a week or so ago, I started hearing whispers that some new strain of the common cold—or maybe it’s the flu, honestly, I could never tell the difference 🙂…

electricdriver78 Active Member

90 messages
joined Dec 2002

#101 · Dec 3, 2004

Flu season is definitely hitting us hard right now

I decided to skip the shot this year—I’ve always had a massive phobia of needles, so there's that... 😲 which basically means I'm running for the hills if anyone shows even a hint of symptoms

I make it a point never to head into the office if I'm feeling anything remotely contagious

Besides, those vaccines only target one specific strain, and even then, they aren't exactly a hundred percent guarantee

So, I figured there was no point in getting poked for nothing

My partner did get vaccinated, though, mostly because we both dealt with a nasty three-week bug last year that just absolutely wrecked us...

Just make sure you stay hydrated, because one year I ended up with kidney issues that were close to being a real emergency

rustymoose54 Active Member

182 messages
joined Jun 2006

#102 · Dec 3, 2004

electricdriver78 said:plus, the shot is basically just a shield against one specific strain of the flu—and even then, it’s not like it’s 100% foolproof...

so why bother getting poked for nothing? seriously...

but look, I think these vaccines target a few different types of viruses at once, so there's actually a pretty low chance they miss everything entirely...

electricdriver78 Active Member

90 messages
joined Dec 2002

#103 · Dec 3, 2004

rustymoose54 said:I think the vaccine targets several different types of viruses, so there's probably a slim chance they miss them entirely...

Oh, hush now—you can clearly see I'm doing everything in my power to avoid getting that shot...😁

rustymoose54 Active Member

182 messages
joined Jun 2006

#104 · Dec 3, 2004

electricdriver78 said:just shut up, babe—you see how I'm basically giving you every reason not to get a "bottle"😁

😁maybe if the guy tries that old-school tactic of "if you're good... etc., I'll buy you a lollipop" he might actually end up buying something🤣

mostly, you'll just end up with the damn sucker 😎

mistyhound2 Active Member

89 messages
joined Feb 2004

#105 · Dec 4, 2004

So, I work at a place where they basically nag you to get vaccinated, but honestly? I passed on it. It’s not even a needle phobia thing—not at all, I can handle a shot just fine—it’s just that the whole logic doesn't sit right with me. Look, I get it, the shot is supposed to cover the specific influenza strains expected this season, but let's be real: the protection isn't even foolproof. You’re still going to catch something; it might just mean the symptoms aren't quite as brutal.

And from what I've gathered through the office grapevine, almost all my coworkers who actually went through with the shot ended up getting sick just a week later and had to stay home anyway.

rustymoose54 Active Member

182 messages
joined Jun 2006

#106 · Dec 5, 2004

mistyhound2 said:That’s exactly what I’ve been hearing—all my coworkers who got the shot ended up getting sick just a week later and had to bunkered down at home.

If it only took a week, they clearly waited way too long to get the jab.

Look, I have to get vaccinated... because if the flu actually hits me, there's no way I'm walking away from it without ending up in a hospital bed. Plus, I always get hit with some secondary bacterial infection—it’s like my body just gives up—so it's better if things stop right there.

On the flip side, whenever I’ve actually gotten the shot, I haven't caught anything... or if I did, it was nothing more than a tiny hiccup.

But hey, most healthy people don't really need the shot, you know? They can survive those few days of feeling like they're "dying" without any major drama.

Megan Morales5 Active Member

86 messages
joined Dec 2004

#107 · Dec 6, 2004

electricdriver78 said:The flu is really starting to take hold here...

I didn't get the shot—I've never been a fan of needles, so there it is... 😲 And that’s exactly why I stay far away from anyone showing even the slightest hint of symptoms...

I never show up to work if I've got something that might pass it on to everyone else—it just isn't worth the hassle...

And besides that—it’s kind of useless since it only offers protection against one specific strain of the flu, and even then, it isn't exactly 100% effective...

And then I won't be getting any boost for nothing...

My partner got vaccinated—mostly because we both caught that nasty bug last year that dragged on for three weeks straight—just so we don't end up completely incapacitated again...

Just drink plenty of water—my kidneys nearly gave out on me once back in the day...

If he gets stuck like that and you don't—well, then you're just screwed...
Because, you know—it carries a live virus inside it (the vaccine)—which it passes right along to you without any drama, while he stays perfectly fine...

Megan Morales5 Active Member

86 messages
joined Dec 2004

#108 · Dec 6, 2004

rustymoose54 said:I mean, the vaccine targets several different strains, so there’s a slim chance they miss everything entirely...

Exactly.
They predict which specific strain is going to dominate your area—so if you get vaccinated here in the States and then head out on vacation to Japan, it’s not a guarantee you won't catch something, but it's not a total toss-up either...😁

Megan Morales5 Active Member

86 messages
joined Dec 2004

#109 · Dec 6, 2004

mistyhound2 said:I work at a place where they push vaccination pretty hard, but I decided to pass on it. It’s not about being afraid of needles—not even close—it just doesn't seem like the smartest move to me. Sure, I get that the shot includes the specific influenza strains expected this season, but the protection isn't absolute anyway... you can still get sick, it just supposedly makes the symptoms milder.

And from what I've heard, all my colleagues who did get vaccinated ended up coming down with something after a week and had to stay home.

Ideally, people should be getting jabbed by September... since it seems to take over four weeks for the vaccine to actually kick in. So if someone waits until November to get it—well, they can't really blame anyone else.😁
If they truly reacted that quickly, maybe it wasn't actual flu at all, but just a reaction to the shot... the symptoms are incredibly similar, and sometimes they even serve as a warning sign.

rustymoose54 Active Member

182 messages
joined Jun 2006

#110 · Dec 6, 2004

Megan Morales5 said:If he goes ahead and gets jabbed while you stay on the sidelines, then yeah... you’re basically just handing him the win for free. Total sucker move...
Because, you know, they’ve got a live virus right there in the shot—it just passes it straight to you without even making a big deal out of it, while he stays perfectly fine... turns out he's totally unaffected and you're the one left dealing with it.

Nah, look—even if he actually took a shot made from a live virus, the concentration is way too low to actually infect anyone... honestly, it just doesn't work like that.

Honestly, if you think about it, getting vaccinated might actually be totally counterproductive—like, we're talking about potentially triggering a massive spike in the epidemic instead of stopping it... just one big, messy cycle that keeps everything spiraling out of control.

Look, here's the thing—it actually takes about two weeks for the vaccine to really kick in and start doing its job, not four like everyone seems to think... anyway, around here in the States, we usually see the big push for vaccinations happening throughout November and leading right up to the middle of it... just a heads-up before the holiday madness hits.

Jamie Clark74 Regular

278 messages
joined Sep 2004

#111 · Dec 6, 2004

Kevin White5 said:Older folks really should get vaccinated. My grandmother is doing terribly right now because she hates hospitals and refused the shot... now she’s suffering big time. So if anyone over 60 is reading this (Jamie Clark74?), please go get vaccinated!

Thanks for thinking of me. My wife and I have both been getting our shots regularly every single year since I turned 55.
Around here, it's free for retirees over 65, otherwise we just pay $3.80 each.
We also get the pneumonia vaccine every 4 or 5 years.

🙂 😉 😎

Megan Morales5 Active Member

86 messages
joined Dec 2004

#112 · Dec 7, 2004

rustymoose54 said:Nah, even if they used a live attenuated virus, the concentration is way too low to actually infect anyone.

Besides, vaccinating could actually be counterproductive—it might end up spreading the epidemic instead of stopping it.

And just so we're clear, the minimum time needed for a vaccine to "kick in" is two weeks, not four. In the States, vaccinations usually roll out through November, peaking around mid-month.

My girlfriend works at a hospital—so she’s required to get it—and they told her there’s no point in her getting vaccinated if I don't. They already have the shots available in the city by September (I got mine already, could tell you where, but it doesn't really matter)... mostly for healthcare workers, who get priority and receive it for free as part of workplace safety. I know people get them in November too, but honestly, that seems pointless to me—it’s too late once that first wave of flu starts hitting everyone at once.

rustymoose54 Active Member

182 messages
joined Jun 2006

#113 · Dec 7, 2004

Megan Morales5 said:Look, my girl works at the hospital—so she basically has to get the shot—and they told me there’s zero point in her getting vaccinated if I don't. Apparently, the shots are already hitting clinics in the US by September (I actually got mine already, could tell you where, but whatever, doesn't really matter...), mostly aimed at healthcare workers since they get priority and get it for free through work coverage. I know they start doing them in November too, but honestly? Seems like a joke to me... way too late when that first wave of flu usually starts rolling through around the same time.

Look, I don't know what kind of logic they used to explain why she "has" to get it, but a vaccinated person isn't some walking biohazard for everyone else.

And November isn't too late to get jabbed—flu season doesn't even really kick off in the States until December anyway.

Besides, there are all these other viruses out there with similar symptoms. Those can pop up whenever. But we aren't talking about those... those aren't caused by the actual flu viruses.

Robin Rodriguez5 Active Member

149 messages
joined Sep 2011

#114 · Dec 7, 2004

Megan Morales5 said:Someone told me—my girlfriend works at the hospital, so she has to get the shot—that there’s no point in her getting vaccinated if I don't.

Well, sure, there’s no point for you, but there is for her. Everything is relative.😁

Megan Morales5 Active Member

86 messages
joined Dec 2004

#115 · Dec 7, 2004

banderas said:Well, there might not be any point for you, but there is for her. It's all relative... 😁

😁 👍 (that’s exactly what she told me too) as if I’m going to get nursed back to health if I actually get sick 😉

rustymoose54, I'm not trying to convince you of anything, nor am I asking you to believe me—everyone knows their own business, and everyone treats their own cold their own way 😁
(I haven't had the flu in fifteen years, honestly—I'd rather bike to work in the winter than in the summer—so, don't go trying to change who's winning, or whatever...)

rustymoose54 Active Member

182 messages
joined Jun 2006

#116 · Dec 7, 2004

Megan Morales5 said:rustymoose54, look, I’m not trying to win an argument or talk you into anything—honestly, everyone does their own thing when they get sick, we all have our own way of dealing with a fever or whatever...😁

No hard feelings, really, but it’s just a little ridiculous when people start lecturing me on stuff I actually went to school for, especially when they studied something completely different...🙂

I’m not asking you to change my mind, and I’m definitely not trying to push mine on you, but immunology? It’s pretty much an exact science... not really a matter of opinion, you know?😉

Anyway, just don't go jumping to conclusions without checking in with some objective, actual expert first.

Honestly, it would be better if you just asked the person who told you there was "no point" in getting vaccinated why they think that. I’m pretty sure the explanation won't be that first thing you mentioned—you know, that whole idea that a vaccinated person spreads the virus because they "just received it from the shot." Total nonsense...

Megan Morales5 Active Member

86 messages
joined Dec 2004

#117 · Dec 7, 2004

Hey there 😉 nobody here is trying to lecture you—especially not me
I’m far too exhausted for that kind of drama, and honestly, I don't do it for free either. So, what was I actually getting at? Oh, right... everyone should just stick to their own theories and live by them. There's really no point in me wasting my breath trying to convince you of anything, and believe me, trying to sway me would be a complete waste of your energy too. You'd probably have more luck just getting some fresh air outside—say, for instance—while I go take a quick bike ride around the neighborhood...👋

rustymoose54 Active Member

182 messages
joined Jun 2006

#118 · Dec 7, 2004

Hey, the world is calling out for dodo-a 😁 like I said before—immunology is an exact science.

All those things I typed up to you about vaccinations? Those aren't MY theories or anything...

But all that stuff you wrote regarding the whole situation—those are YOUR theories, and honestly, they're mostly just wrong. Sorry.

👋

Hannah Edwards Active Member

111 messages
joined Sep 2006

#119 · Jan 20, 2005

I'm looking for some advice.
I'm honestly not sure what the symptoms for this year's flu look like.

Since Monday, I've been running quite a high fever, hitting 39°C at its peak. I've been using Lupacet to bring it down. I don't have any typical cold symptoms—nothing really hurts, except for this intense headache and eye pain (especially sensitivity to light) that kicks in whenever my temperature starts rising.
I'm just sleeping day and night; I have absolutely no energy or motivation for anything.
I assumed it was just the flu, so I haven't seen a doctor yet, but now I'm starting to feel a bit anxious—what if it's something else?
Yesterday, I took Sumamed as a preventative measure, just in case there's an infection somewhere that I haven't noticed myself.
I'm not usually one for medication—don't worry, I don't just take pills for no reason—but this time I took Sumamed just to be safe, considering I almost never take medicine.

That's why I'm asking for your input: is it possible to have the flu WITHOUT any cold symptoms? Is that how it's behaving this year?
And how many days is it considered normal to run a high fever?😢

ambermason16 Active Member

213 messages
joined Apr 2009

#120 · Jan 20, 2005

Hannah Edwards said:I took some Sumamed yesterday just as a preventative measure in case I have an infection I don't even know about yet.
Look, I'm not a fan of medication—don't go thinking I pop pills for no reason—but this time I grabbed the Sumamed just in case, since I almost never take anything.

Please, just don't do this. 🙂

Flu symptoms

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