Heavy cold has knocked me for six

[carina62]

Four weeks ago I developed a heavy cold (I hadn't had one as bad as this for years). Four weeks on and I feel very weak and my taste buds have still not come back fully. I had my flu jab a couple of weeks after my cold as my original appointment to have one had to be cancelled because it doesn't work if you have it while you have a cold etc

I know that a particularly bad virus has been going around lately - has anyone else had a bad cold and felt the same recently?

 

[lynnnora2]

I had a really bad dose of cold last week that kept me off work. I have never felt so bad. I also had my flu jab 4 weeks ago. It felt like flu too.... Aches lethargy headaches etc

 

[carina62]

I had a really bad dose of cold last week that kept me off work. I have never felt so bad. I also had my flu jab 4 weeks ago. It felt like flu too.... Aches lethargy headaches etc

I was off work 2 days but should have stayed off longer. If I don't feel normal soon I will have to make an appointment with the GP.

 

[Jenniewren1958]

Had flu jab few weeks ago. Down with flu since last week feeling rotten hubby got it now

 

[Brunneria]

The trouble is the flu jabs are always tailored to combat particular strains of virus - basically the strain that the boffins thought was going to be prevalent. And they make these decisions long in advance, because it takes time to manufacture enough of the vaccine.

So unfortunately, it is very possible to still catch flu (or a cold) even after having the flu jab. It just means that the strain you caught wasn't covered by the jab.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/ent...to-know-about-jab_uk_59d79ee4e4b072637c43b000
This is a quote from the link

Which strains does it protect against?
Every year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reviews the global situation and recommends which three flu strains should go into the vaccine to be manufactured for the following season.

A spokesperson for Public Health England explains this recommendation is based on the viruses circulating each season and epidemiological data from around the world.

This process means the WHO has to decide which strains of flu to protect against before flu season has even begun and the illness has started circulating properly.

According to the NHS, most injected flu vaccines protect against three types of flu virus:

• A/H1N1 – the strain of flu that caused the swine flu pandemic in 2009
• A/H3N2 – a strain of flu that mainly affects the elderly and people with risk factors like a long term health condition. In 2017/18 the vaccine will contain an A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 H3N2-like virus.
• Influenza B – a strain of flu that particularly affects children. In 2017/18 the vaccine will contain B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus

The nasal spray flu vaccine and some injected vaccines also offer protection against a fourth B strain of virus, which in 2017/18 is the B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus.

The strain that has been witnessed predominantly in Australia this year is influenza A strain H3N2.

Leading infectious diseases expert Dr Peter Collignon told The Guardian that this particular strain hit the UK and other European countries last year and the vaccine for the strain “didn’t work”.

He added that it “was zero per cent effective for those over 65”.

 

[Rachox]

I received my flu vaccine last month I was told it was a quadrivalent one, that is it provides cover for four strains as stated in this link:
https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/33709

 

[Carb_Junky]

But haven't we this year found a way to quickly replicate flu vaccine because millions were wasted last year?
And if you're born in certain years you won't necessarily need a flu jab as you'll have a natural resistance to some strains.
Unless you're in a high risk group of course.

 

[Carb_Junky]

Yes, Carina62, I also had a bad cold a few weeks ago which was not like me. I mentioned it to my doctor in passing plus the coughing in the evenings. This went on for a few weeks until it got so bad it was decided I was having a reaction to new meds. And taken off it. A month later my cough has almost gone.