I'm getting sick
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
United States
January 20, 2013 10:18am CST
I had a flu shot and a pneumonia shot. The doc said I could get sick within 2 weeks. My sinuses are infected. They stink when I breathe and I have that terrible post nasal drip. My nose keeps running both ways, out and in my throat.
I'm nauseated too. I ate, but now I wish I hadn't. I'm wheezing and my lungs are rumbling. When I breathe I can hear and feel secretions in my lungs.
I hope this settles down before I get really sick. I can't go to the hospital. Have way too many health care bills I can't pay now. Maybe it's just my immune system reacting to the shots or maybe I'm catching what my daughter has. She is feeling better and I'm feeling lousy. Oh joy!
I fixed breakfast and washed the dishes and now I'm back in bed. I'm hot and cold. Yuck!
Have you ever gotten sick after a flu shot? This is my second time getting sick. I got sick the other time about 12 years ago and it was the worst ever.
2 people like this
13 responses
@peavey (16936)
• United States
21 Jan 13
I have never had a flu shot and will never willingly have one. I don't understand the point of getting shot so you won't get sick, then getting sick from the shot.
I had the flu the first week of this month, with chills and fever, aches and pains and fatigue. It tapered off over a period of about a week and then it was done.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
21 Jan 13
I didn't get sick from the shot. There is a 2 week period where you can get the flu because you haven't built up antibodies yet. That's what's happened in my case. I was already exposed to the flu because my daughter got it. She was tested positive for the flue after I already had my shot two days before.
I've only been sick one other time and that was 1996 after having a flu shot. Again I was exposed because I was a nurse working in flu season. No other years have I ever been sick.
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
20 Jan 13
I never heard of this. Is taking silver into your body really safe? I've just never heard of this.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
21 Jan 13
im not sure a flu shot helps. ive heard theres so many different types of flu it doesnt cover them all and its just another ploy for medications. i had one and soon after got this bursitis. so im wondering if that did it. ibe been sick with my stomach for months. 
and dont want to take a chance at anything else bothering it
i sure hope you dont end up that sick as having to go to hospital again. it seems we are in there way to many times, both of us the last couple of years.@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
21 Jan 13
They have protected me very well through the years. I've only been sick two times in my life after a flu shot. Both times it was because I was exposed to the flu prior to the shot. First time I was a nurse working during flu season. It was required that we get them. I got sick 10 days later. This time Kim has been sick for a few days and we didn't know it was flu. I had my shot 2 days before she was tested and confirmed positive for the flu.
I've never been sick any other time after the vaccination. There is only 60% protection rate of the vaccine. I've been protected well all years except for two.
@much2say (53958)
• Los Angeles, California
21 Jan 13
Hope you are feeling better today, PQ! We haven't gotten flu shots in years . . . for whatever reason, we have opted to not get the flu shot - even for the kids. Sure, we've gotten our share of getting sick during the season, but thankfully it's never been seriously terrible. Even if they say it lessens the length of or the symptoms of it, it's been tolerable (though it's never easy). Still, we stay mostly healthy during the season - more than some of the folks we know who get the flu shots. But of course this means bumping up eating as healthy as possible and staying physically active - though that's not always easy either. Sometimes worrying about getting sick starts making me physically ill too . . . so positive thoughts no matter what. Hope you don't get full blown sick and feel much better today!! 
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
21 Jan 13
I'm feeling some better this afternoon, thanks. I'm glad too because I have to volunteer for my first ESL class. I have to sit in to see what my duties will be. I want to be all better.
@911Ricki (13588)
• Canada
21 Jan 13
I know many who get sick from the shots, but it's basically putting the virus in you. I refuse to get it now, because of how low my immune system is. Hpefully it passes, and it doesn't get worse, this is why I love free health care, doesn't cost anything to go to the hospital.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
21 Jan 13
This is not a live virus. They say it doesn't give you the flu but you can still get the flu within 2 weeks after the shot. The shot is also only 60% effective so there is still a 40% chance of still getting sick. I got really sick one year about 10 days after the shot. Thought I would die going both ways. I was at work when I got sick. I went both ways soiling myself while trying to drive home. My boyfriend had to clean the car.
@sunshinesophie (794)
• China
21 Jan 13
I am so sorry to hear that. But at the moment,drinking more water and having more rest will help you to recover soon. You'd better stay in bed for days and keep warm. I know you should be very uncomfortable as I experienced months ago. I didn't feel like doing anything that time.I hope you can feel better today and get well soon.
Take good care,PQ.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
21 Jan 13
Hi Sunshine. I am feeling bad, but I will have to go to school tomorrow and sit in on a class. I'll make it. I noticed when I take my new blood pressure pill that was added to my other pill is making me tired and sleepy. I won't be able to take them until I get back from school.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
22 Jan 13
no I never got sick like that after a shot. But I am sick now, and I am running hot and cold too, but it is my thyroid.
@AmbiePam (85498)
• United States
21 Jan 13
Most likely you caught what your daughter has. It's just too hard not to catch what someone has when they live with you. Your nausea sounds like drainage. Do you happen to have a humidifier? If not, it might help you to turn on the shower as hot as it could go. Stay in the bathroom and cover the bottom of the door so no heat escapes the bathroom. Then sit down, maybe on the toilet, and let the hot steam help clear your lungs. My mom used to do that for my sister when she was a kid and it always helped with her lungs.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
21 Jan 13
I thought of that, but I have a CPAP machine I sleep with. I can just turn the humidifier on it. I did that last night and I was able to blow my nose easy. The post nasal drip RS back so I will probably do that again. I'll put the humidifier on 3 and that should work good.
@BarBaraPrz (45498)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
20 Jan 13
"Drink plenty of fluids, rest in bed, and take Aspirin" as the old adverts used to say. Substitute your analgesic of choice for aspirin.
Hope you recover quickly.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
20 Jan 13
I have plenty of aspirin. Thanks. I'm not sure why aspirin is better though?
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
20 Jan 13
Hi PointlessQuestions, If you get sick enough you will have to go to the hospital. I admit that some people go the hospital when if they waited a few hours, there would be no need of it. I got the flu shot once and got so sick afterwards that I vowed I would never get it again. This year I had a bad flu but I'm still not ready to get that shot. I heard on the news last week that it only works about fifty percent of the time anyway, so until they come up with something better, I probably won't get the shot. Blessings.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
20 Jan 13
Hi Pose. Yes my doc said they are about 60% effective. I've been fortunate most years to not get sick. This is the second time of getting sick after a flu shot.
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
20 Jan 13
I've had a flu shot atleast three or four times. The last time I had a flu shot was when the swine flu scare happened. I had both of those the normal flue and the swine flu shot because I was working in health care at the time.
It didn't really make me sick. Of course I also went mountain trail walking that same day so that could have knocked anything that wanted to occur out.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
20 Jan 13
I never did get that swine flu shot. I didn't get sick either. I missed my flu shot last year but my lung doc fussed and said I needed it. I think it is messing with my immune system.
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
20 Jan 13
hi, flu shots are for viral infections, if your infections are stinky in nature then it might be bacterial or fungal in nature other that a virus or it could also be a combination and it might include a virus that has mutated that is not identified by the viral shot that has been administered, vaccines could also weaken you are make you susceptible to other pathogens, trust the meds , what they have to say and their opinion, good luck and get well
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
20 Jan 13
Yeah, my immune system sucks right now. I think the nausea is from the flu since my daughter has it. I've been having a runny nose for a couple of weeks and now my sinuses are stuffed and infected.
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
20 Jan 13
oh no dear PQ so get to bed and I hope you get better soon.
When I had my first flu shot I had to cope with all the lovely side effects of it like nausea, arms and legs hurting like crazy etc. for one week. It was sooooo hard for me to work but I didnt have a choice.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
20 Jan 13
Hi sweet RitterSport! Yep I'm in bed right now. I don't have anything to feel better with, so I hope I can sleep for awhile. I took my inhaler and breathing treatment but I am still wheezing.
