Flu After Flu Shot

Flu shot doesn't mean you will not get the flu it only lessens the chance of getting it,lessens the chance of complications from the flu.The flu shot didn't give you the flu.

When did you get the shot? It actually takes about 2 weeks to form the antibodies to protect you. Maybe you were just exposed to the flu and got sick? This is my first year getting the shot also(1 wk ago) and am under TONS of stress but didn't get sick, knock on wood. I hope you feel better soon!

It takes two weeks to build up an immunity after getting the flu shot. It's possible you got the flu before you had a changes to build resistance. That's why it's important to get the shot as soon as possible in the fall of the year when it's first available and the threat of being exposed to the flu is lowest.

ETA: To Ann C. Beg to differ all you want, but you are totally and completely wrong. It is NOT POSSIBLE, i.e., IMPOSSIBLE, to contract the flu from the flu shot.The virus is dead. Dead means not alive. NOT POSSIBLE. (Re: the nasal mist. It is really, really, really, really unlikely from the nasal mist, which uses a weakened strain of a live virus. Possible? Yes. Likely. Heck no.) Can you still get the flu after getting a flu shot? Yes. Can you catch something else? Yes. Can you have a reaction to the shot? Yes. Can you "catch" the flu from the shot? NO.

Now back to my original Post:

It is not possible to contract the flu from the flu shot. Not only not likely, but not POSSIBLE. The shot does not use a live virus.

Second, it takes 10 days to 2 weeks for the shot to become effective. So if you received a shot and less than a week later (after hanging around a hospital) you caught the flu, not unexpected. It's full benefits have not kicked in.

Third, throwing up is not typical for older folks with the flu. It is quite possible that you contracted a stomach virus, which is NOT THE FLU. It's hard to know unless you were tested for the influenza virus, which is the flu.

I'm sorry you're not feeling well, but it's sure as heck not because you got a flu shot.

The symptoms you are describing are not INFLUENZA which is prevented/helped by the flu shot. INFLUENZA symptoms are more like REALLY bad cold symptoms along with fever and body aches. If you threw up, it is more likely that you have a STOMACH FLU - which the flu shot has NOTHING to do with.

There are so many germs out there - a simple flu shot is not going to prevent EVERYTHING. That is where the idea that a flu shot "doesn't work" comes from. However, it can be helpful because if you ARE exposed to one of the strands in the shot, it can prevent you from getting it. But if you are one of the lucky ones who still gets sick even though you got the shot, your symptoms will not be AS BAD. So there are benefits to getting the shot.

Could your fever be from the stone moving through your system? I would think that the problems you are having are from the stone, NOT from the flu shot. I would probably get in touch with a doctor to make sure it isn't the stone causing problems.

Influenza does not cause vomiting. If you are vomiting, you have a different virus.

You need to call the doctor today. You might have an infection in your kidneys. It will be like a ton of bricks fell on you. Aches, fatigue, fever.

I had the flu but if you don't have the stuffy nose and cough, you don't have flu.

You need to go to the Doctor or ER. A stone that is in the urethra will be extremely painful, you could also have a kidney or bladder infection. Have a urine culture done and some blood work. INFECTIONS can cause fever, chills, nausea and vomiting and aching. If infection gets in the blood stream, it is called sepsis. Sepsis will cause also low blood pressure, mental confusion and one can die with it.
If you were not treated with antibiotics, you probably need some.
Get checked out!!

I think it's possible you have the fever and vomiting due to the kidney stone. You should go get checked out now.

no. the flu vaccine is made of killed virus..you cannot get the flu from the shot. most vaccines are made of killed virus.

however the flu shot is not 100% .. in fvact it is 60% effective.. so some poeple that get the shot will still ge the flu.

It is not possible to get the flu from the flu shot and the flu does not cause vomitting. Anytime you go to a hospital or a doctors office your chances of contracting a viral infection are greatly increased, so it is likely you picked up something at the hospital.

I have had multiple kidney stones and had lithotripsy (shock waves) 4 times, and it does work!!! Not sure where you read that lithotripsy does not work, but it does. One time I had a very large stone (8 mm sounds about right), and lithotripsy was used to break it up. One year later an x-ray showed that a fragment was still present in my kidney. This happens, as while the doctor is breaking up the stones there are fragments everywhere, and it becomes difficult for him/her to see all the fragments. At some point the shock waves need to stop, and you just have to wait for most of the fragments to pass before it will be possible to tell if there are any larger fragments that need to be broken up.

An 8 mm stone is huge. I'm pretty certain that stone is too big to have left your kidney. If you are peeing frequently and feeling pressure and running a fever, there's a very good chance you have developed an infection because of the stone (uti or worse, kidney infection).

Is your pain under control? The last time I had a kidney stone it was very aggressive and got very painful very fast, and I vomited 2 or 3 times on teh way to the hospital. Extreme pain will cause vomiting.

Does your urologist know about the fever and flu-like symptoms? If not, I would call him/her right away. This really could be related, and you don't want to take any chances.

Kidney stones suck!!! They hurt like hell! But lithotripsy does work and you won't be able to pass an 8 mm stone on your own, so please get this taken care of.

You can't get the flu from the shot, but if your body is already incubating the flu, you will still get it because it takes about 2 weeks for your body to absorb the "info" from the vaccine and know what germ to attack. Stress lowers your immune system response, so your body was weak and able to be attacked. Hope you feel better soon!

Hi E., I hope you feel better soon.

You probably either:
a) do not actually have influenza, but another type of virus making you sick
OR
b) you picked up the flu virus while you were at the hospital.

If you really think its flu, call your doctor ASAP today and ask about tamilu. It can only be given in the first 48 hours or so after onset so dont wait. They should test you to see if you have the real flu before giving it to you.

Flu SHOTS can't give you the flu. Its a dead virus and its scientificly impossible for you to get the flu from it. You could have a reaction to the shot, but you wont get the flu. Flu MIST can give you the flu because it does contain some live virus, but it is rare.

Flu shots take about 2 weeks to give immunity. So shot on Monday, flu on Friday means either A or B above.

The injected vaccine is made from DEAD virus, and cannot possibly cause the flu. However, it takes 10 days to 2 weeks for your body to respond with maximum immunity (which may be only partial immunity for the very young, elderly, or otherwise immune-compromised people). And every year, there are still many other strains of influenza that are NOT included in that year's vaccine. Health wonks choose the three strains projected to cause the most illness in any given year to put into the shot.

Since you were at the hospital, where crowds of sick people are known to go, it's very possible you picked up the live virus on the same day you got the shot. There's no way for the vaccine to work this quickly, so the virus won this time. If you had been exposed in another two weeks, you either would not get the flu, or you'd get a moderate version that your body was prepared to kick quicker.

Or, if you are actually sick from some other germ, it may just be similar to the flu, which can only be confirmed if the doc takes a swab. Digestive troubles are possible for those with sensitive stomachs, but not considered to be a symptom for most people, so this could indicate you actually have an enterovirus or other stomach bug (not an influenza).

I'm so sorry you got sick, E.. It wasn't from the shot, which CAN cause less nasty reactions, like mild fever or sore arm. My daughter forgot to get her flu shot this year, and is battling a very nasty case of the flu. Her symptoms appeared 2-3 days after a day milling about with children (the best vectors of many illnesses) in a public space.

I hope you get better soon.

I beg to differ. The flu shot does cause the flu. Also, when you first get the shot, it takes up to 2 weeks or more for it to kick in or work/is active. During those two weeks, your immune system is weak (because you had the flu shot with all of its toxins/adjunctives), so if there is a flu or a cold going around, your body is weak and susceptible to getting it.

I know you already have a kidney stone, but drinking warm lemon water will help. Either buy real lemons and squeeze them into water and drink or get some lemon concentrate. I warm up the water and drink it like tea. I had either a kidney stone or a UTI right after Xmas. I drank warm lemon water as well as 100% pure cranberry juice (tart, with no added sugar) and my issue resolved itself.

There are many, many people who did get the flu shot this fall/winter who are coming down with either the flu or a cold. There are 3 main flu strains that are very active right now that are not included in the flu shot. So even if you get the flu shot, it doesn't mean you're covered for the flu strains that are currently going around right now.

CLARIFICATION ADDED: When I stated that people can get the flu from the flu shot, what I’m mainly talking about are those individuals who are immune-compromised, meaning their immune systems are suppressed. Some examples of people who would be more susceptible include those taking pharma drugs for chronic conditions; people taking pharma drugs for other reasons long-term; people who have malabsorption or malnutrition issues (due to chronic disease, (unknown) food allergies or intolerances, environmental allergies, toxins, genetic disorders, etc.); those who eat a poor diet (processed, fast food, MSG, artificial sugars/HFCS, pesticides/chemicals/preservatives) in which their bodies are deficient in key vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, etc. An example would be a 60+ male who has asthma, is most likely on pharma drugs (which suppress his immune system), and then he is encouraged to get, say, a flu shot and a pneumonia vaccination. Such a man in MN this winter (Jan 2013) did get both shots; he ended up in the hospital with both pneumonia and the flu. On the other side of the coin, some people naturally have a very strong immune system; for them, getting the flu shot—or any other type of immunization—does not affect their immune system.

Some people might find this interesting/enlightening:
Flu “Epidemic”: The Numbers Just Don’t Add Up
www.anh.usa.org
January 15, 2013
Should the government be recommending mercury-containing flu shots to everyone, especially if they are useless for 97.5% of adults?

One prominent media outlet says, “Influenza has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, with 7.3 percent of deaths last week caused by pneumonia and the flu,” according to the CDC. Another’s report, released the same day, says that “despite all those news reports about overcrowded emergency rooms, it’s too soon to say whether it will be worse than normal” and quoted the CDC as saying that the number of states reporting “high” levels of flu activity has actually dropped from 29 to 24. A third wonders why fewer than 65% of Americans got a flu shot this year, while a fourth notes that the flu vaccine is only about 62% effective, meaning that over a third of the people who do get flu shots still get the flu.

But that 62% figure is misleading. There are currently three different “epidemics” hitting the US: “true” influenza (type A, type B, or seasonal H1N1 influenza), norovirus (“stomach flu”), and whooping cough. According to a meta-analysis published in the weekly peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet, the flu vaccine is only 62% effective in preventing type A or B influenza or seasonal influenza A (H1N1). It doesn’t protect at all against norovirus and whooping cough. In other words, only 2.7% of all adults get type A or B or H1N1 influenza, and of them, the vaccine will fail 38% of the time, which means it really benefits only about 1.8% of the population.

Moreover, even preventing traditional influenza depends on the government guessing correctly well in advance about which strains will be a problem in the coming season. This year they got two influenza strains right but missed one.

In addition, there is no evidence that flu vaccine provides any protection whatsoever for adults 65 and over—even though the elderly are one of the flu vaccine campaign’s target populations. And to top it all off, the effectiveness of the whooping cough vaccine drops as time passes: a study found that the effectiveness fell from 98.1% within a year of completion of the vaccine regimen to 71.2% five or more years later. And even that figure is doubted by some scientists.

As we noted two years ago, the CDC’s figures are fabricated or false. It’s as if they’re saying, “Well, we really have no idea what the truth is, so we just make stuff up.” Could it have something to do with the cozy relationship between pharmaceutical companies, regulators, and the media?

Last October we told you about the flu shot being forced on healthcare workers. But it’s gotten even worse. Hospitals are incentivized to vaccinate their staff in order to receive favorable treatment under Medicare reimbursements. The Affordable Care Act established Hospital Value-Based Purchasing, which offers payment reductions if the hospital meets certain government-determined performance standards—and this often includes flu vaccination for its healthcare workers.

But if the vast majority of healthcare workers who do receive the mandatory flu vaccine will get the flu anyway, how does that really help the overall health of the staff? In light of this, it becomes obvious that mandatory flu vaccination policies are financially driven, and not patient-safety driven.

The problem is that some of the best healthcare workers choose not to vaccinate because they recognize the shot’s ineffectiveness—not to mention its risks—even at the threat of being fired. How absurd is it that the government is continuing to push the flu vaccine, when the shot is proving ineffective against the majority of current flu cases, and when there is a shortage of the vaccine anyway?

Of course, as both Dr. Jonathan Wright and Dr. David Brownstein strongly recommend, the best advice is to skip the flu shot, build up your immunity instead with vitamin C and vitamin D, and if you become infected, take vitamin A (real A, not beta carotene). Or use other tried-and-true natural remedies.

COMMENTERS:
Rick says:
January 15, 2013 at 7:35 pm
I am a clinical and retail pharmacist who has also worked for pharmaceutical companies in the past. This article is very believable and verifies nicely what I’ve learned over the years. Since when do 2 year olds need a flu vaccine? Since there’s big money in it, and since mom and dad are too busy and too strapped to stay home with a sick kid.
Here’s the dirty little secret about most medicines. They will be pretty effective for about a third of the population that takes them properly, they will be neutral or ineffective for a third, and they will actually cause harm to about 33 percent.
Regards!

janeto says:
January 16, 2013 at 6:48 am
Last week, I watched CBS national news and an east coast dr said the vaccine DID NOT cover the B virus, and that the B virus accounted for 10% of the cases there. I have heard effective rates of 60% most of the time, however, again on CBS, I heard 50%. One teenager in my state who did get the vaccination, passed away last week.

Bob Bryan says:
January 16, 2013 at 12:32 am
Very scary stuff! The same goes for dentist that admit fluoride is toxic and really serves as no health benefit at all after the age of 6 months. I once asked a dentist why his belief in fluoride and his response was, “it’s not a belief – it’s an easy way to pay the bills”. Medically speaking, everybody’s sleeping with somebody and the FDA is always there to fluff the pillow.

Lou says:
January 15, 2013 at 11:56 pm
The CDC has CONTINUOUSLY overstated the mortality of seasonal influenza often by over 100 fold. For many decades the CDC told us each and every year that influenza killed 36,000 of us each year. They are NOW saying they have no idea how many die from the seasonal flu. We know it is less than 700/year for MOST years, perhaps MUCH less if based on serological results. Only slightly overstated figures from the UK imply less than 200/year die in the USA from influenza A or B. Based on serological results my guess is it is a mere handful.
Deaths Due to Respiratory Causes in the UK, 2009 Cause of Death
Total Deaths % of Total
Pneumonia 28,152 40.8
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease (mainly bronchitis) 25,688 37.2
Other 15,103 21.9
Influenza 31 0.04
Total 68,974
Source: UK Office of National Statistics
Since humans and flu viruses inhabit both the UK and USA I can assure the USA data is very similar.

Bioenergetic Randolph says:
January 15, 2013 at 6:42 pm
The real problem happens upon presenting this evidence to a vaccine pushing doctor; they will insist that the source of this evidence is not “official” or did not come to them through “official channels” no matter how logical the evidence disproves the effectiveness of their 2 cent garbage vaccines. Vaccine pushing doctors keep insisting that “the benefits out weight the risks.” I’m pretty sure they’re lying when they say they “gave themselves the flu vaccine and they feel fine.”

Your girlfriend is misinformed. She listens to hearsay, and that's what you are doing too.

If you want to really understand what is going on with your health, talk to healthcare professionals. Don't just assume what non-medical people say to you.

Having said that, here is what you need to ask your doctor.

1. How long does it take a flu shot to take affect? The doctor will tell you TWO WEEKS. It has not been two weeks since you got the flu shot. If you have the flu, it's because you caught it before the shot could take affect.

2. Do I have the flu? A nose swab will actually determine if you have the flu.

3. Can the flu shot actually give me the flu? The doctor will explain that NO, the flu shot can't give you the flu, and he or she will explain why.

4. If you don't have the flu, do you have an infection? With kidney stones, you must be careful if you have a fever. A fever can mean that you are in trouble with a kidney infection. It could be serious.

5. Flu even after you have a flu shot (after the two week period following the flu shot.) Ask the doctor what the percentages are for people getting the flu even after they've been vaccinated. He or she will explain that roughly 60% of people who are vaccinated do not get the flu. The more people who get the flu shot, the less the flu will actually spread, but yes, the virus morphs as people pass it around, and the shot doesn't cover the morph. However, the doctor can explain to you that most people who have had the flu shot don't get as bad of a case of it as if they had not had the vaccine - AFTER two weeks.

My guess is that you have an infection, and that you are in trouble because of your kidney stone. I am VERY sorry that you don't have health insurance. But you need a blood test to check your white blood cell count.

Don't ignore this, and don't assume you have the flu. Even with the flu, you can get secondary infections. In fact, secondary infections can be the worst part of the flu.

Don't delay - GO GET CHECKED.

Dawn

Unless you also have a bad cough you probably don't have influenza ("flu"). There are also a lot of nasty viruses going around now that aren't influenza. My family has had two rounds of illness with flu-like symptoms (high fever, cough, sore throat, lethargy) and one case of pneumonia and two of us have tested negative for influenza so we have probably had some other nasty viruses. Also, as others have said, the flu shot doesn't cause influenza. Given your recent medical history I agree with the other posters that you should see or at least call a doctor soon to make sure the stone isn't causing your illness. Otherwise, I suspect you picked up some bug from the hospital. That happens all of the time and has happened to my kids. When my oldest son was 2 he went to the ER with a head injury/seizure. The head turned out fine, but he ended up with both pneumonia and strep a few days later. Good luck.

Please don't listen to anyone who posts, as part of their answer, that whooping cough (pertussis) is a strain of influenza.

It's not. In fact, it's not even a virus. Pertussis is a bacteria.

Also, norovirus isn't a strain of flu either. It's just a different virus.

There are multiple strains of flu - influenza a315, influenza h1n1, Para influenza, h. flu, and many, many others. So unfortunately a flu shot can't give you immunity to every single strand. It's a best guess as to which strains will be most prominent & those are the ones which go in the vaccine.

But it really sounds like you've got something related to your kidney stone issue - you should follow up w/ your doctor.

it could just be a coincidence. I was scheduled to get my daughter a flu shot but the day got away from me and we did not make it to the clinic for the shot. that night she came down with the flu. Can you imagine the conclusions I would have drawn had she actually gotten her shot?
Is it possible the shot gave you the flu? I have no idea. But what is certain is that one is at risk for catching the flu during flu season. A certain percentage of people are exposed to the flu before getting a shot and wrongfully blame the shot for causing the flu.

You can in no way get the flu from the flu shot. It is a dead virus in the shot. Plus the Influenza vaccination that you got is not for the vomiting "flu" that is a GI bug not the actual flu that you got a shot for. People don't seem to know the difference. Plus it can take your body up to 2 weeks to build up antibodies to influenza. If you had the actual flu you would have more of an respiratory, body aches extremely high fever basically feel like you got hit by a truck. Still sorry you are sick!

I don't think it is because of the flu shot. Sounds like you are sick because of the kidney stone. Don't stay home and wait til appt. Go to the doctor and get them to take care of it. You don't want to get sicker. Fever in your case is a symptom of a much bigger issue. GO to the ER now.

A fever and body aches are common side effects to the flu shot. It's also possible that you were already exposed to the flu and now you are ill with it. It's pretty widespread now across the country, so that is certainly a possibility, too. BTW, it takes about two weeks after receiving the flu shot to build up your immunity to the flu. Hope you feel better soon.

First, no you did not get the flu from the flu shot. As others have said, that is not possible. You don't even know if you have the flu, and by "flu" I mean influenza, the only thing the flu shot provides immunity from. Your doctor can diagnose the flu. I'm guessing you don't have it and that you have a gastrointestinal bug or a complication relating to your kidney stone.

If you do, in fact, have the flu, it was not caused by the shot. You would have gotten it anyway, as you would have to have been exposed prior to getting the shot. The shot can cause a slight fever as your immune system responds to the shot and begins producing antibodies. It can also cause soreness, especially at the injection site.

Hope you feel better soon!

The Flu shot takes about 2 weeks for it/the body to be up and running in your body.
In the meantime, if you were exposed to any viruses/illness and your immunity is down, you can get sick.
The vaccine is "dead." Not a live virus.

And, you were... at a hospital recently. Many people, get sick while at a Doctor's office or hospital. Viruses live on surfaces for even several days.
And you could have been exposed to any number of viruses that way.

After a vaccine, often times, you may get a temporary soreness or low fever. And this happens with many vaccination types. But that does not mean, you HAVE illness.
When give a vaccine, the Doctor USUALLY gives the patient an info FACT sheet about it and its side effects. Did... you get this? Read it.

Then, did you actually get diagnosed, that you have, the Flu?
A fever and aches, does not mean, you have... the Flu.
It could just be a reaction to the shot.

Your illness, to me, is coincidental.
OR due to the fact that MAYBE you got something while at the hospital.
After all... it takes several days of incubation... before a person ACTUALLY shows symptoms of being "sick."

The symptoms you have.... is not classic "Flu" symptoms.

Me and my family have always, gotten the Flu shot. We have never become sick, after taking it.
I get the shot.
My kids get the nasal mist, because they don't like shots.
They have never gotten sick from the nasal mist either.

Flu shots can't give you the flu. It's a dead virus. The mist has a small likelihood of giving you the flu, or you could have contracted it before you got the shot. There is a risk that you caught one of the types of flu not covered by the vaccine. Do you have congestion? A bad cough? Those are key elements in a flu, and you don't mention them. Vomiting can come with the flu for some people (it does with me, for some reason), but this is actually pretty rare. Usually, it is associated with stomach bugs, (the "stomach flu" is not the influenza - it's usually the norovirus - and the vaccine doesn't prevent it).

If you JUST got the flu shot, like yesterday, there is a possibility that you are having an allergic reaction to the shot. However, if you got the shot more than 48 hours ago, this is unlikely.

My inclination is infection, however. Infection can cause a fever and body aches as well, and it can be much more serious than the flu. I would get to the doctor immediately to get a flu swab done so that you can address this right away if the flu isn't the problem.

My dr says you can't get it from the flu shot that you probalby had it before and didn't know it. I don't agree EVERY time I have gotten the flu shot I have gotten the flu right after it and wost than ever.

The flu shot is a dead virus. You can feel funky the next day as your body builds up antibodies. Can you get the flu if you had the shot. Yes but it would not be as bad.

did you get the mist? That is a live virus and often makes people sick, but not usually with the full on flu.

OMG!!! You poor thing. I do not like the flu shot. I always got sick so I stopped getting it. Some people do well with it, some don't. It depends on your immune system and what you've got going on. Stress is a definite factor, but that is true for any illness.Unfortunately, now that you are sick, you are going to have to ride it through. It stinks I know, hope you feel better soon.

Hi E.,

I was in urgent care last week (kidney stone, too) and surrounded by gross, sick people who looked miserable. I'm guessing you might have picked something up being around other sick people.

For what it's worth, I do plan on getting a flu shot today. I'll let you know if I get sick right away too. :)

I don't think the actual flu shot gave you the flu. Just because you get the flu shot does not mean you will not get the flu. You most likely got a different strain of the flu than the what the shot was for. You really only have a 50/50 chance of not getting the flu when you get the shot. I think you have a higher chance to not get the flu just by washing your hands a lot. Sorry you are not feeling well. I hope you feel better soon

No. It's far more likely that you have the flu because the flu is going around like crazy right now.

The flu shot takes at least two weeks to be effective, so if you contracted flu less than two weeks after the shot it merely means the shot didn't have time to be effective. If you get the flu following the shot, it is usually much shorter and less severe in duration than if you did not get the shot. For example, the kids who were sent home from my daughter's class on Monday were back on Thursday thanks to the flu shot and Tamiflu. I know adults who did not have a shot and have been down a full 2+ weeks with the flu and secondary infections.

http://www.thinktwice.com/flu.htm