'Flu Changed My Life Forever – I'm On Permanent Oxygen And Had To Change Jobs'

Some experts and NHS bosses have recommended wearing face masks again as the health service faces “unprecedented” levels of the disease.

“The NHS is urging anyone eligible to get their flu vaccination to help prevent them getting seriously ill,” they added in a statement. 

For 40-year-old Claire Davies from Teeside, who previously worked as a nurse, the vaccine was “life-saving”; she says she was at risk of death from a 2022 case.

Sarah Sleet, CEO at Asthma + Lung UK, explained, “For many of us, flu can leave us bed-bound for days, but for people with pre-existing lung conditions, it can mean being blue-lighted to A&E.

“This year, flu will claim thousands of lives in the UK, and we know people with lung conditions are particularly susceptible.”

Sleet pointed out that people with conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are seven times more likely to die from the flu than those without the health complications.

Davies, working with Asthma + Lung UK, (a charity which has compiled a Winter Wellness Guide for those living with lung conditions), shared her experience with flu in 2022 – highlighting how serious the condition can become. 

“I have no doubt in my mind that if I hadn’t had the vaccine, I wouldn’t be here now. It literally saved my life.”

Davies, who has two lung conditions, said she led a pretty ‘normal’ life prior to catching the flu in 2022. 

“I was diagnosed with two lung conditions called bronchiolitis obliterans and severe cystic bronchiectasis as a child, which means I get breathless easily. I used inhalers and nebulisers, and had physiotherapy twice a day, but I still led a relatively normal life,” she said.

“As an adult, I got a job as a nurse and loved it.” 

She also got her flu vaccine yearly, but had generally been able to manage coughs and colds at home. 

“Then, in 2022, I was struck down with the flu, and it completely floored me,” she shared. 

“I was struggling to breathe so much that I had to go to [the] hospital and ended up there for three months on oxygen and medication to help keep me alive.” 

In an experience she described as “terrifying,” she added, “At one point, the doctors told me there was nothing more they could do. My oxygen levels were so low that I was at risk of dying.

“But I couldn’t be put on a ventilator, because my lungs were so weak that I’d never be able to come off it. I was so ill I couldn’t even talk.” 

She was left with 30% lung capacity and is on permanent oxygen. 

“The specialist told me I was very ill, and the only chance I had of surviving long-term was a double lung transplant, so I am now on the waiting list for one.” 

Davies is urging people to take the flu seriously 

“A lot of people don’t have the flu jab as they think ‘Oh it’s just flu, I’ll be fine,’ but flu can be deadly, especially for those with pre-existing lung conditions like me,” Davies said. 

But in her case, “My life has changed completely. I now work in a desk-based role [that] I can do at home, and it’s difficult for me to go out, as I have to carry oxygen with me wherever I go. It’s terrifying not knowing how long I might have left, but all I can do is hope that a donor is found in time.”

She added, “I know I would never have survived it if I hadn’t had the vaccine, and would urge everyone to get vaccinated. It’s just not worth the risk.”

Sleet agreed: “This year’s flu has hit early and hit hard. The most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to get vaccinated. The vaccine not only reduces your chance of catching flu, but also the severity of symptoms.

“It is particularly important for people with lung conditions to get their free flu vaccine as soon as possible, [as] it could save your life. Asthma + Lung UK is also urging people with lung conditions to consider wearing a face mask in crowded or indoor spaces to reduce their chance of catching the virus.”

People eligible to get a flu vaccine on the NHS include those over 65, people with long-term health conditions, pregnant people, those in care homes, carers for older or immunocompromised people, frontline health and social care workers, and those who live with a person who has a weakened immune system.