I have had cold like symptoms since mid November - started with sore throat, then head cold, then dry cough with occasional coughing "jags" lasting for a good 10-15 min. where I am nearly choking and not able to catch my breath from coughing so hard. My vocal cords are so tightened up that my voice is very low and by the end of the day I sound very bad. Went to the doctor just before Christmas - got a chest xray. Came back clear. Doctor could not hear too much wheezing in lungs but gave me prednisone to try. I did not take the prednisone because (a). I was going to be around a lot of people at the holidays and we're into flu season (b). my coughing "jag" would only happen 1x/week. I've held off on the flu shot until symptoms subsided. I still have dry, unproductive coughing but I'm thinking that maybe I should go for the flu shot. Good idea?