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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / October 2005Flu Vaccine
Hi Everyone, Is it okay to get a flu shot (dead virus)if on Humira,Enbrel,Mtx.Etc.? Thanks! Carol > Hi Everyone, > Is it okay to get a flu shot (dead virus)if on Humira,Enbrel,Mtx.Etc.? > Thanks! Carol You should get a flu vacc if you are on immunosuppressant medications. For people with low white cell counts they should consult their doctor and ask for a cd4 test (helper t-cells). If I'm recalling correctly, insufficient cd4 cells may result in the vaccine being less effective or ineffective with only one dose, but this is something to discuss with your doctor(s). Getting a serious virus like the flu while on immunosuppressant medication is a 'bad thing' (tm). Ari  Signaturespammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor: http://www.abmdr.org.au/ http://www.marrow.org/ > Hi Everyone, > Is it okay to get a flu shot (dead virus)if on Humira,Enbrel,Mtx.Etc.? > Thanks! Carol I sure hope so...I've been getting mine at the RD's office for several years now.:) I'm on Enbrel, but have used MTX also and always get my shot. Kelly C. >> Hi Everyone, >> Is it okay to get a flu shot (dead virus)if on Humira,Enbrel,Mtx.Etc.? [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Kelly C. yuppers - in fact last fall I was on mtx & arava & my PCP agreed that that combo put me in the high risk category so I qualified for a shot even during the shortage. SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare > Hi Everyone, > Is it okay to get a flu shot (dead virus)if on Humira,Enbrel,Mtx.Etc.? > Thanks! Carol Yes,,, some doctors even get rude about it. Harv Re Flu drugs. If you are taking any of the anti tnf drugs or mtx you are more vulnerable to infection, especially by viruses. This should put you in a priority group to receive one of the anti flu drugs. Has your PCP put you on the priority list ? Peter Thanks everyone.I'll get the flu shot...Carol Hi Peter,no,I'm not on a priority list,but my PCP told me he was going to give me a flu shot on my next visit,which will be in 2 wks.The reason I wasn't sure about getting one is I hear so many people getting sick after they receive one.I guess it's a myth since it's a dead virus.I've never had a flu shot before.Then again I've never been on all these immunosuppressent drugs before either,so I will get the shot...Thanks! Carol > Hi Peter,no,I'm not on a priority list,but my PCP told me he was going > to give me a flu shot on my next visit,which will be in 2 wks.The reason > I wasn't sure about getting one is I hear so many people getting sick > after they receive one.I guess it's a myth since it's a dead virus. You feel sick because of your immune response to the viral proteins. Your body goes into full 'oh my god we're under attack!' mode and there are some serious signalling chemicals used by the immune system to attack an invading virus. These make you feel sick (some are even made artificially and used in cancer patients...they don't feel so great during those treatments!). As a side effect, you feel so sick that you don't move very much, so your immune system gets priority for your blood glucose rather than the muscles. White cells just luuuurve glucose! >I've > never had a flu shot before.Then again I've never been on all these > immunosuppressent drugs before either,so I will get the shot...Thanks! > Carol Signaturespammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor: http://www.abmdr.org.au/ http://www.marrow.org/ I used to work with folks who swore they alwys felt like they were coming down with the flu for a day or two after getting the shot, therefore they weren't going to get it. I'd always ask them which was worse, feeling like you were coming down with the flu for a couple of days or getting a raging case of the flu for 1-2 weeks? Some saw the point, some still refused to get the shot and wanted to take their chances. Mind you we worked at a large regional hospital on an inpatient floor, so we had high exposure to just about anything that was going around. And our employee health gave the flu shots for free---- For me the flu usually goes into a major respiratory infection, either upper or lower, so getting the shots was a no brainer even before mtx & Enbrel. Now I consider them essential. SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare >> Hi Peter,no,I'm not on a priority list,but my PCP told me he was going >> to give me a flu shot on my next visit,which will be in 2 wks.The reason [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >> immunosuppressent drugs before either,so I will get the shot...Thanks! >> Carol |
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