flu shot
Posted , 10 users are following.
Hello All
The flu is hitting hard in my state as well as others
Realitively healthy adults as well as a few children have passed away,and I C U s are full of poor sufferers.
The strain was not covered in this years flu shot, but they say if
had it ,it seems to not be as terrible.
i never get the flu shot, and my internist(not my rheumi)said actually since my immune system is compromised from pred, ( and. now methotrexate) probably wouldnt have built up immunity anyway.
I am being to second guess this, and wonder what the community thinks.
I will ask my rheumi tomorrow as well.
Never got the flu, even without the shots over the years, but have never been on these meds...
Hand washing like crazy, and trying to stay out of crowds..
Thanks,
Gina
1 like, 32 replies
EileenH gina30088
Posted
The sort of dose of pred we are on for PMR doesn't suppress the immune sysem as much as in GCA or other immunosuppressant drugs. I get very few infections and there are quite a lot of others who find the same.
Having the flu shot may not induce as good a response as if you weren't on pred, but it still produces some antibodies and so prepares your body to some extent if it meets the flus included in the vaccine. At least 50% of the flu variations in a year are covered usually and I think this year is no different. So it will have provided some experience for your body to half of what it might meet. Without any previous exposure you are likely to be made more ill.
It's another case of "Every little helps".
And a study found that you wearing a face mask DOES reduce the chances of you catching other people's bugs. A face mask and a scarf around your face is another contributor to every little helps.
gina30088 EileenH
Posted
Thanks Eileen
Yes probably should have gotten it, though my doses have stayed quite high, 25 to 30 mg due to return of symptoms when lower: and methotrexate started now.
But regret not getting it,and guessing to late ..
Odd too, some say ok to get shingles shot, some say don't... I was shocked rheumi ok with shot esp on metho, but cant anyway as hasnt been a year since last shingles outbreak
I have had shingles three times in 15 years, .. its a puzzlement why some if these things arent more definitive .
Just have to hope since never have gotten before, w/o shot, will stay as fortunate now..And will pick up a few maskes for crowded areas i cant avoid,
Hope all out there stay flu less
Be well. Gina
Anhaga gina30088
Posted
There's a new shingles vaccine on the horizon which is supposed to be much more effective in protecting older people - the first vaccine apparently not so good. And it doesn't use live virus so it should be safe to get even with immune-compromised conditions.
ptolemy Anhaga
Posted
EileenH gina30088
Posted
The current shingles vaccine is NOT a good idea for patients with PMR - one of the listed adverse effects is polymyalgia rheumatica. If it can cause it - I really don't think I'd like to experiment. It can also cause shingles itself which doesn't seem much of an advertisment to me!
There has been some discussion on the forums recently. Google "The Shingles vaccine debate - and PMR" and "More about the shingles vaccine and its downsides" which are posts I put up on the HealthUnlocked forum about it. The second one in particular has a lot of info.
karenjaninaz EileenH
Posted
EileenH karenjaninaz
Posted