Shingles and flu shots

[sharroN42]

Should ITP patients have flu and shingles vaccinations?

[Kerryc]

I always have the flu shot. My platelets run between 40 and 60. Not sure about shingles.

[sharroN42 in reply to Kerryc]

Thanks Kerry

[LifeafterITP]

Last year I had hepatitis A, typhoid, tetanus, diphtheria and polio vaccination on one day for a holiday to India and far east. I then had my flu vaccination a week later. There was no effect on my ITP.

[sharroN42 in reply to LifeafterITP]

Thanks LAITP

[Heath21]

I always have flu shots but my haematologist advises against live vaccines like the shingles one. A shame since being exposed to shingles and chicken pox is a no no

[sharroN42 in reply to Heath21]

Thanks Heath

[sharroN42 in reply to sharroN42]

Heath,

I have been told that the new 2 shot shingles treatment is not live. I did have the first and all seems the same (many bruises) but I haven’t had my platelet count done for a while.

[SurferDude in reply to Heath21]

What are your levels?

[Heath21 in reply to SurferDude]

Levels weren’t spoken about, just whether vaccines are live or not. My platelets vary between 8 and 300 for no apparent reason!

[sharroN42 in reply to SurferDude]

My count has varied between 11 and 222; usually around 52 - 54. They were at 222 for knee surgery after an ivig but apparently I bled alot anyway.

[Lynwoodley]

Hi I always have flu shots With no problems my platelets were always around 40

[sharroN42 in reply to Lynwoodley]

Thanks Lynwoodley

[scaryteacher]

I always have a flu jab. Have not had the shingles jab, but as I had shingles just under 4 years ago for my 50th birthday, it would be pointless having it now.

[sharroN42]

Thanks scaryteacher

[linda64]

my platelets are always around 50 i have shingles at moment but my gp has advised my to have shingles jab after its cleared up

[sharroN42 in reply to linda64]

Thanks Linda

[AnthonyHeard Administrator ITP Support Association]

Like most things ITP it is all a matter of each case on its' merits.

I wrote an article on my ITP blog about a month ago about the flu jab. Here is a link to the item.....

myownpurplepatch.simplesite...

If you scroll down to the item titled TO JAB or not TO JAB - THAT is the QUESTION

it gives an account of my experience of considering the flu jab and the same applies to the shingles jab too. (I actually did get shingles in 2009 due to steroid use for my ITP over a 5 year period)

More very useful information on vaccinations is available at.....

itpsupport.org.uk/index.php...

and

itpsupport.org.uk/index.php...

Hope that it helps.

[sharroN42 in reply to AnthonyHeard]

Thanks Anthony

[vernmary]

I was newly diagnosed in March of 2019. Placed on high doses of prednisone (100mg daily and tapered ) all happened in a 4 month period. I was told by my Hematologist not to get a flu shot because it might awaken a sleeping giant. So, no flu shot for me this year. I'm doing fine and went from 3 platelets at diagnosis (getting a platelet and steroid transfusion in the ER) to 278 nine months later. I am happy I found a hematologist who understands and treats ITP with good results.

[vernmary]

My hemotologist said NO. It might stir things up so this is the first year I have not had a flu shot. He has me at normal right now so he doesn't want to create a problem.

[sharroN42]

Thanks Vernmary

[ASooner]

My wife and I each got the second of 2 shingles vacinations yesterday just before noon. By 5:00pm we both felt weak and hurting all over. This morning we woke up exhausted and aching all over. We were in church on Sunday and the Cancer and Hematology Center on Monday and went grocery shopping/vacination yesterday. We could have picked up a bug at any of those places but the info sheet that we got with the shots list flu like symptoms. We never have had a problem with annual flu shots and nothing with the first new shingles shot in November. Makes you wonder was it the Chinese?

[vernmary]

Just remember it takes more than 3 day incubation period to get the flu, so it can't be a bug. Must be a reaction to your shots. My hemo doc said NO to both shots now that he had me at normal platelets.