Vaccination advice

[Joni2011]

My lupus diagnosis is fairly recent and I haven't had the pneumococcal or flu vaccines. I spoke to the lupus nurse yesterday and she advised me to have them if my GP surgery is happy to do them. So, I rang my GP and unfortunately got to speak to an incredibly unpleasant doctor, who I avoid whenever possible. He was very rude (as usual) and said they are doing vaccinations but obviously I would put myself at risk by coming to the surgery, so it was a balance. I tried to ask what he thought and he just snapped at me to 'just be decisive'. He said this twice and offered no opinion. In the end I said I'd think about it and hung up to have a little cry (he always makes me do that!). Can I ask advice about whether I should have the vaccinations? I'm not on immuno-suppressants and will be self-isolating as per the guidance over the coming months.Does the self-isolation put me at less risk of pneumonia and flu?

[PMRpro]

All the distancing measures make us less liable to flu and pneumonia - in Japan the incidence of seasonal flu has plummeted this year! I do always say that keeping away from buggy people and hand washing can have a major effect on our winter health! Colds and flu spread the same way - it is just that there is no existing immunity to this particular virus, not even partial, so it is even more important to avoid getting it.

Under normal circumstances I would say get the vaccinations but if you are self-isolating anyway you are at reduced risk. The vaccines don't work immediately, the flu vaccine takes 3 weeks and the pneumococcal one at least the same time (I don't have a figure) and neither of them will have the slightest effect against either the Covid virus or the pneumonia it causes. Vaccines are fairly specific in what they do because of the way they are made.

And I would put in a complaint about that doctor - perhaps not just now as he is better than nothing - but at some point. We had a GP a bit like that - but he turned into a human bean when he discovered we both worked in the NHS, which I thought was appalling and he improved even more when he discovered we had a flat in the valley he spent the summer climbing mountains! But we decided he was shy and was quite useful for saying "I need a prescrption ..." ...

[Joni2011 in reply to PMRpro]

This doctor is NOT shy! The first time I saw him I assumed he must be have a particularly bad day, but I've seen him a few times since and he's always the same! Now, I won't take an appointment if it's with him, but if they get someone to phone me, I don't have a choice. Anyway, during the last few years leading up to my diagnosis, I have made so many complaints and so many phone calls begging for a reassessment or another opinion - it's been the most humiliating experience of my life. I don't have the energy for any more. Luckily all the other GPs are lovely.

Thanks for the advice.

[tree_shadow]

Do you have your spleen?

[Joni2011 in reply to tree_shadow]

I do. Not sure I've ever been asked that before!

[tree_shadow in reply to Joni2011]

Elective splenectomy is common amongst ITP sufferers; and ITP is common amongst Lupus. My understanding is if you had your spleen removed the vaccine for pneumococcal would be very critical.

[Joni2011 in reply to tree_shadow]

No, I haven't. Can I ask what ITP is?

[PMRpro in reply to Joni2011]

Immune thrombocytopenia

[Joni2011 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks