Just curious.....

[Tankjsl]

I'm coming up on 4 months post transplant. So far, so good..... I saw a commercial on TV about vaccines for Covid and flu. How long after transplant did any of you get vaccines? Just curious.... I will ask the doctor the next time I see him in a few weeks but as I said I wondered what others have done. Thanks - have a great day!

[LisaSnow]

In the US I believe you have to be vaccinated to even be eligible for a transplant. After the transplant I think each center has their own recommendation based on what meds and what dose you are on. General rule of thumb is always be vaccinated. The key imporance is to use vaccine to prevent any deadly consequences from not having immunity to fight the viruses.

[Darlenia in reply to LisaSnow]

Well said. My hubby had to be completely vaccinated prior to transplant and his vaccine status was constantly updated after transplant. He was also given antibody injections. Surprisingly, I got Covid but he escaped! We're both going to get the new vaccines this fall.

[LisaSnow in reply to Darlenia]

Just like you, when my husband and I were vacationing in Europe I tested positive for COVID but he tested negative, although we both had symptoms. It isn't actually surprising. The medications that keep the transplant from being rejected by the body are powerful and they suppress many normal functions body has that eradicate viruses. Viruses will always replicate faster and more vigorously in transplant patient body than in normal healthy people. I attribute the fact that I got better relatively fast despite test results to the fact that I got my second bivalent booster vaccine a month before the trip. It saved my life.

[Winner76]

Flu vaccine is a definite, I’m not sure if il take a covid vaccine this Winter if I’m offered one. The other thing is you have to avoid live vaccines , just google them because they might be different than here in Ireland. I have to avoid any kids getting their MMR vaccine and when my daughter got the nasal flu vaccine because it’s live.

Best wishes

[sugabear]

Talk to your transplant team.

[Tankjsl]

thanks everyone- I already plan to discuss it with the transplant team at my next visit. I have also used my chart to connect with them yesterday.

[ShyeLoverDoctor]

I go to my transplant 4 month checkup on October 10. I will discuss it then. For context, I got my last Covid booster on June 8. I asked one transplant center doctor when should I get the next one? He said, I can’t advise you on that. I said, they’re coming out with a new one on the fall. He said, Then get that. Since peak immunity is 2 weeks post vaccine, I plan to get it 2 weeks before I go to the transplant center. Even though it’s a 6 hour drive, I plan on driving, so far. Pre- transplant, my nephrologist said to get the flu vaccine no later than mid-September. Those do wear off, so I will ask about that as well. The RSV vaccine just came out in the USA, I asked the pharmacist if that was a live virus vaccine and they said no. I will bring that up. As far as I am concerned, the more vaccines, the better. My father got polio the year before the polio vaccine was invented, and he was crippled for life, was in an iron lung, limped, couldn’t run, often had back pain, was no longer able to play tennis which he loved. I truly don’t understand why anyone would refuse a vaccine. Yes, it is possible to have a side effect, even a serious one, but I feel the benefit far outweighs the ris.

[LavenderRabbit]

My transplant center says to wait at least 3 months after transplant to get any vaccine. That said, ask your transplant center.

[Eyak1971]

The only vaccine I have been advised not to get is shingles shot. Even the new one that has no active virus has caused shingles in some of the transplant patients in the my center. Note - I got my transplant at the age of 70 on Feb. 29, 2020. Thought I would be the only one who needed a mask. It took me almost 3 years to feel comfortable without one and now there is a variant that is increasing hospital stays. With the air quality in constant Flux and new variations of covid I seem to be experiencing a totally different world that was not in my plans. But above all congratulations on your transplant.

[LisaSnow in reply to Eyak1971]

That is very interesting. Our transplant center highly recommends transplant patients to get Shringrix. Shingles can be so painful with lasting pain that I would not risk getting it again.

[Eyak1971 in reply to LisaSnow]

I was surprised too. Would be interested in statistics and what other centers are promoting.

[LisaSnow in reply to Eyak1971]

My question for your transplant center would be, how did they know if Shringrix "caused" shingles in that patient? Shingles occurred when host immune system is lowered and that is primarily due to the transplant medications. The vaccines including Shringrix work on recognizing the presence of viruses (or when activated) to target the immune components to suppress them. In theory, Shringrix cannot "cause" reactivation of herpes zoster because that isn't how herpes zoster reactivate.

Correlation does not equal causation so in reality, it is impossible for anyone to conclude Shringrix is the reason the shingles happened in that case they saw.

[TeacherMommy]

My transplant center said to get the covid vaccine at 3 months. Because of the initial strong doses of immunosuppressants at transplant time, they reasoned that I wouldn’t be able to make antibodies until 3 months out.