Flu and Covid vaccine

[Smileeveryday2021]

Hello

Has anyone wisdom to share about these vaccines?

I assume we will all be offered the flu vaccine. Is there an optimal time during a chemo cycle for the vaccine?

Same question for Covid vaccination. Plus I had my vaccines at month 4 and month 6 after previous chemo…so I think looking at gov advice that means they were probably not fully effective?

Thanks all

Xx

[Lyndy]

Like you I am very confused by all the conflicting information and advice! I had my first jab at the end of a 21 chemo cycle and the second after chemo but some reports suggest this either gave limited immunity or equal immunity to everyone else…who knows! Just waiting for more information…. x

[Smileeveryday2021 in reply to Lyndy]

Hopefully someone on this site will know the answers for both of us xx

[delia2]

Hi. I’m in the US and just on Olaparib but my cancer institute recommended the third shot. I agree that it’s all confusing. I did read that the UK approach giving the 2nd jab twelve weeks after the first proved superior to the US approach of giving the second one closer to the first. I think if you were or are immunosuppressed then you should get the third but don’t get it while on steroids.

[Smileeveryday2021 in reply to delia2]

Thanks Delia2…it that because steroids damp your immune response further? X

[delia2 in reply to Smileeveryday2021]

Yes!

[Rai_Nakoa]

I am in Alberta, Canada. I had my first Covid vaccination about 5 days prior to chemo in May (cycles were 3 weeks apart…and this is when my bloodwork would show all my levels were best). I had my second vaccination exactly 3 weeks later…which now they say may not be very effective 😳. So….just had my booster (3rd) a few days ago, as it was recommended to increase immunity as best we can. Like anything else you look up on “Dr. Google”….there is so much conflicting information to be found. I had no side effects from any of the vaccinations, so I figure it can’t hurt anything to take the extra precautions. 😉

[Sashay2020]

I had my first two shots about four months after completing front line chemo. Only side effect was sore arm. But I know my immune system was still suppressed, so I was pleased when FDA approved 3rd shot for immunocompromised folks. Third jab was fine, but still had a really sore arm (which has always been a side effect of my annual flu shot). But the third jab caused dry skin and an eczema-like rash near the injection site. I waited several days, then used OTC cortisone cream and the rash is fading. I have had eczema since I was a baby so no big deal for me. Sashay