Vacs and Flu Jag

[Beoony]

In middle of chemo and got email to arrange for Appointment for my jab and flu.Should I wait until treatment finishes before I get them? Thanks in advance.

[Smileeveryday2021]

hi Beoony,

Give your team a quick text to check but I expect the advice will be to go ahead and get your Covid and flu jabs as soon as you can. Try to time them for a few days before your next chemo when your immune system is at its best…I have had mine during chemo several times. Never any problems with the jab hardest part is getting the timing right with appointments needing booking ahead and not always much availability!

[Newstart22]

Hi. I was advised by my team that it’s important to get them but

Need to be when the chemo is lowest in your body/immune at highest. I went the week before (flu) & beginning of week of (chemo on Fridays 3 week cycle) - best to check with your team

Vaccine MAY not be fully effective whilst having treatment

I slept almost a whole day with banging headache after vaccination but it had the same effect on me pre-chemo 🤷‍♀️

It can raise your Ca125 a little bit. Mine went from 35 to 37 so not loads but others have reported this to do to inflammation

hope this makes sense & helps x

[Beoony in reply to Newstart22]

Thanks for the information

[Lampadusa]

i have just had both my covid and flu vaccines done ,in the week prior to my next chemo,but know it'snot easyyo organise like that .However i was advised by my oncology team to just go ahead and prioritise as the vaccines kickstart and work over a number of weeks anyway,so the timingin the chemocycle isn't really that relevant. Hope this helps.

[Beoony in reply to Lampadusa]

Thank you hope you your keeping well

[Katmal-UK]

Best to ask yr team tbh x

[meadowgirl]

Hi Beoony

I would, as others suggest, speak to your clinical team. I had mine the week before my maintenance treatment (Avastin) and apart from a little tiredness, was fine I had Pfizer and flu jab, not at the same time. Since then, I have read that Astra Zeneca have produced a Covid vaccine suitable for immuno-compromised and wonder if I should have had that. It is reported to be more effective against the more recent Omicron strains. This is the link;

primaryimmune.org/news/upda...

So, best ask first and do what is best for you and your clinical situation.

Wishing you well x

[Rankij11]

not directly related , but flu vaccine can lower platelet count . Had Olaparib prescription delayed as a result . Now I look at timings more carefully.

Jennifer

[SopSinger]

I had mine during chemo. The nurse said it was better that than delay until chemo was complete and risk being infected in the meantime.

[Lovelocklo]

I’ve had both my Covid booster & flu jab whilst on full treatment but my oncology team advised me to have them at a specific time during my treatment, I would speak to your team.

[Rexrescue]

My chemo team told me to have the covid jab in the week before the next chemo infusion when the immune system was at its best. I was fine, no side effects just a sore arm.