When in the chemo cycle should you have a flu jab?

[BusyLizzie]

My oncologist said it should 4-5 days before your chemo, my chemo nurse says it should be as close to your chemo as possible (1-2 days) so that your resistance is at it's best? What have you been told?

[spanishanna]

Hi Lizzie,

My Onc.just says go ahead and have one, irrespective of time. I have never bothered about time around chemo. However with being on Carbo/Avastin at the moment, the way the Carbo makes me feel - really rough, I will have mine when I am feeling my fittest which will be probably be a week before my next chemo !! Probably your chemo nurse makes sense, as that is when your resistance is at its highest.

Anna x

[BusyLizzie in reply to spanishanna]

Thanks Anna. I am so glad you are around. If I have the jab 3 days before my chemo, then I have probably covered all bases.

Lizzie

X

[Hidden]

Dear Lizzie,

Your oncologist and chemo nurse will have your blood cell counts and so be aware of the state of your immune system and how strong your resistance is likely to be.It might be advisable to receive the flu jab in between treatments, at a time when the white blood cell count is close to normal.

If you are in the middle of chemotherapy treatment, they will advise as to when it is the best time to have the vaccination in order to get the greatest chance of protection.

Your immune system is weaker when you’re having chemotherapy, which means the vaccine may not work quite so well.

The vaccine is made from an inactivated virus, so there is no risk of getting the flu from the jab as the vaccine works by causing the body to produce an immune response against the flu virus,

Take care of yourself.

[BusyLizzie in reply to Hidden]

Hi LathaKan,

Thanks for your post. I don't think my oncologist or chemo nurses gave their advice based on me individually, just what they normally say. If I have the jab 3 days before my chemo, then I have probably covered all bases.

Lizzie

X

[Meryl]

Hi All

Just had my 3rd annual flu jab whilst on chemo and have never worried about when in the cycle it was. I just originally checked that it was OK to have it and have had no problems at all.

Meryl XXXXX

[BusyLizzie in reply to Meryl]

That's the nicest answer so far!

[Hidden]

Hi Lizzie,

I never even thought about the timing! After your mention of it before I've just phoned the surgery and booked it for tomorrow, (mid cycle). perhaps I'd better phone my specialist nurse and check........ can't remember what I've done before.

Viv

[BusyLizzie in reply to Hidden]

Hi Viv,

If you do, please let me know what she says....

So far we've had "4-5 days before", "right before", "right after" and "it does not matter"

Love Lizzie

X

[moominkat]

Hi, amazingly enough I asked my chemo nurse this very question yesterday - she told me the day after my chemo is the best day to have it. She said to book the appointment when I book my blood test and if for some reason the chemo is postponed, to simply cancel it and rearrange. Hope this helps. xx

[BusyLizzie in reply to moominkat]

Interesting....yet another variation on the answer! Thanks for that

[moominkat in reply to BusyLizzie]

hi - me again! My goodness yes, a lot of variation! I THINK it's to do with the immune system being at its best, and the way my nurse explained it, I'd have the blood test on the Friday before my Mnday chemo session so the surgery would also be able to see what my red blood count is and whether I am fit to have the jabs (they want to give me both 'flu and pnuemococcal jabs). We really need a professional's input here lol

[Hidden]

I phone the chemo unit this morning.... answer came back a couple of days either side of chemo. Not a lot of good when surgeries do it one day a month!!

[BusyLizzie in reply to Hidden]

Hi Viv,

Thanks for the update. I have rearranged my vaccine 2 days before my 6th chemo. I think they said they will keep it the fridge for me...

Love Lizzie

X

[MargaretJ]

Hi Lizzie,

When I was on chemo in 2009 my GP recommended that I did not have the flu jab but I had it last year and this year though I was not having chemo. The sign at my surgery recommends that people on chemo do have it s

O when you feel strongest is probably best.

[BusyLizzie in reply to MargaretJ]

Thanks Margaret. I have my jab booked next Wednesday 2 days before my 6th chemo which fits in with me being strongest.

Good luck with your York meeting. I am in the Midlands or I would have come and said Hello.

Love Lizzie

X

[marjorie]

Hi I had my flu jab 5 days before and was ok xx

[Hilsuk]

i was told within a day or 2 of chemo as long as neutrophil count not too low . I had mine half way through my chemo course and was ok - felt a bit rough after but thats normal for chemo - imagine having proper flu on chemo would be terrible so worth having . Made sense to me as when immune system art its best as also know neutrophil count ok when have it -Im a GP by the way xx