Good morning to all my Pbc family. Just wondering, do you guys take the flu injection every year? And when you do get ill, what do you take for it? The specialist said only to take panadol, but GP gives me anything, so I end up not taking it. Do you take any extra vitamins or immune boosters in the winter time?
Hope you all have a good day today. Xx
Hi, I get offed the flu jab every year but don't have it. I don't seem to get colds to worry about it. The only concern is if it is a live vaccine, but I believe it is synthetic these days. I also don't use over the counter meds ..
Hello, I get the FLU vaccine every year and pneumococcal every 5 years. I recently had to have the HEP. B vaccine again because blood tests showed I was nonreactive so make sure you ask your doctor to check your Hep A and B antibodies every few years. For some reason, our immune system kicks it out and we have to be revaccinated. Just to be on the safe side.
The only thing I was taking for colds was NYQUIL which my doctor now advised against because it has more acetaminophen and it was knocking me out for 12-14 hours and I was still groggy during the day. She said to take DAYQUIL instead. Ironically I don't get sick much during the winter, besides a minor sore throat or sniffles and I drink lots of tea and take the medicine right away to knock it out in a couple of days fast.
Doctor advised against taking any supplements. As for vitamins, a MULTI-VITAMIN is recommended (Centrum, etc), but do not take iron as it gets stored in the liver and too much will lead to iron overload (some people may develop Hereditary Hemachromatosis) and cause more damage to our already compromised livers. I have never taken a multi-vitamin.
I take CITRACAL (Calcium with Vitamin D) to prevent osteoporosis (I have osteopenia). I was also very deficient in Vitamin D so I have my levels checked every year. I just started taking a probiotic, ALIGN.
Hope this helps. Take care,
Ivette, Chicago
Forgot to mention, doctor said not to get shingles vaccine or any other vaccine that is a live virus. Flu shot is okay because it is not live.
I don't have it and now I understand we should be being offered the pneumonia injection which is once only. I take vit D for my bone mass but that's it . I'm vegetarian and eat a healthy diet....mostly! 🍟
Hi, flu injection every October (when it comes out first) pneumonia injection a couple of years ago, it used to be every five years but I think it may be once off now. Only paracetamol but after an operation last year they gave me stronger painkillers and said its fine as once off. You need to keep reminding/asking other health professionals about your condition and ask them to consider if what they are prescribing is appropriate for you. I know you'd imagine that they should be aware but over the years I've realised that they only glance at your file before they see you and you need to talk things through with them each time. Do not presume anything. I take calcium/Vit D as I have osteoporosis prescribed by consultant. Take no other supplements or health shop products without discussing with consultant.
Hi Lekkerbek
I have the flu vaccine each year. I have read some of the other posts about pneumonia jab but I have not been offered that.
I did find out after a blood test by the GP that I was vit B12 deficient and under my own investigation following a blood test I found I was also vitamin D deficient. I now have vit.b12 booster every three months at the surgery and I use a vitamin D spray every day through the winter. I also have just started using a cream which has magnesium in it.
I have been fortunate not to have any coughs or colds recently but I have just had a sore throat which was getting me down so I used an a throat spray to give targeted relief and sucked some very strong throat sweets in between.
I avoid taking anything if I possibly can.
Hope you also have a good day.
best wishes
Hi Lekkerbek. I always take extra vitamins every day, but do not take the flue injections anymore. Last 2 times I took flue injection, I really got sick, but I did take the injection for pneumonia.
I was diagnosed with PBC in 2011 and have had the flu injection every year, also had the pneumonia jab. I'm sure I had the shingles injection also. My GP, who I have a great deal of trust for, assured me that all of them were OK to have. I also spoke to my specialist at the hospital. As for painkillers I understood that Paracetamol was the only one to take unless anything stronger was needed for short term use.
I have the flu jab every year around sept / Oct, I take ibuprofen or Tramadol for pain when i can stand it no longer. occasionally i will take a paracetamol but my gastro prefers Ibro, GP prefers Paracetamol, but saying that I try to not take anything as they make me feel ill.
Hello Lekkerbek.
I was first offered the flu vaccination later 2011 after being diagnosed with PBC December 2010. I have declined annually since. I have never really encountered colds, coughs or flu over the years despite family around me having certain times of the year so reckoned if I did have the flu jab I might then be leaving myself open to perhaps having. I am certain that my starting with PBC may have been a result of having hepatitis vaccinations when working in a medical setting a few years prior to starting to itch early 2010. Maybe one day we'll all find out but this is how I thought and moreso as my daughter had a bad reaction to the MMR when it was introduced in the late 1980s of which at the time no-one would say if it might have been when I asked (back then you never got information leaflets, the nurse just vaccinated there and then at surgery. I have since read the patient info leaflet the vaccines come in and know the cause of my daughter's problems for a short time were due to the MMR).
I have never been partial to taking painkillers all my adult life and last time I had paracetamol or aspirin (I was raised on aspirin in the UK, used to be Fennings Little Healers, a powder for children) was 2009 when I had a nasty toothache. I've not had any painkillers or medications tablet form (I won't count a nose cream I got when I had a few chemical cauterisations for a nose graze a couple years ago) since being diagnosed with PBC December 2010 so have been quite fortunate so far.
It is said that unless we are in the later stages of PBC majority of medications are supposed to be 'well tolerated'.
Yes I have the flu jab each year and take paracetamol for aches and pains and Calcium and Vitamin D for osteoporosis. Recently got a bit low on folate so GP gave me 2 months supply. Otherwise its just a healthy diet with lots of dairy, greens and fruit.
If I get a heavy cold, I usually don`t want tea (my usual beveridge) and drink warm Ribena - perhaps my body is telling me I need extra Vitamin C at these times.
That`s about it really. Hope this helps xx
Was having flu injection due to bronchiectasus but my dr said I definitely have to have it now I have pbc .
I usually get the flu shot, however after receiving one this year my Bilirubin levels were elevated, my Gastro and I tried to figure out why and came to the conclusion that seeing as nothing new was added to my treatment except the flu shot, it had to be the reason, so I don't know if I'm going to get it next year...
I wonder... if your bilirubin levels go up after a flu shot, I wonder how much they would go up if you had the actual flu?
I guess everyone has to weigh the risks and benefits based on their own individual situation. I will get a flu shot this year, but I am in good health and my liver enzymes are pretty stable. If that weren't the case, I'm not sure I would get one. I guess it just depends.
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