pneumo jab

[hamble99b]

any weggie have the pneumonia jab while on prednisolone and mtx? my gp is reluctant to ive it.

regards,

sandra.

[Jann]

No I had it last year and I was just on steriods. I will be booking for it again ths year. My GP,s clinic like it to be on a different day to the flue jab.

[PatriciaAnn]

Hi Sandra

I've never had mtx, but I have had a yearly flu jab and I've had one pneumonia jab - I think I am due for my second one this year. At the time of the first jab I would have been on Mycophenolate and Prednisolone. Unlike Jann's experience I had mine at the same time, and didn't have any after effects. Neither jab is a live vaccine. Maybe you have some other problem which might preclude giving the pneumonia jab. Did you GP give any indication why not?

There is something about vaccinations on the Vasculitis UK website: vasculitis.org.uk/living-wi...

PatriciaAnn

[PaulBingham]

Hi Sandra,

I have had WG for 7 years.I have various medications, including Azathioprine, Mycophenolate and Methotrexate plus the usual dose of Steroids.

I have had a regular annual flu jab because, as the other person has said ,it is not a live jab. I even had the bird flu jab when the scare was around a couple of years ago.

The key issue for both me and my consultant is that the immune suppressive medications leave you weaker to fight infections eg FLU. If you get such infections they hit you harder and it is more difficult for your body to fight them.

My consultant and I are adamant that the flu jab is an esential annual event. My GP knows nothing about such things as her experience of Vasculitis is Zero. From what you have said ,your GP is equally ignorant of Vasculitis and is trying to be helpful by risk avoidance, whereas he/she is not helping at all, because they are making decisions about something they have no knowledge about.

It is always difficult to challenge a GP advice but I would advise you to talk to your consultant, or if you cant, INSIST on the Flu jab.

Mine is booked for October 2nd.

Good Luck.(Own you own solutions and treatment as much as the medical profession whose knowledge or our illness is NOT widespread among the GP population.)

Paul

[hamble99b Volunteer]

thanks all,

paul my gp is very interested in my wg and we share info. he's acting on past advice from a previous vascilitis consultant. he asked me to mention it to my new one but I forgot.

regards,

sandra.

[HiveMind]

Hi Everyone,

I'm not a WG sufferer; I have Churg Strauss Syndrome (CSS).

My thoughts on the flu jab.

I was at a support group seminar a couple of years ago and the guest speaker who is an eminent vasculitis consultant, stated that he thought it wouldn't harm most Vasculitis patients to have the flu jab.

However he thought CSS patients ought think carefully about it (i.e. he didn't want to actually say DON'T have it) as CSS is thought to originate from an allergic reaction and having the flu jab may be a step too far for, us in particular.

I have had CSS for just over 4 years and I have never had the flu jab. Mainly because of what that consultant said but also my mother, who was an asthmatic, had the flu jab every year and always came down badly with the flu! I also just have a gut feeling it's not for me and I have learned to trust my gut instincts.

I think it is truly an individual choice and (I have learn't) no one in the medical profession will ever stick their neck out and TELL you to have it; for obvious reasons.

In my experience, this is one dilemma you have to sort out yourself.

[hamble99b Volunteer]

thanks all, just thought I'd ask. I've had the flu jab for 17 years now with no ill effects.

regards,

sandra.

[pwc51]

I am on MTX and Prednisolone. I have had the flu jab for the past 3 years and last year had the pneumonia jab at the same time with no adverse effects.

[JimL]

I was on MTX and Pred when I had my flu jab last year and had no problems. However I have heard of three or four Weggies who were very I'll after having the flu jab, but they might have had live vaccine.

[PatriciaAnn]

Hi Jim

I've also heard of people saying that the flu jab gave them flu. All the blurb says that it isn't possible because it isn't a live vaccine. However, such a lot of people say they got flu (I wonder if they actually mean real flu or if they were harbouring a cold) that the experts might have it wrong.

I was specifically told that the flu jab was not a live vaccine, but I believe the flu prevention they squirt up your nose (I think they give that to children mostly) does contain live vaccine. Well, that's my understanding but I have been know to be wrong before (lol).

I currently have a stinker of a head cold which is trying to get to my chest. This cold really likes me and has stayed with me for over a week. If my immune system can't dispatch a head cold/chest infection quickly (without the need for antibiotics) I dread to think what a proper dose of flu or pneumonia might do without the benefit of at least some protection.

PatriciaAnn

[tracynoe]

I had the Pneumonia jab 7 years ago and was told that another was not needed for 10 years. It was done the same day as my annual flu jab but into the other arm. Within a few hours I started to feel very ill this progressed into a really bad chest infection. Whether this was from the flu jab, which I have reacted to in the past, I can not say, I have not had such a severe reaction to the flu jab since so can only assume it was because both were done on the same day and my body could not take both together, at the time I was on a high dose of steroid as I had not started any other meds.

This is something only you and your GP/Consultant can decide remember that what we sometimes get after these jabs is just our bodies producing antibodies to protect us and it is minor compared with what a full blown bout of Pneumonia or flu could do. In my case I wouldn't hesitate to have any jabs offered if they are going to protect me but that is my personal choice.

Tracy

[Katie18]

I have churg Strauss syndrome. I have had the flu jab for many years now without any ill effects. I was diagnosed CSS last oct and my consultant was very keen for me to have both the flu and pneumonia jabs to protect me. I was on prednisone and aziathioprine at the time and was fine. The vaccines are not live and so cannot give you flu or pneumonia. My view is whilst my immune system is being suppressed I need the extra protection. All asthmatic patients are routinely offered the flu jab by their GPs.

[Alison-cov]

Hi Sandra

I am a weggie like you, have had it now for 6 years I (& all family members at home address) have the have the flu jab every year. I have only had one pneumonia jab (given same time as flu jab), was told that it would last for ten years. Since the original jab have now been told that you do not need to keep having it done every 10 years..... I am on preds, Mycophenolate, iron, calcium, pain killers, etc

I would advise having it as said above, it is not a live vaccine. It is all about trying to stay onestep ahead of the weggie and all other bugs and germs that can do us more harm with having a reduced immune system.

take care

Alison

[lesleyadams51]

Hi I had the flu and pneumo jabs at the same time 5 years ago. i am on steroids and azathioprine. My consultant told me to have the jabs as I need the protection because of immunosuppression.

[vivdunstan Volunteer]

I used to get the flu jab every year, sometimes with pneumo, under consultant's orders, since I was 25. But then one year it seemed to exacerbate my difficult-to-control cerebral vasculitis, and he ordered me never to have it again. More recently I've been told I can't have it because I'm on so many immunosuppressants simultaneously (current steroids, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil and methotrexate) that I would have no hope of getting an immune response to the vaccine and thus protection from it. So I take my chances. I caught swine flu when that was going around. I always get the anti-virals if I need them though. My husband gets the flu vaccine though, as my carer (he's only 41 and wouldn't qualify himself), which gives me a little bit of protection catching it wise, since I'm mostly housebound.

[John_Mills Volunteer]

John is having the flu jab for the first time this year because he had such a bad winter last winter... I am more nervous about him having this jab than he is... John was never advised not to have it, he was told it was his personal choice...

Susan

[LynneJ Vasculitis UK Volunteer]

I have MPA and my husband Sam was really nervous about having a flu jab but had it for my sake. He had had one years ago and had a bad dose of 'flu' afterwards. Both of us were fine. I have since read that what people thought was flu was a reaction to the stuff the vaccine used to be carried in (I think it said it was egg based). But it has greatly improved now.

[suzyjeremy]

I have WG and on pred and just started azathioprine again. I had both jabs last year with no problems. I am only expecting the flu jab this year though as they told me the pneumo jab was for life and won't need another.

[SueAshdown]

For immunosuppressed people the pneumo vaccine is needed every 5 years. This is as it doesn't work so well if you are taking immunosuppressent meds.

[mandijt]

Hi Sandra

I had the flu & pneumonia jab on monday (WG - 20mg pred, 2000mg MMF, & 50mg Aza) and i've been fine. I was told i'd need the pneumonia jab again in 5 years.