Has anyone had problems with the flu jab aft... - Vasculitis UK
Has anyone had problems with the flu jab after previously been ok .Dont know if to have pneumonia jab.I have WG .
Yes. I had the flu jab for many years, due to being on Azathioprine and steroids. No problems. Then in 2007 or sometime around then it caused problems. About a week after having the annual flu vaccine my cerebral vasculitis went badly out of control again. My consultant was convinced it was due to the flu vaccine, and forbade me from *ever* having a flu vaccine again.
Now I can't have the flu jab because I'm so heavily immunosuppressed (on 4 different immunosuppressive drugs simultaneously, in addition to steroids) so would have no hope of a protective response. But even if I was on fewer drugs the consultant wouldn't let me have it anyway, though I'm high risk for flu.
My husband gets vaccinated which gives me some protection. He gets vaccinated as my carer. And both my (elderly) parents get vaccinated.
I had swine flu in 2009. No fun at all. But still no flu jab any more for me.
Thank you ,that rings bells .I was on higher dose of preds and not on Azathioprine the last two years because I was still taking cyclophosphamide.
Plus have recently been diagnosed with enemia in the last few week.maybe its, a combination of changes.
It just went straight to my chest ,whiich needed more anti b to get things under control again .
We do get really interesting and relevant questions on this site!
Regarding pneumonia: there are several causes and several types of pneumonia. Because we vasculitis folk have impaired immune systems, we are more vulnerable to pneumonia, but the standard pneumonia vaccine against streptococcal pneumonia does not work very well for us. Children have an "immature" immune system so they have the same problem. The solution there is to give them a series of 3 vaccinations of a special type of the vaccine at intervals - which seems to work. It has been suggested that this would also work for immune suppressed people like us, but this is not yet proven. So there is no reason to NOT have it, just that it might not work.
Another type of pneumonia is pneumocystis pneumonia, due to a yeast like fungus. It is mainly to prevent this that people take Cotrimoxazole (Septrin, Bactrim).
Sadly, I don't think there is any vaccine against viral pneumonia.
Thank you ,I understand what you are saying .I take Septrin ever other day and have done for the last three years.Hopefully everthing will be alright this time .Hope you are both ok .
I have had the pneumonia jab once and the flu vaccine yearly for the past 8 years with no side effects. Dr Jayne always tells me its ideal to have it before Rituximab for it to be effective or at least 3 months after.
Thanks Jill
Im much better this week . Have booked an appontment for a pneumoniia jab for the 7th nov .Did not help that hubby only just got over a heavy cold to.
Ok just an update,things continued on a slippy slop,now dealiing with a flare and early christmas present 6Omg preds a day .
Saw wg consult thurs not going make any major treatment changes over the christmas period.
Miss read situation ,feeling good and bloods ok for the first time in four years !!
take care all.
ps still cant make our minds up if flu shot set me off :(. but now think major infection may be the key . .
