Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Reminder....

My Rheumy insists on it. Everyone in our family gets one every year. I have noticed that all the drugstores have signs out to remind people. We usually get ours at Walmart.

Yes, no live vaccines!

It's really kind of weird but since I was first dx'd with Fibro eight years, I haven't gotten the flu. I didn't have any of the flu shots then either.

Pea, sorry but that's incorrect. You can have a flu shot on a biologic. You cannot have any innoculation that involves a live vaccine (such as for yellow fever; although they will consider the rubella vaccine in women of child-bearing years); however, the flu shot is safe for us.

So, unless your doctors have told you it is unsafe for you specifically, if you are on a biologic medication, please do get a flu shot!!

Just wanted to set the record straight.

Love and Warm Hugs,

Nope, he told me that I shouldn't get one or a pneumonia shot either.

I guess it depends on the dr. Mine told me that I HAD to have then while I was on those meds because of what they were doing to my immune system. I have had the pneumonia shot twice because of the 5 year thing. No live viruses but the flu shots and pneumonia shots are not live as long as you stay away from the nasal spray.

Here is another situation where we each have to make our own decisions after discussing it with our drs. I ended up in the hospital on IV antibiotics and on antibiotics for month with a lung infection after the flu. The pulmonist told me then to "never" miss the flu shot and my rheumatologist agreed.

Stay home during flu season. :o) Wear a mask. Avoid the flu like the plague Pea. I do even with the vaccine.

Hugs.

Okay, so I talked to a nurse yesterday about getting a flu shot. She said if you have a compromised immune system then they don't want to give you any foreign substance whether the virus is dead or alive.

Interesting. I appreciate the care they are taking, as much as it goes against what I've heard. They may have seen a different study. Sounds like this is a decision of their practice. It hasn't hurt you so far.

Still, ... I am curious to know what brought them to this decision on these things. Enquiring minds and all.

Love and Warm Hugs,

"little germ factories"

I like it, Sue!

Brad

Who told you this, Pea? I have been on a biologic for 12-15 years and get a flu shot every year. Since I started seeing my current rheumatologist about 5-6 years ago, he always checks up with me to make sure I did get my flu shot and, when needed, my pneumonia shot as well. Not getting it if you're on a biologic may indeed be the protocol where you live, but here in Michigan, the exact opposite seems to be true--your immune system is even more compromised when on a biologic, so it's more important for those on biologics to get the shot than it is for those who aren't on them. Or so I've been told.

Brad