Shingles Vaccine
Anyway, my Long Term Follow Up specialist at Sloan says I would not be able to get the vaccine. Our immune systems for Lymphoma or Luekemia survivors would not be able to handle the introduction of the weakened chickenpox virus to our system. Also, it is important to know if you had chicken pox. If you have not, I undertand that you can not have the vaccine.
Wondering about all of your docs recommendations.
Thanks,
Cathy
Comments
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Mine said it's ok, but....
Hi Cathy,
Both my primary care physician and my cancer doctor said I could get the shot, but neither one asked me if I had chicken pox as a child. Nobody in my family remembers if I did, Mom and Dad have passed and also grandparents. So....I'm not going to get the shot until I get some solid answers. I go in next Tuesday for my Rituxan infusion, so I will grill my doctor for better information, and then report back what we discuss. I sure would like to get the vaccine, but definetely don't want to if it could harm me. Thanks for the info...I plan to print this out and present it to my doctor. Take care...Love, Sue
(FNHL-2-3A-6/10)0 -
Another interesting point isallmost60 said:Mine said it's ok, but....
Hi Cathy,
Both my primary care physician and my cancer doctor said I could get the shot, but neither one asked me if I had chicken pox as a child. Nobody in my family remembers if I did, Mom and Dad have passed and also grandparents. So....I'm not going to get the shot until I get some solid answers. I go in next Tuesday for my Rituxan infusion, so I will grill my doctor for better information, and then report back what we discuss. I sure would like to get the vaccine, but definetely don't want to if it could harm me. Thanks for the info...I plan to print this out and present it to my doctor. Take care...Love, Sue
(FNHL-2-3A-6/10)
Another interesting point is that I read that the vaccine is about 51% effective. My MIL told me about the "never having chicken pox" from her PCP part but that may be outdated info. I remembering reading somewhere that the majority of us adults have had the chicken pox whether we remember it or not. Good luck with your infusion and let us know! Cathy0 -
Follow your intuitions looks like it might have paid off, again
Hi Cathy, As you might remember I had non hodgkins lymphoma nearly 25 years ago and my GP told me I needed to have the shingles vaccine however I have not had it yet as I had a feeling that I shouldn't take it. When I went through my first treatments for cancer so long ago they told me to never have a live vaccine but over time so many things have changed I am unsure now. I just made an appointment to see my origianl bone marrow transplant surgeon to ask him this very question as well as speak to him about flu vaccines which I went ahead and had plus the pneumonia vaccine you take every few years. I even wonder about those.
I see the transplant surgeon in 3 weeks so I will let you guys know what he says but so glad I listened to my instincts and held off just in case he agrees that I should not have the shingles vaccine due to the lymphoma issue. He may say to go ahead but I will definitely mention the Sloan recommendation to you. Information is power, that's for sure, in so many ways. Instincts shouldn't be ignored as most of us have found out through this whole cancer journey.
Thanks for the posting Cathy.
Blessings,
Bluerose0 -
Bluerose,bluerose said:Follow your intuitions looks like it might have paid off, again
Hi Cathy, As you might remember I had non hodgkins lymphoma nearly 25 years ago and my GP told me I needed to have the shingles vaccine however I have not had it yet as I had a feeling that I shouldn't take it. When I went through my first treatments for cancer so long ago they told me to never have a live vaccine but over time so many things have changed I am unsure now. I just made an appointment to see my origianl bone marrow transplant surgeon to ask him this very question as well as speak to him about flu vaccines which I went ahead and had plus the pneumonia vaccine you take every few years. I even wonder about those.
I see the transplant surgeon in 3 weeks so I will let you guys know what he says but so glad I listened to my instincts and held off just in case he agrees that I should not have the shingles vaccine due to the lymphoma issue. He may say to go ahead but I will definitely mention the Sloan recommendation to you. Information is power, that's for sure, in so many ways. Instincts shouldn't be ignored as most of us have found out through this whole cancer journey.
Thanks for the posting Cathy.
Blessings,
Bluerose
It is so helpful
Bluerose,
It is so helpful and comforting sharing resources and thoughts between us survivors.
I bet your transplant surgeon is anxious to see you after all these years.
As for other vaccines, I do get the annual flu vaccine as this is a "killed virus" as well as the pneumonia vaccine. Twenty years ago when I got the pneumonia vaccine my doc told me it was good for life. Of course now that info has changed.
Take Care!
Cathy0 -
Shingles
Cat,
I wrote something regarding this elsewhere at CSN. My neighbor got shingles soon after going into remission from late-stage NHL. The tie between the two diseases needs to be better discussed, it would seem. I had HL, but no shingles before or since.
Max0 -
Shingles
Hi,
Interesting that I found this post this morning because I think I have shingles again. I have had them before (before NHL dx) years ago. I obviously have not had the shot but my primary care had said it would be ok last year. I actually forgot to ask my onc and now am getting chemo so it just never came up.
Ugh. I guess I have to go to my primary or dermatologist tomorrow to get a proper dx but I'm wondering. When you got them were you getting chemo at the time? Did they give you the anti viral medicine? Did you always have the nerve pain? Do you have neuralgia from it?
This is just such a never ending road... so tired of things "breaking " on me!! I looked it up last night and saw just how common shingles are with our disease. Go figure.
Hope you are feeling well.
love and prayers,
Donna0 -
Sorry Donnaonlytoday said:Shingles
Hi,
Interesting that I found this post this morning because I think I have shingles again. I have had them before (before NHL dx) years ago. I obviously have not had the shot but my primary care had said it would be ok last year. I actually forgot to ask my onc and now am getting chemo so it just never came up.
Ugh. I guess I have to go to my primary or dermatologist tomorrow to get a proper dx but I'm wondering. When you got them were you getting chemo at the time? Did they give you the anti viral medicine? Did you always have the nerve pain? Do you have neuralgia from it?
This is just such a never ending road... so tired of things "breaking " on me!! I looked it up last night and saw just how common shingles are with our disease. Go figure.
Hope you are feeling well.
love and prayers,
Donna
to hear that you may have shingles. I have become very adept on knowing when they are coming therefore I have asked my pcp to write a script to have on hand just in case. The sooner we get the anti-viral meds in our system, the less chance of post herpetic nueralgia or other complications.
My shingles have all been post treatment. My chemo was done in 1994 and the last 2 years was the worst for shingles out breaks. I think they have cropped up when I was over doing it and stressed out my immune system. Years ago, a case led to my dx of HL recurrence. I am usually left with a lot of headaches, scalp pain,tingling and itching. I started taking Lyrica for Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome and these symtoms went away. I stopped the meds and have some residual symptoms that are ok to live with. I guess we just adjust to these bothersome annoyances and accept they are normal for us.
First of all, I hope you don't have shingles and if you do that they are a minor blimp in your journey.
Take Care,
Cathy0 -
Shinglescathyp said:Sorry Donna
to hear that you may have shingles. I have become very adept on knowing when they are coming therefore I have asked my pcp to write a script to have on hand just in case. The sooner we get the anti-viral meds in our system, the less chance of post herpetic nueralgia or other complications.
My shingles have all been post treatment. My chemo was done in 1994 and the last 2 years was the worst for shingles out breaks. I think they have cropped up when I was over doing it and stressed out my immune system. Years ago, a case led to my dx of HL recurrence. I am usually left with a lot of headaches, scalp pain,tingling and itching. I started taking Lyrica for Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome and these symtoms went away. I stopped the meds and have some residual symptoms that are ok to live with. I guess we just adjust to these bothersome annoyances and accept they are normal for us.
First of all, I hope you don't have shingles and if you do that they are a minor blimp in your journey.
Take Care,
Cathy
I got shingles at age 47. Couldn't believe I had shingles since I was healthy and active. Three years later I was dx with non Hodgkins. I too wonder if there is a connection.0 -
Shinglescathyp said:Sorry Donna
to hear that you may have shingles. I have become very adept on knowing when they are coming therefore I have asked my pcp to write a script to have on hand just in case. The sooner we get the anti-viral meds in our system, the less chance of post herpetic nueralgia or other complications.
My shingles have all been post treatment. My chemo was done in 1994 and the last 2 years was the worst for shingles out breaks. I think they have cropped up when I was over doing it and stressed out my immune system. Years ago, a case led to my dx of HL recurrence. I am usually left with a lot of headaches, scalp pain,tingling and itching. I started taking Lyrica for Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome and these symtoms went away. I stopped the meds and have some residual symptoms that are ok to live with. I guess we just adjust to these bothersome annoyances and accept they are normal for us.
First of all, I hope you don't have shingles and if you do that they are a minor blimp in your journey.
Take Care,
Cathy
I got shingles at age 47. Couldn't believe I had shingles since I was healthy and active. Three years later I was dx with non Hodgkins. I too wonder if there is a connection.0 -
20 years ago they said alot of things - no 'unsaying' tho, lolcathyp said:Bluerose,
It is so helpful
Bluerose,
It is so helpful and comforting sharing resources and thoughts between us survivors.
I bet your transplant surgeon is anxious to see you after all these years.
As for other vaccines, I do get the annual flu vaccine as this is a "killed virus" as well as the pneumonia vaccine. Twenty years ago when I got the pneumonia vaccine my doc told me it was good for life. Of course now that info has changed.
Take Care!
Cathy
Yuppers they told us many things 20 years ago that now we are all finding out need to be tweaked shall we say. lol. Too bad that they can't keep lists of who they told what so that when they find out differently they can 'untell' us. lol. I was going around repeating and believing a million and one things I was told, especially about live injections, but now one by one things are changing. My visit to my transplant surgeon who I haven't seen for years and years is for this very reason and for the shingles vaccine. I know he is going to say to get them all again but I have to hear it from him as he seems to be the only one in the know with the latest.
This site though empowers me and others with information from other survivors on this topic and so many others so that when we meet with our specialists we feel strong in knowing that it's 'just not me' who has this issue and also doctors aren't able to say 'haven't heard that before from anyone else' either. Knowledge is power and sometimes going through the cancer journey, as you well know, makes one feel powerless at certain points.
Will let you know what the transplant surgeon says. I am seeing him this week.
Blessings,
Bluerose0 -
no vaccineallmost60 said:Mine said it's ok, but....
Hi Cathy,
Both my primary care physician and my cancer doctor said I could get the shot, but neither one asked me if I had chicken pox as a child. Nobody in my family remembers if I did, Mom and Dad have passed and also grandparents. So....I'm not going to get the shot until I get some solid answers. I go in next Tuesday for my Rituxan infusion, so I will grill my doctor for better information, and then report back what we discuss. I sure would like to get the vaccine, but definetely don't want to if it could harm me. Thanks for the info...I plan to print this out and present it to my doctor. Take care...Love, Sue
(FNHL-2-3A-6/10)
Hi all,
I was told by my Dr that I could not have the shingles vaccine as it is live. Strange how Drs. differ. Joanie0 -
Info on Shingles Vaccine
Interesting comments here and there does seem to be
conflicting information out there. It may just be coincidence,
but I had shingles a few years ago myself.
I also tested positive and was treated for H Pylori during my
cancer treatment. There's suspicion that certain viruses and
bacteria (H Pylori) may be related to cancer (lymphoma). Epstein Barr
is another one that comes to mind in my reading.
I found these two posts:
Mayo Clinic
WebMD
Hugs and positive thoughts,
Jim
DX: DLBL 4/2011, Chemo completed 10/2011, currently in remission.
0 -
Shingles
Hello All,
Been a long time since postinng, but have been following the site for some time.
I have also been wondering about Shingles and the vaccine. I had the pleasure of a shingles outbreak last Feb. I can tell you, that was the most painful experience ever! I really feel for you, having to go through that many occurences.
My PCM(military) at first wanted me to recieve the vaccine, but upon further research and talks with my Oncologist they recommended against it.
Cathy, you absolutely right, due to the chemo infusions and the havoc it creates with our immune system, the introduction of the virus vaccine is not a course of action we need to take.
On that note though, I had noticed that when I came down with shingles was also around the same time my work mates were also saying that thier children were having chicken pox outbreaks at the schools. Strange coincidence, do not believe so.
Everyone remember, like Cathy said our immune systems have been attacked and are comprimised. So, just like when we were in treatment you need to stay aware of conditions around us. I knkow it's difficult, especially when we are all wanting to go back to normal"
but we now have a "new normal" and we need to protect it.
I'm not saying to close up in a bubble, just take those extra steps to to keep yourself healthy and safe.
Always talk with your PCM about your decisions. They might not understand were we are coming from,0
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