For several years I have had an annual flu vaccine and a few months ago I had a shingles vaccine.
I have recieved a letter from my doctor stating that I should make an appointment for this year's flu vaccination as it is now due.
Since the LS diagnosis and it's association with the immune system I feel apprehensive about further vaccinations incase they may have a detrimental effect on my immune system.
At the moment I am holding back from making the appointment.
The last thing I want to do is over stimulate my immune system.
Does anyone else have any views on my concern.
I have the same concern and stopped my annual flu vaccine practice a few years ago following reading research questioning its effectiveness anyway. In fact, a lot of research shows that adequate levels of vitamin D do more to support our immune system and prevent respiratory infections than do the flu vaccine. Since getting my blood-tested levels up to 60, I haven't been sick in those years at all, unlike before my levels were adequate and I was catching every cold and flu that blew through! I don't plan to ever get another flu vaccine and will work instead to eat well, sleep well, and take my vitamins!
Hi Norma,
Only to say that I have had LS for few years and flu vaccine and it has never affected mine in any way. I know we are all different but if you are in good health apart from LS I'd say go for it .
Hi suzanne...There was a time when I had no health worries and took doctors instruction in blind faith.
Since developing LS and eczema, I question everything.
We are offered a flu vaccine after a certain age regardless of health requirements.
Can unnecessary vaccinations cause more harm than good!
Flu vaccine is no guarantee against flu as it only protects against limited strains.
Reports of mercury and other chemical contents in flu vaccine prompts me to think with autoimmune disorders it may be wiser to give the flu vaccination a miss unless for essential health reasons.
Interestingly you mention vit.D as I have increased the amount I take believing it to be a crucial vitamin for many reasons.
A fact that I learned recently is the importance of having enough magnesium(a very undervalued mineral) because magnesium is necessary for utilizing vit D.
Thanks for your opinion.
Hi caroline...That was my attitude and I hadn't really thought about it until developing autoimmune disorders.
I do now question whether having a vaccine that stimulates an immune response is the thing to do when autoimmune disorders are already present.
Although an autoimmune disorder is not an infectious disease it makes me feel not as healthy as I would like to be and I now have my doubts about the need for the flu vaccination unless a medical necessity.
Thanks for your opinion.
I see, well If you are really concerned then leave it Norma, we have enough to worry about with this dreaded condition without adding to it. Better for you to have peace of mind ..... All the best
Thanks caroline, I think you have nailed it...peace of mind....if in doubt..!
Learned a lot from this discussion...will research more. Thanks.
Hi Norma,
Thanks for your thoughts. And also I'm aware that Vitamin D, magnesium, Vitamin K, and calcium all are necessary for bone health, too. Vitamin D apparently affects hundreds of different epigenetic switches, including reducing the liklihood of manifesting autoimmunity.
I now question everything I'm told about health and illness, as well. There are many forces to consider when deciding whether to take medical advice. I've had to become a diserning consumer of health information. I have several autoimmune disorders, in addition to LS. We have to educate ourselves thoroughly, not just take our doctor's advice, in order to make our way back to health! There is so much to know and so much yet to be discovered about what causes functional illness and how to regain health. I feel like my hobby has become researching health information in order to figure all of this out!
Best to you!
--Suzanne
Thanks suzanne..There was a time when I didn't give much thought to what I consumed. Indulging in what I wanted as much as the next person. Conscious thought went as far as in one end and out the other.
Now I am a believer in " we are what we eat".
Reaching a certain age and unwanted health beasties raising their ugly heads made me aware of a need to do a rethink on my eating and drinking habits.
The internet has been a boon for anyone wanting to research an issue.
In fact my doctors surgery uses this site to refer to for information.
General Practitioners are just that (general) and many times get the diagnosis or treatment wrong.
They also follow guide lines which appear to be constantly shifting!
I think we should be taught about healthy lifestyles and healthy eating in schools rather than becoming aware later in life through ill health.
Ingorance may be bliss but it doesn't educate.
Take care Suzanne and good health to you.
We never stop learning judy and research can be mind provoking. There are so many researches and studies out there with some studies conflicting others. It all comes down to which and what information one finds acceptable.
We are so much in agreement, Norma! I have radically changed my diet and lifestyle. A total about-face in the last few years. Now I eat a whole foods, autoimmune diet (no grains, basically only grass-fed, free-range meat/salmon, and veggies/fruits), and I'm more mindful of issues of sleep, stress, exercise. Has helped a lot, though I certainly am not cured of every problem that I have. I appreciate hearing from another health seeker. You are right--the internet has made so much info so readily available! Suzanne
Thanks for this topic.... never even thought about this so will definitely be following up on the various replies. I am so lucky as my GP has taken up the challenge of researching what he can do to help me and at present I am coping well. He surprisingly suggested that, if I am really struggling with the irritability/itchiness, it would not hurt to take an antihistimine and it works! I take a 10mg Phenergan at night. (Not all the time obviously) Of course, it also makes me sleep like a baby but hey that makes me feel better too. Good luck to all.
I have asthma, last year i did have the flu jab as i have for several years- all without a problem until last season. The wrong strain of vaccine was given to the UK population. I had THE mother and father of 'flu bugs and wouldnt want to repeat that exercise. I was ill for what felt like months - no energy or motivation even after the acute phase of a couple of weeks was over. I put on a huge amount of weight as i was uable to walk across the room without becoming extremely breathless, even now i have loss the ablitiy to climb hills with ease! The weigh has remained and i will say yes please as soon as the new fluy vaccine is offered, with luck it will be the RIGHT strain this year!
Yes patricia, I have come across the use of antihistimines a few times.
Apparently they suppress an inflammatory immune reaction and cause sleepiness.
If it works and doesn't harm then thats good.
Oh dear, I think you have a lot of problems to contend with sue.
If you are vulnerable with asthma or any lung condition then I think a flu vaccine is adviceable.
Even if the flu virus doesn't make you feel bad enough a secondary broncial bacteria infection will.
My problems at the present time are skin disorders, otherwise I feel in good health and not convinced I need a flue vaccination.
If I give the flue jab a miss then get a dose of flu this winter then I will be the first in line next time round.
Hope you get your jab and it is successful in protecting you this winter.
As I live in the North West of England we don't get enough vit.D from the sun in the winter months.
I will increase my vit.D intake and see how it goes as I do believe vit.D plays a big part in supporting the immune system.
I take a benedryl capsule almost nightly..only need one. It helps me sleeps much better. My daug. told me years ago that her doctor told her to take them because she was so restless at night. He told her it would not hurt in any way. So I have taken them off and on for a few years. I started taking again when I was diagnosed with LS.
For those taking antihistamines, I was distressed to find out not long ago, that many of them, like benedryl and phenergan, are anticholinergics which are coming to be strongly associated with the development of dementia in older adults. You can check this out by googling dementia and anticholinergics. I have taken a lot of anticholinergics in my life and am almost 60. I wish that I had known this information sooner (though I think that they are just discovering it). It seems that a lot of pharmaceuticals just aren't very good for us, I'm sad to say. Hope that this information is something that you can talk over with your doctor. Best to you. ---Suzanne
Suzanne, thank you for sending this info. I am going to check into it. I certainly don't want dementia in addition to LS. If it's not one thing it's another...
Hi Norma - Goodness i didnt mean to sound as if i had the world on my shoulders- just that i try and keep flu and other bugs at bay - Everyone has a story to tell it is just the way i tell it i expect! Actually i have been reading up on the gene mutation my sister informs me i have- and it COULD be a reason for my auto immune issues .
The answer appears to be to increase the B vitamins as much as possible and NOT take tablet form of folic acid but instead up the greens. This will also keep cardio vascular problems, chronic inflammation, auto immune conditions and dementia far less likely The articles i have read - mainly academic so it takes AGES to get the info into my brain- seem to indicate that homocysteine levels should be very low - it is a bad enzyme and eating plenty of the above will help its excretion, thus lessening the chances of major incidences. Sadly testing for these levels is expensive and techologically difficult -the blood has to be tested within 30 mins or the results are nul and void - So one has to be near a lab that can freeze the samples, so mass testing is not really an option at the moment