Home         Forums  

Go Back   Marrowforums > Practical Issues > Questions and Answers
Register FAQ Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Questions and Answers Not sure where to post a question? Post it here.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
  #1  
Old Wed Mar 16, 2011, 09:12 AM
kgtuck kgtuck is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Sylva & recently Waynesville, North Carolina USA
Posts: 47
Question Flu shot or not?

My doctor has advised me to get a flu shot; I had put this off last fall and winter and she is advising me to go ahead and get one even tho the flu season is almost over. Have you had flu shots and any side effects due to this disease?
__________________
66 yr female;diag 6/09; MDS, unspecified, normal cytogenetics: blasts 10%; successful Dacogen;every 4th wk.; as of Aug.'12 changing to every 5th wk., stable at Hgb 12-14/platelets 200-300/wbc 2.-3.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old Wed Mar 16, 2011, 10:54 AM
tytd tytd is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Southeast, USA
Posts: 132
flu shot

Hello kgtuck,
I got a flu shot this year which also protects against the "swine" flu strain. I always worry about any medication or vaccines since I have such a low platelet count. However, I had no problem with the flu shot. I would highly recommend it especially since you have low white counts. I also would consider getting the Pneumovax vaccine which protects against pneumococcal pneumonia. It is usually given starting at age 65 but is recommended earlier in certain younger people at risk. Just be sure and get the flu shot which is inactivated and not the nasal flu vaccine which is live.
I had a few questions for you concerning your treatment with Dacogen. One was why your doctor chose Dacogen over Vidaza? The other was what happened to your blood counts during the first few cycles of Dacogen since you began with such low counts? Did your platelets drop a lot initially and did you have to get many platelet transfusions? Have you been given any growth factors like Procrit, Aranesp or Neupogen while you have been on Dacogen. Thanks for the information and I hope you will continue to do well. Tytd
__________________
possible low to int-1 MDS with predominant thrombocytopenia, mild anemia, dx 7/08, in watch and wait mode
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old Wed Mar 16, 2011, 11:31 AM
kgtuck kgtuck is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Sylva & recently Waynesville, North Carolina USA
Posts: 47
Thanx for the "flu shot" info

Thanx for your advice--I'm going down to get a shot today! From all the things I've read, there were more responses to get one than not!
In answer to you questions re: dacogen; I think they chose that drug because my doctor's group (in Asheville, NC) had had such success with it and I had no chromosome defects and completely healthy otherwise.

Began dacogen when first diagnosed in june '09; was very sick 1st 2-3 months with low counts of 7 hgb; 15-20 platelets; 1 wbc; 5 blood & 6 platelet transfusions; after second round of dacogen nos. began creeping up and jumped WAY up after the 3rd round. The nurse explained that it usually takes 2-3 or maybe more in some patient to get enough of the drug in your system to show improvement. I've had completely stable counts (except for my white count which varies from 2-3.8) for about 22 months now. And no transfusions since that 3rd round of dacogen. (P.S. Yes, I did have the have a few Procrit shots during those first couple months). Also,relatively no side effects!

Thanx for your comments. Take care (where are you in the southeast?)
__________________
66 yr female;diag 6/09; MDS, unspecified, normal cytogenetics: blasts 10%; successful Dacogen;every 4th wk.; as of Aug.'12 changing to every 5th wk., stable at Hgb 12-14/platelets 200-300/wbc 2.-3.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old Wed Mar 16, 2011, 11:39 AM
Neil Cuadra Neil Cuadra is offline
Owner
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Los Angeles, California
Posts: 2,553
Here are some flu shot discussions from past years that I think you'll find informative:
Flu vaccination, Yes or No?

Flu Shots

Flu Shot Information for Patients
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Impact of flu shot on neutrophin count? appu2015 Pediatrics 6 Sun Oct 18, 2015 12:51 AM
flu shot Rentzi AA 16 Sat Jan 31, 2015 03:04 PM
Flu Shots Hopeful General Health Issues 11 Thu Dec 17, 2009 12:48 PM
H1N1 (Swine) Flu Advisory Marrowforums News and Events 21 Mon Nov 9, 2009 09:32 AM
Flu Shot Information for Patients Marrowforums News and Events 0 Tue Nov 6, 2007 06:54 PM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:39 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Forum sites may contain non-authoritative and unverified information.
Medical decisions should be made in consultation with qualified medical professionals.
Site contents exclusive of member posts Copyright © 2006-2020 Marrowforums.org