Re: Questions on Flu shots

[Guest guest]

,

Thank you for the information. From my understanding Celiac Disease it is

an autoimmune disease and they are caused by an over active immune system.

I am not sure since there is so much information out and I am not sure what

is true and what is not.

I am afraid of the flu immunization after her reaction to her first set of

shots. We have done just the bare minimum with the DtaP, Polio, and Hib

shots. It has been something we just were never sure of how much to give

her. I guess I will have to see what the new GI doctor says later this

month.

Thanks again.

[Guest guest]

Priscilla,

Thank you

for the information. I am just so

battle weary from making so many decisions regarding my daughter’s health and

having to butt heads with the doctors when they do not agree with them early

on. And then to find out how sick

she really was. She was diagnosed March

2004 and has greatly improved after going GF. She was pretty sick when we got started and we do have

mistakes with the gluten sneaking in her diet but she has actually been pretty

healthy for the most part. The

illnesses she has had still hit her harder than most of the others around her

but she is doing so much better and she isn’t knocked down for the count on

them anymore.

Immunizations

really scare me after her reaction and she has been through so much up until

now that I am not sure it is really worth another shot for her. I will talk to the doctor since we not

only have the Celiac Disease to deal with but we also have her kidney problem

as well. I am going to meet both

with a GI doctor and an Urologist and will have them weigh in on the

subject.

I just

know if we chose to not do the flu shot that it will mean having to stand up to

a group of people that believe fully in them and tell them no. But guess that if that is our decision

then it will have to be done. I am

looking forward to the day she can actually go between well child visits with

out all the in between visits.

It really

has gotten easier to deal with this whole issue of the Celiac Disease and we

are able to actually maintain some form of life with out having to have her

sick all the time. I also realize

this is the start of a life time journey and so some days it does get heavy and

seems like there is so much to worry about with her.

Well she

is still up and it is getting later so I should go. Thank you for the advice and I will look at those links

tomorrow. I am really leaning away

from it but also want to know if there is any advice that would indicate I am

making a bad decision.

[Guest guest]

We didn't do the flu shot last year until AFTER my daughter got sick. SHe was hospitalized with meningitis, as a complication of the flu. The rest of us just got the normal run of the mill flu, but she was hit hard. She is not a celiac either. In the past, we had abstained from the flu shot simply because she had one reactive allergy test to eggs (the vaccine is cultured in egg shells). She has since tested negative two times. I wish I had gotten the flu shot before. I need to schedule the flu shot right away for all of us this year!

I know there is a lot to worry about with our sweet babies, and I would never presume to suggest that a parent do anything but what they feel is right for their child. That being said, after being through so many illnesses with this child, and still not knowing why she gets sick so easily, I'll never regret the choice to vaccinate for this and pneumonia. I've known hundreds of people who have vaccinated for this for themselves and their children, and I've never heard of a single bad reaction. And because of the extreme shortage that was announced yesterday, I would suggest that you make a final choice as soon as possible, and stick with that. It may be a lot harder to get the shot two months from now!

I hope this story helps, and that you feel moved to continue making the choices that feel best for your child. Raising a child often means stepping out on a limb; whether following the doctors advice, or standing up to them. You know your little angel better than anyone. The one thing that has helped our child the most is a strict "no sick kids in this house!!!!!" policy. Even when that upsets the parents of friends. They aren't the ones rushing to the hospital; we are.

Becki

RE: Questions on Flu shots

Priscilla,

Thank you for the information. I am just so battle weary from making so many decisions regarding my daughter’s health and having to butt heads with the doctors when they do not agree with them early on. And then to find out how sick she really was. She was diagnosed March 2004 and has greatly improved after going GF. She was pretty sick when we got started and we do have mistakes with the gluten sneaking in her diet but she has actually been pretty healthy for the most part. The illnesses she has had still hit her harder than most of the others around her but she is doing so much better and she isn’t knocked down for the count on them anymore.

Immunizations really scare me after her reaction and she has been through so much up until now that I am not sure it is really worth another shot for her. I will talk to the doctor since we not only have the Celiac Disease to deal with but we also have her kidney problem as well. I am going to meet both with a GI doctor and an Urologist and will have them weigh in on the subject.

I just know if we chose to not do the flu shot that it will mean having to stand up to a group of people that believe fully in them and tell them no. But guess that if that is our decision then it will have to be done. I am looking forward to the day she can actually go between well child visits with out all the in between visits.

It really has gotten easier to deal with this whole issue of the Celiac Disease and we are able to actually maintain some form of life with out having to have her sick all the time. I also realize this is the start of a life time journey and so some days it does get heavy and seems like there is so much to worry about with her.

Well she is still up and it is getting later so I should go. Thank you for the advice and I will look at those links tomorrow. I am really leaning away from it but also want to know if there is any advice that would indicate I am making a bad decision.

[Guest guest]

It really it overwhelming at first, at let me say that I applaud your honesty, and that you are posting your thoughts here. It is so important to reach out to others! This is an awesome place for it, because we can all relate, and you are "safe" here. It seems to me your decision boils down to whether the flu shot will cause more negative side effects or whether the flu itself will be more harmful. Tough call, since who can say for sure that your daughter will get the flu (my kids have NEVER had it, and they are 9 and 11!, go figure, I usually get it, and so does my hubby--in fact, I got it twice after getting the flu shot!) One thing we have learned around here is to trust our mother's intuition. On the other hand, remember to keep an open mind when you are talking to the doctors. You don't want to compromise all the good progress she has made, and a bought of the flu could do just that. Good luck, and keep posting your thoughts. It really does help, not just you, but all of us, because we all struggle in ways you can't possibly know. Godspeed!

Dana, Gloriously GF

Mom to , GF and Bipolar

[Guest guest]

I don't think you'll have to worry about having to stand up to doctors.

There aren't enough flu shots to go around. Our doctor's office is only

giving them (if available) to children 6-23 months and high risk

children.

Elaine

Marvin and Bjorge wrote:

I just

know if we chose to not do the flu shot that it will mean having to

stand up to

a group of people that believe fully in them and tell them no. But guess that if that is our decision

then it will have to be done. I am

looking forward to the day she can actually go between well child

visits with

out all the in between visits.

[Guest guest]

When I spoke with our allergist/asthma specialist recently, he said

celiac per say should not increase your risk of flu, but people with

any secondary issue should seriously consider getting the flu shot. My

son and I (both celiac) have just been through 8 weeks of severe

asthma, so we are getting flu shots as soon as the supplies come in.

Maureen

> Hi Everyone,

> I have a question on the flu shots that the doctors are now pushing for

> kids. They have opened the discussion with our daughter since they

consider

> her at risk child for the flu. A few years ago I probably would not

have

> questioned such a statement but she reacted to her first set of

> immunizations so bad that I almost refused any more after that. She has

> received the ones required by the schools but other than that we

have done

> any of the extras at this point.

> My question is that with Celiac Disease doesn't that mean her immune

system

> is actually over active as it is? And is there any true benefit to

giving

> her the flu shots?

> Thank you for your help.

[Guest guest]

, if I understand you correctly, you suggested that a person's immune system is overactive when they are a celiac and that may indicate they wouldn't need a flu shot.

The way I see it from the way my body responds is that before I was gluten-free, I had a very difficult time getting over colds, cuts, etc. After I have been gluten-free a while, I have a much easier time healing. So I conclude while the body's defenses are overactive with untreated celiac disease, they may be so strained that they do not have the reserve to handle colds, cuts, etc. very well.

Also Dr. Green of the Columbia University Celiac Disease Center indicates there can be an inadequate immune system response with celiac disease: "hyposplenism, or an inadequately functioning spleen, is common in active celiac disease. Because the spleen is important in fighting bacterial infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria, patients over the age of 50 years are advised to have the pneumococcal vaccine. This is usually repeated every 5 years." years.http://www.celiacdiseasecenter.columbia.edu/C_Doctors/C07-Management.htm

At the same time, I think if your child has reacted to the flu shot, then I wouldn't give her another. If she has reacted to the DTaP, polio or Hib shots/vaccine, but not the flu shot, then I would give her the flu shot, but not whichever of the other she has reacted to.

But I am not any kind of medical person, so it is up to the parents, with the advice of your doctor, to decide what should be done.

Jo Anne

Questions on Flu shots

Hi Everyone,

I have a question on the flu shots that the doctors are now pushing for kids. They have opened the discussion with our daughter since they consider her at risk child for the flu. A few years ago I probably would not have questioned such a statement but she reacted to her first set of immunizations so bad that I almost refused any more after that. She has received the ones required by the schools but other than that we have done any of the extras at this point.

My question is that with Celiac Disease doesn’t that mean her immune system is actually over active as it is? And is there any true benefit to giving her the flu shots?

Thank you for your help.

[Guest guest]

The flu virus is killed before being made into a serum. When injected into the body the immune system "sees" the invader and starts to make antibodies. That's why some people will have a mildly elevated temp and flu-like symptoms after a flu shot. When your body is invaded by a live flu virus you already have the right antibodies to attack it so you get very mild or no symptoms.

The reason we need a new flu shot every year is because the flu virus rapidly mutates. There are usually 2-4 flu strains predominant every year. The CDC monitors the flu cases in the entire world to see which ones are predominant for the current year. The flu serum is created for those strains. Gave many flu shots, as an additional duty, when I was in the Air Force.

Most immunizations are from killed virus. All work on the same principle as the flu shot, the other viruses just don't mutate the way the flu virus does.

When you have an autoimmune disorder your body thinks you're the invader and tries to destroy you. So anyone with a chronic disease or an immune disorder is more prone to infection and more likely to die from the infection or complications. That's why Dr's reccommend annual flu shots and all those other immunizations.

Discuss your concerns with your doctor or his/her nurse.

Marvin and Bjorge wrote:

Hi Everyone,

I have a question on the flu shots that the doctors are now pushing for kids. They have opened the discussion with our daughter since they consider her at risk child for the flu. A few years ago I probably would not have questioned such a statement but she reacted to her first set of immunizations so bad that I almost refused any more after that. She has received the ones required by the schools but other than that we have done any of the extras at this point.

My question is that with Celiac Disease doesn’t that mean her immune system is actually over active as it is? And is there any true benefit to giving her the flu shots?

Thank you for your help.__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Our pediatrician called yesterday to say that they consider my CD 5

yr old to be at risk, and that they were recommending the flu shot

for the whole family. They saved special doses for us and we went

in yesterday for the shots. Luckily, he has never had a reaction to

immunizations, so we have all had flu shots every year.

Unfortunately my CD husband wasn't able to go in yesterday, and his

office just informed him that they won't have any supply this year,

so I'm on a quest to find some for him today. Good luck with your

decision! Phoebe

[Guest guest]

Just as an FYI - the flu shot was a big topic after our PTO meeting last night & several of the moms who are nurses warned against getting the "spray" if you can't get a shot. Evidently the spray is a live virus, you will get sick from it, and there are lots of things that can prevent it from doing it's full job - like if you're stuffy at all from allergies, etc.

I'm sure you all are jealous that I lead such an exciting life.......hope everyone has a safe, healthy & FUN weekend!! The leaves are just starting to change here in TN.

Re: Questions on Flu shots

Our pediatrician called yesterday to say that they consider my CD 5 yr old to be at risk, and that they were recommending the flu shot for the whole family. They saved special doses for us and we went in yesterday for the shots. Luckily, he has never had a reaction to immunizations, so we have all had flu shots every year. Unfortunately my CD husband wasn't able to go in yesterday, and his office just informed him that they won't have any supply this year, so I'm on a quest to find some for him today. Good luck with your decision! Phoebe