Topic: H1N1 vaccine

I am done with chemo and I am now cancer free. I am healthy. Am I considered high risk because I had cancer and my immune system was compromised by chemo even though that was over a year ago?

But isn't cancer considered a cronic illness?

We do not have the H1N! shot available here either...not even at Duke and that's a huge hospital.  My friend who has RA was told my her Rheumy (at Duke) that her immune system is compromised and she needs the vaccine.  She's on meds that probably really compromise her system.

Yes, I know those with underlying medical problems are at more risk than healthy people.  As I posted, my grandchildren got the mist.  How in the world their pediatrician got the stuff is amazing.  But it sure wasn't a plentiful supply because my dd had to call the office often and run right over there as soon as she found out they had it.  I guess they got the flu anyway because the vaccine had not been in their system long enough.  They are fine now.

By the time they get the vaccines delivered that flu should be over.  Gosh, it's been going on for months now.  Oh, and even the seasonal flu shot is in shortage.  I was lucky to get my while I was at Duke for my onc's visit.

Tirlie...How does "The clue: high knowledge helps to make the decision." have anything to do with if a person should get the vaccine or not?

Many Dr. here who have done the research are not getting the vaccine.  Does that make them not have "high knowledge?"

Got my H1N1 yesterday. Our first lot came in, finally. 100 doses for a campus of 6000. Now comes the fun part--screening for high risk students.

Anne

Hi, all--

I saw my med onco this week for a routine going-over. One of the questions she asked was whether I'd had my flu shot. I told her I'd had a seasonal flu shot in October; and was ready and willing to get an H1N1 shot but hadn't been able to find one (yet).  She seemed pleased that I was not on the side of the nay-sayers.

She did point out that, being in my mid-50's and healthy (early-stage BC, on a "maintenance" drug [Arimidex] and NED), I am not in a high-risk group. She said it sounded as if there wouldn't be enough H1N1 vaccine for general use until late in the year or even early 2010. 

Most of the K-12 school systems in this state haven't even received any H1N1 vaccine yet.  Some of the colleges have received small shipments, but only enough to vaccinate a few hundred people at a time and it's all been the nasal spray, not the injectable form. Most of the shipments have been going directly to county public health departments, who've been sponsoring vaccination clinics for the high-risk folks.  Other people who show up at those clinics are being turned away.

The good news is that, according to my onco, the worst of the H1N1 epidemic here in Alabama may be over. It hit the schools really, really hard in September & October, with lots of kids and teachers out and some people getting very sick. There are still deaths being reported every week, but not so many new illnesses.  All of it (when tested) has been categorized as H1N1, or at least Type A ("presumed to be H1N1").

There hasn't been an outbreak of seasonal flu yet, at least in this region.  So I guess that's the bad news--the seasonal flu is still coming.  It tends to arrive later in the year or even after January, so the fact that it isn't here yet is nothing new.

My problem is that H1N1 is still raging in the parts of the country dh and I will be visiting for the holidays in December.  I have some cousins in their 40's and 50's who've missed as much as 2 weeks of work and are still sick. My dad (in his mid-80's) was just dx'd with pneumonia this week.  It's not H1N1-related, but it puts him at huge risk if he does contract the flu.  He can't get an H1N1 shot, of course, especially now that he's sick.  But he wouldn't have been able to get one anyway, because he's in a low-risk group.

Maybe things will have calmed down by this time next month... I sure hope so.

otter 

[Edited to add:  One of my relatives is an ER nurse. She had a seasonal flu shot > 6 weeks ago, and got an H1N1 shot last month.  She said the ER staff were in the highest-priority group and got their shots during the first round.] 

I called Health Canada about the H1N1 to double check if I am in the 'high risk group".  My last chemo was mid-June and presently take Femara. Health Canada told me that because I am taking Femara, I am considered high risk!  The vaccine is not available to me yet, there is a shortage right now in my province so I have to wait until the lift the restrictions.

If we are on an AI, I cannot see how that makes us high-risk.  I have great faith in HealthCanada but I think they got this one wrong, probably because whoever Kim talked to just assumed that if it's considered an anti-cancer drug, it automatically puts us at high-risk.  Just MHO, but I'm going with Otter's onc on this one!!

The H1N1 vaccine available in Canada is made by Glaxo in Canada, and I have not heard of anyone suffering ill effects, other than a sore arm.  Neither dh nor I have had the shot, so we can't speak from experience, though.....  Anyone else???

My H1N1 shot didn't hurt one bit! Last year's seasonal flu was pretty bad. This year's not so much.

We thought we'd seen the peak at our college, but got a new wave today. I'm afraid that as people travel over the holidays, we'll see another spike in numbers. With this one, you're contagious before you're symptomatic!

Anne

Just want to remind any Canadian sisters that our H1N1 vaccine is made in Canada.  I didn't read anywhere that the U.S. vaccine is made in China.  Collette, wondering where you heard/read that?

Hi.  Ok I have an appt next week...the whole family does to get this vaccine.  I want it but it looks like we will be getting the mist .... except for the 3 yr old who I think will get the shot.  Anyways, I would like to hear from those of you that HAVE gotten the mist.  Any info would be welcomed.  I am 44yrs old

Thanks,

Teresa

Hi,

I just decided this morning to get the shot.  I work at a medical school and they have set aside vaccinations for people who are considered compromised.  Although I don't like thinking of myself that way, my body has been through a great deal this year, I didn't have chemo.  My onc and PCP both want me to get it.  I still didn't want to get it, but I just spoke with one of our grad students who got the illness and he said it was pretty bad.  I generally don't like putting anything in my body, but can't afford to get sick, don't have enough leave after the last year.  It also hit home for me today when I found out that a student teacher at my son's high school died from it in the last day or two--big healthy football playing guy--gone.  I've also had pneumonia several times, so I don't want to take the chance.  I just hope we don't find out some horrible thing about the vaccine in a few years!

Best,

KarenW 

Donna, in theory that can happen, but it is a weakened (attenuated) form of the virus so it isn't terribly likely - that's why your nephews won't get full blown H1N1. Since you are done with chemo, I don't think that you need to worry about it.

Linda, I read that there was a version of the H1N1 vaccine being manufactured in China and that they were exporting it to Korea and Mexico who had approved its use. I haven't seen any indication that it is being imported by the US. There are plenty of US makers of the vaccine though apparently it hasn't been growing as robustly in the eggs as they would like which is why there is such a shortage for the time being.

It seems like there are anti-vaccine folks who will generate any bit of FUD they can to convince others to not get vaccinated. It doesn't need to be true - it just needs to be anti-vaccine.

Well shit.  Im so confused over this whole thing.  My family doctor says Im not compromised since Im done with chemo so I can do the mist, my onc office said NO take the shot or nothing.  What the hell. 

I want the shot but how am I going to force them to give it to me?

Teresa

http://www.theflucase.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1419:alert-canadians-toxic-ingredients-in-the-arepanrix-h1n1-vaccine-harm-your-health&catid=41:highlighted-news&Itemid=105&lang=enhttp://www.theflucase.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1419:alert-canadians-toxic-ingredients-in-the-arepanrix-h1n1-vaccine-harm-your-health&catid=41:highlighted-news&Itemid=105&lang=enhttp://www.theflucase.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1419:alert-canadians-toxic-ingredients-in-the-arepanrix-h1n1-vaccine-harm-your-health&catid=41:highlighted-news&Itemid=105&lang=en

some interesting reading regarding the ingredients of the H1N1 flu vaccine. I'm not getting this vaccine. Hope this link works.