Hi
Has anyone had this yet? MY GP has suggested it and my Chemo Nurse sees no problem, as I last had chemo in Sept and am now on a break until after Xmas.
I am just a bit nervous as it is an unknown thing at the moment - are there side effects?
Hi Ginny,
I had my last chemo today and am booked for the swine flu injection on Thursday. Mentioned it to my onc today and he thought it a good idea. I was considering having that and the usual flu jab together but he reckons that would be too much as both together makes even people with uncompromised immune systems feel ill. He suggests having that 4 weeks later when my white blood cell count will be back up but felt the timing was good for the swine flu one.
I can let you know how I feel after it if you like…very subjective I know but it’s something.
Lee x
Hi Lee
Yes please do let me know how you feel afterwards.
Thanks xx
hi jinny been adviced 2 have it just few days before next chemo,nurse says this is current advice for us folks but won,t prevent it but lessen symptoms and length of flu son and wife had swine flu early in year and saw how ill they both were so seems best for me not easy to decide will let folks know how it goes lots love to all sheena x
Hi Ginny,
well, went for my swine flu injection to find they ddin’t have any yet! Went for the norma flu injection…not sure if I should have done though. The surgery are expecting swine flue vaccine in on around the 9th but I think the advice is to have the injections a couple of weeks apart. Two weeks from now would be a low point after my chemo and my onc had advised a 4 week gap so that I would be stronger. That’s quite a while away and just before my next op (just remembered that! I think I might have done the wrong thing…but on the positive side no ill effects so far!
Lee x
I had the swine flu jab yesterday morning (had the ordinary flu one a month ago). My arm is still sore (although the injection didn’t really hurt) and I’m noticeably more tired and a bit more shivery than usual whereas was just a bit headachy after the main flu jab. I think I’ll be fine tomorrow though.
hi all,
i was at the docs yesterday and the nurse said i would be called in for the swine flu jab in the next 2weeks, i had the flu jab last friday and was okay just a bit of a sore leg, as no lymph nodes this is where she put it.
i was also wondering about the swine flu jab as it is pretty new, but i think it is still worth having.
love reneexx
Has anyone got any experience with Tamoxifen and swine flu / seasonal flu jabs?
I was sent for my swine flu jab on thursday but when i got down there and read the form, I said “I take tamoxifen, is that okay?” and they looked very worried and sent me away to contact Occupational health who were sadly too busy to return my call. It’s bad enough having a recent BC diagnosis and trying to keep it together and carry on working during pre-surgery treatment but i felt really awful that day.
I tried to find more from the Direct dot Gov website and my understanding is that there are two sorts of vaccine, one is dead and one is live but very weak, and they are worried that in immunocompromised (cancer) patients the weakened live vaccine could cause the disease. What i can’t find out is, are you immunocompromised just because you have cancer, or is it something caused by chemo or radiotherapy (neither of which i’m on)?
I’m on both Tamoxifen and Zoladex and there wasn’t any discussion whether the former would present a problem, but I had it at the same time as my Zoladex injection by the same nurse who usually does it, so I assume that they knew what they are doing. Flu jabs usually don’t present me with any problems whereas I did feel a bit tired etc after this one…
Hi Hymil,
The immunosupression is caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy both of which reduce your body’s ability to produce the white blood cells which fight infection.
Even though I’ve just finished chemo and just starting radiotherapy my Onc is still recommending I have both flu jabs.
Jan xx
I went to see my GP last week. She said that I could have the seasonal flu jab and swine flu jab at the same time. I also told her that I had started on tamoxifen and she didn’t mention this as any problem.
Renee - i need to have my flu jabs in the thigh. GP said this was fine but I’m a bit worried about how nurses will react when I go for the vaccination. Have you had any problems with this?
Elinda x
Thank you all, I will get myself back down there next week!