Fwd: [MS_Community] Fw: MS, the Flu, and Vaccination

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/09/2003 4:27:01 PM Eastern Daylight Time, tmbayuk@... writes:

Dear Members,

Flu season is here!

The flu, also known as influenza, is a contagious disease that is caused by the influenza virus. Influenza usually comes on suddenly and may cause fever, headache, tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, and achiness. Most people who get influenza will recover in one to two weeks, but some, especially the elderly or those with chronic diseases, may develop serious complications. For people with MS, influenza also increases the risk of having an exacerbation.

Vaccines, which must be obtained yearly, are moderately effective in preventing the flu. Thus, it would seem to make sense for people with MS to get vaccinated. However, some people have had exacerbations soon after receiving the flu vaccination. To try to clarify whether flu vaccines may increase the risk of an attack, formal studies have been conducted. These studies have not found any substantially increased risk of an attack after flu vaccination. Since the flu may cause attacks and formal studies have found no evidence of MS-related risks with vaccination, it is sometimes suggested that people with MS get flu vaccinations. This should be discussed with your health care provider.

For people with MS who get vaccinations, it may be best to avoid the vaccination during an attack and to not get the vaccination at a site where one of the injectable medications (Avonex, Betaseron, Copaxone, or Rebif) was recently injected. For those who get significant flu-like side effects with interferon injections (Avonex, Betaseron, or Rebif), it would be reasonable to avoid getting the flu vaccine on the days that you inject your medication.

In addition, the vaccination should not be used during the first trimester of pregnancy and should be avoided by those with a history of adverse reactions to the vaccination or a history of allergic reactions to eggs.

There are also a number of oral antiviral medications that may be helpful for the treatment and, in some cases, prevention of flu. These include amantadine (Symmetrel), rimantadine (Flumadine), oseltamivir (Tamiflu), and zanamivir (Relenza).

For more information about cold and flu and conventional and alternative treatments for cold and flu, sign on to www.ms-cam.org (sign on using your full email address, including the @ symbol) and choose "cold and flu."

Sincerely,

Bowling, M.D., Ph.D.Tom , PA-C, J.D.Rocky Mountain MS Center

PS Please forward this email to anyone you think may be interested. Those who have signed up previously and changed email addresses may no longer be receiving our newsletters.

Technical matters:

1. If you have received this newsletter then you are properly registered at www.ms-cam.org. Remember, your username and password are the same, your full email address including the @ symbol.

2. If you would like to change your email address, please cut and paste the following link into your web browser: http://www.ms-cam.org/change.html. To login, you will need to use your current email address (the address that we used to send you this newsletter) as both your Username and Password. You may also use this to unsubscribe. If you want to unsubscribe, simply leave your new email adress as a blank field.

----- Original Message ----- From: MS-CAM

tmbayuk@...

Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2003 3:20 PM

Subject: MS, the Flu, and Vaccination

Dear Members, Flu season is here! The flu, also known as influenza, is a contagious disease that is caused by the influenza virus. Influenza usually comes on suddenly and may cause fever, headache, tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, and achiness. Most people who get influenza will recover in one to two weeks, but some, especially the elderly or those with chronic diseases, may develop serious complications. For people with MS, influenza also increases the risk of having an exacerbation. Vaccines, which must be obtained yearly, are moderately effective in preventing the flu. Thus, it would seem to make sense for people with MS to get vaccinated. However, some people have had exacerbations soon after receiving the flu vaccination. To try to clarify whether flu vaccines may increase the risk of an attack, formal studies have been conducted. These studies have not found any substantially increased risk of an attack after flu vaccination. Since the flu may cause attacks and formal studies have found no evidence of MS-related risks with vaccination, it is sometimes suggested that people with MS get flu vaccinations. This should be discussed with your health care provider. For people with MS who get vaccinations, it may be best to avoid the vaccination during an attack and to not get the vaccination at a site where one of the injectable medications (Avonex, Betaseron, Copaxone, or Rebif) was recently injected. For those who get significant flu-like side effects with interferon injections (Avonex, Betaseron, or Rebif), it would be reasonable to avoid getting the flu vaccine on the days that you inject your medication. In addition, the vaccination should not be used during the first trimester of pregnancy and should be avoided by those with a history of adverse reactions to the vaccination or a history of allergic reactions to eggs. There are also a number of oral antiviral medications that may be helpful for the treatment and, in some cases, prevention of flu. These include amantadine (Symmetrel), rimantadine (Flumadine), oseltamivir (Tamiflu), and zanamivir (Relenza). For more information about cold and flu and conventional and alternative treatments for cold and flu, sign on to www.ms-cam.org (sign on using your full email address, including the @ symbol) and choose "cold and flu."

Sincerely, Bowling, M.D., Ph.D.Tom , PA-C, J.D.Rocky Mountain MS Center

PS Please forward this email to anyone you think may be interested. Those who have signed up previously and changed email addresses may no longer be receiving our newsletters.

Technical matters: 1. If you have received this newsletter then you are properly registered at www.ms-cam.org. Remember, your username and password are the same, your full email address including the @ symbol. 2. If you would like to change your email address, please cut and paste the following link into your web browser: http://www.ms-cam.org/change.html. To login, you will need to use your current email address (the address that we used to send you this newsletter) as both your Username and Password. You may also use this to unsubscribe. If you want to unsubscribe, simply leave your new email adress as a blank field.

A support group for people with ms & their friends & relations. We try & keep informed of developments in ms research & stay abreast of legislative issues that may effect us.

[Guest guest]

I notice these folks didn't say anything about thimoseral... I think

this is a greater scandal than thalidomide and I don't say that

lightly. I still cannot believe my doctor has been injecting me

with mercury. They took mercury as a preservative out of *paint*

a long time ago.

-Sullivan

> In a message dated 10/09/2003 4:27:01 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

> tmbayuk@c... writes:

>

> Dear Members,

> Flu season is here!

> The flu, also known as influenza, is a contagious disease that is

caused by

> the influenza virus. Influenza usually comes on suddenly and may

cause fever,

> headache, tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, and

achiness.

> Most people who get influenza will recover in one to two weeks, but

some,

> especially the elderly or those with chronic diseases, may develop

serious

> complications. For people with MS, influenza also increases the

risk of having an

> exacerbation.

> Vaccines, which must be obtained yearly, are moderately effective

in

> preventing the flu. Thus, it would seem to make sense for people

with MS to get

> vaccinated. However, some people have had exacerbations soon after

receiving the flu

> vaccination. To try to clarify whether flu vaccines may increase

the risk of

> an attack, formal studies have been conducted. These studies have

not found

> any substantially increased risk of an attack after flu

vaccination. Since the

> flu may cause attacks and formal studies have found no evidence of

MS-related

> risks with vaccination, it is sometimes suggested that people with

MS get flu

> vaccinations. This should be discussed with your health care

provider.

> For people with MS who get vaccinations, it may be best to avoid

the

> vaccination during an attack and to not get the vaccination at a

site where one of the

> injectable medications (Avonex, Betaseron, Copaxone, or Rebif) was

recently

> injected. For those who get significant flu-like side effects with

interferon

> injections (Avonex, Betaseron, or Rebif), it would be reasonable to

avoid

> getting the flu vaccine on the days that you inject your

medication.

> In addition, the vaccination should not be used during the first

trimester of

> pregnancy and should be avoided by those with a history of adverse

reactions

> to the vaccination or a history of allergic reactions to eggs.

> There are also a number of oral antiviral medications that may be

helpful for

> the treatment and, in some cases, prevention of flu. These include

amantadine

> (Symmetrel), rimantadine (Flumadine), oseltamivir (Tamiflu), and

zanamivir

> (Relenza).

> For more information about cold and flu and conventional and

alternative

> treatments for cold and flu, sign on to www.ms-cam.org (sign on

using your full

> email address, including the @ symbol) and choose " cold and flu. "

> Sincerely,

> Bowling, M.D., Ph.D.

> Tom , PA-C, J.D.

>

> Rocky Mountain MS Center

>

> PS Please forward this email to anyone you think may be interested.

Those who

> have signed up previously and changed email addresses may no longer

be

> receiving our newsletters.

> Technical matters:

> 1. If you have received this newsletter then you are properly

registered at

> www.ms-cam.org. Remember, your username and password are the same,

your full

> email address including the @ symbol.

> 2. If you would like to change your email address, please cut and

paste the

> following link into your web browser: http://www.ms-

cam.org/change.html. To

> login, you will need to use your current email address (the address

that we used

> to send you this newsletter) as both your Username and Password.

You may also

> use this to unsubscribe. If you want to unsubscribe, simply leave

your new

> email adress as a blank field.

>

>

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: MS-CAM

> tmbayuk@a...

> Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2003 3:20 PM

> Subject: MS, the Flu, and Vaccination

>

>

>

> Dear Members,

>

> Flu season is here!

>

> The flu, also known as influenza, is a contagious disease that is

caused by the influenza virus. Influenza usually comes on suddenly

and may cause fever, headache, tiredness, dry cough, sore throat,

nasal congestion, and achiness. Most people who get influenza will

recover in one to two weeks, but some, especially the elderly or

those with chronic diseases, may develop serious complications. For

people with MS, influenza also increases the risk of having an

exacerbation.

>

> Vaccines, which must be obtained yearly, are moderately effective

in preventing the flu. Thus, it would seem to make sense for people

with MS to get vaccinated. However, some people have had

exacerbations soon after receiving the flu vaccination. To try to

clarify whether flu vaccines may increase the risk of an attack,

formal studies have been conducted. These studies have not found any

substantially increased risk of an attack after flu vaccination.

Since the flu may cause attacks and formal studies have found no

evidence of MS-related risks with vaccination, it is sometimes

suggested that people with MS get flu vaccinations. This should be

discussed with your health care provider.

>

> For people with MS who get vaccinations, it may be best to avoid

the vaccination during an attack and to not get the vaccination at a

site where one of the injectable medications (Avonex, Betaseron,

Copaxone, or Rebif) was recently injected. For those who get

significant flu-like side effects with interferon injections (Avonex,

Betaseron, or Rebif), it would be reasonable to avoid getting the flu

vaccine on the days that you inject your medication.

>

> In addition, the vaccination should not be used during the first

trimester of pregnancy and should be avoided by those with a history

of adverse reactions to the vaccination or a history of allergic

reactions to eggs.

>

> There are also a number of oral antiviral medications that may be

helpful for the treatment and, in some cases, prevention of flu.

These include amantadine (Symmetrel), rimantadine (Flumadine),

oseltamivir (Tamiflu), and zanamivir (Relenza).

>

> For more information about cold and flu and conventional and

alternative treatments for cold and flu, sign on to www.ms-cam.org

(sign on using your full email address, including the @ symbol) and

choose " cold and flu. "

>

>

> Sincerely,

>

> Bowling, M.D., Ph.D.

> Tom , PA-C, J.D.

>

> Rocky Mountain MS Center

>

>

> PS Please forward this email to anyone you think may be interested.

Those who have signed up previously and changed email addresses may

no longer be receiving our newsletters.

>

>

> Technical matters:

>

> 1. If you have received this newsletter then you are properly

registered at www.ms-cam.org. Remember, your username and password

are the same, your full email address including the @ symbol.

>

> 2. If you would like to change your email address, please cut and

paste the following link into your web browser: http://www.ms-

cam.org/change.html. To login, you will need to use your current

email address (the address that we used to send you this newsletter)

as both your Username and Password. You may also use this to

unsubscribe. If you want to unsubscribe, simply leave your new email

adress as a blank field.