RE: Hepatitis Vaccinations

August 14, 2001

I am sure you will be just fine as long as you are not the one receiving the

vaccination.

Take care,

D in MN

August 14, 2001

In a message dated 8/14/2001 7:11:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

lesliesa@... writes:

<< Should I avoid them after they receive them? I don't

mean to sound paranoid but I can't afford to get sick. >>

- most vaccines are " dead " and you cannot get the disease from having

the vaccination and certainly not from coming into contact with someone who

has been vaccinated. I am 99 and 44/100% sure that you have nothing to worry

about, but if it eases your mind, why not call your doctors and ask? After

all, that's what you (or your insurance company) pay them the big bucks for.

August 14, 2001

You don't need to avoid vaccinations because of the risk. The

immunosuppressives cause your body to not create immunity against the bug

you're being vaccinated for. Therefore, say you were given a Hepatits shot,

it wouldn't hurt you, you just wouldn't develop an immunity against

Hepatitis due to the medication.

HTH.

Rae

[ ] Hepatitis Vaccinations

> Next week they will be giving out Hepatitis vaccinations in the room

> next to my office. I remember reading that you should not get any

> vaccinations while on methotrexate and prednisone. Is safe for me to

> be in the next room while my co-workers are receiving these

> vaccinations? Should I avoid them after they receive them? I don't

> mean to sound paranoid but I can't afford to get sick. Thanks for

> any input.

>

August 14, 2001

Hi ,

The best thing to do is to contact your local public health office and ask

about it. I asked one of our nurses where I work about that and she said

that depending on the dose of MTX and when you take it, it can be worked out

so that you do not get the vaccine within so many days or hours of taking

the MTX. She does say, however, that no decision about a vaccine in a

questionable case like this should be taken without consultation with your

doctor as well as blood work which can determine your body's ability to

fight off the virus.

Also, people who are getting MTX as chemotherapy to treat cancer are getting

it in megadoses, and that makes a big difference. Those of us who are on

the relatively small doses don't have to get quite that worried about it,

and being around others who have had a vaccine is not a big deal. I work in

an organisation which runs both public and mental health programs. I work

quite often in the public health office and am daily exposed to EVERYTHING -

all the heps, tetanus, polio, diptheria, yellow fever, meningicoccal, etc.,

etc., etc., and have been on MTX for about three months now. There is no

problem and no problem is expected. Other food for thought.... if your

doctor says it's ok to get a vaccine - GET IT - especially flu, because the

risk to us of getting sick from a spreading virus is far more dangerous than

the limited exposure of a vaccine. If it's ok to get the heps and you are

exposed in work or travel or lifestyle to the A or B types, get them too.

We have patients that are being treated because they took the risk and

skipped the vaccine, and now they are getting seriously ill. It's not worth

it.

Hope this is helpful.

[ ] Hepatitis Vaccinations

Next week they will be giving out Hepatitis vaccinations in the room

next to my office. I remember reading that you should not get any

vaccinations while on methotrexate and prednisone. Is safe for me to

be in the next room while my co-workers are receiving these

vaccinations? Should I avoid them after they receive them? I don't

mean to sound paranoid but I can't afford to get sick. Thanks for

any input.

August 15, 2001

Thanks for all the input. I don't mean to be paranoid. I just remember reading

that they said to stay away from people who received the polio vaccine. I

didn't know if it was the same for all vaccines. Thanks again.

>>> heather.watson@... 08/14/01 09:25PM >>>