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Is getting the flu shot ok?


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I know that there have been many posts about the flu mist having possibly kicking off pandas flares, in fact I think we had that happen three years ago. I have avoided it and the shots since then, but this year's flu looks rampant and scary. Does anyone know whether the shot is ok, and why the difference?

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I can only tell you that Dr. T told us just recently NOT to get the flu shot. Thus far we have avoided the flu in our home. A small upset stomach and a 3 week flare we are in the midst of. We do labs this week to see what the culprit is. I remember Dr. T saying something about the live virus that we need to avoid. Wish i could be more helpful. I just know we are steering clear in this house. Good luck!

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The flu mist is a live virus and should be avoided especially in immune compromised. Vaccine is made with the dead virus. We have also avoided the flu vaccine for the last four years for PANS kiddo but this year I am asking all her Dr's about pros and cons. Nervous it will jumpstart major flare but since she does have CVID dx and because the flu sounds really bad this year-we may try it again.

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The flu mist is a live virus and should be avoided especially in immune compromised. Vaccine is made with the dead virus. We have also avoided the flu vaccine for the last four years for PANS kiddo but this year I am asking all her Dr's about pros and cons. Nervous it will jumpstart major flare but since she does have CVID dx and because the flu sounds really bad this year-we may try it again.

 

 

But....they had no clue which flu would be around this year, so how do you know the flu vaccine will even work on this kind of flu? Flu vaccine started my older son's massive flare that ended him in a psych hospital suicidal (I now know he had PANS for many, many years previously, but the biggest was when he was 15 after the flu vaccine.) The only vaccine I would now consider might be TB if my children got cut by a rusty nail. Dr. B and LLMD and DAN docs have all told us "no more vaccines."

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[quote name='tpotter' timestamp='1357612976' post='151982'

But....they had no clue which flu would be around this year, so how do you know the flu vaccine will even work on this kind of flu? Flu vaccine started my older son's massive flare that ended him in a psych hospital suicidal (I now know he had PANS for many, many years previously, but the biggest was when he was 15 after the flu vaccine.) The only vaccine I would now consider might be TB if my children got cut by a rusty nail. Dr. B and LLMD and DAN docs have all told us "no more vaccines."

curious tpotter -- have you just denied vaccines or have you had titers pulled to prove it -- were there any you needed to prove with college entrance?

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Both of my PANDAS kids (5 and 6) are fully vaccinated, but we avoid the flu shots. My son had sudden onset at 19 months old after an impetigo infection, dx at 26 months. During that time we took a family trip to Mexico at the height of the H1N1 outbreak down there. Our doc recommended the kids get that shot - it sent my son over the edge (we didn't know we were dealing with PANDAS at the time). We did not get the live vax either b/c I'm on immunosuppressants for my AS.

 

Since dx, we have NOT done any flu shots for either of the kids or any other "optional" shots. We have continnued to vaccinate though, just on a protracted schedule - 1 shot at a time, no "combo" shots if alternatives are available, and we space them a few weeks apart so we can monitor reactions. We have had NO increase in symptoms or flares with any vaccines.

 

Dr. B and Dr. M both agreed with this approach and it has worked for us.

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