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Another Flu Shot Question - for Caregivers


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OK, so cancer patients especially undergoing chemo are high risk and should get the flu shot, right? Although no where do I see that specifically mentioned or defined as part of high risk. But what about immediate family members? Dave's oncologist told us I should get a flu shot - before the scare. Dave asked the nurse while he's there at chemo today if they could write me a prescription of necessity so I won't get booted out of one of the long lines and she said no, I didn't meet the requirement of high risk. But she can be a real WITCH when she wants to be difficult about something (usually for no reason except she's playing queen for a day or something).

Not sure how hard to press it. Faith's pediatrician wanted to cancel her shot but when I told them her dad is a cancer patient undergoing chemo they put her back on the necessity list.

My mom is a chemo patient too, - colon cancer. If I get sick I'll have no place to go!

Karen

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I called the pharmacy that is giving the shots tomorrow. I haven't gotten anything from my doc's office yet and they are really slow.

the pharmacy lady told me that I didn't fit their definition of high risk and they would not give me a shot. I said I can't get the flu around my husband and my mother. She said as long as they got the flu shot they can't get the flu from me. Oh yeah, what about last year, I said? The shot missed some of the strains. And, I asked her, have you ever had an immediate family member THAT YOU LIVED WITH have cancer? Obviously not!

OK, so if I get the flu, I have no place to go since my mom is having chemo right now too. Guess I'll have to check into a hotel all by myself for a week.

Good thing Dave's parents are here to take care of Faith.

I guess I could always live in our travel trailer in the back yard. no cable out there, though.

I'm trying to make light of the situation . . . sorry for the sick humor. I'm just really sick of this whole thing.

Karen

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Karen

It does suck. But one way to look at it is this: you would want all the people at very high risk to be able to have the shot. I think the shortage is for real. Wish there was some way around it.

Maybe there is a black market! (OK that's my stab at sick humor!)

elaine

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Oh, absolutely, Elaine, that is one reason why I have agonized so much over this, I definitely do not want to take the shot of someone who actually has cancer.

I wish I'd gone to the pharmacy where we get all our prescriptions filled, last week, before the panic hit - with Dave. The pharmacists there all know us by name, face and voice. then I would have gotten it and I would have gotten it before the situation got bad so I wouldn't have a guilty conscience over it :twisted:

We had two dates at work for flu shots and found out this morning they are both canceled which is no surprise, but I was holding off because of it. darn it all.

I just hope I don't get the flu, but working in a cube city type office and having a three year old in daycare, my chances don't look so good.

Better make sure we don't winterize that trailer so I can use it when I need to!!

Karen

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Karen, you should ABSOLUTELY get a flu shot. Chemo patients should receive flu vaccine but because their immune systems are being suppressed, they often don't develop full immunity from the vaccine. Think of it this way: I as a doctor have to get a flu shot so that I don't give the flu to my patients who are ill. Am I more likely to give someone the flu during their brief contact with me or is their primary caregiver who is with them around the clock more likely to give it to them? I tell my patients getting chemo that it is at least as important for their family members to get vaccinated as it is for them to get the shot themselves. (hmmm, not sure that sentence made sense....)

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What's the deal with flu shots in the US???

If you want one here, you just go to the doctor, tell them you want a flu shot, they write you a script, you buy the vaccine from the pharmacy, take it back to the doctor, and that's it - you're done!! (At least I THINK it's that simple!!)

Is there some kind of shortage of flu vaccine in the states?

Just curious,

Karen

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Karenl - yep, a shortage, 'cause Chiron, a maker of flu shots in England, had a tainted batch or something and that is where most of the U.S. gets their flu shots from.

Oncdoc - LOVE the photo - nice family! Are you asian? Our daughter is Chinese.

My primary care doc wrote me a script of necessity but I don't have time to go pick it up and make it to the flu shot clinic today and besides - now I feel really very guilty about it - if I do get the flu, I'll just move into our travel trailer in the back yard all by myself . . . . Dave's parents can take care of Dave and Faith, my Dad can take care of my Mom, and I'll just live like a leper out in the trailer.

Becky - I think it doesn't matter about having cancer, what matters is that your immune system is compromised by having chemo treatments - which I'm not having - nor, thank GOD, did I have to have, just surgery.

I think I'll pick up the script and then play it by ear for the next clinic.

Thanks for the reinforcement, Dr. Joe.

You know, I try not to be stressed over every simple little thing but it's not easy. Cancer really ruins every aspect of a family's life. People just don't know. My coworkers and bosses have no clue. Well, one boss has a clue (since she lost her young husband to a heart attack) but until you've lived this hell, no one can really understand how your life is so different in every little way.

Karen

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I'm not currently recieving treatment but do have the one lung factor. My doc had told me immediately after my surgery that pnemiona could very well be life threatening as well as any type of lung illness... given this fact I've been diligent in getting my flu shots but I don't fit the "emergency criteria" either and haven't been able to get one. Should I start getting a bit more pushy about making sure I recieve one?

I don't see an oncologist anymore so I really don't know who to ask about these things.

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Tami,

If you have one lung and are at risk for lung diseases, etc., AND your doctor told you to keep up with them, get the shot. You fit the profile. I think I read somewhere that lung cancer is a "critical disease".... :shock:

Do you have a primary care physician that can arrange for you to have the shot in his/her office? Can you get it at work?

Becky

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Tami - I think you most certainly do fit the profile.

Becky - I don't think any private employer has the flu shot. We don't. And I work for an public electric utility. they want to keep us healthy. also, none of the doctor's offices in this area have the flu shot either, except for the pediatricians.

Tami - I'd be aggressive about it. I think if you tell the flu shot clinic people you have one lung they won't give you a hard time.

This whole thing really sucks. It's all a matter of perspective. You have Dr. Joe saying we should all get one - and he's right of course - but the people who actually possess the shots are telling people like me tough luck. It's ridiculous.

Why are we only getting shots from two makers, and one of them is out of the picture? That's really stupid. Think we need new leadership at the CDC?

Karen

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UPDATE - my family doctor's office called me and said I HAD to get the flu shot - they wrote me a script for it - but the nurse said that ALL the doctors in that practice (three or four of 'em) got together and said YES, I had to get the flu shot, and if any flu clinic gave me a hard time to have them call the practice and any of the doctors would get on the phone and tell them to give it to me!!!!

So now I have to find another place to get it. and miss a half day of work. I guess I could take it as a doctors' appointment time out of sick leave . . .

I hate this crap!

Karen

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Karen,

Me, too! I think it is really going to be scary this fall and winter if any of us have to go into the hospital--or anywhere, for that matter, scarier than ususal, as far as the hospital!!! . Maybe I am just being paranoid but.....

Well, I wish you luck and hope you don't have to take too much time off or drive all around for a place to get the shots.

elaien

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Karen,

Not to be contradictory, but YES, private employers DO have the vaccine. I get my shot Friday - at work! They called me last week, limited number on site, and since they know my medical issues because they have a case file on me, my name is on one of the vials.... They can't WAIT to stick it to me, I'm sure! :roll:

It wouldn't hurt to ask the medical department in any place with such a thing if they have the vaccine - the worst they can say is "no"...

Becky

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On the topic of immunisation, just a reminder to people when they are immunising their babies and young children - some of the vaccines are 'live' vaccines, and can be harmful to people whose immune systems are compromised. For example, in Australia, the polio vaccine is given orally and is a live vaccine. Because my Mum was having chemo, I was advised to buy an injectible version of the vaccine which is NOT live. Unfortunately, this cost $200 for the 3 shots!! Oh well - it's only money!

Karen

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Geez, finally found a pharmacist who agrees I should get the flu shot! Someone told me about a Kmart in town that had them - didn't even know this particular Kmart existed - and I called - the pharmacy "assistant" was pretty rude and obviously didn't know what she was talking about ("do you have high blood pressure or something?") . . . geez . . . so the pharmacist got on the phone and I explained my situation and that I had a script from our doctor - he said, absolutely, you qualify under the CDC's guidelines and I will definitely give you a shot at our shot clinic next Friday, get here early and get in line . . . (I don't mind waiting in line, I just don't want to wait for four hours only to be rudely turned away, you know)

Every other pharmacy I've called - except for the place we get prescriptions from (and I missed that flu shot clinic 'cause we were SUPPOSED to get them at work the next day) - have told me they wouldn't give me the shot, script or not - husband with chemo or not - I FINALLY find a pharmacist with a brain!

Karen

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Gee, you know we wouldn't be in this mess if there really were any money in vaccines like this. Compared to the profit and liability?

The companies would rather make something like viagra.

We're lucky we had 2 sources of vaccine, even if only one was American. Imagine if we'd had only one, and they failed the cGMP

OOPS looks like the other company ADVENTIST wasn't American either!!

But French -- still don't know where their MFG facility is , though...

QC/QA evaluation!!

Don't blame the CDC, blame the profit orientation of all the drug companies. That's the same reason no one wants to develop orphan disease therapies.

ANy time money comes into the picture, you can see humanity falling through the gaps....

XOXOXOXOX

MaryAnn

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Sorry to be so cynical about this.

I am usually much more optimistic.

But the whole money/top level executive decision thing is the pits.

Results in: --nobody wants to make vaccine, unless it's by contract to the government.

--Outsourcing of jobs, resulting in fatter parachute packages for execs

(honestly, what can ONE PERSON do to deserve to make several million as a severance package? never mind as regular salary)

-- orphan diseases don't get much attention vis-a-vis therapeutics.

--whether its customer service jobs or the cotton /clothing mfg in the carolinas, the auto/steel industry..... ARGH. don't get me started.

Money is not what it is all about, but they'll see that too late.

Good thing faith isn't something you can buy by the ounce, or we'd all be sh-t out of luck.

XOXOXOXOXOX

Prayers always,

MaryAnn

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