A friend of mine recently reacted to a pneumonia vaccination and that led me to confirm my decision to NOT get the H1N1 and flu vaccines this year. Her reaction may have less to do with her R.A. and Lupus than the incorrect administering of the shot itself (yeah, I guess there is a ‘right way’ and a ‘wrong way’ to give someone a shot!)
I have two teenage daughters in high school and I’m expecting any day now to be confronted with the virus. I consider myself pretty healthy overall and have no respiration involvement with my lupus, so I may not even qualify as a ‘high risk’ in order to receive the vaccine even though I do have a ‘compromised’ immune system. I also know that I am not as ‘healthy’ or durable as I have been in the past flu seasons…for various reasons like age, fitness and or stress levels.
I’ve never had the flu shots in past seasons, going against my physicians’ recommendations that I do so. Once again my stubbornness in admitting that I am ‘sickly’ or need them gets in the way of some pretty important self-care. I’m afraid that I will resist that “sick” label up until the very end. However, going against my doctor’s recommendations doesn’t feel right nor is it recommended for someone in my situation, so don’t do as I do. I really need to work on this.
I ’ve been in some medical situations lately that have caused me to hold steady in the ‘questioning authority’ department. The most recent was in dealing with my daughter’s volleyball physical. I was reminded of how the kickback arrangements between doctors, the pharmaceutical and insurance industries are linked economically. The more tests ordered, the bigger the kickback, whether or not the tests are truly necessary.
Do we buy into the media hype about this flu? For those of us already being so careful about our immune systems and function well with our lupus (e.g. no respiratory involvement or current chemo/radiation), do we blindly accept all of these vaccine recommendations as precautionary? The standard treatment for this flu is similar to other viral infections – wash your hands often, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze and stay home if you’re feverish. I know for people with compromised health, that may not be enough to insure getting through the infection quickly or without further complications. However, I also personally struggle with the idea that the less I do challenge my immune system by dealing with exposures to foreign infections, the less likely my already confused system will really know what to do.
I’m actually just thinking out loud at this point and don’t make any health recommendations about whether or not to get the vaccine. No one can answer that for us except us alone. However, asking some questions and being an informed consumer regarding our health choices is still an important component in making these decisions.
Here is a quick list of links I’m looking at right now and today, there was a live “flu chat” (9 am PST; Noon EST) by Enoch Choi, MD talking about the H1N1 and seasonal flu. This is one of many web-based chats going on and it seems that the details about the vaccine, like quantity available and who qualifies for it, vary. The prevention, however, remains the same. These links aren’t through media sites, but you can always check with the local TV and radio stations for more links to visit:
Oregon Public Health Hotline: 1-800-978-3040
Although the vaccine is made available through the government at no cost, some clinics do charge to administer them. OHP clients also receive it for free and registered providers through the local health department get reimbursed for administering the shots (however, costs for office visits are not).
One of the barriers I face is not having medical insurance – I’m between not having enough money for private and too much for OHP ( I suspect I’m not alone). The good news is that some local health clinics, rather than some private practitioners, offer the vaccine for about $15 or less. That may be well worth the money if it also offers you some peace of mind.
If you are struggling with the decision or worried about what the H1N1 vaccine means for someone with lupus, read the information on these federal and state websites. Also, just talk to your doctor about your questions and concerns. Perhaps being a little on the precautionary side of things would be wise and I may end up there after all is said and done. Being cocky about my health has helped me in some situations, but it always has the potential to backfire.
