Adalimumab and vaccines

[Lynneyb]

Afternoon one and all
I’m starting Adalimumab shortly and have been advised to have Covid , Flu, Shingles and Pneumonia vaccines. However I’ve decided not to, I’m not going to discuss why .

I’m wondering if anyone else has gone down that route ? And if so any issues.

Thanks

 

[mohanskin]

Adalimumab is known to suppress natural immunity. Hence, vaccination is often suggested for protection from potential opportunistic infections. The risk of complications rises if these vaccines are not given when on this medication.

 

[Lynneyb]

Adalimumab is known to suppress natural immunity. Hence, vaccination is often suggested for protection from potential opportunistic infections. The risk of complications rises if these vaccines are not given when on this medication.

Hello again , thank you for responding I am aware that Adalimumbab is an immunosuppressant hence my question !!

 

[my little penguin]

Humira makes you immunocompromised which is different than immunosupressed (organ transplant patient are immunosupressed )
Your are not more likely to catch a cold or other disease
However if you catch a cold or flu etc your body will have less reserves (back up fighters ) to fight off a secondary infection.
Secondary infections tag along with colds /flu etc.. and result in things like pneumonia.
Without reserves things like pneumonia after an illness can be serious for those who are very young /very old or immunocompromised.

My adult child has been on biologics since age 8 (now 21) and has not gotten any extra illness than my non ibd kiddos .
But he has also gotten every vaccine recommended included shingles etc…

Because he was immunocompromised he did get mastoiditis as a secondary infection after an ear infection
He was hospitalized for a few days to get iv antibiotics.
So…
Definitely talk to your Gi to discuss your particular risks
Everyone has a different health history and risks
Only you and your GI can decide what is the best move forward .

 

[Lynneyb]

Humira makes you immunocompromised which is different than immunosupressed (organ transplant patient are immunosupressed )
Your are not more likely to catch a cold or other disease
However if you catch a cold or flu etc your body will have less reserves (back up fighters ) to fight off a secondary infection.
Secondary infections tag along with colds /flu etc.. and result in things like pneumonia.
Without reserves things like pneumonia after an illness can be serious for those who are very young /very old or immunocompromised.

My adult child has been on biologics since age 8 (now 21) and has not gotten any extra illness than my non ibd kiddos .
But he has also gotten every vaccine recommended included shingles etc…

Because he was immunocompromised he did get mastoiditis as a secondary infection after an ear infection
He was hospitalized for a few days to get iv antibiotics.
So…
Definitely talk to your Gi to discuss your particular risks
Everyone has a different health history and risks
Only you and your GI can decide what is the best move forward .

Hello my little penguin.
Thank you for responding.
My understanding from research is Adalimumab is an immunosuppressant medicine that makes you immunocompromised.
It would appear no one has gone down the route mentioned in my original question.

 

[my little penguin]

Immunosuppressants are methotrexate and 6-mp/imuran
Humira is a different class known as biologics
Specifically anti tnf alpha
Which per the infectious disease specialist we saw is more concerning for infection than say a Stelara

My kiddo takes two biologics plus methotrexate (his case it’s what is needed and works )

I have been on here 14 years and not aware of any parent at least that went without vaccines plus biologics.
Tagging @Pangolin
In case they know of any case studies

 

[Scipio]

Afternoon one and all
I’m starting Adalimumab shortly and have been advised to have Covid , Flu, Shingles and Pneumonia vaccines. However I’ve decided not to, I’m not going to discuss why .

I’m wondering if anyone else has gone down that route ? And if so any issues.

Thanks

Whether you call it immunocompromised or immunosuppressed, either way the result is a weakened immune system. Hence, you need the protection induced by the vaccines all the more.

The Humira will increase the health risk to you from certain infectious diseases, hence the recommendation for the vaccines. Exposing yourself to the Humira risks is generally viewed as worth it in order to gain the benefit of reduced Crohn's inflammation. To forego the vaccines is to take on significantly more risk from the infectious diseases than is necessary.

 

[Delta_hippo]

Hello
I’m on stelara which is slightly different drug
I have had the Covid and flu vaccinations. Even having been jabbed long covid was a misery for me.
I did discuss colds/ flu with my GI as I had delayed the stelara a few times due to having a cold when it was due. His view was that on stelara it’s not so much viruses that are the risk but bacteria which can get a grip more easily than in a person not on the meds. So heavy cold, go ahead, coughing up green muck, possibly bacterial infection so hold fire.
I would say I find it harder to shake off a cold now than when I was young/ healthy.
My only contribution in terms of the non-vax route is that a lot of the people who advocate anti-vax from a vaguely medical perspective also say there is a ton of other stuff you should be doing instead, to give you an example there is a doc here in the UK who is very anti-vax (and has just been struck off) but if you followed her advice in full you wouldn’t have jabs but you would be eating paleo all the time, taking a ton of supplements routinely, having another load of different supplements ready at first sign of a sniffle, etc etc. So might be worth thinking about what you would do instead of a vaccine to try and reduce risk rather than just saying no to the vaccines.
If you do take the jabs my view would be to space them out as I have personally found having Covid and flu jabs together really wiped me out one year (although a previous year no ill effect). I definitely wouldn’t want 4 at the same time.
Good luck whichever route you choose.

 

[Lynneyb]

Hi Delta_hippo
Thanks for your response. After more thought I had the pneumonia and shingles jab on Wednesday.

 

[Pangolin]

Unfortunately, I don't have any reports on the severity of infections while vaxxed or not in the context of Humira.

 

[Delta_hippo]

Hi Delta_hippo
Thanks for your response. After more thought I had the pneumonia and shingles jab on Wednesday.

Hope you are feeling alright after, take it easy

 

[Lynneyb]

Hope you are feeling alright after, take it easy

Thank you . I feel fine apart from pain in the injection site ..

 

[dazigster]

Hi Delta_hippo
Thanks for your response. After more thought I had the pneumonia and shingles jab on Wednesday.

Hi Lynney - I'd like to commend you for keeping an open mind and making a judicial decision for your overall wellbeing. I'm on Adalimumab and can tell you, even vaxxed up to the eyeballs, Covid and pneumonia were not fun. At all. Even with antivirals. The latter came pretty damn close to finishing me off.

On biologics, even mere post-jab symptoms are a few days of hell, which gives you a pointed reminder of exactly how unshielded you now are from infections you breezed through younger, less immuno-compromised days.

That all said, Adalimumab is totally worth it, imho. In my 30 years of experience of Crohn's, it's the closest we have got yet to a functional cure: I'm effectively long-term symptomless (less all the symptoms from several meters less gut from more scalpel-happy, medical dark ages). Immuno-compromise (and perhaps bending any moral stance on vaccines) is a small price to pay.

 

[Lynneyb]

Hi Lynney - I'd like to commend you for keeping an open mind and making a judicial decision for your overall wellbeing. I'm on Adalimumab and can tell you, even vaxxed up to the eyeballs, Covid and pneumonia were not fun. At all. Even with antivirals. The latter came pretty damn close to finishing me off.

On biologics, even mere post-jab symptoms are a few days of hell, which gives you a pointed reminder of exactly how unshielded you now are from infections you breezed through younger, less immuno-compromised days.

That all said, Adalimumab is totally worth it, imho. In my 30 years of experience of Crohn's, it's the closest we have got yet to a functional cure: I'm effectively long-term symptomless (less all the symptoms from several meters less gut from more scalpel-happy, medical dark ages). Immuno-compromise (and perhaps bending any moral stance on vaccines) is a small price to pay.

Hi dazigster, thank you . I’m so glad to read your opinions. I’ve read that much information over the last few weeks my mind has been in a constant turmoil. One day I’m all for having the treatment the next I’m not . So to read you believe it’s worth it has been good for me. As I mentioned in my first post I believe I’ve had Crohns for over fifty years, albeit very mild. Thinking back all those year’s ,‘episodes’ that I put down to ‘me and my daft stomach’ . However it has got progressively worse over the last eight or so, hence my recent diagnosis and where I’m at now. I now have an 18cm stricture and hoping the Adalimumab works and I don’t need an op.
I’m keeping my fingers and toes crossed for a positive outcome.
Thank you once again.